SUPER HOT!!! ReplayTV 5040 40 Hour DVR w/ Progressive Scan - $149 AR

[jasonja]

No, those are not the upgrades I'm refering to (I have a 3020 Replay so I know all about the phone line stuff).


There is info on their website that says they are adding MP3 support, JPEG viewer support, and broadband support. Do they are plan on releasing an adapter to make them broadband or are they going to release new versions with broadband. I don't see how they can support these features without ethernet

 

[Z80]

I would assume broadband support will be via the USB port (500K driver) and the MP3 player and Jpeg viewer in less than a 1MB download. Big woop on the dial-up download.

 

[jasonja]

It's not the player size I'm concerned about... how do you transfer your MP3's and pictures to it? I assume USB ethernet dongle like you said.

 

[AnferneeQuinn]

Warning: If you have CC re-ring your web order to price match, you will lose your MSN dollars. I've done the same thing recently on another purchase.

 

[LurkingInNC]

HELP! getting more confused the more I read.

I'd like to build a pseudo PVR setup to record DISH programming without paying a monthly or lifetime service fee. I say 'pseudo' cause I'm not too concerned about the ability to record and watch different programs at the same time.

I currently have a DISHPlayer 7100. I can use this with a VCR by programming the 7100 for specific time and channel settings, programming the VCR for the same time, and using the VCR to record the signal from the 7100's component output cables.

jasonja, you're saying I couldn't do the same thing using a ReplayTV 5040 instead of a VCR, correct?

Any thoughts on how I could accomplish something like this? Would I need a TIVO or an older model Replay to make it work (anyone know the cutoff for Replay models where this would work?)

How about implications regarding the output signal (i.e., dolby digital, etc.)? The 7100 has s-video/ toslink optical outputs, don't know what kind of inputs a Replay or TIVO has.

Probably wrong forum for this level of detail so in lieu of answers can anyone point to a links with specific info about what I'd like to do?

Thanks for any help and apologies for the length of this post and my lack of knowledge!

 

[jasonja]

Correct, The 5000 and the 4500 series Replays were all sold without "service" pricing built in so any of those models are completely useless unless they are activated (lifetime subscription or monthly fee agreement). And if you are on the monthly plan and stop paying, the Replay will stop functioning after it fails to connect to the "mothership". I would love to see some information on how people have attempted to hack around this but most of the forums forbid any kind of talk like this. (if anyone has links PM them to me because I'd like to know if anyone has done it).

The 2000, 3000, and 4000 (not 4500) series had service built into the pricing so they don't require activation to function. This is the reason that the old replays are still VERY expensive on Ebay and such. So you can buy and older one with service on just suck it up and pay for the new one and a lifetime service (either way unless you get a super good deal on a old one you may end up paying about the same)

I believe the Replay 4000 and up series all have optical audio in. My 3020 does NOT. My 3020 does have S-video and I believe all the new ones do as well.


If you get a Replay (or Tivo) with service you will use the it's menu and guide and it will directly control your DISH box via IR or serial cable. So you would only need to tell the Replay/Tivo to record this show and this time and it will take care of making sure the DISH/Cable/DirectTV box is on the right channel. This does require that the DISH/Cable/DirectTV box be left on all the time though.

 

[vladgur]

Originally posted by: jasonja

I believe the Replay 4000 and up series all have optical audio in. My 3020 does NOT. My 3020 does have S-video and I believe all the new ones do as well.

They have optical out but its pretty useless because it doesnt have optical in. There are no over the air or non-digitalcable dolby digital broadcasts as far as I know, so you wont get dolby digital content to your replay.... thus there is really no need for optical output from the replay....

 

[vladgur]

Originally posted by: LurkingInNC
HELP! getting more confused the more I read.

I'd like to build a pseudo PVR setup to record DISH programming without paying a monthly or lifetime service fee. I say 'pseudo' cause I'm not too concerned about the ability to record and watch different programs at the same time.

I currently have a DISHPlayer 7100. I can use this with a VCR by programming the 7100 for specific time and channel settings, programming the VCR for the same time, and using the VCR to record the signal from the 7100's component output cables.

jasonja, you're saying I couldn't do the same thing using a ReplayTV 5040 instead of a VCR, correct?

Any thoughts on how I could accomplish something like this? Would I need a TIVO or an older model Replay to make it work (anyone know the cutoff for Replay models where this would work?)

How about implications regarding the output signal (i.e., dolby digital, etc.)? The 7100 has s-video/ toslink optical outputs, don't know what kind of inputs a Replay or TIVO has.

Probably wrong forum for this level of detail so in lieu of answers can anyone point to a links with specific info about what I'd like to do?

Thanks for any help and apologies for the length of this post and my lack of knowledge!

I would suggest buying a dish 501 or dish 508 pvr receiver. It will cost you around $200(I just sold mine on ebay for $250) and has most of the features of replaytv. No monthly fees there....

 

[LurkingInNC]

Not positive, but pretty sure my neighbors can get dolby digital 5.1 with their DirecTV system (at least for some ppv movies). Not sure about DISH as it's a moot point for me right now- my receiver only has dolby pro logic

vladgur- why'd you sell your DISH 500 series pvr receiver?

 

[vladgur]

its true that some directv and dish broadcasts have dolby digital programming, but the issue here is that replay tv doesnt have digital input, so it cannot record and therefore playback dolby digital content. It does have digital output, but its useless for reasons stated above.

I switched from Dish to cable for price reasons solely -- I found out that my new apartment complex offers free cable and even with the cheapest programming Dish was costing me over $30 a month whereas I was only watching 3-4 channels at most. I considered switching to Dish locals for about $15 a months, but then I found out that I get free standard cable and voilas....

There are disadvantages for cable --
QUALITY --- worse quality than sattelite content.
Dolby Digital content for HBo and I think I even saw CSI in Dolby Digital

But at its price point ($0) cable beats dish. If I were to choose between paying a standard rate for standard(non-basic) cable at $38 and dish at $33. I would pick dish.