NYCLA*

bicker

There are several reasons why someone might choose OTA instead of cable. One of those reasons is money. While every person is different, it is logical to assume that the population that chooses OTA over cable tends to include more people who are more price sensitive with regard to entertainment. That tends work against an entertainment consumer product aimed at OTA instead of OTA and cable.

While I don't know if they're discontinuing the DTVPal DVR, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the product is doing poorly. If consumers aren't willing to purchase it at a price sufficient to motivate Echostar to continue producing it, then we consumers are losing a choice that we simply don't deserve to have available to us.

HTNut

You're completely missing my point. See Bicker's post above.

Yes, Tivo uses Tribune Media Services for program information, which is a 3rd party, but they compensate them for this service. It's much more involved and accurate than the PSIP or TVGOS data.

I'm not making this a cable/satellite vs OTA battle. I'm just saying there "probably" isn't as much demand for OTA DVR as there is for a cable/satellite DVRs. I've listed the reasons of why I arrived at that conclusions already, and obviously you disagree which is completely fine by me.

bicker

Just a heads-up: TiVo has recently signed an agreement with entertainment metadata supplier Rovi. Details of the nature of the agreement are, of course, proprietary, but speculation includes perhaps TiVo working to replace Tribune Media Services as their supplier for program information with Rovi.

NYCLA*

I guess OTA viewers then wouldn't have been inclined to buy VCR's either. That's why Dish built timers that work in conjunction with VCR's in their digital to analog converters. /sarcasm

Sales may be a part of why Dish/Echostar might discontinue the Pal DVR. They certainly have done *nothing* to promote or advertise it. However, I can't help but think that the Tivo patent lawsuits currently going on, as well as a simple change in thought over the strategy of selling such a device are bigger factors. I think they eventually maybe wanted to use it as a lure to get OTA viewers to subscribe to satellite - the box has a built in smart card slot that is unused. But maybe they felt they were just encouraging people to not subscribe to their service with such a device. Any way you slice it, it's a real shame.

EscapeVelocity

I agree with bicker, while I particularly may want more DVR choices for OTA, the market just isnt there, as can be seen by other products quickly discontinued, like the Sony and LG OTA DVRs.

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EscapeVelocity

How good is the tuner in the Dish DTVPal DVR?

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98clru

Been using a tivo HD for OTA since april, dropped cable a month later after I found tivo exceeded my hopes. One of my inspirations to go with the tivo OTA is my cable provider requires an HD tuner to get one of the OTA channels I really wanted (MHZ). With all the fees to get an HD dvr I was spending $80/month. To help inspire me Brighthouse totally screwed up the firmware on their hd dvrs.

I hated to shell out all the money I did but we are much happier with the tivo than we were with Brighthouse. In 8 months my tivo will have been paid off with the savings ($175 w/tax on clearance at sears, $400 lifetime subscription, already had an antenna for all those cable outages) and I don't have to worry about outages caused by weather (lightning does cause a bit of pixelation but only a second or two). No monthly (seemed that way) price increases so it will probably take even less than 8 months.
I still find I don't have enough time to watch all that I record but I have 3 pbs stations available with 2 or three subchannels each that I find things of interest on.

Adding the free RSS and utube downloads and $9/month netflix streaming to tivo I definitely have too much to watch. Of course if you don't have broadband those aren't options to you but I doubt many posters here don't have broadband.

The program guide is much better than brighthouse too.

I was anxiously awaiting the DTVPal but knowing that dish didn't stand behind it (if you get a lemon you are stuck if it dies right after warrantee) I figured there was a fair possibility I could have a $250 doorstop. I'm sure many that tried the DTVPal dvr wish they had spent a little more and gotten much more from Tivo.

I don't need the qam tuner, but that gives me the option if I decide cable becomes so attractive I can't resist or increases the resale value if their should be a truely worthy dvr that is much better. Doubt quam capability is that big an expense. You can pick up a atsc/quam capable tuning card for PC for less than $45, if you don't want/need qam you would only save $7. For $14 it's worth it to have the option.

EscapeVelocity

I thought Tivo quit the lifetime subscriptions?

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bicker

They began offering them again gosh it must over a year ago if not two.