DTVPAL DVR Reviews

I wish there was a good over the air antennae based DVR.  My wife and I were hoping this would be it.  But this thing is a huge disappointment.  It locked up every few days and the tech group at DISH network told us to fix this by uplugging it for 2-3 minutes exactly (not more, not less) which was weird but it worked.  This time however, no matter how long you wait to plug it back in, the box stays locked up and useless.  And DISH Network won't support it because I bought it from Sears and Sears sold it (and might still be selling them) after DISH stopped making them and selling them (Sept...

Once you have DVR you never go back. And if you're like me and refuse to pay for TV, this is the PERFECT solution. I looked long and far for something with this functionality and right now this is the ONLY product out there like this that I know of that doesn't charge a monthly fee.

I have had the DTVPal DVR for over a year. It is made specifically for folks who use an antenna to watch over the air TV. The two tuners in this DVR pick up both standard digital and HD signals. With two tuners it is possible to watch a live show while recording another station. It is also possible to record two shows simultaneously and watch another previously recorded show. The DTVPal also subscribes to TVGOS (TV Guide On Screen). In my area the local CBS affiliate provides the TVGOS services. With a push of a button I can review the program guide on screen for all the stations I receive. I can...

This is a great (although not perfect) device that is a much, much cheaper alternative than purchasing a TiVo subscription or paying for satellite/cable.  If you are currently using Over-The-Air (antenna) TV, you should seriously consider purchasing this unit.

Having the ability to pause and rewind live TV and digitally record any program with the touch of one button will change the way you watch television.  Fast-forwarding through commercials, watching shows whenever is convenient for you, etc. are all amazing luxuries of owning a DVR.  Prior to the DTVPAL DVR, those of us watching TV on rabbit...

I bought two of the units by phone from Dish Network in January 2009. They arrived on inauguration day. Very quickly I realized something was very wrong with them. The machines would spontaneously reboot while I was watching a program. This could happen as many as three times within one hour. Even more disconcerting, the machines would simply freeze up. Since there is no hardware on/off switch, the only way to restart them was to unplug and plug them back in again. Updating the software didn't help. Finally on March 10th I had enough and requested two return merchandise authorizations. When I got...

I've owned this device since January 2009, and while the early firmware versions had lots of problems, the DTVPal DVR is now a well-sorted product that does exactly what it's designed to do.

When it was first released, the device was buggy and rebooted itself frequently (sometimes multiple times daily, almost to the point of being unusable). DISH network's firmware upgrades progressively fixed the flaws, and it is now much more reliable than the Motorola cable company DVR I used to have.

No electronic device is perfect, and the PalDVR's guide is neither fancy nor complete. Many markets are limited...

i am very happy with this DVR, it does what it advertises. I got it when it first came out, and my only problem with it is the software which provides the functionality that has so many bugs.  However, the software is getting much better as it updates the software though an ethernet connection.  Let me say that an ethernet connection is a must with this box as this is the only way you will get the fixes.  I can't imagine someone having this box and still running the original software version, they really must be pulling they're hair out,,, LOL.  Apart from the sofware bugs, I love this box....

If you want to watch HDTV and you get your signal from an antenna, then you have four options:

 1) schedule your life around the broadcast schedule of your favorite shows and sit through the comercials

2) buy an HD TiVo ($250 for the unit + $400 for the lifetime "subscription")

3) buy or build a "home-theater" PC (expensive, complicated, not for the faint of heart)

4) buy the Sling Media Digital Converter/DVR (aka "Freestar DVR", aka DTVPal DVR) for $250-$300 with no subscription fees.

I chose option #4 about 3 months ago and I couldn't be happier. These units had some problems early on but they...

Had a Sony Recorder, the only thing that the Sony did better was the guide.  Need I say more?  The Sony had a video window on the guide.  The Dish box actually uses PSIP guide data or TVGUIDE On Screen if available, very little so far to complain about, had it about 4 days now, love it!!!!  I actually purchased a second unit as there is always a thrid or fourth program to watch/ record at the same time occasionally.

I have had 2 units for about one month.  I am delighted to be able to record and playback in HD.  The only problem I have experienced with both units is that the close captioning is often garbled. 

This is an excellent unit. It sits between your antenna and your TV, and allows you to

1. Pause live TV.
2. View official TV Guide information on screen, then press a button to record a show.
3. Watch one show while recording another.
4. View recordings by show name,  skipping forward and backward easily.

no problems so far but got the extended warrenty just in case... this unit is awesome. NO SUBSCRIPTIONS! everything works just as it says.

Unit died after eight months of usage.  No LED's, no sound, no screen.  Like a power supply died or a fuse blew.

I am dissappointed and I feel picked on as there are a  large number of folks who are pretty happy with their units and I was one of the few that got a unit with a design or manufacturing defect.

When I bought I did not know warrenty was only 90 days and extended warrenty was not offered. 

Detailed troubleshooting revealed that the wall plug failed a simple fix once it is found. Got to believe others are going to have a similar problem. http://sankaty.homestead.com/DVR.html