Dish Network ViP 622 (320 GB) DTV Receiver / 180-Hours DVR
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- Type: TV Receiver Video Recorder (DVR)
- Broadcast Type: Terrestrial
- Digital Receiver: ATSC
- Audio Support: Dolby Surround
- TV Resolutions: 480i (525i) 480p (525p) 720p (750p) 1080i (1125i)
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User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Better than TiVo.
Pros
HD picture, user interface, unique features, no annoying blip noise with remote, software updated OFTEN.
Cons
Build-in storage space, external storage activation fee, No HD on second TV.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The low cost of entry and low monthly cost were enough for me to switch. The features are what keep me coming back.
Even TiVo zealots can't argue that.
Even TiVo zealots can't argue that.
I've noticed that there aren't any recent reviews, and since the last review, Dish has continued to make improvements and enhancements to the software, and a lot of the complaints of other reviewers have been corrected. This review is based on the latest software available as of 09/01/2009. I will try to keep the review short, and will touch on what I feel are the best and most unique features.
Having used standalone TiVos, DirecTivos, and cable DVRs, I can say with certainty that the Dish ViP622 is the best user experience available today. That said, from what I've read, it is not without its problems.
I switched to Dish and got my first ViP622 about two years ago, and had a standard definition DVR driving two other televisions, both leased. The first HD box has never had a problem in two years. I recently upgraded the standard def box for another ViP622, which had some problems (kept rebooting). I mention this because I brought it up to Dish, they sent a technician out as soon as possible, at no charge to me. He did not have a box with him, so Dish sent me a replacement. I asked for a credit to my account for the lost time, and it was given without question. I am not sure how they cover purchased boxes, but they seem very focused on customer satisfaction with leased boxes. On to the review.
User Experience
I have no reservations about saying that this is the best user experience in a DVR I've ever had. There are multiple guide options, the recorded programs list is sortable and groupable (with customer groups!), you can edit recorded program names, and the menu screens are actually easy on the eyes. The box is really speedy and responsive.
While TiVo is also pleasing to the eye, I find that lately the boxes seem to be slower and less responsive. When making a change to recording priority with a TiVo, once you save your changes you are forced to wait around 5 - 10 minutes while it does Lord-knows-what. With the Dish box, the changes are immediate and the "Daily Schedule," Dish's equivalent of TiVo's "To-Do List," is updated immediately.
Dish offers the 30-second skip by default, without the need to enter a secret code. There is no small "jump-back" when pressing Play after fast forwarding, but you can work around that by pressing the green "instant replay" button instead of play.
A lot of people complain about the interstitial page between hitting the DVR button and getting to your list of recordings. TiVo is no different - you need to press the TiVo button twice to get to the "Now Playing" list. With Dish, you need to hit the DVR button twice. Problem solved.
Unique Features
Dish Remote Access - This feature alone has probably earned Dish a lifetime customer. Your DVR needs to be connected to your home network (to the internet) for this feature, but there is no extra charge for it. When I logged in several months ago to test this, it was pretty much just a "remote scheduler." You could schedule a one-time or repeating recording. Today, it is so much more. For instance, there is a "Now" tab that shows everything that is available to watch now - a combination of DVR recordings and live TV. When you click on a program, there is a "Watch Now" option that actually switches the TV1 channel or begins playing the DVR program! If that wasn't enough, there is a mobile version that you can access from your phone, and schedule recordings and play programs. When you're playing a live or recorded program from the mobile website, remote controls pop up on the screen allowing you to pause, skip, rewinds, etc. I must admit, I was floored when I saw this - it's very useful when watching a program with a few people and you want to check what else is on (with descriptions), schedule a recording, delete recordings, etc. without disturbing what's on the screen. The only downside is that it cannot control what is on the second TV.
Two TVs, One Box - As you are probably well aware, the DVR operates in two modes, Single Mode (driving one TV, or both TVs must watch the same programming), and Dual Mode, where each TV has its own tuner. Recorded programs can be watched from either TV. While it cannot transfer recordings from one DVR to another (a la TiVo's Multi-Room Viewing), you do not need to have a box at the second television.
Search History - When searching for programs, which you can do by name, actor, genre, theme, etc., your search is saved in the history. If you search for programs with a certain actor and none appear on the guide, you can access the same search a few weeks later without having to do any further typing.
DISH Online - While Dish maintains the old "pay per view" model, they also offer On-Demand programming, provided your DVR is connected to the internet via your home network. You can order movies, and also watch television content. There is free and paid content available.
Complaints
I do have a few minor complains. The second TV is standard definition only - you can work around it, but not easily. While I wish it were possible, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would.
The storage capacity fills up quickly, as you naturally want to record everything in HD. As long as you are watching deleting shows, it shouldn't pose that much of a problem.
You can expand the storage, but for a one-time fee. Then you need to manually transfer recordings to the external drive. The drawback of this is that the DVR does not see the external drive as useable space for recordings. The good news is that you can record an entire season of a show and transfer it without filling up the internal drive, and the internal recordings will not be lost if the drive is accidentally disconnected or fails.
Wish List
- HD on second TV
- Dish Remote Access control on TV2
- Transfer shows between DVR boxes
In summary, if you are OK with the channels Dish offers for your location (like I am), and you get a box that doesn't have any problems (like I did), then you can't go wrong with this offering from Dish (although you will likely get the 622's younger brother, the 722, which has a bigger hard drive and is black in colour).
The software is updated very often, so I'm sure we'll see even more killer features in the near future.
Having used standalone TiVos, DirecTivos, and cable DVRs, I can say with certainty that the Dish ViP622 is the best user experience available today. That said, from what I've read, it is not without its problems.
I switched to Dish and got my first ViP622 about two years ago, and had a standard definition DVR driving two other televisions, both leased. The first HD box has never had a problem in two years. I recently upgraded the standard def box for another ViP622, which had some problems (kept rebooting). I mention this because I brought it up to Dish, they sent a technician out as soon as possible, at no charge to me. He did not have a box with him, so Dish sent me a replacement. I asked for a credit to my account for the lost time, and it was given without question. I am not sure how they cover purchased boxes, but they seem very focused on customer satisfaction with leased boxes. On to the review.
User Experience
I have no reservations about saying that this is the best user experience in a DVR I've ever had. There are multiple guide options, the recorded programs list is sortable and groupable (with customer groups!), you can edit recorded program names, and the menu screens are actually easy on the eyes. The box is really speedy and responsive.
While TiVo is also pleasing to the eye, I find that lately the boxes seem to be slower and less responsive. When making a change to recording priority with a TiVo, once you save your changes you are forced to wait around 5 - 10 minutes while it does Lord-knows-what. With the Dish box, the changes are immediate and the "Daily Schedule," Dish's equivalent of TiVo's "To-Do List," is updated immediately.
Dish offers the 30-second skip by default, without the need to enter a secret code. There is no small "jump-back" when pressing Play after fast forwarding, but you can work around that by pressing the green "instant replay" button instead of play.
A lot of people complain about the interstitial page between hitting the DVR button and getting to your list of recordings. TiVo is no different - you need to press the TiVo button twice to get to the "Now Playing" list. With Dish, you need to hit the DVR button twice. Problem solved.
Unique Features
Dish Remote Access - This feature alone has probably earned Dish a lifetime customer. Your DVR needs to be connected to your home network (to the internet) for this feature, but there is no extra charge for it. When I logged in several months ago to test this, it was pretty much just a "remote scheduler." You could schedule a one-time or repeating recording. Today, it is so much more. For instance, there is a "Now" tab that shows everything that is available to watch now - a combination of DVR recordings and live TV. When you click on a program, there is a "Watch Now" option that actually switches the TV1 channel or begins playing the DVR program! If that wasn't enough, there is a mobile version that you can access from your phone, and schedule recordings and play programs. When you're playing a live or recorded program from the mobile website, remote controls pop up on the screen allowing you to pause, skip, rewinds, etc. I must admit, I was floored when I saw this - it's very useful when watching a program with a few people and you want to check what else is on (with descriptions), schedule a recording, delete recordings, etc. without disturbing what's on the screen. The only downside is that it cannot control what is on the second TV.
Two TVs, One Box - As you are probably well aware, the DVR operates in two modes, Single Mode (driving one TV, or both TVs must watch the same programming), and Dual Mode, where each TV has its own tuner. Recorded programs can be watched from either TV. While it cannot transfer recordings from one DVR to another (a la TiVo's Multi-Room Viewing), you do not need to have a box at the second television.
Search History - When searching for programs, which you can do by name, actor, genre, theme, etc., your search is saved in the history. If you search for programs with a certain actor and none appear on the guide, you can access the same search a few weeks later without having to do any further typing.
DISH Online - While Dish maintains the old "pay per view" model, they also offer On-Demand programming, provided your DVR is connected to the internet via your home network. You can order movies, and also watch television content. There is free and paid content available.
Complaints
I do have a few minor complains. The second TV is standard definition only - you can work around it, but not easily. While I wish it were possible, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would.
The storage capacity fills up quickly, as you naturally want to record everything in HD. As long as you are watching deleting shows, it shouldn't pose that much of a problem.
You can expand the storage, but for a one-time fee. Then you need to manually transfer recordings to the external drive. The drawback of this is that the DVR does not see the external drive as useable space for recordings. The good news is that you can record an entire season of a show and transfer it without filling up the internal drive, and the internal recordings will not be lost if the drive is accidentally disconnected or fails.
Wish List
- HD on second TV
- Dish Remote Access control on TV2
- Transfer shows between DVR boxes
In summary, if you are OK with the channels Dish offers for your location (like I am), and you get a box that doesn't have any problems (like I did), then you can't go wrong with this offering from Dish (although you will likely get the 622's younger brother, the 722, which has a bigger hard drive and is black in colour).
The software is updated very often, so I'm sure we'll see even more killer features in the near future.
