Dish Network ViP622 (200-hour DVR)

Pros: Mpeg4, Required for HD Locals from Dish Network

Cons: Audio dropouts, Flaky Season Pass-like Timers

Summary: This will be a great box once they stabilize the code.

As a subscriber from the New York City DMA, I can get the Big 4 Networks in HD. All but Fox are great (the Fox feed is full of audio drops that will have you climbing the walls and switching to SD mushyvision in frustration -- at least in my area).

Large hard drive, can be hooked up to PocketDish, a PSP looking portable player that can make your recordings portable. A USB port on the front makes a handy charger for you XBox 360 wireless controller users (it is always on as opposed to the 360 which kills power to the port when the unit is off).

Lightning fast guide scrolling (Tivo users will get whiplash). Two satellite tuners PLUS an OTA tuner for those within range of their local affiliates lets you laugh in the face of sadistic network programmers who decide to put all their best shows against each other (Sunday 9pm anyone?).

HDMI output or Components, your choice.... Both look good. Can be set to output to 480i or p, 720p, or 1080i. If you have a DVI input only on your TV you will need an HDMI-DVI cable (only standard RCA patch cords and a coaxial cable are supplied - no HD unless you spring for a cable). If you want to reuse your eexisting DVI to DVI cable, you can buy an adapter to save you from having to drop another $100+ on a new cable.

All in all a good box. The score jumps to 9 if they ever get the code totally stable.

Note: Filmfest, a Voom Channel only available on Dish has gotten the rights to most of the James Bond films. Mmmmm, Bond in HD. This box is the only way you can record it (unless you use the non PVR mpeg 4 receiver from Dish)