Price Paid:  $799.00 from Direct from Dish Net

Summary:
This is a Dish Network receiver with a built in VHS tape recorder. The recorder was the first DVHS machine availible on the market, albeit not a high definition unit the DVHS tapes it generates surpasses S-VHS in quality.

This unit was bought for time shifting of satellite programs. PVR recording had not come on the scene and this is what was avalable to record without having to sycronize an external VCR.

The unit is a tallish 3/4-width component done up in black plastic. It has a rather noisy fan that blows anytime the unit is on. It has a single S-video out, and two would have been nice.

If a digital tape is scanned to an area between programs the unit can lock up and go to "green screen" which requires a reboot, sometimes including unplugging the unit. It makes very nice tapes in DVHS mode and one of this machines real downfalls is that is doesn't make analog S-VHS recordings, only standard VHS. It can play a S-VHS tape in quasi-S-VHS but cannot record in the higher resolution and that is too bad.

Presently, I use it only for time shifting analog VHS recordings from satellite for viewing in the bedroom or for my dad's system because I have the HDPVR 921 unit to record DISH content in the main system, but it is still used daily.

Strengths:
*Records directly from DISH network without need for an external VCR
*Records and plays non-HD DVHS recordings that surpass S-VHS in quality
*Records and plays analog VHS tapes compatible with any VHS VCR
*Digital Dolby 5.1 sound compatible with the ability to record it in DVHS mode
*Still works five years after purchase

Weaknesses:
*Cannot record higher resolution analog S-VHS tapes
*Ugly and cheap looking
*Noisy fan can be a bit much during quiet moments
*Can lock up if scanned to the end of a DVHS recording

Similar Products Used:
Dish 921 PVR
JVC VCR