Dish Network DVR 512 Receiver

• Standard definition DISH Network programming
• Watch one program while recording another simultaneously
• Supports picture-in-picture
• Record two shows while watching a pre-recorded show at the same time
• Parental locks

Pros:

Records two SD programs at once and allows me to watch any prerecorded program while recording, including either of the two being recorded.

Improved menus and overall operation vs the DVR 501

Essentially faultless recording in the 4-months I've had it.

Cons:

Power hog, 33-35 watts just plugged into the wall, on, off or recording

The 4" HDD fan squealed, I replaced it with a computer case fan

Very old, full of dust, the 200GB HDD was made by Maxtor (they've been gone for years)

No HDMI socket for HDTV

Can't handle Daylight Savings Time, all programing is an hour off, delete and reprogram

I've been a DVR junkie for almost 10-years, I time shift 95% of everything I watch. My DVR 501 had been acting up for 6-months and then I got a letter from Dish saying it was obsolete and would need to be replaced in the next year. I called Dish the next day and asked why wait, they said how about tomorrow.

The only bad part was I now incur a $6/mo DVR fee which starts in one year.

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Shipment was very quick. I did have an issue that the unit would not work. They worked through the problem on the phone and it was resolved immediately. My only complaint is, that I wish they had a phone number posted. It was necessary to contact them through e-mail and then I was given a phone number. All in all it was a good experience. They were quick to respond and I would use them again.

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DO NOT GET THIS DVR RECEIVER!!!! We decided to upgrade our old Dish Network receiver, and so we went with the SD 512. What a mistake. We had it installed just a week ago, and this morning I already had ask for a SECOND replacement unit (I already have received and installed replacement unit number 2). The one they installed on Saturday has a loud fan that runs ALL THE TIME, even when it hasn't been on all day long. I called Dish Network and received a new one, which I installed yesterday. It has the same exact problem. I spoke with Dish Network again this morning, and they are sending me yet another unit. I hope the third time's the charm, because this has been so frustrating.

It performs fine as far as recording our shows and playing them, but the constant fan noise is unbearable.

Don't waste your time with this machine. It's just a headache.

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We had had a different receiver for years that worked fine until it got too old and started dropping recorded programs. Dish sent a 512 as a replacement which ended up being worse than the one we replaced. We put up with it for a couple of weeks and got another replacement, a 512 again. These must be reconditioned units and they are too complicated to recondition, in my opinion. It loses signal at least 2x a day. If we watch something recorded while another program is recording it loses the signal and part of the new recording as a result. It takes ten minutes to get the signal and the program guide back. We're thinking now of just dropping Dish altogether for sending us this crap.