DTVPal converter box: The good—and bad—news

The EchoStar TR-40, a DTV converter box announced by Dish Network six months ago, sparked a lot of interest among consumers because of its long list of wanted features and proposed $40 price tag.

But the TR-40 still hasn't hit the market. And consumers (myself, included) who were the first to request the government's $40 DTV subsidy have to use their coupons before they expire in coming weeks.

Frustrating as that is, there is some good news. Dish Network, which recently split off its satellite-TV services to EchoStar (now a separate company), has started selling a new $60 DTV converter: the DTVPal. (Click on image at right for a closer look.) This new DTV converter box model offers some of the TR-40's sought-after features, including:

• Analog pass-through
• A searchable seven-day electronic programming guide
• An "events" timer that automatically changes channels, allowing your VCR or DVD recorder to record multiple shows across many days—channel 4 on 8.pm. Thursday, channel 7 on 9 p.m. Friday, channel 2 on 5 a.m. Sunday, etc.

We've bought a few DTVPal units and will be taking a closer look at them soon. We're eager to find out how this box stacks up against other converter boxes we've tested. So far, reviews of the Dish Network DTVPal on other blogs seem to be quite positive.

But there is some bad news, too…

The bad news

Like other DTV converter boxes, the DTVPal has a few issues that may cause consumers further angst.

• Price. Its suggested retail price of $60 means that even after the $40 government coupon is applied, consumers will still have to shell out $20 (plus local sales tax).
• A confusing name. "Dish Network" is a brand name better known for subscription-based satellite TV service—which is now run by EchoStar, a totally separate company. "DTV" is also an acronym for DirecTV, the other satellite TV service. And "Pal" could be mistaken for the television standard used in Europe and other parts of the world. Run them all together and it's easy to see how confusion can arise.
  (I personally called a local retailer—twice—asking for this specific model, by full name. Both times I was told the store had it and I could pick two up. Upon arrival at the store, I was given a Dish Network satellite TV box. When I corrected the salesperson, I was told the store only carried one brand of DTV converters and Dish Network "doesn't make DTV converters.")
• Limited availability. Retailers are having a hard time keeping DTV converters, in general, on hand. And some are having particular difficulties stocking DTVPals, specifically. Consumers can purchase units directly from Dish Network's Web site (www.dtvpal.com) and via a toll-free order line (1-888-638-9912). Both are set up to accept the $40 DTV coupons, but buying direct will incur an additional $9 shipping and handling fee per box ordered.

The take away: If your $40 coupons are about to expire and you really need a box that allows you to program VCR recordings, the DTVPal is the only option available—for now. Just be prepared to shell out some cash for "free" digital TV. But if you can afford to wait (i.e. your coupons don't expire until October), you might want to keep dreaming of the TR-40 or some other $40 box.

For more help in deciding which DTV converter box is right for you, see our free "Guide to DTV converter boxes" on ConsumerReports.org.

—Paul Eng

Comments

[Cindi]

I just purchased a DTV Pal at my local Sears store. After reading all of the info on the internet, I just had to try one even though I'm very happy with my Zenith DTT 901. What I have found is that it does not pull in the same stations as the Zenith. I get all of my local stations with the Zenith and the Pal misses 4 digital channels, which do have a lower signal strength (I'm 40 miles from Minneapolis). I guess you need to decide if the extra features are worth sacrificing channels. I quite disappointed after all the hype!

[DTV Watcher]

Marie: I like your splitter idea. Maybe that's simplier than what I do. What I was instead planning to do was a daisy-chain where I have my Insignia DTV Converter (NS-DXA1-APT with Analog-Pass-Through) connected to the TV via the antenna coax connection and set for channel 3, then I would have the VCR connected via the coax to that first DTV Converter box but have the VCR set up for channel 4, and then have the DTVPal connected to the VCR (maybe using the A/V cables) where the DTVPal is acting as the tuner for reception to be received for the VCR. And then I would have my antenna connected to the DTVPal at the end of all to that. I don't know if this will work, but this is the sort of daisy-chain that I use in connecting two VCRs, a DVD recorder, and a DVD player to a single TV for regular analog over-the-air TV.

Oh I'm currently using a splitter but for connecting TWO antennas to my Insignia DTV Converter box - that way I have the first antenna pointed in one direction to get reception for most of my channels while the second antenna is pointed in a different direction for getting two other channels that need the antenna to be pointed in that different direction. That way, I don't have to get up from the couch to rearrange the antenna for getting a particular channel. When I get my DTVPal, and set up the daisy-chain, then I'll have to move this dual-splitter-antenna to the DTVPal at the end of my daisy-chain.

Again, don't know if my daisy-chain will work or if the signal will be messed up, but that's how I'm going to try it when I get the DTVPal box to go along with my current Insignia DTV Converter box.

[DTV Watcher]

My local Sears only got FOUR units, meaning only 4 DTVPals. They were sold out the same day they came in. I'm guessing that some people (probably at least two guys who each had two gov't coupons each) in my area also saw the news that Sears was getting the DTVPals and went to Sears everyday last week until the DTVPals showed up and snatched them up as soon as they arrived. So that means NADA, NOTHING, NO DTVPAL for me to buy at Sears. The Sears person in the electronics department said they were suppose to get more but don't know when. I'm not holding my breath if they only got FOUR of them in the first place at my local Sears store. Only FOUR of them. Yesh!

I just put in an order on the DTVPal website. The only problem I had in ordering was that I had to call DishNetwork on their 800 number to make sure that my $40 gov't coupon card went through because it didn't show on the confirmation page. Seeing the full price plus S&H and tax but no $40 gov't coupon discount was disconcerting. Calling the 800 number cleared things up because I was told that the order was "incomplete" but now complete after my calling to talk to the DishNetwork people. So, if you get a DTVPal, maybe call their 800 number to order to make sure it's done right, or go to that other website that Gary C. went to.

Oh what I thought was silly when I was talking to the DishNetwork people on the phone was that they asked if I needed someone to come in to set up for me. They probably automatically ask that for all the satellite TV orders they get. But this is just a DTV converter box which I don't think is too difficult to set up. But I suppose that some people will need help. I'm guessing there's an extra charge if want someone to set it up for you.

[justin]

OK. My previous positive review of this unit on 7/16 has gone down. As noted by another person in this forum, my unit's event timer is kaput - it will not hold the channel it is set to. Instead in always reverts to the local PBS station. After 45 minutes on the phone with Dish repair, the bottom line was: return to store for replacement, IF they have one...Otherwise TBD.

[Gary C]

Just ordered a DTVPal from CheapDigitalConverters.com. They were $58.99 plus $10 shipping on that website, best price I could find. Hope they're worth all the hype.

But before I found that one, I tried to order one (regular $59.99 price) from the Dish Network website link from Google... because I own a DISH (I want the box for my bedroom TV not connected to DISH), I couldn't complete my request online. They displayed a toll free number I had to call. Luckily, I didn't do this and kept searching for another place to buy one... and I ended up saving $1.00!

DTV Watcher: Are you saying that your Sears store only had 4 DTVPal's in stock? I couldn't quite tell from you comments, other than the fact that you mentioned it FOUR times! :)

[Marie]

Do I still need a "splitter" and 2 converter boxes (1 hooked to VCR, then TV; other hooked directly to TV) in order to record one program on my VCR while watching a different program on the TV if I use the DTVPal?

[DTV Watcher]

The DTVPal were announced to be on sale at Sears last week. I go to my local Sears store this week and was told they got a shipment of only FOUR units and they were sold and gone as soon as they arrived and put on the shelf. Only FOUR. Sounds like they are rationing these DTVPal boxes. My local Best Buy have at least a dozen Insignia boxes. But Sears had only FOUR DTVPal boxes. I have an Insignia box bought with one coupon, but I wanted a DTVPal box to buy with my other coupon. But my local Sears only got FOUR of them. Agh! I guess I have to order one of those DTVPal boxes online but I'm hoping they still don't have that timer problem.

[justin]

RE: DTVPAL. I purchased one last week at Ultimate Electronics in Denver for $39.95!!! "Last one on the truck." said the sales clerk.
So far, works just dandy. I love the Event Timer which allows one to set the unit to change to a specific day, time and channel which then allows the VCR to record. Just needed to remember to set the VCR to channel 3 at all time as the DTVPAL provides the channel source. Picture seems fine (much better than analog) and no problems with audio as has been noted on some other brands.

[Dale]

CR readers should be aware that with the first batch of DTVPals, a number of consumers (see link) are having problems with the 2 features that set DTVPals apart:
1. Electronic Program Guide
2. Event Timer
These are due to some discrepancies in system time between broadcast stations.
One user reports that Dish support has said that these boxes are not field-upgradeable, and to get an update, would require shipping a new box.

[steve]

When will consumer reports test and compare dtv pal?

[Anne]

I didn't realize that the coupons would expire in a few weeks. Of course, despite the fact that I ordered mine on January 4, 2008, and have followed up with a letter, I haven't even received them! So, I guess I won't be able to take advantage of this offer.

[JIMMY]

What is the actual cost to manufacture one of the converter boxes and what is the actual "mark-up" for the manufacturer?