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For years I have subscribed to multiple cable and satellite TV providers -- Comcast (CMCSA), DirecTV (DTV), and Dish Network (DISH) -- so that I could test products using different video feeds. But for personal enjoyment, I prefer to watch whichever of these providers has a tie-in with TiVo (TIVO), the most intuitive and easy-to-use digital video recorder on the market.



That has left my set-top box provided by Dish, which recently lost a patent-infringement battle with TiVo, sitting largely unused in my entertainment arsenal. Picture-quality issues with the older-generation Dish receiver I recently replaced also bugged me enough that, when I did watch, it was a painful experience on big-screen TVs.



After trying out Dish's DVR offering, I'm still not ready to trade in my feature-packed TiVo. But if you're looking for excellent basic DVR service, the ViP722 more than fits the bill.



Squeezing Signals

Unlike TiVo's purchase-only option for its standalone media receiver, Dish subscribers can rent Dish's high-end HD box for $6 a month on top of the $43 and up for different service packages.



Dish, which uses compression techniques to squeeze HD signals onto its satellite network, has done a nice job of serving up rich, colorful images and detail. The box handles both 720p and 1080i resolutions, the two most common HD broadcast formats. The ViP722 also appeared to be less prone to occasional video glitches and was generally more responsive when calling up menus and sorting through recorded content. It also didn't suffer from the software issues I've had with DirecTV's HR20 high-definition DVR, which has failed to grab shows I've set it up to record.



Video purists will be quick to tell you that the best HD picture available anywhere is likely to come from buying a digital antenna and hooking up your TV to receive local broadcasts, most of which aren't yet digitally compressed, or shrunk, to squeeze more channels into allotted bandwidth. Even with that advantage, I could detect very little difference in detail when viewing over-the-air and Dish HD feeds of ABC's Grey's Anatomy side by side. And any differences are likely to fade even more as local broadcasters begin compressing most of their signals next year to make room for additional features.



The all-black 722 also stands apart from competitors with its ability to feed video to two different televisions at the same time -- the first TV gets high-definition and over-the-air recording, while the other gets the second satellite signal that comes into the box [a technician at the time of installation will run a coaxial cable to the second location to enable this feature]. If you're content to watch programming on just one set, users get the ability to record up to three HD shows at once, as well as built-in picture-in-picture capability, regardless of whether your television set offers such technology.



Connections Galore

The set-top box includes all the outputs most people would want, including an HDMI output to similarly equipped HDTVs, an HD composite video output, as well as an S-video and component video output for older televisions that process analog signals.



For ordering pay-per-view, there's also a telephone jack and Ethernet port. And for power users who aren't content with the ability to record up to 55 hours of high-def programming, there's a USB port for connecting an external hard drive to archive old programs [though I'd gripe at having to pay $40 to enable the feature.]



The ViP722's menu system is intuitive and thoughtfully labeled, making navigation via the included remote a snap. The on-screen guide is nicely color-coded and labeled, allowing users to find sports, movies, and HD programming quickly. While most digital video recorders do not have a built-in display, I wish the ViP722 did; it's an easy way to know what is recording and whether a tuner is free to capture another show.



Like all DVRs, the Dish device lets users schedule a one-time recording from the guide simply by pressing the record button, or they can double-tap that button to set up repeat recordings. Recording options can be further refined for a particular night and time [for shows that air on multiple channels or days], and Monday through Friday [for weekday shows such as Oprah].



Long-Term Setup

The DishPass feature is similar to TiVo's Season Pass feature. It allows you to record programs that match a keyword -- actors' or directors' names, for example. Oddly, the word search is limited to just 17 characters, which sometimes results in false returns of shows you really don't want. Dish makes up for this oversight, in my opinion, by offering an hourlong buffer on recording; that means if you pause a live show, the set-top box will continue to record that channel for an hour before resuming live viewing. Most other DVRs let you pause viewing for only 30 minutes.



There's also a neat power-saving feature that automatically puts the receiver in standby mode when not in use. It helps resolve previous complaints that the set-top box is prone to overheating in enclosed media centers, a problem I didn't have with my open-faced cabinet.



While few people apparently have opted for this feature, Dish also has a partnership with Archos (ARCH.PA) that lets users transfer their recorded programs via USB to so-called [$400] PocketDish devices, portable video players that compete with Apple video iPods for watching shows, music videos, and other content on the go. It's a fast and easy way to take your home videos on the road.



More HD Options, Please

There's also a DishHome interactive TV tab on the menu that lets you pay your bill, view past statements, shop, read news bulletins, and check out special packages.



The biggest complaint I had with the ViP722 was not the equipment itself, but the lack of high-definition programming available on the Dish service. The satellite provider with its Voom HD channels for a short time was the leader in high-definition programming but has since fallen behind DirecTV and some cable outfits, which are adding more-watched channels such as Bravo and MTV. Dish expects to launch additional HD programming later this year.



Dish for years has been a scrappy competitor to cable and DirecTV. The ViP722, once the service adds more HD channels, should help in that battle.