The Dish Network DTVPal digital-to-analog converter is now available from the official website. When it was first announced as the TR40 back at CES the price target was given as $39.99, the value of the government coupons, which would’ve made it ‘free’. However, between then and now things have changed, and the release pricing is $59.99, so the box is $19.99 after the coupon, plus $8.95 for shipping. So it will cost you $28.94 to get a DTVPal from the official site, if you have a coupon, or $68.94 without one. You can order one or two DTVPal’s at a time, though there is no discount on shipping for ordering two. Dave Zatz’s unboxing videos will give you a look at the DTVPal.

Disclaimer: I work for Sling Media. Sling Media is owned by EchoStar. EchoStar produces the DTVPal for Dish Network. Sling Media has nothing to do with the DTVPal. So, while you’re free to comment, this isn’t any kind of official feedback channel. Don’t expect comments here to get to EchoStar or Dish Network.

If you’re reading this blog you’re probably not a person still using an antenna with an analog-only TV or receiver who will be in need of a converted box come February, 2009. But perhaps you know some poor benighted individual who is still living with NTSC-only antenna television, who will be out of luck without a converter box. In that case, Dave Zatz over at Zatz Not Funny is giving away his DVTPal review box. Good luck!

Following up on his initial hands-on post, Dave Zatz has received his own DTVPal and he’s shot some unboxing and setup video.

The Dish Network DTVPal, formerly the known less snappily as the TR40, is getting closer to launch. Dave Zatz, of Zatz Not Funny, got some hands on time with the DTVPal and the new retail packaging. He has photos of the packaging, unit, and remote, as well as some of the screens. He also has one of the retail DTVPal on top of the TR40 prototype that was displayed at CES, showing just how much the unit has shrunk - quite a bit.

Friday marked a status conference between TiVo and Dish Network/EchoStar before the trial judge (transcript is here, thanks to Mainer_Ayah at InvestorVillage). Nothing was really accomplished, they’ll meet again on September 4th for a contempt hearing on the injunction against Dish Network. And it looks like the court will not be considering Dish Network’s claim of a workaround with their new software. The court will also consider enhancing the damages awarded to TiVo.

And, seemingly in response to the court not considering their workaround, Dish Network & EchoStar filed suit against TiVo in a Delaware court, asking them to find that their new software does not infringe on TiVo’s ‘389 patent. A victory would allow them to continue selling DVRs with the new software without threat of further litigation. However, it seems highly unlikely that the case will reach the court in Delaware before the Texas court meets again in September. So it isn’t clear what, if any, impact this will have on the existing case.

Multichannel News has some good coverage of the situation.

DISH Network has launched a website for their DTVPal Digital-To-Analog Converter set-top box, the STB formerly known as the TR40. A prototype was shown as CES in Sling Media branding, but it looks like they’ll be marketing it as DISH Network. Which actually seems a little confusing to me, as people associate DISH Network with satellite, and might not understand this is a terrestrial ATSC converter box. It is unclear if the DTVPal may yet also show up in Sling Media and/or EchoStar branding.

According to the website the DTVPal will be available for order in ‘late June’, though prices are not yet listed. It is a very simple device. It has one input - antenna coax, two sets out outputs - one RF coax modulated for channel 3 or 4 and one composite video with stereo audio, and one power connector. For such a simple device the remote has a number of buttons, but the image is too small to make out what they’re all labeled. Though they have loaded the box with a number of extra features, which probably explains the buttons. Among the features are an EPG, closed-caption decoding, parental controls, an event timer to auto-tune scheduled programs, and a program search function.

No word yet on the DTVPal DVR, which seems to be the new name for the TR50 OTA DVR shown at CES. It is looking like ‘DVTPal’ will be the new branding for OTA ATSC devices from EchoStar.

Disclaimer: I’m currently employed by Sling Media, which is owned by EchoStar, who produces the DTVPal for DISH Network. Convoluted enough? It’s like Dark Helmut and Lone Starr.

Responding to TiVo’s recent filing, Dish Network has made their own filing. As expected, they maintain that they are in compliance with the injunction due to their software update. Links to all of the sections of the document can be found at InvestorVillage. They can also be downloaded as a single 10MB zipfile. A collection of all the documents from the case can be found here, via InvestorVillage.