4900 Receiver with new install?

[TominKY]

I'm a newbie to all of this, so bear with me. Currently I am signed up to have DISH installed with two 322 receivers next week. A friend told me that he had DISH a couple of years ago and still has his 4900 receiver laying around, and I could have it if I want to try it. This has caused me to think about saving $5/month and going back to having a single 322 installed, if I can use his 4900 for one of the other sets. Is this possible, and if so, what equipment will I need to do this? What do I have to do to get DISH to support the 4900? He still has the card for the 4900, if that helps any.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Tom

 

[MRUSS]

The 4900 once was a very good receiver, but now you would find it very,very,very slow. Also with only one tuner it will only do one tv.

 

[Mike_H]

How many rooms do you need TV in. Two 322 receivers can supply 4 rooms with television. Take one away and add a 4900 and you're stuck with just 3 rooms of tv.

You can see if Dish will let you remove one of the two 322 installs, but then the free install may only include the equipment they install. Thus you have to pay extra for the tech to install the 4900 you are getting for free from your friend.

And if you are doing the Digital Home Plan lease thing, I'm not sure if they let you add any other receivers that are not also on the plan.

 

[TominKY]

MRUSS, in what way will it be slow? Changing channels, or will it somehow affect picture quality?

Mike_H, I was originally going to go with two rooms (i.e., single 322 in a closet with splitters), but then the DISH people told me that the remote for TV1 wouldn't work in that location. Since then I have found out that the 322 could be reconfigured to support UHF for both TV1 & TV2. However, since I did not know that at the time, I had them add an extra 322 to the deal. Since my friend has the 4900 laying around, I was going to just go with three receivers (the 322 and the 4900) and try to save the $5/month.

 

[SimpleSimon]

As long as you're plugged into a phone line, the $5 is per BOX after the first. Therefore the second 322 will cost the same as the doorstop 4900, except of course, the 4900 only has one tuner.

Just curious - why not a 522/322 setup? That's what I do most.

 

[MRUSS]

I agree with simplesimon and do the 522/322 deal,you would never be sorry.Once you get a DVR you can't watch tv without it. It makes your programming your paying for anyway so much more value.

The slowness in the 4900 would be in the guide info and picture in guide. Only 2 hour guide info then you wait and wait and wait.

Mike

 

[TominKY]

"why not a 522/322 setup?"

Wouldn't that cost me an additional $5/month on top of the cost of the extra 322? If not, then I guess I will ask for it. With two kids under 3 years old, I really don't have time to watch much TV. The satellite is mostly to pull in games during college basketball season.

Thanks for the advice...

 

[SimpleSimon]

OK, just the "add-on" fees:
322 = 0
522 = 5
322 + 4900 = 5
322 + 322 = 5
522 + 4900 = 10
522 + 322 = 10
Phone line connection assumed.

With two toddlers, you'll REALLY appreciate the 522's capabilities.