A few questions before I commit...

[SparksPA]

I have a few quick questions before I commit to pulling the plug on Comcast and switching to DishNetwork.

1) Is the SD picture quality from the TV2 output of a 722K comparable to cable? Is there a difference in SD picture quality from a SD receiver any different? The reason that I ask this is that I recently saw a 50" TV viewing Dish SD programs at the home of a senior, senior citizen and the picture quality was not very good. Their eye sight is pretty poor so they are happy with it. I am aware that the problem could very well be that the settings on the TV and/or the dish receiver may not be optimal. I am sure that you fine folks will know.

2) What is the difference between a 722 and a 722K?

3) I see quite a few posts about HD problems with the 722(K?). Is there an issue with them or is it just a very small but normal percentage of users that post here looking for help?

4) Being new to satellite TV and after reading a LOT of posts here, I think that I may be better off with the 722(K?) receivers rather than waiting for the new 922. Although I would very much like the network capability of the 922 I think that the stability (?) of the 722 Vs a new 922 will have a better chance of a successful smooth transition to Satellite TV. Do you agree with that train of thought or should I just be prepared to tough it out with anticipated bugs with the 922?

My plan is to install two 722(K?) HD DVRs and a third Non-DVR receiver along with the OTA tuners and a few other related things on a new soon to be installed structured wiring system in my home.

OK, maybe the questions weren't so quick...

 

[am7crew]

From my personal view cable SD is better quality than Dish's SD. I have a 722k, a 612, and a 622 same on all. Have had no problems with the 722k, difference in 722k and 722 i believe is the 722k has the option to use a OTA adapter (I dont have it, use it).

 

[bthamilton]

I just joined Dish about a month ago. I went ahead and got a 722k instead of waiting for the 922. The 722k is great. Browsing channels works well and the DVR has lots of recording options (more than I was used to with Cox cable).

My only disappointment is the overall HD quality. Dish HD isn't as good as my old digital cable box quality with Cox...then again, Cox suffered from garbling and tiling...and was expensive.

By the way, the SD signal to TV2 on the 722k will output to widescreen, but in SD if you are viewing a widescreen HD channel. That is a pretty cool feature. As far as the SD quality, it is ok and about what I would have expected from a non-HD source.

 

[Dah-Henny]

I have a few quick questions before I commit to pulling the plug on Comcast and switching to DishNetwork.


1) Is the SD picture quality from the TV2 output of a 722K comparable to cable? Is there a difference in SD picture quality from a SD receiver any different? The reason that I ask this is that I recently saw a 50" TV viewing Dish SD programs at the home of a senior, senior citizen and the picture quality was not very good. Their eye sight is pretty poor so they are happy with it. I am aware that the problem could very well be that the settings on the TV and/or the dish receiver may not be optimal. I am sure that you fine folks will know.

• Some SD channels on my 722 are outstanding, and some are not. Much better than the TWC SD in our nearest town. Eastern Arc mpeg 4, is a little better than the mpeg 2 I used to have.

2) What is the difference between a 722 and a 722K?

• 722 has a built in OTA tuner
• 722K has an add on 2 tuner OTA module

3) I see quite a few posts about HD problems with the 722(K?). Is there an issue with them or is it just a very small but normal percentage of users that post here looking for help?

• Can't say about the K, but the 722 is the most stable HD STB I've owned

4) Being new to satellite TV and after reading a LOT of posts here, I think that I may be better off with the 722(K?) receivers rather than waiting for the new 922. Although I would very much like the network capability of the 922 I think that the stability (?) of the 722 Vs a new 922 will have a better chance of a successful smooth transition to Satellite TV. Do you agree with that train of thought or should I just be prepared to tough it out with anticipated bugs with the 922?

• IMHO...Yes

 

[CowboyDren]

The 722k is based on a newer hardware platform than the 722; the only thing they have in common is their name. The k model has a different CPU, 33% more tuners, a true learning remote, and a different case, to boot. Insist on a 722k, and if they screw it up, make them fix it on their own dime.

Two 722k receivers plus a 222k will get you 3 discrete HD outputs, 3 discrete SD outputs, 6 satellite tuners, and 5 or 6 HD OTA tuners. How you configure all of those tuners is partly up to you, and partly restricted by the hardware itself. This combination can be done with a 1000.2 or 1000.4 dish and no external multiswitch. Elegant, but not much headroom for upgrading the TVs themselves; three TVs will always be 480i-only.

Having one [owned] 722k running the living room and the master bedroom with four leased 621s or a combination of 621s and 211s may be a better option for you. Each 621 or 211 has an HD or SD output, so this combination gives you 5 dedicated HD or SD outputs, and every single TV has an optional DVR without "robbing" some other location of their DVR (except for the 722k). Of course, you'd have to shell out some cash for a couple of receivers and a DPP44 multiswitch, because a single HD dish can't feed that many boxes by itself.

What do you really want to do? Sounds like you're also better off with AEP+HD in this house, too. Was that the package you're after?

 

[CowboyDren]

Looks like the cheap way out to get 5 HD locations is a leased 722k, a pair of leased 621s, and a pair of owned 211s...Just So You Know.

 

[SparksPA]

Excellent! Thank you am7crew, bthamilton, dahenny and CowboyDren! You guys(?) are great! :up I am sure that you get questions like these constantly (I think I have read most of them! ) so I really appreciate the time and effort that you put into helping me. Things are starting to gel for me now as I work through the details of my plan.

I looked at the various plans available when I first started to look at satellite TV to see if the entire process would be feasible for me. I have not studied the details yet as to which package to choose.

Originally posted by CowboyDren:
What do you really want to do? Sounds like you're also better off with AEP+HD in this house, too. Was that the package you're after?

I don't know what "AEP+HD" is yet. My plan is to install two 722K HD DVRs and at least one additional non-DVR receiver for my man-cave / shop where I will like to listen to satellite audio feeds for those times when I am doing other work and not listening critically to higher quality sources. The analog outputs from the receivers will be distributed to other SD TVs throughout the house.

FWIW, I also plan to install a multi-channel frequency-agile SD modulator to add in several home-grown channels that view a web page and several CCTV cameras. I have some more homework to do on that subject before I settle on a plan.

All of the above will be inter-connected as required when I complete the soon to be installed structured wiring system in my home. I don't quite think the old single run of now 30 year old RG59 is quite up to the task.

Once again, thank you all for your help! You're the best!

 

[CowboyDren]

You didn't count the number of HDTVs you have...that's important for picking your receiver options. A pair of 722k's and a 222 sounds like the easiest option, because it only requires three runs of 3GHz RG6 (one to each receiver) and all of the other stuff can be backfed from their sources to your structured wiring unit. It sounds like you're going to need a big box of diplexers, too.

AEP+HD is acronymic for America's Everything Package, Plus High-Def. For $120-ish per month (before discounts), you get all Gold-level programming, Platinum-pack HD channels, Sirius satellite radio (actually included in Gold and Silver, I think), HBO+MAX+SHO+STZ, and you don't have to think about DVR or individual HD-enabling fees. Those fees, incidentally, are not insignificant; it's only $10 more per month to get AEP+HD than to get Gold+HD when you have two 722s (nevermind the third receiver). That's less than one premium channel would cost, and you don't have to worry about fee-jacking.