Can an ATSC 3.0 Tuner Replace a Dish OTA Dongle?

[wjb490]

This has probably been asked before, but I did not find an answer with search results. Anyway, because of the long rate disagreement between Dish and our local CBS affiliate's owner, we dropped the locals service and installed a rooftop antenna. Using a Dish dual channel dongle (the model that runs slightly warm) we have very good reception of most local channels. Some of our local stations have upgraded to ATSC 3.0 and we would like to take advantage of their upgrade. Will any of the ATSC 3.0 tuners replace the Dish dongle or work in tandem with it? We would also like to have the dual channel capability.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mwdxer1]

I think it will be sometime until Dish adopts a 3.0 tuner. There is no money in OTA for Dish. Locals OTA are free. I have been trying to get Dish to sort out the problems with the OTA guide and even that has not been resolved. Right now only a couple 3.0 OTA tuners are available and I think they run $200-$300. 3.0 is still too early to make any dent. Even if it does, it will be years. Only a few high end TV sets even have 3.0. tuner. Dish put out the vip211k back in 2008 (I think) with the OTA tuner built in. I use one. Since then Dish has not made a receiver with a built in OTA tuner since the vip211k, I doubt they are really into them.

 

[navychop]

There may be word at Dish summit, but I doubt it. I agree, way low in priority list.

 

[wjb490]

I understand that OTA is not a profitable enterprise for Dish. We probably would not have dropped the local channel service had Dish not had a protracted rate disagreement with Tegna, the owner of our local CBS station. I did not have an interest in or knowledge of ATSC 3.0 until I saw this video on YouTube posted by "The Antenna Man" in which he notes that some of our local stations have ATSC 3.0 which provides better reception; I have little interest in the other features of the standard. We have enjoyed the benefits of Dish for over 20 years and have always received excellent service with the exception of their recent rate war.

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