can anyone explain how this HD local channel stuff works?

[crippe]

howdy,

I just got a DVR 921 receiver for christmas and am wondering if it will be worth the $600 someone paid for it. Since the HD pack only includes 5 channels im not sure I'm going to sign up for it, but what I am wondering is what can i expect as far as local programming in HD. I live in Oakland, CA (San Francisco Bay Area) and am wondering which local channels I will be able to see in HD. Can anyone tell me? or even explain exactly how they determine which local channels will be in HD for any particular market.

thanks alot,
dan

 

[bryan92]

Try www.antennaweb.org. Choose an antenna , put in your address on the next page and it will give you the stations and what type antenna needed.

 

[gvsurn]

dish does not offer locals in HD, except for distant locals. go to www.antennaweb.org and put in your zip code, this will tell you what digital channels are available on your area. for these you will need an antenna. your 921 has an "over the air" receiver biult in.

 

[crippe]

so if I still need an OTA antenna what do I need the 921 for? If i connect an antenna directly to my TV will it come through in HD?

 

[gvsurn]

if what is being broadcasted is in HD, then it will come through in HD!!

 

[BFG]

The 921 will record your OTA's and buffer them in real time! Also it's much easier to have them integrated into the 921 then having to switch inputs on the TV when you want to watch OTA.

 

[TuxCoder]

so if I still need an OTA antenna what do I need the 921 for? If i connect an antenna directly to my TV will it come through in HD?

I don't see mentioned above what kind of TV you have, so just to be sure, I must state that this will be true if (a) your TV is a HDTV, of course, and (b) it has an integrated ATSC (digital) tuner, and is not merely "HDTV-ready".

And welcome to SatelliteGuys.US, Dan!

 

[crippe]

man, you guys are great, and really fast to reply.

i believe my TV has an integrated tuner, but if it doesn't, will the 921 take care of that?

if it does have the integrated tuner then $600 sounds like a lot just to be able to record in HDTV, especially when i can get a $14 antenna and see more HD channels than dish can provide (which sounds like it's only CBS unless i pay $10 more, and even then it's only 5 more channels). am i missing something here?

 

[mdonnelly]

so if I still need an OTA antenna what do I need the 921 for? If i connect an antenna directly to my TV will it come through in HD?

Yes, if you have an HDTV, and the TV has an integrated digital tuner. Lots of them don't because they expect the video feed to come from a separate source.

If you want to record in HD, the 921 is as good as any. It should also give you PIP on your TV, because it has 2 tuners. Remember that you'll need 2 feeds from your Dish LNB/switch to the 921 to use it.

OTA will come through in a digital stream from the station's transmitter to the antenna. The antenna sends it as such to the receiver/tuner. Your tuner/receiver converts it to a form the TV can understand.

Some people think that ESPN-HD is worth the $10/month. Between Discovery-HD and ESPN, I think it's worth it.

 

[K R Kimmel]

If you subscribe to the HBO or Showtime packages you will receive HBO-HD and/or Showtime-HD.

You make the comment "$600 sounds like a lot just(emphasis added) to be able to record in HDTV". Many people (myself included) decided it was worth $1000 to be able to record in HDTV. Watching HDTV on my schedule instead of arranging my schedule to watch HDTV is important to me.

 

[Amphicar770]

I agree that being able to watch HD when you want is a nice feature. That is why I bought my JVC HD VCR. Too bad I can only record OTA HD through my TV's firewire and not DISH programming via the now defunct/deleted firewire port on the DISH 921!

 

[crippe]

thanks for all the great info everyone!

 

[WeeJavaDude]

so if I still need an OTA antenna what do I need the 921 for? If i connect an antenna directly to my TV will it come through in HD?

Yes Assuming you have an HD Tuner in your TV. If not, then you will be need an HD Tuner at a minimum. They start at around 200 bucks. The 921 provides time shifting capabilities. If you don't need that and don't want the HD pak then the 811 might be a better choice or a stand alone tuner.

 

[vsvier]

I think the $10.00 is well worth it! Since I've added it, it seems that all I watch is the HD channels (or my locals in HD OTA) I think HDnet does a great job with it's programming, as well as DiscoveryHD. Heres an example, recently my wife and I watched the Allison Krauss concert on HDnet blarring through the surrond system. After the program I said that 1 program alone was worth the $10.00 monthly sub! we rent less videos now as well (the cost of 3 rentals pays for the sub).

Just MHO

Scott

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I subscribe to the everything pack, so adding the HD pack gives me HBO and Shotime HD and NBA HD. I get CBS and NBC OTA HD, ABC is too weak. Smallville looks great in HD. In a couple weeks I will have another HDTV in operation so $10 is not too bad, but they need to offer more for that $10.00

 

[TheGuv]

I think the $10.00 is well worth it! Since I've added it, it seems that all I watch is the HD channels (or my locals in HD OTA) I think HDnet does a great job with it's programming, as well as DiscoveryHD. Heres an example, recently my wife and I watched the Allison Krauss concert on HDnet blarring through the surrond system. After the program I said that 1 program alone was worth the $10.00 monthly sub! we rent less videos now as well (the cost of 3 rentals pays for the sub).

Just MHO

Scott

Actually, I got my 921 in December and love the HD programming offered, both OTA and the HD Pack offered by *E.

But I am not paying $10 per month for the HD pack. They had a special offer last month offering HD Pack for half price for one year. HD Pack is DEFINATELY worth the price at just under $5 per month!

You ought to check with *E to see if you can still get the HD pack for half price for 12 months.