DISH OTA questions

[omeletpants]

-Is the OTA antenna attached to the existing Dish? Does a separate wire need to be run?

-Any recording or guide issues I need to be concerned?

 

[NYDutch]

The OTA antenna can be located wherever it gets the best reception. A diplexer pair could be used to minimize cabling if the antenna is close to the dish, but more commonly a second wire is used for better antenna placement.

Once the OTA locals are scanned, the program guide lists them and recordings are done the same as sat channels.

 

[JSheridan]

An OTA signal can only be diplexed on VIP or Wally receivers. Diplexing is not supported on Hopper systems.

 

[omeletpants]

I have Hopper 3

 

[JSheridan]

I have Hopper 3

You should use a separate wire for the OTA antenna.

 

[NYDutch]

Yep, I should have asked which STB you have or are considering. My apologies for misleading...

 

[omeletpants]

JUST THOUGHT OF SOMETHING

HOW DO I GET THE OTA CHANNEL GUIDE?

 

[Peter Parker]

It will download automatically. it may not be populatef till the next day----and eevn then there may be missing data.

 

[omeletpants]

It will download automatically. it may not be populatef till the next day----and eevn then there may be missing data.

WHERE DOES THE DATA COME FROM?

 

[dishdude]

WHERE DOES THE DATA COME FROM?

FROM THE SATELLITE

 

[Claude Greiner]

By the time you run through 2 duplexes, your loosing 7-10 DB of signal.

Better to run another cable if at all possible

 

[bspei]

You also need a USB OTA adapter for a hopper


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[Peter Parker]

By the time you run through 2 duplexes, your loosing 7-10 DB of signal.

Better to run another cable if at all possible

Don't worry he will have to with a Hopper.

 

[omeletpants]

UPDATE:
Dish installer with 25 years experience came out today. Was able to pick up 70 of the 85 Chicago area channels, but not 2 (NBC and local pbs) of the ones I watch. No issue with guide. The biggest surprise is that the PQ of the OTA channels is less than the same channels on Dish. It is softer and less defined.

These are deal breakers for me

 

[kc1ih]

My OTA's via antenna are sharper and brighter than the same channels over satellite. If you are experiencing the opposite you may have your resolution set incorrectly.

 

[navychop]

And you may need a rotor.

Side note: Those OTA antennas that clip onto the dish are miserable for most folks. But if you’re in a strong signal area, it may be sufficient.

I’m in a strong signal area, and still use a large UHF/VHF antenna on a rotor.


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[TheKrell]

I’m in a strong signal area, and still use a large UHF/VHF antenna on a rotor.

Interesting. What do you use it for? My Washington DC stations and Baltimore stations are all in the same direction (NE). Frederick is a bit closer to north, and Annapolis a bit closer to E.

 

[sam_gordon]

By the time you run through 2 duplexes, your loosing 7-10 DB of signal.

Better to run another cable if at all possible

But diplexers aren't splitting the signal, so how are you losing 7-10 db? Where does it get lost?

 

[navychop]

Interesting. What do you use it for? My Washington DC stations and Baltimore stations are all in the same direction (NE). Frederick is a bit closer to north, and Annapolis a bit closer to E.

I used to try to pull in MPT from Hagerstown. Much better than WETA. Didn’t work.


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[TheKrell]

I used to try to pull in MPT from Hagerstown. Much better than WETA. Didn’t work.

Argh! Of course I meant Hagerstown and not Frederick in my post above. To my knowledge, there are no transmitters in Frederick. I have much better reception from MPT channel 22 out of Annapolis.