DVR 625 + HD Antenna = Will it work?

[mdvigil]

OK, new to the site, so forgive me if this is the wrong place. I have a DVR-625, and just hooked up a TV with HDTV Tuner onboard as TV2. Just wondering if there is a way to hook up an HD antenna with a diplexer between the TV and the cable (625) so I can gain access to local HD programming (Folsom/Sacramento, CA). I've been told this is doable with modification in the system setup menu, but have been unable to locate. Preliminary tests with setting it up like that yielded very poor results. Attenuated signal, I think, but as a side note, the $14.00 HD antenna from Home Depot, did not work too well when hooked directly up to the TV. HELP!

 

[jjnemoiii]

First, it sounds like you have antenna problems.. Have you checked antennaweb.org yet? If not, what is your zip code? Link below, will let you switch between your 625 receiver and antenna. Other much cheaper versions, $5.00 or so, would have a switch at the TV for this.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049643&cp=2032057&f=Taxonomy%2FRSK%2F2032057&categoryId=2032057&kwCatId=2032057&kw=antenna+switch&parentPage=search

 

[JohnL]

OK, new to the site, so forgive me if this is the wrong place. I have a DVR-625, and just hooked up a TV with HDTV Tuner onboard as TV2. Just wondering if there is a way to hook up an HD antenna with a diplexer between the TV and the cable (625) so I can gain access to local HD programming (Folsom/Sacramento, CA). I've been told this is doable with modification in the system setup menu, but have been unable to locate. Preliminary tests with setting it up like that yielded very poor results. Attenuated signal, I think, but as a side note, the $14.00 HD antenna from Home Depot, did not work too well when hooked directly up to the TV. HELP!

Mdvigil,

First off, there is NO SUCH thing as a HD TV Antenna. Any Antenna can receive HD as long as the antenna is designed for receiving the appropriate signals (UHF or VHF or a combined VHF/UHF Antenna).

If you have a 625 and NOT a 622 then you will NOT get any HD channels from the 625 as that receiver is NOT capable of receiving HD or have a ATSC Digital tuner.

The 625 is a SD only receiver WITHOUT A OTA TUNER, a VIP622 is Dish's ONLY HD MPEG4 receiver.

The VIP622 is only one of TWO Dish DVR's that can tune ANY OTA (942 and 622). The Model 5000 with additional tuner cartridge that can tune ANALOG OTA, Model 6000 with Tuner Cartridge or Model 6000U and Model 811 can tune either ANALOG SD and HD OTA, Model 942 can tune both ANALOG AND DIGITAL OTA, Model 211, 411 and 622 can only tune DIGITAL OTA.

If you have a 622 and connected a TV or HD TV to the output for TV2 it is SD ONLY and you can't receive any OTA LIVE feeds on the TV2 output from the 622.

If you only want to get both the output of the 625 and your local HD OTA Antenna feed then you only need a Splitter/Combiner to combine the Two into one cable that runs to your HDTV. Remember to pick the appropriate Modulated OTA Channel for the TV2 output of the 625 that is several channel assignments away from the actual Channel assignments of all of your OTA Frequencies.

John

 

[DVDDAD]

You can use a diplexor and combine the satellite and OTA antenna feeds, but when you do you will give up some quality in the signal. If you are having problems, run a separate line and buy the right antenna. You will be hooking the antenna directly to the TV and will not be able to record any of the OTA HDTV programs on the 625. Why don't you get a 622, so that you could also DVR the HD OTA programs?

 

[jjnemoiii]

John, I think he means the Hd tuner is in his TV, and wants to switch between SD from his 625, and HD OTA tuned by his TV. Being a newbie, he probably bought one of the many Tv antennas out there that are labeled by the maker as an HDTV antenna, no matter what the facts. Some people, close enough to the transmitters, have used a paper clip for their antenna, so someone could then sell them as a box of HDTV antenna's. All of his local HD channels are on UHF, so any UHF antenna good enough to get his stations will work.

 

[mdvigil]

Holy Cow! What language do you guys speak anyway. Go a little slower, I am one of those guys Kerry says will get stuck in Iraq (read: military without the Yale or Harvard degree, and no silver spoon either). Anywho, I do copy much of what you guys are saying. JJ is exactly right. I was a little tight on the facts, and yes, I'm trying to do it the cheap way. JohnL you're probably right, but I will have to check a couple of my acronym converters and some other reference books to decipher what you said, and finally DVDDad, you are probably the most correct. I should probably just buck up the $99.00, get the VIP 622, HD Silver or Gold, with installation included and be done with it. The problem solver in me, however, has me on a wild goose chase.

I understand the 625 is not capable of HD functionality, but in talking to one of my buddies, he indicated that he had placed a diplexer between the cable box + an antenna going to the HD Tuner enabled TV. Result was local HD channels. I really don't have the time or the need for much more than that right now, nor do I need the recordability afforded by the 622, but that is quite attractive. Anyway, just wanted to see if it was a viable option. I am not willing to sacrifice the fidelity that the HDTV could provide, but then why did I need an HDTV tuner in my TV if I could have gotten a better contrast ratio with an HDTV "ready" monitor? Anyway, that's a tangential issue, not seriously relevant here.

Bottom line, sounds like I need a better UHF antenna estimate $40 or so (thanks JJ), maybe that switcher too $36.99 (thanks again JJ), which will put me at about $76.00. Add in about $100-200 for my heartache and trouble, and I think the result is - I should just get the 622 and be done with it (thanks DVDDad).

Thanks to all of you for your lightning fast posts. Happy Halloween! Best regards, V.