Got HDTV, now what?

[TruckStuff]

So I finally pulled together enough $$ to get a shiney new Samsung 5 Series HDTV. I also got a Silver Sensor antenna and pick up all my locals in HD just fine. Currently I'm a happy Dish DVR subscriber, but I'm not under contract, so I'm evaluating what I should do. Couple of questions:

1) I've looked at DirecTV's offerings and they all seem to be a bit more expensive than Dish, but offer more channels. Am I missing something here?

2) I've currently got a Dish 500 dual LNBF dish pointed at 110 and 119. Will I need a dish upgrade to get HD? Will it be mounted on the same place? Or will it require a separate dish?

3) Dish wants $150 to upgrade my current 625 receiver to a 722. Since I'm not under contract, I'm hoping I can get them to waive that if I re-up for 2 years. Anyone have experience with this?

4) How does an OTA antenna work with the 722 reciever? I'll want to keep it since Dish doesn't offer all my locals in HD (UPN, CW and a few others are SD only on Dish). How does the reciever decide wether to display/record from the dish or OTA? Is it the same quality? I seem to recall reading something about the reciever down-converting all 1080i content to 720p or something like that. Is this true?

Thanks for the help!

 

[navychop]

Unless you must have the Sunday Ticket, and are willing to pay the $200 or so for it, I tend toward Dish. I suspect the channel lineup is not going to vary for long between the two, but D* will have more locals.

There is a place to plug in your OTA antenna in the back. You then tell the ViP722 to scan for locals. They will then appear in your guide. I recommend not paying for locals from Dish. Your OTA signal may be better, and you'll get more channels/subchannels. I think usually your OTA PQ will be better than via Dish. The downside is you won't get the EPG data, you'll need to set start/stop times and channel #, just like back in the VCR days. I use my ViP722 to record HD OTA in this manner. I see the OTA channels in my EPG, I just don't see program descriptions. It just says something like "digital service" or some such.

The receivers will not downconvert unless you tell them to.

You'll likely need an additional dish pointed at 61.5 for the HD. Definitely go with 61.5 over 129.

You might talk them into $75 and the 2 yr deal. I did.

 

[KAB]

As of now, for REGULAR channels (no PPV, RSNs, etc) Dish and Direct about even, Direct may have three or four popular ones, but Dish is adding more in the next month or two.

 

[TruckStuff]

There is a place to plug in your OTA antenna in the back. You then tell the ViP722 to scan for locals. They will then appear in your guide. I recommend not paying for locals from Dish. Your OTA signal may be better, and you'll get more channels/subchannels. I think usually your OTA PQ will be better than via Dish. The downside is you won't get the EPG data, you'll need to set start/stop times and channel #, just like back in the VCR days. I use my ViP722 to record HD OTA in this manner. I see the OTA channels in my EPG, I just don't see program descriptions. It just says something like "digital service" or some such.

Hmm... this is interesting. I don't like the idea of not being able to do record all new episodes of my favorite shows (625 has completely spoiled me on that front), so I think I would keep my locals over the dish, if only for the programming guide. Can you tell the reciever which channels to take off dish vs OTA? For example, my UPN channel on D* is SD only; can I tell the reciever to take it OTA instead so it will record in HD?

 

[KAB]

Can you tell the reciever which channels to take off dish vs OTA? For example, my UPN channel on D* is SD only; can I tell the reciever to take it OTA instead so it will record in HD?

Of course. Just program from the OTA channel in the guide (if you subscribe to locals).

 

[garys]

Hmm... this is interesting. I don't like the idea of not being able to do record all new episodes of my favorite shows (625 has completely spoiled me on that front), so I think I would keep my locals over the dish, if only for the programming guide. Can you tell the reciever which channels to take off dish vs OTA? For example, my UPN channel on D* is SD only; can I tell the reciever to take it OTA instead so it will record in HD?

The OTA channels are numbered differently, ie: 005-00 (Dish Supplied), 005-01 (OTA), when you use DishPass, it will pick the channel used when you select the first channel and all others will be recorded on the same channel. If you pick the Dish supplied HD channel, it will record from there; if you choose the sd channel, you will get that version for all the additional records; same as if you pick from the OTA channel. You can try it out on your 625 with the sd locals by Dish, if you pick the mapped down channel, it will not record off the higher up channel number.

 

[kvnfl]

1) DirecTV offers more HD locals than Dish. Dish offers local Big 4 HD plus a few other channels in select markets. DirecTV has PBS HD, Dish does not.

The 722 is on par if not better than TiVo. The HR20/21 can not hold a candle to TiVo.

3) Other posters have had success playing CSR roulette and threatening to leave.

4) How strong is your signal? I live in the fringe of two markets and am 40-60 miles from antenna farms. With a 50db indoor antenna and Samsungs OTA amplification I pick up channels from 3 markets reliably. My 722 with the same antenna can not get a lock on any OTA broadcasts.

 

[duckydan]

Truck, are you married? If so have your wife sign up for a new account and cancel your old account on the day of the install. Free 722 w/ the same contract. If not then you can play roulette and likely get it for around $125 but because you probably need the newer dish and/or lnb's I doubt you'd get it for less.

 

[Bradtothebone]

My advice is to keep the E* Locals. You'll be able to record three programs at a time from the "big four" networks (if you want to) AND you'll have your EPG.

Brad

 

[TruckStuff]

4) How strong is your signal? I live in the fringe of two markets and am 40-60 miles from antenna farms. With a 50db indoor antenna and Samsungs OTA amplification I pick up channels from 3 markets reliably. My 722 with the same antenna can not get a lock on any OTA broadcasts.

Don't know how strong the signal is, but once I got the antenna tuned correctly, I can watch any local in HD without issue. I have a Philips US2-PHDTV3 antenna (can't post a URL, sorry) because one of my locals broadcasts VHF, so I have to have a combo. All of the locals broadcast from the same point, about 25 miles from me and Dallas is mostly flat. What about the 722 makes it unable to find your locals reliably?

Also, thats a good tip about the wife. I'll keep that in mind if I don't have any luck with CSR roulette.

 

[sundude90]

I would get Directv! They have more HD channels than dish and more regular SD channels also. They also have a lot more sports channels and stuff. There is lots of good deals for New Directv Customers getting HD. They have been and are adding lots of new HD channels including HD Locals. Dish's HD channels are not as clear as normal HD like D*. Dish turns the resolution down a bit to save on Satiellite space. I had Dish and I went to D* because of those reasons. What a BIG difference. D*s clarity and picture quality is superb and their Customer Service is also very good.

I would go with D*! You get what you pay for and more!!

 

[navychop]

D* = DirecTV

E* = Echostar, or Dish

 

[DishSatUser]

You really need to stick with E* (Dish Network). I switched from DirecTV to DIsh at the beginning of August and the software quality and stability of the Dish DVR's (ViP series) is beyond comparison to anything D* currently has.

Also, if you want to use a second SD TV, the 722 can easily switch between single mode and dual mode. Dual mode allows another family member to watch an entirely different program (recorded or live) on the SD set at the same time you are watching something else entirely on your HD. Put in a small 19" or 22" Widescreen set with composite or COAX input in the kitchen for example. You can watch one thing and Food Network can be viewed in the Kitchen for new dinner taste trials. (What we do with our system).

Pushing a button on the front makes it that easy to switch between the two modes. In Single, you get PIP features too.

Finally, depending on where you live, you might be able to receive a dish upgrade to a single dish solution (Dish 1000.2 for Western Arch if 129 gets enough signal or 1000.4 for Eastern Arc if you somehow end up qualifying 'new customers only at the moment').

As for the OTA locals, we do this as well, but we subscribe to our local DMA on Dish as well. The reason is that the guide isn't available for the locals without the subscription and only manual record events can be performed. If you want to schedule events on your Local OTA, you'll need the guide you get when you subscribe to your local DMA.

Since you have an HDTV, you really will be interested in the HD packages. While TurboHD "metal packages" are not available stand alone to existing customers until Feb 09, they are very nice. However, you can add them to SD packages now as an existing customer. The results are great! However, I don't watch hardly any SD now that I use the HD (TurboHD Gold in my case) that you may encounter the same. The only thing I miss from not having an SD package is the music channels.

Yep, you don't get the Sirius channels on the TurboHD only packages, have to have one of the SD packages as well. However, we really only listened to the christmas channel during the holidays and it's yet to be seen if we get this "free" in the TurboHD package this fall.

IF you stick with Dish (E*), you'll be happy.

 

[costanzas_wallet]

I was in the same boat about 6 months ago.

My first call to dish and they wouldnt budge at the $250 upgrade with another contract.. I got so furious that they were offering their new subs the same thing FREE adn since I was a prefered customer they wouldnt lower the ludacris fee, I went looking elsewhere.

The next week I called Dish to disconnect because Comcast was offering their digital package HD with a DVR with free install.. the first rep tried to offer me some garbage 1/2 price reciever... I said no.. he then promptly transfered me to their retention department. She offered to send out a technician the next day with a free 722 and a second dish.

Was a bit chaffed about the 24 month contract, being that soon after I signed, someone else posted on this forum that they got the same thing I did, but without contract.... The only reason I took her offer was because, at the time, Dish's HD offering was far superior than any other companies HD content.. and I was even more chaffed that the superiority only lasted for me for a few days...

but thats another topic that has been flogged to death in about 9 other threads.

 

[kvnfl]

Don't know how strong the signal is, but once I got the antenna tuned correctly, I can watch any local in HD without issue. I have a Philips US2-PHDTV3 antenna (can't post a URL, sorry) because one of my locals broadcasts VHF, so I have to have a combo. All of the locals broadcast from the same point, about 25 miles from me and Dallas is mostly flat. What about the 722 makes it unable to find your locals reliably?

Also, thats a good tip about the wife. I'll keep that in mind if I don't have any luck with CSR roulette.

I am South Gulf Coast Florida and it is flat, flat, and flat. Sometimes I ride my bicycle up and down high rise bridges over the ICW to get training in the "hills." Last Sunday I did the same bridge 30 times for a grand total of 60 miles in the "hills." Stations I receive are from Tampa, Fort Meyers and some from Orlando. I played with a bunch of antennas until I found the Phillips Mant510 at Wally World for about $25. There is a PBS station that feeds Samsungs tuner 8 out of 10 bars. The same station on the 722 pixel blocks every 30 seconds.

At 25 miles you should be fine.

 

[old corps]

If you go with Dish tell 'em you want the DVR Advantage package. It'll include your locals (and guide info) as well as the DVR charge for one receiver. I went without the locals with Dish for a long time because I also receive 'em OTA. PITA using the DVR for them without the guide info. With DVR Advantage it ends up costing you a buck more a month as opposed to paying the DVR fee and NOT getting the locals through Dish.

Ed

 

[tastim]

Truck, are you married? If so have your wife sign up for a new account and cancel your old account on the day of the install. Free 722 w/ the same contract. If not then you can play roulette and likely get it for around $125 but because you probably need the newer dish and/or lnb's I doubt you'd get it for less.

Fair warning.... we just received a Memo from Corporate that they want us to start reporting suspected fraud and ToS violations when we go out to a customer's residence so that the Audit Team can investigate.... this is in fact, against the rules (not that you will necessarily get caught, there are plenty of people that do it).... this is why Work Orders have a customer's address with the "#1" or random "A" after it, so it tricks the computer into thinking it is a new address..........but don't say no one warned you

 

[tastim]

Truck, are you married? If so have your wife sign up for a new account and cancel your old account on the day of the install. Free 722 w/ the same contract. If not then you can play roulette and likely get it for around $125 but because you probably need the newer dish and/or lnb's I doubt you'd get it for less.

Fair warning.... we just received a Memo from Corporate that they want us to start reporting suspected fraud and ToS violations when we go out to a customer's residence so that the Audit Team can investigate.... this is in fact, against the rules (not that you will necessarily get caught, there are plenty of people that do it).... this is why Work Orders have a customer's address with the "#1" or random "A" after it, so it tricks the computer into thinking it is a new address..........but don't say no one warned you

If you've had a Dish DVR for a while, I promise you, you will hate D*s DVR. The programming is nearly the same and getting even more identical all the time. Also, keep in mind that with D*, if you want DVR in more than one room, you are paying (last I heard) $199 for each additional room, as well as seperate DVR and receiver lease fees for each room.

So a 4 room DVR setup would cost you $600 up front, plus something like $40 in DVR and Lease fees alone....