I'm behind, Dish DVR for multiple rooms?

[HDugan]

I have been with Cablevision for some years not and I am assessing a change to DirecTV. I like DirecTV right now for HD-Sci-Fi. But this Multi-room Dish DVR has me curious.

1. How many cables get run to the Dish DVR?

2. It can be accessed from different rooms without cabling?????

3. Dual tuner???...and how many hours recording capacity.

4. Stability? My oold experience with Dish Network was poor. My DVR lost recording too often.

5. I live in zip code 07840. What slots (or specifically degrees of the sky) will I need to see for all programming with the HD channels?
Will I need 2 dishes?

6. I use a cell phone. will I need a landline for DISH

7. As an old subscriber am I able to get cheap or free HD/DVR receivers/Install?

 

[GregE]

1. I have 1 cable coming from my dish and then they split it into 2 at the 722 DVR and connect to it. I also have 1 cable coming from my OTA antenna.

2. Not sure what you mean here. There is an RG6 cable that runs from the 722 to my second TV but the remote works via RF so it can be accessed.

3. 350 hours SD and 55 hours HD plus you can connect external hard drives and move shows to it. I guess you could say unlimited.

4. Mine has been very stable. Much more so than my Motorola cable box I used to have.

5. Dunno

6. Either a landline or ethernet connection if you have broadband to avoid a $5 fee. I saw a device called a Talk-N-Dock that might work for you too. It allows you to dock your cell phone and use your normal house phones to call out and receive calls. Maybe you could also hook your DVR to it.

7. Dunno. I'm new to E*.

 

[GregE]

BTW, here is a link to the product sheet on the VIP722.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/722_brochure.pdf

 

[vegassatellite]

1. In most circumstances, only one cable needs to be installed to supply satellite signals to dual-tuner DVRs.

2. There still needs to be at least a minimum physical connection between the DVR and TV2. There are some wireless options such as an AV Sender but that is best avoided if possible.

3. Dual Tuner means the receiver can pick up two separate satellite stations at one time. The receiver can use one for TV1 and another for TV2, or useful for an easy PIP setup or watch and record separate programming. The number of hours depends on the unit you get. 722 and 622 units can have a separate USB external hard drive added for even greater capacity.

4. Dish's earliest DVRs were not very reliable. Since then they have come along a great way and as a tech I've seen few issues relating to faulty DVRs. Quality of Service is going to depend heavily on the installation. A bad install and you will have problems forever, a good install will last a long time without trouble. You are best off to contact a local retailer. I think you can call Dish and ask them for a good retailer in your area. I believe they refer the retailers who have few issues such as unsatisfied customers, service calls, etc.

5. You will need 119 and 110 and either 129 or 61.5 for HD. Whether you will need 61.5 or 129 will depend on what satellite DISH has placed your locals on and where other things like your Regional Sports Network is on. If you call DISH, they should be able to tell you what satellites are needed, or someone here who can look that up might reply.

6. Dish Network does not require a landline. However, in the case of a dual-tuner, you can get that fee for the second room waived if the receiver is connected to a phone line. Other users here are reporting that fee being waived if the receiver is connected to a broadband connection. E.g., 722 connected via cat5e to your broadband router.

7. This is also why you will want to talk to a local retailer. Be upfront and let them know you were a sub in the past and they can usually build an account for you.

 

[mbg620]

1. I have one cable run to the back of my receiver and then split right before both wires go into the receiver.
2. I have the second tuner running through my existing cable line to the second room and then the second remote works it from there.
3. For Dual Tuner it means I can watch something on my tv in the living room and something else on my TV in the bedroom at the same time off of one receiver. I can also record something downstairs and watch it on the TV upstairs since I am going to the same Hard Drive.
4. My DVR has been very stable. Very happy with it.
5. I think you will need the second dish at 61.5 to get HD.
6. You don't need a landline, but you will have to pay the $5 phone line fee. Otherwise you can connect your high speed internet to the receiver and avoid that fee.
7. My brother just signed back up and was a former customer. He still got a free HD DVR and install.

 

[Jared Twomey]

I think you can call Dish and ask them for a good retailer in your area. I believe they refer the retailers who have few issues such as unsatisfied customers, service calls, etc.

good luck with that... most of the time when you call dish and ask for a retailer... they will try to sell you right there.
Why pay a retailer for a sale when they have you on the phone

its aggrevating, but I have customers tell me all the time that dish is our biggest competition.