Locals SD package required for OTA HD?

[underchuckle]

I'm in Baltimore (no local HD yet) and just hooked up an indoor OTA antenna to my newly-installed 622. I can get the local HD stations without any problems, so is there any reason that I need to pay Dish Network $5/month for SD locals? The only thing I can think of is that maybe the guide/DVR info is available through my subscription to SD locals?

Also, is the no-phone-line thing for real? WE switched from the other sat provider, and they never enforced that rule/fee, does E* actually charge for this? It would be a major pain to run a phone line to the 622...

 

[garys]

Only reason to subscribe to locals if for the guide listing, without it your guide will read 'Digital Service' and nothing more. And Yes, the phone line fee is for real, but only on dual tuner receivers.

 

[BobaBird]

Only the dual-tuner dual-output receivers. The Single-mode only 721 and 921 don't have the phone fee.

 

[brad1138]

Also, is the no-phone-line thing for real? WE switched from the other sat provider, and they never enforced that rule/fee, does E* actually charge for this? It would be a major pain to run a phone line to the 622...

As an installer there is nothing I hate more than the "phone line fee", or the "Extra tuner enabling fee" as E* calls it. The only 1/2 way decent reason for it is that most if not all of their competitors (ie D* & Cable) would need 2 receivers to run 2 TV's and you would pay about $5/month for the 2nd receiver. E* allows you to run 2 TV's with one receiver, but if you want to save the $5/month you have to have a phone line connected.

You can buy wireless phone jacks from Home Depot and a number of other places for about $50, see them here

 

[kb7oeb]

Just to add, if you don't subscribe to locals you can still record OTA but you have to create time based timers like a VCR. Once the timers have recorded you can type in a name to replace the generic Digital Service tag.

 

[loves2watch]

I have found that subscribing to the locals gives me the many options I require for recording OTA HD. Without the EPG (electronic program guide) I first have to find my local listings in a TV guide then set up manual timers. These manual timers do not repeat so there is really no other way for me to go but to subscribe.

 

[kb7oeb]

You can set weekly timers for shows that are in the same timeslot each week. But for many its probably worth the money for NBR

 

[garys]

You can set weekly timers for shows that are in the same timeslot each week. But for many its probably worth the money for NBR

Good idea, but it seems like many of the programs have a different timeslot or day of the week more often than not anymore. Fox especially goes out of his way to a several different lineups over the course of a month.

 

[jbernardi]

Another benefit to signing up for SD locals:

If you have two favorite network shows on at the same time and you for whatever reason can't watch one of them live, you can record one from OTA and one from SD local.

 

[mike123abc]

They (Dish) really goes out of its way to make it better to subscribe to the locals package. The OTA guide data really helps, beyond what you think it does initially. Also the option of having 3 tuners record local shows does help. Even with 2 622s, there are still conflicts that I have to sacrifice a local show in SD.

Of course the other option is to use a PC to record the OTA shows. The big advantage is that you can archive what you want and it is not encrypted.

 

[jgantert]

I'm also in Baltimore, but I get DC & Baltimore stations via my OTA HD antenna. With Dish, they only offer the Baltimore channels. Does that mean even if I subscribe to the local channels that I will not get program guide info for the DC channels I get OTA?

-John

 

[garys]

I'm also in Baltimore, but I get DC & Baltimore stations via my OTA HD antenna. With Dish, they only offer the Baltimore channels. Does that mean even if I subscribe to the local channels that I will not get program guide info for the DC channels I get OTA?

-John

Dish requires subscription to local channels to supply guide info for OTA. It does not matter what dma the channels come from in order to get info for them. I live in one dma for locals and get OTA from another dma. Have had guide listing for both for one and 1/2 years now.