Looking Into Dish Network as Alternative to Cable

[UAL123]

I'm looking into getting a Dish Network system for 6 rooms. What equipment would that require and what would be the monthly lease fee for all of it? Also, I don't need all the fancy things like HD. I just need the standard stuff. Finally, a Super Dish is required for local channels in my area. Does this dish cost more?

Thanks

 

[Van]

If your doing it for 6 months then I would say its not worth it but if you really want it then go for a 311 single set up minus the locals so that you dont have to have the superdish. And a word of advice, when the installer shows up to put the system in dont tell him that its only for 6 months, specialy if you go with the superdish for locals and have more than 1 room to install. Most all of us hate doing work thats only going to be taken out in short order and when someone tells us that this will be the case we tend to not be as cordial as we would normaly be. I know myself that I put every system in to last for its intended lifespan of 15 years and the few people that have said they are going to have it for a few months I have directed them to stick with cable until they move.

 

[Slamminc11]

If your doing it for 6 months then I would say its not worth it but if you really want it then go for a 311 single set up minus the locals so that you dont have to have the superdish. And a word of advice, when the installer shows up to put the system in dont tell him that its only for 6 months, specialy if you go with the superdish for locals and have more than 1 room to install. Most all of us hate doing work thats only going to be taken out in short order and when someone tells us that this will be the case we tend to not be as cordial as we would normaly be. I know myself that I put every system in to last for its intended lifespan of 15 years and the few people that have said they are going to have it for a few months I have directed them to stick with cable until they move.

I see where he wants to do a six room set-up but not sure where you got the six month thing?
two 625 and then you will have to puchase the third for the other two rooms

 

[UAL123]

I see where he wants to do a six room set-up but not sure where you got the six month thing?
two 625 and then you will have to puchase the third for the other two rooms

You're right. I want a 6 tv system. Now I have another question. Can I get two 322's and connect each one to three tv's? I realize that I would still only have two tuners per box but I could have the second tuner hooked up to two tvs. I hope this isn't too confusing.

 

[Van]

My mistake,I was tired and saw the room as month for some reason. If your looking for 6 rooms and dont want any bells and wistles then 3 322's would do it to give you individuality in all 6 rooms.

 

[UAL123]

I have another question. Does the installer come with a pole to mount the satellite on or do you have to buy one yourself and put it in the ground.

 

[andrews777]

Depending on how many rooms are active at once, you could use as little as a single receiver to drive all the rooms if you put the signal from the receiver back on the line before you distribute it to the house. I don't think it will work for HDTV, but I have been distributing the signal from my two 522s to the whole house for quite some time (and I did the same with a 4000 and 2 501s before that). I just use the RCA outputs and a multiplexer to mix the signals back in.

I am not sure if something similar could be done with HDTV, but this setup could work if you don't need that.

Brad

 

[Chris Freeland]

You no longer need a SuperDish for locals, recently most SuperDish locals switched to a new E*spotbeam satellite at the 110 location and only need a Dish500 now for locals, unless your locals are Charleston-Huntington WV and a couple of other market exceptions which require a Dish1000 for the 129 satellite location.

You're right. I want a 6 tv system. Now I have another question. Can I get two 322's and connect each one to three tv's? I realize that I would still only have two tuners per box but I could have the second tuner hooked up to two tvs. I hope this isn't too confusing.

Yes you can do this, many here do, I have in the past. You could also home run the wiring of some or all of the 4 tuners to a distribution panel, set one tuner to channel 3, one to channel 4, the other two secondary tuners can be set to unused UHF channels, this will give you more flexibility because you can then watch any 4 tuners on any of your 6 TV's, channel 3 and 4 can only be used if you are not getting them ota however and you may also need a channel 3 or 4 signal combiner to prevent bleadover of adjoining ota channels. The preferred way to connect your receivers to your 2 primary TV's is through A/V and S-Video for better picture and stereo sound.

I would also suggest getting at least 1 625 DVR, until you have had a DVR in your home you do not know what you are missing, these things will change the way you watch TV for ever, best thing since sliced bread . Now that I have a DVR, I would rather give up a few channels and go with a smaller programing package then go with out a DVR.

 

[UAL123]

You no longer need a SuperDish for locals, recently most SuperDish locals switched to a new E*spotbeam satellite at the 110 location and only need a Dish500 now for locals, unless your locals are Charleston-Huntington WV and a couple of other market exceptions which require a Dish1000 for the 129 satellite location.




Yes you can do this, many here do, I have in the past. You could also home run the wiring of some or all of the 4 tuners to a distribution panel, set one tuner to channel 3, one to channel 4, the other two secondary tuners can be set to unused UHF channels, this will give you more flexibility because you can then watch any 4 tuners on any of your 6 TV's, channel 3 and 4 can only be used if you are not getting them ota however and you may also need a channel 3 or 4 signal combiner to prevent bleadover of adjoining ota channels. The preferred way to connect your receivers to your 2 primary TV's is through A/V and S-Video for better picture and stereo sound.

I would also suggest getting at least 1 625 DVR, until you have had a DVR in your home you do not know what you are missing, these things will change the way you watch TV for ever, best thing since sliced bread . Now that I have a DVR, I would rather give up a few channels and go with a smaller programing package then go with out a DVR.

Will the installer do this for me?

 

[tkorcal]

my installer hooked up all six of my tvs. Just have things ready and make it easy for him. I also was there to help. Youll learn allot also.

 

[Chris Freeland]

Will the installer do this for me?

my installer hooked up all six of my tvs. Just have things ready and make it easy for him. I also was there to help. Youll learn allot also.

It appears they will, it has bean years since I have had E* first installed and I tend to do A/V networking DIY.

 

[UAL123]

I am thinking about 2 322's. Can I get the 322's with the UHF Pro remotes on both TV1 and TV2?

 

[Majic Walrus]

You'll have to either purchaste two UHF remotes or buy them from Dish. A Dish Network branded remote isn't necessary... Try Radio Shack.

 

[UAL123]

How far will the remotes go away from the box? I'm thinking about putting both boxes in the basement and I want to be able to control them from the second floor of my house. Would the signal be able to go through 2 floors?

 

[Majic Walrus]

Definately. Unless the stories of your house are 50 feet. I think the UHF radius for DishNetwork remotes is 200 feet. Others might not be as high.

 

[UAL123]

When I called my local guy he said that 2 UHF remotes come with the 322. Is he right because I thought only TV2 came UHF with it?

 

[UAL123]

Bump Anybody know if getting the 322 with 2 UHF remotes is standard now like he said?

 

[Pepper]

nope, TV1 remotes are IR only unless you pay extra for replacements.