new dish customer - 3 HDTVs/3 receivers?

[scissorfight]

hi guys,

i signed up for dish yesterday, switching from cable to satellite for the 1st time. overall pretty happy so far. i have 3 total TVs - 2 HDTVs downstairs with 2 722s, and an SDTV upstairs that is running off the 2nd tuner of one of the 722s. problem is, i'll be replacing the set with a 3rd HDTV within 3 months (which will still leave me with 3 total TVs).

when i called dish to inquire, they said i would need to pay $300 even for a non-DVR box, since i am at my 4 tuner limit (?)...or i could buy a receiver myself.

what are my options here? i do not need a DVR on the 3rd set upstairs, unless the price would be the same either way, then it would be nice to have...but mainly i just want the HDTV programming. can this be done while still keeping just the one dish (definitely do not want 2 dishes under any circumstances). is their a cheap way to find a non-DVR HD tuner box? i'd like to keep the 2 722s so i can be recording stuff in HD downstairs while viewing other HD channels at the same time.

thanks...

 

[TheKrell]

What you really want is one 722 and 2 612 receivers. The VIP612 is a dual-tuner receiver for a single TV, and (by Dish accounting) only counts as 1 tuner toward your 4-leased-tuner limit.

 

[KAB]

Too bad you did not take the future HDTV into consideration when you ordered. You don't have to HAVE a third to get another HD tuner, which would have been free. You could have gotten a 722 and 2 222's or a 222 and a 612. Now you will have to buy one.

 

[KKlare]

(1) I assume you have considered mirroring one of the 722 using the component cables alongside the HDMI. Add a composite or RF connection for those cases where you need more independent tuners but not HD and you have it.
(2) Plead to ceo by email for a third box.
(3) Wait a year and use DishItUp to get a third box.
(4) Bite the bullet and pay, see DishStore.
-Ken

 

[bigfame]

What you really want is one 722 and 2 612 receivers. The VIP612 is a dual-tuner receiver for a single TV, and (by Dish accounting) only counts as 1 tuner toward your 4-leased-tuner limit.

That is exactly what I have in my house, one 722 (for one HD TV + one SD TV) then a 612 on another HD TV and a second 612 on the 3rd HD TV.