newbie question

[wknd_warrior]

So please forgive my ignorance but this is all new to me.

I'm not familiar with the term OTA antenna. I'm assuming it stands for "off the air" and I think its for getting hd local channels. What I'm curious about is when or why you would need one. From what I understand, if you subcribe to the HD package and have the dvr advantage then you would get your locals in HD and wouldn't need an antenna right?

I could see maybe getting one if you don't have the HD package and then you could at least get the locals in HD. I don't currently have HD but I do have an HD antenna hooked up to my tv that gets th HD locals. The downside is that I can't use my dvr to record of course and I have to switch inputs on my tv to view them.

Is there an easier or better way to get local HD channels?

 

[adavis720]

So please forgive my ignorance but this is all new to me.

I'm not familiar with the term OTA antenna. I'm assuming it stands for "off the air" and I think its for getting hd local channels. What I'm curious about is when or why you would need one. From what I understand, if you subcribe to the HD package and have the dvr advantage then you would get your locals in HD and wouldn't need an antenna right?

I could see maybe getting one if you don't have the HD package and then you could at least get the locals in HD. I don't currently have HD but I do have an HD antenna hooked up to my tv that gets th HD locals. The downside is that I can't use my dvr to record of course and I have to switch inputs on my tv to view them.

Is there an easier or better way to get local HD channels?

The advantage is that when you hook up an OTA antenna to your 622 or 722 you will have a "third" tuner. You can record on both tuners of the DVR and watch the OTA tuner. The other advantage is being able to receive the sub-channels that some stations send out. (24 hour weather on my locals, for example.)

 

[Dah-Henny]

From what I understand, if you subcribe to the HD package and have the dvr advantage then you would get your locals in HD and wouldn't need an antenna right?

You don't have to sub to the HD Pac to receive HD locals. You will, I think, have to pay an HD enabling fee though. I think it's 5 or 6 bucks a month.

I could see maybe getting one if you don't have the HD package and then you could at least get the locals in HD. I don't currently have HD but I do have an HD antenna hooked up to my tv that gets th HD locals. The downside is that I can't use my dvr to record of course and I have to switch inputs on my tv to view them.

Is there an easier or better way to get local HD channels?

Your OTA feed can be hooked up to your receiver. The receiver's EPG will display the data in the guide. I have HD locals and OTA from a different DMA market area. Dish Network does not offer HD locals to everybody yet. Another thing is that in a rain fade, you can still receive your OTAs. My OTAs are fed into my receiver, AND into my tv as well...I just switch from one input to another.

 

[KAB]

So please forgive my ignorance but this is all new to me.

I'm not familiar with the term OTA antenna. I'm assuming it stands for "off the air" and I think its for getting hd local channels. What I'm curious about is when or why you would need one. From what I understand, if you subcribe to the HD package and have the dvr advantage then you would get your locals in HD and wouldn't need an antenna right?

I could see maybe getting one if you don't have the HD package and then you could at least get the locals in HD. I don't currently have HD but I do have an HD antenna hooked up to my tv that gets th HD locals. The downside is that I can't use my dvr to record of course and I have to switch inputs on my tv to view them.

Is there an easier or better way to get local HD channels?

Are they (HD locals) available in your market...via dish? If not, that's why.

 

[wknd_warrior]

Your OTA feed can be hooked up to your receiver. The receiver's EPG will display the data in the guide. I have HD locals and OTA from a different DMA market area. Dish Network does not offer HD locals to everybody yet. Another thing is that in a rain fade, you can still receive your OTAs. My OTAs are fed into my receiver, AND into my tv as well...I just switch from one input to another.

That I did not know. I don't know what reciever model I have but I'm going to see if that will work because that would be a lot easier.The only HD channels I really care about the locals anyway so that would be great. So if you hook that antenna up through the reciever, would you need to pay a monthly fee to dish to get them to show up on my guide? Also, sometimes the channels fade in and out and pixelize with my current antenna. Is that because I have a bad antenna?

 

[wknd_warrior]

Are they (HD locals) available in your market...via dish? If not, that's why.

Yes. I'm in the Portland, Oregon area and I could get the locals in HD if I wanted to subcribe to them.

 

[Dah-Henny]

...So if you hook that antenna up through the reciever, would you need to pay a monthly fee to dish to get them to show up on my guide? Also, sometimes the channels fade in and out and pixelize with my current antenna.

If you have an HD receiver (211/222/622/722 *I think), E* will charge you either $5 or $6 per month for the privilege unless you sub to the HD pac.

Sounds like you need a better OTA antenna.

 

[Dah-Henny]

You know...I think you might not get the guide data unless you sub to locals. Someone with more knowledge than I will set it straight.

 

[wknd_warrior]

You know...I think you might not get the guide data unless you sub to locals. Someone with more knowledge than I will set it straight.

I do subscribe to locals and I called them and they said that it will show up on the guide if you subscribe to locals. I have a 522 reciever though so I can't record in high def unless I upgrade to a 622 or 722.

I'll have to try to hook up my OTA antenna tonight to my reciever and check it out. If it still is cutting out on me than I will probably need to get a better one.

 

[Dah-Henny]

Hey, let us know how it works out.

 

[garys]

I do subscribe to locals and I called them and they said that it will show up on the guide if you subscribe to locals. I have a 522 reciever though so I can't record in high def unless I upgrade to a 622 or 722.

I'll have to try to hook up my OTA antenna tonight to my reciever and check it out. If it still is cutting out on me than I will probably need to get a better one.

The 522 is not an HD receiver, you will only get them if your HD tv has the digital tuner built in. If it does not, you need the tuner. If you only want the HD local, I would try to find a separate tuner or a dvd recorder with the digital tuner in it.

 

[Dah-Henny]

Is the 522 a HD receiver??? If not, I take back everything I've posted. I only know what works with VIPs.

 

[wknd_warrior]

The 522 is not an HD receiver, you will only get them if your HD tv has the digital tuner built in. If it does not, you need the tuner. If you only want the HD local, I would try to find a separate tuner or a dvd recorder with the digital tuner in it.

I have a 42" plasma Model: TH-42PX75U with the built in HD tuner so I shouldn't need a seperate tuner right?

 

[adavis720]

I have a 42" plasma Model: TH-42PX75U with the built in HD tuner so I shouldn't need a seperate tuner right?

Right, it has an ATSC tuner you should be all set to receive OTA HD.

 

[KKlare]

Some ATSC (aka digital) TVs show some information about the shows if the antenna is directly connected to the set. My Samsung HL-S5687 does on many channels--date and short synopsis under the info button. Some NTSC (aka analog) tuners can show the program title and rating.

To set up recordings easily and get a guide for 2 to 8 days out you need to subscribe to locals.
To record NTSC you need a Tivo or VCR or DVD recorder.
Only the HD-DVRs (921 942 622 722) will record ATSC internally.
They may tune NTSC but they cannot record it.
HD non-DVRs (811 311 322 or is it 222) may tune either and output in SD to an external recorder.
Non-HD receivers can only tune NTSC for output to a recorder.

-Ken

 

[Jeff Dennis]

I subscribe to the locals but do not get the CW channel except ota and I still get the guide data for it through Dish.

 

[KKlare]

Not sure when (of if) Dish will have more than 4 HD locals. The limit was/is 4 channels on a full transponder on 129 or spotbeam on 110. So dish adds them as ABC CBS NBC Fox, in that order.

In NM, we do not get CBS because they cannot get an agreeable price, yet the same company has Fox up, so go figure. For 5 or more they would have to use second spotbeam or regular TP, I think. Neither is likely until all markets are up or many more satellite channels exist. I guess I should be happy we got TP7 on 129 and not the sometimes sad TP27, although I see FSRM is on it.

-Ken

 

[adavis720]

Not sure when (of if) Dish will have more than 4 HD locals. The limit was/is 4 channels on a full transponder on 129 or spotbeam on 110. So dish adds them as ABC CBS NBC Fox, in that order.

In NM, we do not get CBS because they cannot get an agreeable price, yet the same company has Fox up, so go figure. For 5 or more they would have to use second spotbeam or regular TP, I think. Neither is likely until all markets are up or many more satellite channels exist. I guess I should be happy we got TP7 on 129 and not the sometimes sad TP27, although I see FSRM is on it.

-Ken

I get my locals:
KYW (CBS -HD)
WPVI (ABC-HD)
WCAU (NBC-HD)
WHYY (PBS)
WPHL (CW-17?)
WNJS (NJN)
WTFX (FOX-HD)
WYBE
WPSG (CW-57)

all from satellite. I use an OTA antenna to fill in what I am not getting in HD (PBS,CW-17,NJN,CW-57 and the subcarrier channels from my CBS,ABC and NBC affiliates.)