Outdoor OTA No Longer Offered?

[Anonymous99]

Dish and one of my local channel affiliates have been engaged in a channel dispute for a number of months. Dish has sent me an indoor OTA antenna to pick up the channel, but the antenna isn't strong enough to do so.

I've called twice now to ask about an outdoor OTA antenna solution. They keep telling me that they no longer offer one. Is this true? I'm really frustrated that I've been missing a prime time channel for a number of months now and Dish's only solution is to say...too bad for you!

 

[DISH Support]

Dish and one of my local channel affiliates have been engaged in a channel dispute for a number of months. Dish has sent me an indoor OTA antenna to pick up the channel, but the antenna isn't strong enough to do so.

I've called twice now to ask about an outdoor OTA antenna solution. They keep telling me that they no longer offer one. Is this true? I'm really frustrated that I've been missing a prime time channel for a number of months now and Dish's only solution is to say...too bad for you!

We definitely want to review all options available for your account while we work on reaching logical, long-term agreements with channel owners. However, we want to be sure to only offer solutions that will help you enjoy your content while we negotiate to get your channels back for you. There may be other factors involved that may impact the signal that you receive for an over the air antenna, which may be why this options was not available. If you have any further questions, you can use this link to reach out to our chat team to review your account: Direct Chat

 

[shortspark]

I had the same problem. Dish told me they could not send me an antenna because it would not bring in the station. A friend who lives only a few miles from me had Dish send and I think even install an antenna and it worked fine. I decided to buy a cheap, $20 indoor antenna and it picked up the channel that was in dispute with Dish and I was able to watch the Super Bowl after all. Dish said the only thing they could do for me was a one time $5 credit on my bill, which is about $190 a month. I've been a good customer for over 20 years and that was all they would do. It is now time to look at the other options with cable and streaming that I have available.

 

[boba]

We definitely want to review all options available for your account while we work on reaching logical, long-term agreements with channel owners. However, we want to be sure to only offer solutions that will help you enjoy your content while we negotiate to get your channels back for you. There may be other factors involved that may impact the signal that you receive for an over the air antenna, which may be why this options was not available. If you have any further questions, you can use this link to reach out to our chat team to review your account: Direct Chat

Wonderful non answer from DISH SUPPORT. I'm moving next month guess I'll have to think about DISH's customer service.

 

[Fizbi]

I put up a well tuned antenna on my property. Added a small amplifier, and good cable, and now I receive free OTA local channels. The key is selecting a TV antenna that matches the broadcast transmissions. Find out what they are. VHF HI/LO UHF? It helps to know before you buy.

 

[ChadT41]

Wonderful non answer from DISH SUPPORT. I'm moving next month guess I'll have to think about DISH's customer service.

The question was “does Dish no longer offer outdoor antennas”, and atleast from my reading of Dish response, they do, for qualifying locations. May not have been the answer looked for, but is a great answer and even included some additional details spelling that out. How is it a non answer?

 

[907TECH]

If you want the best OTA antenna you will need to do it yourself. Dish only offers one antenna that I know of, and it is very limited in capability. I don't think they attempt the install unless they have a more than good chance of success they do not want a truck roll just to tell you OTA is not in the cards. You will have to solve your OTA problem. Their antenna has no VHF high gain, VHF low forget it, and on UHF, modest gain.

 

[DJ Lon]

...Their antenna has no VHF high gain...

That's not true. The one Dish installed for me outside has VHF hi elements on it (we have 3 stations here broadcasting on VHF...8, 10 & 12) and I actually get the best signals on VHF hi (100) vs. UHF stations which are usually around 84 on average

 

[jackson85]

We definitely want to review all options available for your account while we work on reaching logical, long-term agreements with channel owners. However, we want to be sure to only offer solutions that will help you enjoy your content while we negotiate to get your channels back for you. There may be other factors involved that may impact the signal that you receive for an over the air antenna, which may be why this options was not available. If you have any further questions, you can use this link to reach out to our chat team to review your account: Direct Chat

I almost had an OTA installed last July, but the Dish Installer talked me out of it. Now, I am regretting this decision. My ABC station is off since the dispute. I do have an indoor antenna, but I only have it hooked up to my daughter's TV, when she is watching one show on ABC. I am not even going to try hook an OTA myself.

 

[jackson85]

I put up a well tuned antenna on my property. Added a small amplifier, and good cable, and now I receive free OTA local channels. The key is selecting a TV antenna that matches the broadcast transmissions. Find out what they are. VHF HI/LO UHF? It helps to know before you buy.

Where did you buy from?

 

[907TECH]

That's not true. The one Dish installed for me outside has VHF hi elements on it (we have 3 stations here broadcasting on VHF...8, 10 & 12) and I actually get the best signals on VHF hi (100) vs. UHF stations which are usually around 84 on average

The only offering I have seen is the Televes Diginova Boss, yes it has VHF elements but that amounts only to a dipole, which has no gain. You can't count their amplifier gain for antenna gain.

 

[Bobby]

The only offering I have seen is the Televes Diginova Boss, yes it has VHF elements but that amounts only to a dipole, which has no gain. You can't count their amplifier gain for antenna gain.

Yet it works, as posted....

 

[Fizbi]

Where did you buy from?

I bought it years ago and I don't recall exactly, from the Internet. But here is an example of what I purchased.
VHF/UHF antenna

To get started, find out what is out there on a map like this site.
Station Transmitters

After you enter your location, a map is displayed showing all the transmitter sites. Then scroll down and see the station specs. You have to match the antenna to the transmitter. Pay attention to the band and frequency. A missmatched antenna will not get good results. In my area, channel 13 is my weakest as I am trying to pick up a weak back side RF lobe, so I selected an antenna at the correct frequency to get that signal. All my local OTA towers are all lined up in a straight line, so the stronger stations peg my TV signal meter. The trick was to get the weaker signals as that station broadcasted the most channels. Once I found the correct antenna, I mounted it on a T-post in the ground and aimed it directly at the weakest station. It was a very weak signal, but after adding the amplifier, it comes in strong. I can now get all the locals free of charge. I get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, MeTV, CW+, StartTV, H&I, and 3 PBS channels. It was a bit of work, but I'm the only one on my street getting all the local channels for free.

 

[907TECH]

Yet it works, as posted....

It works yes, but has no VHF gain. Some may have to select something with stronger VHF signal capability. Not a bad option, for some.

 

[shortspark]

I have several tvs and get some local channels via cheap indoor antennas. However, I have to subscribe to Dish locals anyway because my home theater has a projector. The Joey sends the signal via hdmi to my a/v receiver which in turn sends that signal to my projector, also via hdmi. The sound is processed through the receiver since the projector has neither a coax connection for an antenna or speakers. The a/v receiver has no coax connection for an antenna anyway so everything going to the projector has to be hdmi.

 

[DJ Lon]

The only offering I have seen is the Televes Diginova Boss, yes it has VHF elements but that amounts only to a dipole, which has no gain. You can't count their amplifier gain for antenna gain.

The installer gave me the amplifier but did not install it.

 

[ChadT41]

I have several tvs and get some local channels via cheap indoor antennas. However, I have to subscribe to Dish locals anyway because my home theater has a projector. The Joey sends the signal via hdmi to my a/v receiver which in turn sends that signal to my projector, also via hdmi. The sound is processed through the receiver since the projector has neither a coax connection for an antenna or speakers. The a/v receiver has no coax connection for an antenna anyway so everything going to the projector has to be hdmi.

The antenna would go through the Hopper and then pass that through to the Joeys. Only one connection necessary for any rooms that have a Joey, and that one connection is at the Hopper.

 

[TheKrell]

You can't count their amplifier gain for antenna gain.

I fail to see the logic in that statement. Can you flesh it out a bit?

 

[907TECH]

I fail to see the logic in that statement. Can you flesh it out a bit?

Sometimes folks see gain figures of amplified antennas and think it has something to do with antenna gain.