Potential New Customer (Currently a Voom Customer)

[Alto101]

I will be with Voom until they pull the plug....still hoping for a last minute deal to be worked out

Anyway, I am considering DishNetwork if Voom does indeed go black. I have two TV's, one HDTV and one standard.

Here is the equipment I would like:

Main TV: 811 and 522
Second TV: 322 or 301

I don't want to spend the money on a HDTV DVR since they are still expensive and will not work with MPEG-4 which is why I want a SDTV DVR and a HDTV receiver hooked up to the main TV. This will allow me to watch HDTV in real-time but record any program with the DVR in standard definition.
The second room I really don't care which receiver I get as long as it is functional.

I don't want to pay for any equipment nor do I want to agree to any commitment. Will Dish or a retailer offer me the equipment I want with the terms I want? If for example, they will only give me the DVR for the second TV and not as a second receiver for the first TV, can I just purchase a 322 or 301 and switch the boxes around after they install?

Thanks!

P.S. If there are any dealers in my area, Louisville, KY and would like to offer me their services, I would appreciate it.

 

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

Your best bet is a 811 and 522 hooked to your first TV with three satellite feeds coming to it. Your TV2 output of the 522 can then be hooked up to your 2nd TV and no other receiver fees would be incurred.

With that setup, you won't have to pay for equipment and all you'll have to pay is the $49.99 activation fee at start-up. As for the no-commitment deal, you can elect to do that but remember that you'll have to return the equipment to the original point of sale if you cancel within 6 months and to DISH Network after 6 months of service under the DHA promotion. The bigger negative of no-commitment is that you won't get the DHPP for free, which is normally a $5.99 monthly fee. Plus, the retailer won't be happy if you cancel, say within 6 months. I won't get into details about that but many retailers and DISH Network directly will be happy to fulfill your order.

 

[Alto101]

Your best bet is a 811 and 522 hooked to your first TV with three satellite feeds coming to it. Your TV2 output of the 522 can then be hooked up to your 2nd TV and no other receiver fees would be incurred.

With that setup, you won't have to pay for equipment and all you'll have to pay is the $49.99 activation fee at start-up. As for the no-commitment deal, you can elect to do that but remember that you'll have to return the equipment to the original point of sale if you cancel within 6 months and to DISH Network after 6 months of service under the DHA promotion. The bigger negative of no-commitment is that you won't get the DHPP for free, which is normally a $5.99 monthly fee. Plus, the retailer won't be happy if you cancel, say within 6 months. I won't get into details about that but many retailers and DISH Network directly will be happy to fulfill your order.

Thanks for your reply. Since I am unfamiliar with Dish terminology and their products, I have a few questions:
If I hook up my 2nd TV to the TV2 output of the 522, how well does the UHF remote work from a different floor? Also, if I am watching a recorded or live program on the HDTV using the DVR, will someone be able to watch the upstairs TV and will they be able to watch something different than what I am watching?

I am not sure what the DHPP is, is that some sort of protection plan? If so, what is the benefit of a protection plan if I am leasing the equipment?

Thanks again

 

[TuxCoder]

I have two UHF remote controls, one for my 522 and one for my 921. Both work fine for me but the 921 control seems a bit weaker. Every night I make use of both from my bedroom, upstairs, while the receivers are downstairs at the other end of the house. In between is my computer room with my wireframe computer desk/rack with at least one PC running at all times (my server + ...), a 19-inch rack (6-ft. tall) with one of my PDP-11s in it (/34a, not usually on though), my "little" tower PDP-11/73, and my old 802.11b access point (always on). Also, my network wiring terminates at my patch panel in there, with my Ethernet equipment right under that. That room has to be the "noisiest" in terms of RF interference in my whole house (maybe close second would be my home theater/AV command center), and the UHF remote control signals travel the distance, through that, just fine.

 

[Alto101]

Thanks for the info about the remote.

A few more questions since you have all been so helpful

How does the picture/sound quality on the TV2 compared to having a seperate STB connected to the second tv? I just have an old 27" SDTV that I normally connect to the STB with composite, but with the 522 I know that I will use coax.

I currently have an OTA antenna mounted on my roof which is tied into the coax runs and then sepearated at each STB with a diplexor. I would like to use the OTA antenna with the 811 so I can continue to receive my local digital channels. For the 522 I am fine with using the Dish provided locals.
Can the antenna still be tied into each coax run and then split out at the 811 with the diplexor but not split out at the 522? Or will each STB require the diplexor? If so, which set of locals will the 522 pick up, the satellite provided channels or the antenna provided channels.

If Voom wants their diplexors back, how much do they cost to purchase and where is a good source?

Does Dish charge extra for the use of a taller ladder? The Voom installers needed to use a 40' ladder since my house is 2.5 stories. They said that I probably needed a 30 something foot ladder. They did not charge extra for this, but they were going to initially.

Thanks

 

[Liquidforce88]

Ok I hope I can answer all these questions

You can connect an 811 and the TV1 output of the 522 to your main tv and the TV2 output to your 27". You will be able to DVR on your main tv but most of the time HD is broadcasting different stuff from the SD except for ESPN. The picture is pretty good most of the time on the TV2 output. With a 27" it should be fine. There is an RCA output for the TV2, but that may not be a real option in your situation.

You will not have to use a diplexor on every IRD. Only the ones you want will need to be, but if it's there use it. I would also doubt that VOOM is going to want the diplexors back.

You have to also remember that you are going to need 4 lines at your main tv. 1 for the 811, two lines in from dish to the 522, and 1 line out of the 522 back to your 27". Unless you do diplexors to take the TV2 output back down one of the incoming lines from the dish. In that case you would only need three, but the installer will probably want something for the extra diplexors.

The RF remote works very good 99% of the time. Every once in a while you run into a house that it won't work. If you have a good installer he will know how to extend the range if that happens. I have gotten remotes to work that were out in a garge 100+ feet from the house. You have to run a length of coax into the antenna port on the 522 in those situations.

If you purchase through a retailer they may want to charge for the use of a large ladder. I work for a regional service provider and we can not charge for using a large ladder.

The DHPP is something nice to have, but you don't have to. You can sign up for 1 year and 2 year terms and you will get the DHPP for free.

where do you live by the way?

 

[Alto101]

Ok I hope I can answer all these questions

You can connect an 811 and the TV1 output of the 522 to your main tv and the TV2 output to your 27". You will be able to DVR on your main tv but most of the time HD is broadcasting different stuff from the SD except for ESPN. The picture is pretty good most of the time on the TV2 output. With a 27" it should be fine. There is an RCA output for the TV2, but that may not be a real option in your situation.

You will not have to use a diplexor on every IRD. Only the ones you want will need to be, but if it's there use it. I would also doubt that VOOM is going to want the diplexors back.

You have to also remember that you are going to need 4 lines at your main tv. 1 for the 811, two lines in from dish to the 522, and 1 line out of the 522 back to your 27". Unless you do diplexors to take the TV2 output back down one of the incoming lines from the dish. In that case you would only need three, but the installer will probably want something for the extra diplexors.

The RF remote works very good 99% of the time. Every once in a while you run into a house that it won't work. If you have a good installer he will know how to extend the range if that happens. I have gotten remotes to work that were out in a garge 100+ feet from the house. You have to run a length of coax into the antenna port on the 522 in those situations.

If you purchase through a retailer they may want to charge for the use of a large ladder. I work for a regional service provider and we can not charge for using a large ladder.

The DHPP is something nice to have, but you don't have to. You can sign up for 1 year and 2 year terms and you will get the DHPP for free.

where do you live by the way?

Thanks for your very detailed reply. I live in the Louisville, KY area. I currently have two lines running to my main TV and the line that is running to TV2 can be diverted easily enough to run into the main tv room. Will the standard installation cover rerouting this run and running another coax?

Maybe I missed it, but can you tell me what DHPP is?

Thanks

 

[TuxCoder]

That's the Digital Home Protection Plan (extended warranty service).

 

[Liquidforce88]

Yes your installer will be happy that you have all those cables already there. Adding the others will be included in the install.