Recording OTA channel without guide info

[smooth28la]

Am thinking about getting a 922 but worried about the lack of manual record function.

There are many local OTA channels that carries ethnic programming that I would like to record. However, there's no guide info as it just says "Digital Programming".

I know there's a way of setting up manual recording on DishOnline but if the sub-OTA channel doesn't even show up on the channel pull-down menu, how would I record programs on these channels on recurring basis?

 

[garygaryj]

Dish Online > 'DVR' menu > My Timers > Add a Timer
You can use this to add a timer event without regard to what the guide says - you can just set the timer start and end.
So, as long as the channel is on the drop-down list, and you have Dish Online, that would be the only method available right now.

 

[smooth28la]

actually virtually all the local OTA channels only has -0 (dish version) and -1 channels listed.. nothing above it

So 922 is INCAPABLE of recording sub-OTA channel above besides the primary one.

 

[jbernardi]

My 922 shows some local OTA channels up to -5 channels, with program listings.
So the 922 is capable, but your particular list of OTA channels might not be providing the program guide data.

 

[tempVAdish]

This is one feature that is preventing me from getting the 922. There are a few OTA channels that I get that show "Digital Programming" that I need manual timers for. Maybe if any of the DIRT team sees these comments, they can put it on a 922 wish list

 

[tempVAdish]

My 922 shows some local OTA channels up to -5 channels, with program listings.
So the 922 is capable, but your particular list of OTA channels might not be providing the program guide data.

It's not an issue w/ the channels not providing data, if I go to TV guide online, the subs have programming listed. It's just that Dish doesn't provide all sub channels in all areas. Basically, it's provided for the channels they distribute, and there are still some markets where subs are not provided yet, so no guide data for the OTA versions yet...

Really, I'm not offended that the data isn't there, I can get that elsewhere, but w/o manual timer availability, the 922 is useless to me

 

[garygaryj]

Just curious - are you saying that some other DVR of Dish Network, other than the 922, does list all of the local subs, and does show the programming from those subs?

 

[DishSubLA]

The 922 displays all the multiplex channels and EPG data for them just like other ViP's, and you can select them for recording just like other ViP's: no difference there. What the 922 does NOT have is an option for Manual Timers to be set AT THE BOX, but manuals can be set via DishOnline, and that works well for several 922 users.

 

[tempVAdish]

Just curious - are you saying that some other DVR of Dish Network, other than the 922, does list all of the local subs, and does show the programming from those subs?

Sorry, I rambled a bit... All DVRs of Dish will list the subs, but not have guide info if the sub is not uplinked by Dish. For example, in my area I can receive out of market OTA w/ the antenna. Dish provides info for those. WBOC 21.1 & 21.2 is one of those channels. The guide does show all program info for WBOC1 which is CBS, and WBOC2 which is Fox. Take for the next example WMDT 47.1 & 47.2. 47.1 is ABC and has all program info, but 47.2 is CW. Since Dish is not providing the CW network in that area, the guide simply shows "Digital Programming". Same goes for the PBS channel which has a main & 2 subs, programming info is provided for the main channel, but not the 2 subs.

So, for me to record something on the "Digital Programming" channels, I get the shows and time info from the web & program my 622 manually, like a VCR, but since the 922 doesn't have manual timers, I would not be able to record anything on them.

Is that a little clearer than what I babbled earlier?

 

[garygaryj]

Yes, clearer.
And you are also saying that the subs that Dish doesn't uplink, also do not get represented on the Dish Online manual timer?
(I'm not familiar with OTA module for the 922.)

 

[Peter Parker]

There are subchannels listed in the guide that are not uplinked by DISH. Why some are listed and other are not is something of a mystery. Im area for instance antenna TV and Retro TV are listed in the guide but This TV appears only as Digital Service. None of those channels is uplinked to DISH. My guide also shows programming for all the PBS channels and subchannels including thosePBS stations that are not carried by DISH at all.

It simply is not true that the guide data is there only for what is uplinked.

 

[DishSubLA]

Geronimo is CORRECT. Further, when This TV was at 5.2 her in L.A, Dish provided guide content, but when it was moved to 5.3, now it shows DIGITAL SERVICE while Antenna TV at 5.1 shows guide data. Also similar for PBS World (now just WOLRD) when at KCET 28.4 it showed guide date, but when dropped by KCET but picked-up by KOCE 50.4, it now shows NO guide data. Dish OTA guide data is a mess and seems to reflect its attitude.

The real frustrating kicker is that both Dish and TiVo use Tribune Media, and TiVo has guide data for OTA's for nearly ALL the channels Dish does not. No one has been able to explain Dish's TECHNICAL inability to provide all guide data for all OTA's like TiVo does. One possibility could be that the stream or guide data file would be immensely larger than Dish would want it to be. Or, Dish may just not care.

The "only channels Dish provides via sat" reason just doesn't explain it, as Dish does have guide data for SEVERAL channels and service on the OTA's that it does NOT uplink. Interesting that ABC/Disney's Living Well seems to have guide data for just about everyone on Dish. Perhaps only "special" services are given attention by Dish for OTA.

 

[tempVAdish]

There are subchannels listed in the guide that are not uplinked by DISH. Why some are listed and other are not is something of a mystery. Im area for instance antenna TV and Retro TV are listed in the guide but This TV appears only as Digital Service. None of those channels is uplinked to DISH. My guide also shows programming for all the PBS channels and subchannels including thosePBS stations that are not carried by DISH at all.

It simply is not true that the guide data is there only for what is uplinked.

I didn't know this, unfortunately I was only going by what's listed in my guide...

Geronimo is CORRECT. Further, when This TV was at 5.2 her in L.A, Dish provided guide content, but when it was moved to 5.3, now it shows DIGITAL SERVICE while Antenna TV at 5.1 shows guide data. Also similar for PBS World (now just WOLRD) when at KCET 28.4 it showed guide date, but when dropped by KCET but picked-up by KOCE 50.4, it now shows NO guide data. Dish OTA guide data is a mess and seems to reflect its attitude.

The real frustrating kicker is that both Dish and TiVo use Tribune Media, and TiVo has guide data for OTA's for nearly ALL the channels Dish does not. No one has been able to explain Dish's TECHNICAL inability to provide all guide data for all OTA's like TiVo does. One possibility could be that the stream or guide data file would be immensely larger than Dish would want it to be. Or, Dish may just not care.

The "only channels Dish provides via sat" reason just doesn't explain it, as Dish does have guide data for SEVERAL channels and service on the OTA's that it does NOT uplink. Interesting that ABC/Disney's Living Well seems to have guide data for just about everyone on Dish. Perhaps only "special" services are given attention by Dish for OTA.

So it's just hit or miss as to what subs show in the guide for OTA, intriguing