Satellite Newbie with Several Questions

[buster]

Hi,

Great forum you’ve got here. I’ve spent countless hours over the past several days reading up on satellite info. Currently I’m still getting only regular (non-digital) cable, but just bought a 51” HDTV last weekend, so I’m looking to upgrade. Initially I contacted my cable supplier (Wide Open West) to upgrade to at least digital, but after lots of searching and reading discovered that satellite may be a better and cheaper alternative. Of the satellite providers, I think Dish Network fits my desires best. Here’s my set up and options.

2 TVs – 1 HD, 1 SD
Costs based on Dish Network web site and AT120 programming

Option 1:
TV 1 HD – 811 receiver
TV 2 Digital – 311 receiver
Cost $49.98

Option 2:
Both TVs Digital with DVR – 522 receiver
Cost $44.97

Option 3:
Both TVs Digital – 322 receiver
Cost $39.99

Here are a few questions or assumptions that I would like confirmed regarding these different options.

Option 1 - The HD option is my first choice so that I can actually use the HD capabilities of my TV, but I have a couple areas of concern.

1. The 811 receiver – people seem to be having a lot of problems with it. Have most of the issues been solved, particularly the ones involving picture quality?
2. Can I still use the POP feature on my TV with the 811?
3. Getting local stations in HD though an OTA antenna – I checked the antenna web site and all local stations that I watch are yellow and within 20 miles. I’d like to test out my reception before I subscribe to HD. If I pick up a Zenith SS indoor antenna and connect it to my TV (disconnecting the existing cable connection) would that be an accurate test of my ability to receive local HD when hooked up to the 811?

Option 2, 3 – For $5 a month I would prefer the DVR capabilities, but once again, reading about all the problems that people are having with the 522 has made me afraid of it.

4. Is the 322 a more tested stable receiver than the 522?
5. Is it possible to back up/copy programs that I have on the DVR to a DVD using a DVD burner?
6. If yes to 5, can this be done directly or in bulk or do you have to replay the program and just copy it to DVD while it’s replaying?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide to help me make the best decision.

 

[korsjs]

welcome to satellite guys. glad you are here. make sure to visit often, lots of good info here.

if you have an hdtv, you must get a hd receiver. either the 811 or 921. the 921 has the DVR you might want and there is a good deal at dishstore.net a sponsor of this site. they also will give you great customer service. make sure to do research on the product before you buy. browsing the posts in the dish network forum is a good start.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

1. The 811 or at least mine is pretty stable now. I still have some guide issues, not displaying proper programming once in a while. The SD picture quality out of the DVI-D is not good, but the HD and OTA non HD is crisp and clear, but the HD is overcompressed and not as good as 5 months ago, but still not bad. The HD pack is pricey, but HDnet's Bikini Destinations and other specials make it worth while to me anyway.

The OTA HD tuner is probably not as sensative as a normal HD set with HD tuner built in. I pick up OTA stations 35 miles away with the Zenith Silver Sensor, 19.99 at buy.com.

The 311 is a nice reciever, I use a 510, is been great for DVR.

2. You can use PIP, but not two Dish channels, unless you had two receivers or one of their dual tuner models or mutiple feed sources feeding the TV. You could run a cable from the DVR on set two to set one and then have two dish channels.

3. Does your TV have an analog tuner (probably), if it has HD tuner, then you could get an idea, but just because you pick up analog signal, in know way compares to picking up thei digital signal.

I do not know about the 522.

4. ?

5. Output to a PC, then to DVD, have not done it, but sure seems possible.

6. Without removing the hard drive, would think it has to be playing.

 

[KKlare]

What about the 942?

You sound like a perfect match to the 942 (to be release in Feb.) -- 1 HD, 1 SD, dual controls, recording for both.

You must make the request when you start, you only get 1 first time for the best price. You may have to wait and it may be be expensive (probably less than the announced $750, possibly a lease at $250) and that's why you want the best startup bargain.

With an HD set, you will love receiving HD through Dish and/or OTA.

Good Luck,

 

[betsy c]

You sound like a perfect match to the 942 (to be release in Feb.) -- 1 HD, 1 SD, dual controls, recording for both.

I'm in a similar position, although I'm a month or so out before installation (building a HT). I read somewhere that the SD output isn't as good as a regular SD tuner output, is that the case? I think it was some D* guy, so I take it with a grain of salt. The 942 sounds perfect, we'll have 1 HD (projector) & one SD TV.

 

[boba]

Read the posts on MPEG4 before you decide on any DISH receivers. If all you want in HDTV is the half dozen channels DISH currently offers go ahead. Most subscribers are very disappointed in the limited offerings on the DISH system currently. New channels will be in MPEG4 and even the not yet released 942 isn't capable of MPEG4 decoding.

 

[PILMAN]

I have the 811 just got it yesterday, the only thing I hate is no search option for programming. I have the program error every now and then but other than that it's good. Is the HD really compressed? This is my first time getting an HD picture to my set and the quality looks really really nice. I couldn't tell it was compressed, I guess I would have had to have had hdtv a few months ago to tell though.

 

[buster]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Here's another option that I've just started to kick around. I do like the idea getting HD for my HDTV, but I don't see myself spending much time watching the few HD stations that Dish Network offers in their current HD programming line up. Most of the HD programs that I would watch are on the local stations.

So, would it be better to just stick with digital from Dish and buy my own HD receiver (just noticed a nice Samsung at Circuit City for $200 after rebate) and antenna to get the local HD stations OTA?

Would there be any problem running a satellite digital receiver and a regular HD receiver on the same set?

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

You can now get the 811 for that price online and Ebay, so I would go with the 811

 

[buster]

You can now get the 811 for that price online and Ebay, so I would go with the 811

All the reported problems with the 811 is one of the reasons that concerned me with getting HD from Dish. Do you think the 811 is superior to the Samsung SIR-T451 (only positive reviews from what I've seen) that I was considering or is it just the flexibility to upgrade to Dish Network's HD program in the future that makes you recommend the 811?

 

[caesar gdi]

Why buy the 811 when you can lease it for free?

 

[PILMAN]

Why buy the 811 when you can lease it for free?

As a new customer he could lease it. I had to buy mine because they wouldn't lease me it but hey I only paid 200 bucks for a 811 so it's all good.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

If you are a new customer, as stated, you should be able to get an 811 for free, since it will do OTA, and I think you would have to buy the HD pack for a year. $120, vs $200 for the Samsung. Then after a year you could drop the HD pack if you choose, you still got the 811 for $120

 

[buster]

I thought that Dish retained ownership and was just loaning/leasing the receiver to you and that you would have to return it to them if you dropped their service. Based on that assumption I figured it would cost me an extra $180 for the next year ($10 per month for the first 6 months of "free" HD - see 1st post in thread - and $20 per month for the next 6 months). That's why I figured that for just $20 extra I could actually own the receiver if I went with the Samsung OTA option. If I was wrong and you truly get the 811 to keep for free, then it wouldn't make much sense for me to buy my own.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

I would call dish and ask. I have bought all of my equipment, except recently they offered to upgrade two of my receivers for $24 and sent me two 811's. Those are leased now for $4.95 a month, so I don't know if they are always dish's or mine after a year.

 

[boba]

I would call dish and ask. I have bought all of my equipment, except recently they offered to upgrade two of my receivers for $24 and sent me two 811's. Those are leased now for $4.95 a month, so I don't know if they are always dish's or mine after a year.

You are the type of poster I hate to see. You have more money to spend apparently than you know what to do with. You seem to have entered into a contract with DISH Notwerk and don't even understand the terms. Your lease is just that a lease not a lease purchase you also have agreed to buy DISH Notwerks HDTV programming package at $10 per month after the 50%off first time deal. You are really paying $5.00/Mo. to lease the 811 and $10 for 5 channels of HD package.

 

[boba]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Here's another option that I've just started to kick around. I do like the idea getting HD for my HDTV, but I don't see myself spending much time watching the few HD stations that Dish Network offers in their current HD programming line up. Most of the HD programs that I would watch are on the local stations.

So, would it be better to just stick with digital from Dish and buy my own HD receiver (just noticed a nice Samsung at Circuit City for $200 after rebate) and antenna to get the local HD stations OTA?

Would there be any problem running a satellite digital receiver and a regular HD receiver on the same set?

Buster I have a Samsung T151 that I returned to them in November for an under warranty software upgrade. The receiver worked when I sent it in, in December I received an updated T-151 from Samsung (CVE) that failed within 24 hours. CVE their repair arm sent a shipping label to return it to them in January I received a replacement that wouldn't even power up. After two months I am without a standalone HDTV receiver and very disappointed in Samsungs customer relations. I also have 2 Hughes HDTV receivers working great and a DISH 6000 I use only for OTA HDTV (piece of junk). Most cable companies don't charge or charge very little to upgrade you to HDTV if they offer it, why not try it from your cable company then drop it if it looks like it isn't worth it.

 

[old corps]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Here's another option that I've just started to kick around. I do like the idea getting HD for my HDTV, but I don't see myself spending much time watching the few HD stations that Dish Network offers in their current HD programming line up. Most of the HD programs that I would watch are on the local stations.

So, would it be better to just stick with digital from Dish and buy my own HD receiver (just noticed a nice Samsung at Circuit City for $200 after rebate) and antenna to get the local HD stations OTA?

Would there be any problem running a satellite digital receiver and a regular HD receiver on the same set?

I was running an OTA HD receiver and my Dish receiver at the same time--worked great. As long as your HDTV has a spare set of inputs for the HD you should be fine. I've since went with the Dish 921 so the OTA receiver is no longer being used. It was a US Digital available from Walmart for just under $200. It doesn't have DVI, just component outputs but it worked great for my locals. Hope this helps.
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