Why use 311 instead of 381?

[benzee1]

I had to replace a 381 with a 311 the other day. It seems the 381 is a newer model and superior. Why continue with 311s then? I'm confused. The 381 has newer remotes and much more one the back end (mirrored TVs, audio our, DVI, svideo, optical).

Unless I'm missing something, discontinue the 311 and start using 381!

 

[garys]

The 381 is a refurbed 811 receiver, it has not been in production for many years now. The 311 is the newer of the two receivers.

 

[Mr Tony]

The only thing the 381/811 can do is OTA HD...otherwise they are both SD receivers

 

[boba]

How easy it is to fool fools. He would also believe a 512 is newer than a 625 because it looks like a SD version of a 612.

 

[benzee1]

Then why does it come with the silver remote instead of the black one??? Why does it have DVI and optical while the 311 does not?? Sounds newer to me. Yeah, the silver remotes are newer than the black ones.

 

[scoobyxj]

381's are a decommissioned (811) HD receiver. They will no longer work with the mpg-4 HD signal. The reason they have all those outputs is because they used to be HD, but that doesn't make them newer, or better. Infact they are junk. The color of the remote has no baring on how new/old a receiver is. (IIRC) if you look the remote it's an old style UHF 8.0 remote.

 

[Mr Tony]

The 811 use to be able to get HD from Dish. This is back when it was MPEG2 QPSK and it was 5 channels for 10 bucks. It was HDNet, HD Theatre, TNT, ESPN and I **think** Discovery.
That is why there are all those outputs.
When Dish dropped that package the receiver became a elaborate 311 with the option to get OTA HD.

But as noted there are issues with the 811 (and now as the 381). The big one I remember is if you were on a OTA channel too long the receiver would freak out when you switched back to satellite. You had to redownload the guide

I guess if you REALLY want to use a DVI or component cables to watch 480i programming yeah then the 381 is for you. But I've worked with 311's for years now (and before that the 301...only difference is the 311 can do 8PSK and the 301 cannot) and have had no issues with those

 

[CK SatGuy]

The 811 use to be able to get HD from Dish. This is back when it was MPEG2 QPSK and it was 5 channels for 10 bucks. It was HDNet, HD Theatre, TNT, ESPN and I **think** Discovery.
That is why there are all those outputs.
When Dish dropped that package the receiver became a elaborate 311 with the option to get OTA HD.

But as noted there are issues with the 811 (and now as the 381). The big one I remember is if you were on a OTA channel too long the receiver would freak out when you switched back to satellite. You had to redownload the guide

I guess if you REALLY want to use a DVI or component cables to watch 480i programming yeah then the 381 is for you. But I've worked with 311's for years now (and before that the 301...only difference is the 311 can do 8PSK and the 301 cannot) and have had no issues with those

Back then, discovery HD and HD theater were the same. I think that last channel you were thinking was HBO HD.

Sent from my iPod touch using SatelliteGuys

 

[Bobby]

Yep, I got all of those...

 

[jarvantgroup]

Most technicians as well as myself will tell you that 381's are junk. I've never liked installing them because they are a refurbished receiver and are highly unreliable. About a year of two ago, Dish sent out a boatload of the 381's for techs to install. Not long after, TC's started coming back on a good portion of them. We'd rather DOA a 381 and install a 301/311.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Yea 381's are junk. Too many issues and too buggy.

The is the only receiver I actually took a sledge hammer to because I was so frustrated.