We have one HD DVR and one HD receiver, each with its own HD OTA antenna plugged in the back. OTA signal works 100% fine when it's sunny and the satellite is working. However, we get error code 739 and a loss of signal on the OTA every time the satellite signal is lost. It's a pain having the cables separated because it requires us using an old VCR or something as one of our TV's does not have a tuner built-in.

I tested the OTA's using our TV with a built-in tuner and they work fine even when 739 is on the screen saying otherwise.

This always happens when the satellite cannot acquire signals.

DISH has offered no solutions, except to say that we don't need OTA's because our package has it.

A damn tornado went through our area about an hour ago, followed by baseball sized hail. It would have been nice to know the storm track!!!

I have seen the opposite happen, for me never what you are experiencing. When I have one of the tuners on OTA, if that OTA channel loses the signal, the satellite thinks it lost the signal. But when there is a storm, I can go to the OTA and losing the sat does not bother it.....This winter when snow was covering the Dish too much, so no signal, I was able to switch to the OTA locals...

We have one HD DVR and one HD receiver, each with its own HD OTA antenna plugged in the back. OTA signal works 100% fine when it's sunny and the satellite is working. However, we get error code 739 and a loss of signal on the OTA every time the satellite signal is lost. ...
Next time that happens, push "Menu" and select "Guide". Choose an OTA station and select it.

i would almost bet that the OP is NOT watching OTA via his antenna. it sounds like he thinks he is, but I bet not.

I agree with derekcentico but I never thought of SaltiDawg suggestion

an easy test would be to unplug the OTA atenna and see what happens. I got a 5'er that says nothing will happen.

i would almost bet that the OP is NOT watching OTA via his antenna. it sounds like he thinks he is, but I bet not.
:confused:

He said his OTA antenna was plugged into the back of his receiver. The problem he described is exactly what one would expect upon loss of Sat. And finally, the way to get back viewing OTA while Sat signal is lost is to go Menu, Guide, select OTA channel.

We have one HD DVR and one HD receiver, each with its own HD OTA antenna plugged in the back. OTA signal works 100% fine when it's sunny and the satellite is working. However, we get error code 739 and a loss of signal on the OTA every time the satellite signal is lost. It's a pain having the cables separated because it requires us using an old VCR or something as one of our TV's does not have a tuner built-in.

I tested the OTA's using our TV with a built-in tuner and they work fine even when 739 is on the screen saying otherwise.

This always happens when the satellite cannot acquire signals.

DISH has offered no solutions, except to say that we don't need OTA's because our package has it.

A damn tornado went through our area about an hour ago, followed by baseball sized hail. It would have been nice to know the storm track!!!

I lost sat signal in those storms too. The fix is as Saltidawg said. Press Menu > Program Guide and select an OTA channel. As bad as those storms got the actual OTA feeds went down momentarily a few times as they lost power out at the transmitter farms and it takes a few seconds for the generators to kick in and restore the signal.

sat signal has nothing to do with OTA (except for guide information). that's why my 5'er is safe in my pocket.


now, if the OTA was stacked with the sat signal, and the wire was getting wet and shorting, then i could see having lost OTA.


read the OP. it clearly indicated that the he was watching OTA when the strom came through. if that was true he would not have known that the sat signal was lost. we switch to OTA, at least 3 times a week, when we expect to lose SAT, because of all the stroms that have been going through.

sat signal has nothing to do with OTA (except for guide information). that's why my 5'er is safe in my pocket.


now, if the OTA was stacked with the sat signal, and the wire was getting wet and shorting, then i could see having lost OTA.
You still don't understand.

He doesn't "lose" the OTA signal. Actually, he lost Sat signal and he gets an error message alerting him to the fact that he has lost Sat signal. At this time, he can not change channel or similar to get from the error message back to his OTA show display.

A couple of us have told him how to get back to his OTA show.

that message doesn't exist in any Dish DVR that i know of. that is why i'm appearing confused. it seems as useless as the other one that we run into that tells us sat signal is lost when it's really OTA that is out.

This is the bottom line, from experience with it happening, and trying it this afternoon;

If you are watching a SAT channel, and you came from an OTA channel previously, or the other tuner is on the OTA channel, and that OTA channel loses it's signal, the receiver does think, at least for awhile that you lost the SAT signal. (As I posted)

If you are on a SAT channel, but have not been on an OTA channel, (meaning you have gone between two SAT channels without being on an OTA channel) losing a OTA channel will not be noticed.

If you are on an OTA channel, losing the SAT channel has no effect. This is by far the rock solid for sure everytime outcome for me on a VIP612. I have been on an OTA when the SAT went out this winter, only finding out the SAT was out when I went to go to a SAT channel. Right now if I cover over the Dish, while watching an OTA, I see nothing happen until I try to watch a SAT channel.

This all with a VIP612. All repeatable outcomes. I have no idea if the Dish set-up you have makes a difference, I have a mixed ARC.

This is the bottom line, from experience with it happening, and trying it this afternoon;
...


This all with a VIP612. ....
This is not at all the way a 622 or 722k functions. Do you have any reason to believe that the OP has a 612? I have no reason to believe he/she has a 622 or 722k.

I ca guarantee that the 722, not the K acts just like Tampa says, mine does exactly that. I am on Western Arc.....

that message doesn't exist in any Dish DVR that i know of. that is why i'm appearing confused. it seems as useless as the other one that we run into that tells us sat signal is lost when it's really OTA that is out.

The error message that the OP is talking about is a yellow message (similar to the old 002 message) that only shows up on OTA channels. It says "The offair signal has been lost. Signal acquisition is in progress. Please wait." It lists the digital channel number and call sign.

Knowing the receiver the OP has would be helpful and would likely lead the discussion back to other threads regarding the OTA tuner "built in" to the receiver VS. MT2 VS. the TV's tuner.

Knowing the receiver the OP has would be helpful and would likely lead the discussion back to other threads regarding the OTA tuner "built in" to the receiver VS. MT2 VS. the TV's tuner.

That is an excellent point. That's why, as they say, you get paid the big bucks....:D

"They" are lying!:rolleyes:

The job is great though, so the pay is worth it. ;)

The job is great though, so the pay is worth it. ;)

They make you say that, right? lol

Only until they walk away, then I can snicker a little bit. :D

Actually, I make a 60 mile round trip journey daily, so the $$$ is decent enough to make me actually want to :rant: on the drive. Toss in paid vacation, benefits, and the fact that my job is playing.. I mean "answering questions" on Satguys? I would have to be nuts to think it wasn't worth it.

That is an excellent point. That's why, as they say, you get paid the big bucks....:D

I'll put you down as not having a clue that he/she has a VIP612. lol

This has bugged me for quite some time. I've not tried Menu/Guide but have tried bringing up the guide directly to no avail. Once in a while the guide will appear at which time I can chose the OTA channel and continue. Part of the 722 code must be old school in that if the satellite signal is lost, it's not really interested in letting you do anything like view the guide or change channels. It apparently assumes all is lost and you should just wait. So, when storms are coming, I'll tune to an OTA ahead of time and leave it there. That never fails. I can see in the PIP window that the satellite is out. As long as I don't switch to that view, I'm OK.

Thanks for all the responses, and sorry for the delay. My military service required a long stint of service for the past two days in between my short time to post this initial question. Alas, the storms are gone and I can chill out again.

Whilst I do not entirely remember the number on the DVR (it's at my parents, not my house), their online account equipment lists the receivers as VIP612 and VIP211K. Both of these have the same issue at the same time and are on two separate antennas.

Funny note, one antenna on the west side of their house gets Oklahoma channels and the antenna on the eastern side of their house gets Arkansas channels. There's about 100 feet of separation, maybe. I snicker every time.

I'll put you down as not having a clue that he/she has a VIP612. lol

He does. :D

From reviewing the apparent discussion, I'm not sure the relevance of the 612 since the 211 has the same issue?

They will be on OTA when the SAT still has signal expecting it to go down. SAT loses signal. 739 error pops up. SAT gets signal back a few seconds later. All is fine. Few minutes later, SAT loses signal, same thing. I did not test two different OTA channels, though.

But, I can say that the 739 did occur on one receiver (612) while the OTA was directly into the TV that the 211 was on. That test, the OTA direct didn't lose its signal but the receiver errored.

EDIT:
And, would this issue go away if they upgraded to newer equipment like the 722? The 922 costs $200, so would be pointless.

From reviewing the apparent discussion, I'm not sure the relevance of the 612 since the 211 has the same issue?

They will be on OTA when the SAT still has signal expecting it to go down. SAT loses signal. 739 error pops up. SAT gets signal back a few seconds later. All is fine. Few minutes later, SAT loses signal, same thing. I did not test two different OTA channels, though.

But, I can say that the 739 did occur on one receiver (612) while the OTA was directly into the TV that the 211 was on. That test, the OTA direct didn't lose its signal but the receiver errored.

EDIT:
And, would this issue go away if they upgraded to newer equipment like the 722? The 922 costs $200, so would be pointless.

Error won't go away with different DVR's.

There are a couple things here that strike me as odd. First off, the "distance" giving different locals sounds like maybe they are grabbing locals from a distance with the antenna, meaning they are in weak signal area (digital signal is weird in general). Are they using an inline amplifier or amplified antenna at each location? You said each location in the house had its own antenna, but are they the same model antenna? Same amplification, etc? Knowing what equipment is attached (brand and model) we could likely determine if this is the best antenna for the job. Its possible the TV does not need much signal to 'keep' that signal but the receivers need more (or in some cases less).

They are two different types of OTA's. However, I believe both to have amplifiers. I really don't know the details but I recall one having the amplifier built into the device where the other one has an amplifier attached to the cable running between the OTA and the DVR. They are both up in the attic. I ran two separate, extra cables down through the walls to have them up there...

I am guessing they are out in the McAlester area of Eastern Oklahoma and picking up Tulsa and Ft Smith locals. They would be on the fringe of both dma's and need large outdoor antenna's.

Negative, they are in Fort Smith dead and center. That's what makes it humorous because the eastern side of the house is getting Oklahoma and the western is getting Arkansas, which is the opposite to actual state positions.

Yikes, I am amazed they are getting Oklahoma stations from Ft Smith reliably. Other than OETA there are not any transmitters down that way.