Duo Vip 222k vs. Duo 322 for SD TVs

[gspliff1128]

I have 4 TVs. 1 HD and 3 SD.

When I use dishnetwork dot com to put together a package, it always/only steers me to having two Duo Vip 222k Duo receivers with a $7 fee on the second one.

Wouldn't it make sense/be cheaper to have one Vip 222k and one Duo 322? I assume this would have a $5 monthly fee. Would the two SD TVs fed by the Duo 322 lose some downconverted, HD-only channels? (I will get the $10 HD package regardless of receiver choice.)

Thanks!

[Laddyboy]

I have 4 TVs. 1 HD and 3 SD.

When I use dishnetwork dot com to put together a package, it always/only steers me to having two Duo Vip 222k Duo receivers with a $7 fee on the second one.

Wouldn't it make sense/be cheaper to have one Vip 222k and one Duo 322? I assume this would have a $5 monthly fee. Would the two SD TVs fed by the Duo 322 lose some downconverted, HD-only channels? (I will get the $10 HD package regardless of receiver choice.)

Thanks!

In the EA markets, E* only uses MPEG4 VIP receivers like the 211K for new customers even for SD installs. Everything is MPEG4 on the EA and will also be that way on the WA in the not distant future.

[DishSubLA]

I believe Echostar has ceased manufacturing SD or MPEG2 boxes for Dish Network. As I understand it, only MPEG4 boxes (and I think only HD boxes, for that matter) are being manufactured for Dish Network. However, dealers and even Dish, may still provide these SD boxes as appropriate solutions for an install or RMA from what is left in inventory, as in remanufactured boxes.

On one front, Dish has plans to move to all MPEG4 for all channels on all its sats, meaning no MEPEG 2 video available at all. The process, a long one, may begin in a few years.

On the other front, Dish will be moving to all 8PSK Turbo Coding for all SD channels much sooner. That process may begin as early as the 1st quarter of next year.

While the 322 is capable of demodulating 8PSK and decoding Turbo Codeing, it is an MPEG2 box, and it doesn't make much sense for Dish to continue to manufacture and place millions more of these boxes only to have to change them out--FREE of charge--for MPEG4 boxes a few years down the road. HD is the future, and the future is NOW. The other future is all MPEG4 8PSK Turbo Coding for all. Dish may have the ability to expand on that if they future-proof their boxes, as they always have, so that they just need to send a software update.

Can anyone confirm if Echostar is still manufacturing MPEG2 boxes for Dish?