First Look: DISH 381 Receiver

**chastulsa** · 06-22-2006 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Scott Greczkowski

Just when I think I have seen it all my email box tonight was filled up with information on a new Satellite Receiver I have never heard of before.

Folks this one is a STRANGE receiver.

It's a HIGH DEFINITION receiver but the key is it does not receive Dish Network HD services!?!?!

This one sounds like a late April Fools Joke to me but I have received it from a few of my very trusted contacts which is why I am passing the info on to you. With that said I would not be surprised if we never see this receiver on the market. (At least I hope we never see it on the market)

Ladies and Gentleman... May I introduce to you the new DISH 381 receiver!

This unit cleary is for people who dont want HD or cant afford a HDTV but still want to enjoy OTA. Dont forget there will be a time when analog OTA will no longer exist, this will give Dish the edge to offer a OTA solution with a low cost sub fee. I think its a good idea to help get the OTA (13% of TV viewers) money.

**BFG** · 06-22-2006 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by Pepper

maybe it's just a numeric coincidence. I just noticed on the tech portal that the DP811 are scheduled for software P3.80. I wonder if P3.81 will be the version that magically transforms them to 381s by disabling the satellite HD decoding.

that's not happening or will happen.

The reason the 381 leaves out any dish hd capabilities is because there is no current MPEG2 HD packages available. There is nothing in software or relation that is inhibiting anything...

**dlsnyder** · 06-22-2006 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by ScottChez

Some are not getting it.

There are NO SD Locals on any SAT (dish or direct tv) at all on several DMAs. My relatives have to switch the TV inputs over and then use a rabbit ears to get there Standard Def Locals. There is no guide data.

Forget HD, this thing will do SD locals OTA, and as an added bonus it does HD Locals OTA. If they down load Guide data they will love it more.

I predict Thousands will be sold (leased).

I grew up in the middle of Nebraska, every one has Dish, everyone there will want and beg for this recevier.

Not all products are for the big cities.

Dish will probably still require you to subscribe to a locals package in order to get program info just as you do now. The 811 may not even be capable of displaying PSIP program data like it does for the Dish program guide.

**BFG** · 06-22-2006 06:44 PM

the 811 inserts the guide data they have for local stations they carry without having a local subscription, you just have to be able to be connected to the satellite the sd locals are on

**MikeD-C05** · 06-22-2006 06:46 PM

Does anyone remember how bad that sd channels looked through the 811? They sucked. I feel sorry for anyone who uses this new 381 receiver and hopes to see good picture quality on the sd channels , which will make up 95 % of their tv viewing experience.

**dlsnyder** · 06-22-2006 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by navychop

...And this box might qualify for the $40 vouchers that we're supposed to get 2 of. If any are still available when the vouchers come out.

Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking. I wonder if they might even hold off on announcing this "new" model until those vouchers are available. That would be a cheap way to get thousands of potential new subscribers on-board and recycle those old 811s. Brilliant if Charlie can pull it off. The problem is the lack of full PSIP compatibility.

**dlsnyder** · 06-22-2006 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by BFG

the 811 inserts the guide data they have for local stations they carry without having a local subscription, you just have to be able to be connected to the satellite the sd locals are on

Unfortunately that only works for the SD feeds, if there are multiple streams on the digital channel. Here in LA my 811 never knows what is really on KOCE-DT 50.1 because the data never gets passed through by Dish.

**dodge** · 06-22-2006 08:09 PM

Charlie, Jim Damn you!!! I want my crack pipe back before you come up with any more stupid stuff!!!

**kb7oeb** · 06-23-2006 01:28 AM

RF out missing is not that big of a deal, I bet a lot of those people alread have modulators so they can use their $30 DVD player.

This sounds like a perfect use for the 811 remains, when the analog shut off happens in markets without LIL at least some of Dish's customers will no longer have local channels, this is a cheap way to keep them happy.

**digiblur** · 06-23-2006 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by kb7oeb

RF out missing is not that big of a deal, I bet a lot of those people alread have modulators so they can use their $30 DVD player.

This sounds like a perfect use for the 811 remains, when the analog shut off happens in markets without LIL at least some of Dish's customers will no longer have local channels, this is a cheap way to keep them happy.

LOL!! I actually saw a DVD player hooked up with a modulator to a new 55 inch flat panel the other day. The DVD player was even a progressive scan model!