Confusion about OTA

[TomT127]

I recently got the email from Dish offering a free OTA upgrade to save me $12 a month. I have been reading threads about the OTA but am more confused then ever. Can someone that has the OTA please answer a few questions.
1. Will my HWS still be able to record local shows with OTA?
2. If so, will it be able to record multiple local channels at the same time?
3. Will the local shows show up on my regular Dish guide?

Thanks

 

[NYDutch]

1. Yes, you can still record local shows.
2. If you have the dual tuner OTA adapter you can record 2 OTA channels at once.
3. Yes, the locals still show up in your program guide.

 

[edisonprime]

1. Yes, you can still record local shows.
2. If you have the dual tuner OTA adapter you can record 2 OTA channels at once.
3. Yes, the locals still show up in your program guide.

Bear in mind, some of your subchannels may have either the wrong guide info or no guide info.

 

[PHXHoward]

I wouldn't expect OTA to work reliably on the HWS. My mom took them up on the offer and had the OTA antenna installed and then cancelled Dish locals, now she has to reboot the HWS before it will allow her to watch any OTA recordings. It isn't a huge risk getting the OTA antenna installed because they do it all for free and you can always reactivate Dish locals if you are not satisfied. Hope you have more success with OTA locals on the HWS than we did.

 

[charlesrshell]

1. Yes, you can still record local shows.
2. If you have the dual tuner OTA adapter you can record 2 OTA channels at once.
3. Yes, the locals still show up in your program guide.

Does PTAT and AutoHop work too?

 

[NYDutch]

Does PTAT and AutoHop work too?

No PTAT, but I seem to recall someone saying there's a way to make Autohop work. I have not tried it though.

 

[charlesrshell]

No PTAT, but I seem to recall someone saying there's a way to make Autohop work. I have not tried it though.

Seems like someone posted that AutoHop works but I thought you have to enable PTAT for at least one channel and one day for AutoHop to work.

 

[NYDutch]

Seems like someone posted that AutoHop works but I thought you have to enable PTAT for at least one channel and one day for AutoHop to work.

That could be, in which case you would need to have the sat locals still active. PTAT uses one sat tuner to receive all of the major networks.

 

[n0qcu]

You don't need sat locals to have PTAT active to enable autohop.
PTAT just won't record anything.

 

[TomT127]

Thanks everyone. Kind of disappointing it will only record two local channels at once. That's why I moved up from the 722 to HWS. Does that include the local channel you might be watching live?

 

[NYDutch]

The current optional OTA adapter only has two tuners. You can watch/record any combination of those two tuners.

 

[ejwhite]

I just talked to a Dish CSR. He read the disclosure form and it stated that there was not a guide. He also said it was necessary to change the input on the TV to watch OTA. This did not sound correct.


Do those of you that have had Dish install the antenna and setup the OTA get the program guide the same as when you were getting the local channels through Dish? Would you please clear this up for me? I would like to save the $12 a month.

 

[HipKat]

I just talked to a Dish CSR. He read the disclosure form and it stated that there was not a guide. He also said it was necessary to change the input on the TV to watch OTA. This did not sound correct.


Do those of you that have had Dish install the antenna and setup the OTA get the program guide the same as when you were getting the local channels through Dish? Would you please clear this up for me? I would like to save the $12 a month.

I have the OTA And yes there's a guide because it's connected to the Hopper, not my TV

 

[ejwhite]

When you want to record a future tv show is it just the same procedure as when the locals are through Dish?

Thanks

 

[TheKrell]

When you want to record a future tv show is it just the same procedure as when the locals are through Dish?

Correct, assuming your program is in the guide.

 

[ejwhite]

Thanks for the help. I scheduled a tech to come out next week and do the antenna install. The CSR still stated that they were not sure if the guide would be available. She stated the tech would have to determine that when he arrived here.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[HipKat]

Thanks for the help. I scheduled a tech to come out next week and do the antenna install. The CSR still stated that they were not sure if the guide would be available. She stated the tech would have to determine that when he arrived here.

Thanks again for your help.

As you can see, a lot of the subs don't carry program info, but if you can find a schedule, you still set recordings for that time slot, but the main channels are all there

 

[PHXHoward]

If you had guide data for the channel through Dish locals then you should also have that same guide data through the OTA replacement. The whole thing should be pretty transparent to you once you get it done. You may have to go into your timers and recreate them if they were built for the Dish local channels. Seek timers should continue to work as is.

It will take a day for the local guide data to fill in after the OTA channels are added.

 

[jackson85]

I am supposed to get an OTA installed next week, which I am excited/nervous about. I told the Dish CSR, that I will still want to keep my Dish Locals, because of fear of not having a great reception with the OTA. I know that it will knock off 12.00 of my bill, but my wife still likes the AutoHop concept. I like it also. What's your opinion? To keep Dish Locals or not?

 

[rvvaquero]

I told the Dish CSR, that I will still want to keep my Dish Locals, because of fear of not having a great reception with the OTA. I know that it will knock off 12.00 of my bill, but my wife still likes the AutoHop concept. I like it also. What's your opinion? To keep Dish Locals or not?

You answered your own question before you even asked it.