Got my free HD OTA Antenna today

[dennispap]

Dish sent it to me overnight delivery which was nice. For people who are wondering what model they are shipping, it is an RCA 1450 BFW, and sells for $21 on Amazon.

Last week They told me " we can ship this at no cost to you in 3-4 business days" I still havent received my antenna.yet.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Last week They told me " we can ship this at no cost to you in 3-4 business days" I still havent received my antenna.yet.

They are probably waiting a few days in anticipation of resolving the dispute so they can cancel the order.

In all honestly I think this is a joke that they are shipping these $3 tv antennas at all and expecting you to hook it up to your television and be expected to switch inputs.

The right way to do this would be to ship with the USB ota adaptor, and if you still cannot get the channel send out a tech and install a real antenna.

 

[MitchDeerfield]

It is not a great antenna. I needed a 25 mile antenna and this one is only about 20 miles and is a bit of an eyesore. I got a really good one from amazon for $17 on sale. I can send you mine for $5 plus shipping.

 

[jpmarto]

One thing I found out, I hooked it up with the plug in amplifier. It works better without.

My cheapo $9 Monoprice un-amplified antenna gave me 16 channels. My amplified RCA from Dish gave me 11. I tried it without the amp, and I got 11 channels.
Time to put up an outdoor antenna!

 

[Tony S]

...In all honestly I think this is a joke that they are shipping these $3 tv antennas at all and expecting you to hook it up to your television and be expected to switch inputs.

The right way to do this would be to ship with the USB ota adaptor, and if you still cannot get the channel send out a tech and install a real antenna.

As I posted in the Tribune blackout thread, Dish DID send me the OTA adapter along with the free antenna. I had asked for the OTA module when I called for the free antenna. The antenna was shipped from Indiana, and OTA module was shipped from Colorado. I received the OTA module two days after receiving the antenna.

RCA amplified antenna works OK for me. I am over 40 miles from the broadcast stations and I can receive 30 OTA channels successfully. The stations include my local PBS, NBC, CBS, and FOX channels. Each of these stations are about 40 miles from my location. My FOX station happens to have one of the better signal strengths, and that is good for me because FOX is the channel that I lost here in Connecticut.

For me, the Dish solution is far from a joke, as Claude posted. I can receive and record the FOX station that I lost in the Tribune dispute. For me, the Dish solution worked very well and I appreciate their response to the problem.

The antenna might not work depending on your location and where your broadcast stations are, but at least Dish is trying to give its customers a viable solution to the blackout problem! Thanks Dish!

 

[pattykay]

I remember the days when they would send out a tech to install an outside antenna

So do I. In fact, that is how I got my outdoor antenna after Dish lost the ability to provide Distant Networks in 2006. Unfortunately, neither that antenna nor the indoor antenna that Dish sent me this month are capable of receiving the local Fox affiliate that I lost due to the Tribune dispute.

 

[jegrant]

The RCA amplified antenna Dish sent didn't seem very good, and at times, it seemed like it performed better without the amplifier than with. I ended up trying the amplifier with some of my other antennas and it worked a little better for those, but again in at least one case I got a great signal from the one station that came in without the amp, and adding the amp made that one station even better, but didn't help me receive any other stations. Due to where I live, I get great reception from the MyNetwork/Bounce/CW station, okay reception of ABC & CBS, and hardly anything else.

 

[rdale]

They sent me a Winegard FlatWave Amped - VERY nice...

 

[Dylanlee4]

I was told last week that I would get the Wingard. Instead they sent the RCA. Called and told them the RCA didn't work and that I tried that antenna last year and had to take it back. They told me they had no more Wingard antennas. My mom called and requested hers about 30 minutes after they told me they didn't have the Winegard and what did she get yesterday, a Winegard. Called last night and was told that the reps only have a limited # of winegards to send out per person per day and that if the customer request a winegard to send it or if the rep likes them they send the winegard. Called this morning and told them how upset I was and they told me that I would have to have a tech come out in a week and make sure it's set up right before they can help. Starting to get very frustrated!! Anyone have any suggestions??

 

[dennispap]

I chatted today because i still hadnt received mine and they said " a computer glitch " caused it to not be sent out and they would send it out today.Who knows what one i will get ( if any)
He did take 10.00 off my next months bill due to the screwup

 

[pattykay]

I was told last week that I would get the Wingard. Instead they sent the RCA. Called and told them the RCA didn't work and that I tried that antenna last year and had to take it back. They told me they had no more Wingard antennas. My mom called and requested hers about 30 minutes after they told me they didn't have the Winegard and what did she get yesterday, a Winegard. Called last night and was told that the reps only have a limited # of winegards to send out per person per day and that if the customer request a winegard to send it or if the rep likes them they send the winegard. Called this morning and told them how upset I was and they told me that I would have to have a tech come out in a week and make sure it's set up right before they can help. Starting to get very frustrated!! Anyone have any suggestions??

Take them up on their offer if they are offering a free tech visit. You might end up getting a decent outdoor antenna installed instead of the ones they are shipping out. Dish has done that kind of thing before. (See posts earlier in this thread.)

 

[KAB]

Have we all forgotten that FREE is just that, and we should be thankful...and not PICKY??

 

[Miner]

Start up a chat and say you don't have the adaptor and angle to get the dongle for free.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So I finally decided to contact dish about needing a better solution, the level 1 tech transferred me to level 2 where the agent, after a bit of explaining told me I would need the usb dongle tuner, and he said he'd send me one for $30! I suggested a credit for not getting Fox, and there was dead silence for at least 3 or 4 minutes. I gave up, saved the transcript and said thanks and goodbye.
I'm now looking at an HD Homerun system for use with an Apple TV or Roku.

 

[MitchDeerfield]

If you really miss the local channel a lot, call and ask for $5 or $10 monthly credit, and then buy the dongle for $30.

 

[Miner]

If you really miss the local channel a lot, call and ask for $5 or $10 monthly credit, and then buy the dongle for $30.

I miss my local fox, especially next week when the MLB All Star game is on. When I asked for a credit, that is when the agent when silent, as if that was the end of the world.