12 year Dish Network customer seeking change

[mhowie]

Not a personal ad, but rather a request for some keen insight...

I currently have a two receiver E* setup consisting of a 722 (receiver A) and a 625 (receiver B). I have the Output 2 signal from the 722 feeding a bedroom TV and the Output 2 signal from the 625 feeding three TVs in other parts of the home. So, I effectively have four receivers and can watch satellite-delivered hi-def programming on one TV.

Given the existing infrastructure, additional cabling/wiring is unlikely. I understand if I go with DirecTV, a new LNB, and possibly a new dish (certainly pointed at a different spot in the sky) would be required. How much of the existing wiring could be utilized?

Assuming two DirecTV receivers (which ones, BTW?) located in the same spot as the existing E* ones, am I correct in believing I would be limited to only watching two different channels at any one time (excluding local OTA) throughout the house? Could I feed an output from the D* receiver A to the bedroom as I have with my current setup- same satellite channel available on both TVs simultaneously (I am working under the assumption D* does not offer a receiver with an "Output 2" feature)? Same for D* receiver B (separately feed other TVs the same channel throughout)?

Other questions:

1) IR and/or UHF on the remotes?
2) Can local OTA HD channels be viewed on the program guide and recorded onto the hard drive (like with the E* 722)?
3) Can programs be programmed via the Internet...via a wirelessly home networked receiver?

Dish Network's failure to follow through on a number of promised channels, along with a feeling that DirecTV is the horse to be on going forward compels me to rethink my allegiance to Dish after over a decade of growing with them.

Any other advice or opinions?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Big Dawg 23]

Given you will end up with the HR21,HR22 or HR23 HD receiver there is no OTA in the Reciever. YOu will the AM21 which is additional charge($50) but many have gotten it for free. It will show up in the program guide.

I have the HR22-100 and switched it from IR to RF remote. On the HR22 Specifically there is no external Anntenna needed as it is all built in.

 

[Liquidforce88]

Not a personal ad, but rather a request for some keen insight...

I currently have a two receiver E* setup consisting of a 722 (receiver A) and a 625 (receiver B). I have the Output 2 signal from the 722 feeding a bedroom TV and the Output 2 signal from the 625 feeding three TVs in other parts of the home. So, I effectively have four receivers and can watch satellite-delivered hi-def programming on one TV.

Given the existing infrastructure, additional cabling/wiring is unlikely. I understand if I go with DirecTV, a new LNB, and possibly a new dish (certainly pointed at a different spot in the sky) would be required. How much of the existing wiring could be utilized?

Yes you are going to have a total different system if you go with Directv. Whole new dish(snd much larger if you go HD) than Dish uses. Depending on how the Dish system is wired alot of what you have can be used.

Assuming two DirecTV receivers (which ones, BTW?) located in the same spot as the existing E* ones, am I correct in believing I would be limited to only watching two different channels at any one time (excluding local OTA) throughout the house?

You are only going to be able to watch 1 channel at each location you have a receiver. Depending on what receivers you get, they don't even have a coaxial output at all. You will need a receiver at each tv if you want seperate programing on that tv. To replace what you have now you would need 4 receivers. 1 HDDVR and 3 DVR, the current models of Directv receivers for this do not have coalial outputs on them.

Could I feed an output from the D* receiver A to the bedroom as I have with my current setup- same satellite channel available on both TVs simultaneously (I am working under the assumption D* does not offer a receiver with an "Output 2" feature)? Same for D* receiver B (separately feed other TVs the same channel throughout)?

Directv does not have anything like Dish does in the dual tuner system. Each receiver feeds 1 tv. You could do a mirrior image of the receivers, but it is going to cost you at installation, and if may not be possible with limited wiring. UHF remotes also seem to be hard to come by. Directv system is not as flexible as dish in these types of setups.

 

[Ronnie-]

Yes you are going to have a total different system if you go with Directv. Whole new dish(snd much larger if you go HD) than Dish uses. Depending on how the Dish system is wired alot of what you have can be used.



You are only going to be able to watch 1 channel at each location you have a receiver. Depending on what receivers you get, they don't even have a coaxial output at all.



Directv does not have anything like Dish does in the dual tuner system. Each receiver feeds 1 tv. You could do a mirrior image of the receivers, but it is going to cost you at installation, and if may not be possible with limited wiring. UHF remotes also seem to be hard to come by. Directv system is not as flexible as dish in these types of setups.

You are correct that he will get a whole different system, and that some of the wiring can be used.

Slight clarification on your other points though. While it is true that you can only WATCH one thing at a time on each tv with a Directv box, you can record 2 (2 sat, 2 ota, or a combo of the above). You CAN record a third thing if you use the on demand feature. I am not sure if he actually meant watch or record, so thats why I wanted to throw that in there. In any case, Directv does not offer PiP at this point.

On your last point, yes each receiver feeds one tv, however all outputs are active. Which means you could run component or HDMI to the second tv and watch that way. You would however be limited to watching whatever is on the original tv. The best option (whether you have Dish or Directv IMHO) is to have a seperate box at each tv. That way you can have HD on BOTH sets, instead of just one (like with the 622/722)

Also, not sure where you got the info on the UHF remotes. Both of my HR series DVRs came with the UHF remote. I had to change the receiver to that mode, but it wasnt hard to come by at all
:up

 

[Liquidforce88]

You are correct that he will get a whole different system, and that some of the wiring can be used.

Slight clarification on your other points though. While it is true that you can only WATCH one thing at a time on each tv with a Directv box, you can record 2 (2 sat, 2 ota, or a combo of the above). You CAN record a third thing if you use the on demand feature. I am not sure if he actually meant watch or record, so thats why I wanted to throw that in there. In any case, Directv does not offer PiP at this point.

On your last point, yes each receiver feeds one tv, however all outputs are active. Which means you could run component or HDMI to the second tv and watch that way. You would however be limited to watching whatever is on the original tv. The best option (whether you have Dish or Directv IMHO) is to have a seperate box at each tv. That way you can have HD on BOTH sets, instead of just one (like with the 622/722)

True but that is not what I think he was asking. Even though the 722/622 only feed one HD signal it also sends an SD signal to a second TV. So they can watch 2 different programs. SO his system is a 4 tv system, not two.

Also, not sure where you got the info on the UHF remotes. Both of my HR series DVRs came with the UHF remote. I had to change the receiver to that mode, but it wasnt hard to come by at all
:up

I am new to Direct's system, only been installing them for a month. In that time I have not seen a UHF remote yet. I have even asked to get them because there were times they could have been used, but we had no access to them.

 

[tsduke]

I got installed 10/31 and both of my HR22's came with RC64R remotes. Both RF capable.

 

[Rey]

I got installed 10/31 and both of my HR22's came with RC64R remotes. Both RF capable.

same here. i also prefer D*s one larger dish instead of E's 2 dishes to get HD. i know this is changing with EA but many still have the 2 dishes.

 

[tsduke]

same here. i also prefer D*s one larger dish instead of E's 2 dishes to get HD. i know this is changing with EA but many still have the 2 dishes.

This isn't necesarily a strength of D*'s. I have to dishes because of locals.

 

[Ronnie-]

I am new to Direct's system, only been installing them for a month. In that time I have not seen a UHF remote yet. I have even asked to get them because there were times they could have been used, but we had no access to them.

They all look the same, so not sure if you were looking for something different?

 

[Ronnie-]

True but that is not what I think he was asking. Even though the 722/622 only feed one HD signal it also sends an SD signal to a second TV. So they can watch 2 different programs. SO his system is a 4 tv system, not two.



.

Nothing false there, just wanted to clarify just in case.

 

[iwc5893]

This isn't necesarily a strength of D*'s. I have to dishes because of locals.

True, but DirecTV is in the process of switching to a one dish solution. Most of the stuff on the 72.5 and 95 will be moved over to the 110 and the 119 sats in the next couple of years.