I would think that if you wanted to keep people from cutting the cord , you would want to support the ota and sub channels and give full guide support for all. As I have stated before, if not , at least allow PSIP data to be read by the receiver, if you don't want to support the sub channels. Even TIME WARNER CABLE has the digital ota channels over the analog cable with PSIP data coming through. It is in sd but you can get guide data for the ota digital channels. IF I was to cut the cord or shave it, I could go with the Welcome pack and still keep the hopper and pay $12.00 for the dvr fee and get all my locals and ota channels in hd. But if I can't get the full guide data then I could just cancel DISH and go with the $50.00 TIVO for recording 4 ota channels at a time, and pay $14.99 a month ,but I would get FULL guide data for all ota and sub channels. Then I would save the $19.99 a month just to get my locals in hd. But I guess DISH has decided to support the sat channels and not the ota. I would of never got the hopper in the first place, if I couldn't get the ota usb dongle to provide my ota and sub channels, that DISH doesn't have on the satellites. It's like there has been a shift at DISH in the last year or two , that they no longer want to support the ota guide data for any channel that they don't carry up on the satellite . It's a really sad and not a customer oriented policy shift.
Just FYI, as far as TiVo for a full OTA solution, I think that while the TiVo OTA offers the lowest entry price, the pricing structure for the OTA is bad because TiVo does not, and likely never will, offer the Lifetime option for the OTA. So, one is paying 19.99 for the first year and and then the standard 14.99 FOREVER and EVER. Also, with the TiVo OTA, you have the burden to notify TiVo after one year at $19.99 per month that you want the lower standard $14.99 per month for which you now qualify or TiVo will continue to bill you at $19.99 per month until you call in and request the change in subscription price.
I would suggest getting the Roamio (also referred as the "base model." It is the only TiVo other than the OTA model that can receive OTA channels) because it can be had at a discount at some retailers (like Amazon) of $50 or more. But let's say one pays $100-$150 for the Roamio box. Then we pay for the service. One is better off paying Lifetime (if they can) because that works out as the cheapest rate or greatest value in the long run (after 3 years, I think). BUT!!!! One can, at any time, take that Lifetimed TiVo Roamio (say even after some months or years down the road) and put it up on ebay and just undercut the full retail price of the box + Lifetime by, say $50, and you can get the difference back on the sale. In other words, you would get all but $50 of your initial cost for the TiVo box + Lifetime. So this route represents minimal loss if you decide you no longer want the TiVo box, but it is ONLY the LIFETIME boxes that fetch the top dollar and near full return of all your initial costs. One will NEVER get back any of the month to month subscription price back in their pockets if they choose to sell it. That $19.99 and $14.99 per month will be forever gone with no way to recoup it.
Unless someone just can't even think about affording the Lifetime and they really want a TiVo for its 4 OTA tuners and over all superiority over the Channel Master DVR+, then the TiVo OTA is a good option for those who only have the $19.99 per month to spare. Otherwise, go with the Roamio that has the better value in pricing. Of course, the best value that get you both satellite and OTA is Dish satellite with all OTA channels--with full EPG data for sub-channels, but that aint possible--yet.(?)
Here's hoping Dish changes their mind about OTA support.