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If you guys don't like the OTA tuners from Dish, then why not go TiVo? I have both the Dish OTA dual tuner and a TiVo Bolt on a splitter from my outdoor antenna.


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I have an HD Home run connect Quatro as a back up. No DVR service set up on it yet though...


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First, a clarification: if one drops the Dish Local into Local, will The EPG populate with OTA guide data? It used to be that Dish did NOT provide any OTA guide data unless one was also an LIL subscriber.

One thing to consider with Dish is that even with an LIL subscription, Dish still does NOT have guide data for MANY OTA services such as some of the most wanted and interesting English language OTA channels that are often a "sub-channel" of the main OTA channel. Some of the best programming and services are on the "sub-channel" and it greatly enhances the OTA experience.

So, considering the above, you might consider the TiVo OTA (NOT the Bolt; the Bolt and its service pricing is OUTRAGEOUS). The TiVo OTA is a FOUR (4) tuner DVR and includes the box and Lifetime (All-in) service for the ONE purchase price. In other words, buy the TiVo OTA and it is ready to use and record OTA forever--no additional fees ever. Believe me, there really is enough good content on OTA that Four (4) tuners is at least what one should have for OTA content.

The big advantage to the TiVo OTA is that TiVo provides guide data for ALL the channels in your area, including all those great sub-channel services that Dish does not, so you can just select it from the TiVo guide and it all works like any DVR should. With Dish's incomplete guide data, you have to set manual timers and they will be hard time, not program/show based timers, and in your list of recordings there will be no title of the show or info or thumbnail art of the show, just a whole bunch of manual recordings icons with day an time, but you won't know which recording is which show.

Getting back to TiVo, If you need to view TiVo OTA DVR in another room, there is the TiVo app for mobile devices and PC. For viewing on a 2nd TV, you can get the TiVo Mini, which is the TiVo version of a Dish Joey. The Mini also has a one-time purchase prices that includes services for Lifetime; no additional chargers after purchase.

The Tablo and others like it are also a good solution, but is designed for viewing on mobile or apps on connected devices such as Roku. It is not a bad solution, but it depends upon if you prefer a traditional DVR box that connects directly to TV (or AVR, etc) and a client such as the Mini that also connects directly to TV (or AVR, etc.), of if you are comfortable with using apps to control the system and view the content. Also Tablo does have the option of fees for their service or buying a lifetime service subscription. TiVo provides all services for the OTA model at no additional charge, ever.

Both solutions require an initial investment that is higher than the Dish solution, but the far better level of satisfaction (access and guide data/metadata to and for ALL the OTA programming with a proper DVR experience) is the pay off for what you get for the initial investment, and, again, being able to record and watch ALL the programming available on OTA with guide data makes the whole move to OTA a far better experience.

As for the antenna: my suggestion is to not waste money on experiments; just get a Yagi (those traditional type with the cross-ways elements) antenna and be done with it. Sure there are these more pretty looking flat things and smaller, more streamline designs out there, but in personal experience, and in published TESTING, those pretty looking, modern antenna that claim to have all sorts of technology perform, generally, WORSE than the good, old fashioned Yagi (and most consumer reviews support that conclusion). If you are really close to the transmitters and you have nothing in between your home and those transmitters, than some of those pretty and supposed high-tech square, and the like, antennas might do the job well enough, but if nothing better than a proper Yagi for your location, and it's a ONE-TIME purchase, not multiple purchases of antennas (and external amps) that won't do the job until after you've spent a couple hundred dollars do you, finally, get a Yagi, after all at the total price of all the experimental antennas and amps approaching $300 or more. A good Yagi for just under $100 is a good antenna. If you are further from the transmitters, then you might consider either a larger, more expensive Yagi and/or amplification.

One thing to keep in mind for getting good OTA reception is HEIGHT, HEIGHT, and HEIGHT, and OUTDOORs can make all the difference in the world. Instead of nixing that good Yagi antenna you just bought and tried out that seems not to work well and go out and buy a more expensive Yagi, first get that antenna OUTSIDE and as HIGH as reasonable, and in most cases, it brings in OTA very well, like magic. So, do check out a database like anteenaweb, etc. to get a good guide for how big or what grade of antenna you need for reliable reception.

If you want to feed more than one or 2 devices/TV's directly from your OTA antenna, you should consider amplification through a distribution amplifier. This prevents your strong signal from degrading because of too many splits to devices/TV's, etc. That is NOT the same as an external amplifier to get better gain at the antenna. Those are two different things/problems to cure.

The best of luck to you, and let us know how it all turns out.

Regarding antennas. I am currently using an antenna from about 20 years ago (before digital was a thing). They market antennas now as 'HD' but an antenna is an antenna. My old antenna gets HD OTA channels on to my HD TV. The word 'HD' is just a way to sell antennas for more money. An old one works the same.

"There is no difference between a regular and a HDTV antenna. ... Any antenna can pick up HDTV signals. They are broadcast on the same frequencies that even the classic rabbit ears can pick up." (from a quick google search)

If you buy a Bolt, be sure it is the OTA Bolt, the others do not have an ATSC tuner in them only Cable tuner that usually needs a cable card.

I got 2 OTA Bolts with lifetime last year for about $200 each by decommissioning a couple of my old TiVos with lifetime (one was a series 2 SD Tivo).

I am not in a place where I can compare the Bolt OTA tuner with the TiVo HD OTA tuner (strong local signals) but some have said the TiVo HD OTA had a better tuner, but TiVo will not activate an HD TiVo anymore only transfer if it is lifetime (maybe).