811 Reciever - for free Local HD- How?

[JasonHoodenpyle]

Hi guys,

I need some help figuring this out. I am a dish network customer w/out HD programming. However, I have a 811 HD reciever and would like to get my local HD channels. My HDTV is currently hooked up to a 511 DVR.

Does anybody know if I can do this and if so, could you please tell me how.

TIA,

Jason

 

[chaddux]

Hi guys,

I need some help figuring this out. I am a dish network customer w/out HD programming. However, I have a 811 HD reciever and would like to get my local HD channels. My HDTV is currently hooked up to a 511 DVR.

Does anybody know if I can do this and if so, could you please tell me how.

TIA,

Jason

There is no such thing as a 511. There is a 501, 508, 510, and 522.

Is your 811 activated? I think there is some sort of HD-enabling fee for OTA HD locals if you don't have an HD package but I'm not sure. I still haven't figured out all of the February changes.

 

[JasonHoodenpyle]

my error on the dvr, I thought it was a 511 but I guess it a 510. Anyway, the 811 is not activated. I just want to use the off-air portion if possible.

-Jason

 

[KyDave]

Not sure if this is still the case but it used to be that as long as the 811 could 'see' the satellites it would allow OTA digital to work. So all you might need to do is connect it to the satellite without actually activating it.

 

[BFG]

the above is correct.

 

[RobertsD]

the above is correct.

Didn't this change with one of the recent software updates? I heard that one of the updates made it so that the OTA tuner doesn't work anymore, unless you have the 811 activated....

 

[BFG]

where did you read that.

I have no knowledge about that being correct.

 

[kb7oeb]

I think it was in the 334 or 335 thread, a couple posts claimed that tuner was disabled after updating.

You could actiavate the 811 for $5 and mirror what ever you have now, you do not have to sub to HD on the 811 (and probably can't now)

 

[JasonHoodenpyle]

So far looks good. I disconnected my DVR from the SAT cable and plug the sat cable into the 811 and it did some communicating and finally switched on. I now did a digital scan and picked up my locals. However I am using a low quality uhf antenna so I know I am not picking all my locals up. I suppose I need to get a better one. Anyone suggest a brand and model. I don't really want to spend a lot of money but one that will do the job. Also as for antennas do I need to get one for outside the house or will a indoor one be suffice? Do they make them relitively small? I don't like the rabbit ear extended all they way up!

Now I need to try and see if I can put a cable splitter on so I can have the DVR and the 811 hooked up to the sat at the same time. One bad thing I see in all this is that I will most likely end up using the DVR box for regular viewing and if I then if I see a HD broadcast that I like I will shut off the DVR box and turn on the 811 to view. I guess that's not so bad since I really just want HD for sporting events or something like that. I don't plan on it for daily viewing.

Anyone have comments on this? Anyway to make this easier or more functional?

-Jason

 

[navychop]

Don't buy Terk brand. It is good looking, over priced, under performing junk.

 

[dail24]

So far looks good. I disconnected my DVR from the SAT cable and plug the sat cable into the 811 and it did some communicating and finally switched on. I now did a digital scan and picked up my locals. However I am using a low quality uhf antenna so I know I am not picking all my locals up. I suppose I need to get a better one. Anyone suggest a brand and model. I don't really want to spend a lot of money but one that will do the job. Also as for antennas do I need to get one for outside the house or will a indoor one be suffice? Do they make them relitively small? I don't like the rabbit ear extended all they way up!

Now I need to try and see if I can put a cable splitter on so I can have the DVR and the 811 hooked up to the sat at the same time. One bad thing I see in all this is that I will most likely end up using the DVR box for regular viewing and if I then if I see a HD broadcast that I like I will shut off the DVR box and turn on the 811 to view. I guess that's not so bad since I really just want HD for sporting events or something like that. I don't plan on it for daily viewing.

Anyone have comments on this? Anyway to make this easier or more functional?

-Jason

Deepending on how far from the broadcast tower depends on the antenna that you would want to get. I live with in a 20 mile radius off all the towers in columbus oh and I pick all the stations up with a $10 indoor UHF atenna. However last year I installed a uhf atenna on the roof and my signal strength is increadible!

 

[JoeSp]

Dish will not activate any Mpeg2 HD receivers after Feb 1st of this year. You must lease or purchase a MPEG4 receiver in order to get it activated by Dish.

 

[mdonnelly]

...However I am using a low quality uhf antenna so I know I am not picking all my locals up. I suppose I need to get a better one. Anyone suggest a brand and model. I don't really want to spend a lot of money but one that will do the job. Also as for antennas do I need to get one for outside the house or will a indoor one be suffice? Do they make them relitively small? I don't like the rabbit ear extended all they way up!...

Anyone have comments on this? Anyway to make this easier or more functional?

-Jason

If all you need is UHF, try the Silver Sensor from www.antennasdirect.com, or Sears, or just do a search.

It looks like a toy, but it works like a champ.

 

[Weezknight]

SOne bad thing I see in all this is that I will most likely end up using the DVR box for regular viewing and if I then if I see a HD broadcast that I like I will shut off the DVR box and turn on the 811 to view. I guess that's not so bad since I really just want HD for sporting events or something like that. I don't plan on it for daily viewing.

I have this exact setup in my living room. The 811 and the 625 TV1 are both setup to the TV. My wife doesn't like watching things stretched (and I'm not too fond of it either), so we use the 625 almost exclusively. During primetime and for sporting events in HD, though, we pop on the 811 and just switch our TV input. It's a piece of cake and keeps everybody happy (and that's always important!).

 

[chewey]

So far looks good. I disconnected my DVR from the SAT cable and plug the sat cable into the 811 and it did some communicating and finally switched on. I now did a digital scan and picked up my locals. However I am using a low quality uhf antenna so I know I am not picking all my locals up. I suppose I need to get a better one. Anyone suggest a brand and model. I don't really want to spend a lot of money but one that will do the job. Also as for antennas do I need to get one for outside the house or will a indoor one be suffice? Do they make them relitively small? I don't like the rabbit ear extended all they way up!

Now I need to try and see if I can put a cable splitter on so I can have the DVR and the 811 hooked up to the sat at the same time. One bad thing I see in all this is that I will most likely end up using the DVR box for regular viewing and if I then if I see a HD broadcast that I like I will shut off the DVR box and turn on the 811 to view. I guess that's not so bad since I really just want HD for sporting events or something like that. I don't plan on it for daily viewing.

Anyone have comments on this? Anyway to make this easier or more functional?

-Jason

Cable splitter won't work. you can't split the signal from the Dish lnb to the receiver. You could try a switch to sned the signal to either reciever A or B.

 

[RobertsD]

Dish will not activate any Mpeg2 HD receivers after Feb 1st of this year. You must lease or purchase a MPEG4 receiver in order to get it activated by Dish.

Actually they will.

If you are not already subscribed to either the HDpack, or one of the new HD packages(HDbronze, HDsilver etc) they will activate the MPEG2 HD recievers for you, you just can't activate any of the HD packs(old voom or HDpack).

If you are currently subscribed to either of the HD packs,(old or new) or the Voom channels, they will activate the MPEG2 HD reciever, and you will be able to recieve those HD channels you are already subscribed to.

 

[Zookster]

I am no longer a Dish subscriber, though I still have my 811 connected to the satellite dish. I am able to get all my OTA locals, no problem and I'm even still getting guide data for my locals though I'm not paying a penny to dish at the moment. I also still seem to be getting the NASA channel and couple of other random channels like CCTV.

 

[phonegunner]

OK.. I erred and asked a question in another thread .. and it looks like it should have gone here... so....

I have an 811 that I acquired in an auction (no note eBay.. a local auction that sells damaged goods etc...)

Anyhow,

It would not do much except see the local HD OTA in setup and was telling me to go thru the complete setup.

I attached it to the dish (vs where my 522 was connected) and let it go thru a download session.

Then I re-ran the scan for OTA digital and it was happy in the setup. However it still goes back to a need to activate screen.

Is there any way to get around this? All I was looking for was to use it as an OTA receiver...

If that can not happen, is there anyone that would like to own this?

Thanks,

Ted...