Advantages of DISH HD Locals vs antenna?

[knighthammer]

I see that Ft. Wayne, IN HD locals should be here around July 1. Currently, I have DISH locals in SD and an indoor antenna that allows me to pick up all Ft. Wayne locals in HD. Are there any advantages to paying for the DISH HD locals and disconnecting my antenna?

 

[LER]

If you have a DVR, it gives you more recording options. I'd even say keep the antenna.

I believe if you are already receiving SD locals, and they turn on HD locals, and you have HD equipment, there will be NO CHANGE in the pricing.

 

[HDRoberts]

Adding to LER's comment

Subbing to Dish locals also provides guide info, including for most subchannels.

Dish HD locals are also MPEG4, so they take up less space.

 

[Raymie]

Well, Fort Wayne isn't exactly available yet, and I'm unsure about carriage for WPTA and WISE in that market.

One of their co-owned stations is also not on Dish (WKBW), so I really can't be sure.

Granite and Malara (which are interconnected companies) own those stations.

 

[MikeD-C05]

With the 722k I get guide data for ota , which is essential for name based recording purposes, and can record 2 sat and 2 ota at the same time. A lot of benefits with both DISH hd locals and ota.

 

[KenSoren]

Do you have an HD package now? If you do the locals will be in HD once available. Cancelling your dish locals will save you $5 but you will lose your guide data which I think is worth the money by itself.

Also, if you really get into recording the network programs you can record three programs at once including the OTA. We use that a lot during the fall season when all the new programming is on.

 

[knighthammer]

When I upgraded to HD a few years ago I was told that I would need 2 dishes when Ft. Wayne HD locals were added. Is this still the case?

 

[MikeD-C05]

NO . Most installations in the lower 48 states either require a western arc dish 1000.2(110/119/129) or a eastern arc dish 1000.4 ( 72.7/77/61.5). Both see 3 sats on one sat dish. If you wanted internationals channels , you can add another side sat that can be plugged into the in port of either dish for 118. Spanish programming comes off of western arc dishes for now. In the future with new satellite replacements with spotbeam potential, spanish programming can be received off of eastern arc dishes as well.

 

[knighthammer]

Do you have an HD package now? If you do the locals will be in HD once available. Cancelling your dish locals will save you $5 but you will lose your guide data which I think is worth the money by itself.

Also, if you really get into recording the network programs you can record three programs at once including the OTA. We use that a lot during the fall season when all the new programming is on.

Yes, I do have an HD package now along with SD locals. So I will automatically get the HD locals at no extra charge?

 

[MikeD-C05]

NO extra charge for hd locals vs sd. As long as you have the proper sat configuration for your locals. If you don't then DISH might want to charge more for doing an upgrade .

 

[knighthammer]

NO extra charge for hd locals vs sd. As long as you have the proper sat configuration for your locals. If you don't then DISH might want to charge more for doing an upgrade .

How can I check that?

 

[MikeD-C05]

Call and talk to DISH and you can ask them yourself.

 

[chrisn]

How can I check that?

it is against the law for dish to charge extra for hd locals if you already have sd locals, for equipment or otherwise....

 

[knighthammer]

Thanks to everyone for you help & guidance!!!

 

[KAB]

it is against the law for dish to charge extra for hd locals if you already have sd locals, for equipment or otherwise....

Not so. They can and have charged to add a second dish if necessary. And, you have to pay $10.00 HD fee to get your HD locals.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Not so. They can and have charged to add a second dish if necessary. And, you have to pay $10.00 HD fee to get your HD locals.

Not any longer. You don't even have to pay the hd enabling fee anymore. It has been eliminated.Locals are the same price for HD as for SD; 5.00 with any Classic programming pack. Now if all you want is HD locals , you will have to pay a no basic programming fee or ACCESS fee of 6.00 a month and then 5.99 for locals. For three dollars more you can get the Welcome pack full of about 20 miscellaneous channels .

 

[grb]

I prefer the OTA HD locals to the Dish version. I don't know how much Dish down-rezes the locals, but the OTA is pure and provides better picture quality. I keep the Dish locals as a backup as my OTA signals come from transformers on Mount Wilson (CA) and have been known to malfunction from time to time.

 

[pendragon]

I prefer the OTA HD locals to the Dish version. I don't know how much Dish down-rezes the locals, but the OTA is pure and provides better picture quality.

I have compared the differences in Denver, and the Dish versions are substantially worse. Visibly softer images and more compression artifacts. On top of this our Dish receivers even provide lower quality when directly receiving OTA than our standalone HD OTA receivers. We just avoid anything Dish for OTA.

 

[DishGuise]

I have compared the differences in Denver, and the Dish versions are substantially worse. Visibly softer images and more compression artifacts. On top of this our Dish receivers even provide lower quality when directly receiving OTA than our standalone HD OTA receivers. We just avoid anything Dish for OTA.

Probably the best idea. If you don't have to run it through the system for DVR reasons, then don't. It's best to have as little interruption between signal and picture.

Also, in regards to the person who said it's illegal for dish to charge for the equipment, you're incorrect sir. What you're referring to is a huge battle that Dish fought during the "Must Carry" days. If they're providing the local channel (SD) it's perfectly within their rights (as it costs their company money) to charge for an extra dish if one is necessary and the time/money involved in installing said dish. They ARE providing the channel, they're not withholding said channel from the subscriber just not the HD version.

 

[bxl4]

HD enabling fee or no?

Not any longer. You don't even have to pay the hd enabling fee anymore. It has been eliminated.

I still see reference to the enabling fee all over the Dish website. I just got a mailer offering to upgrade my receiver and it too, refers to an enabling fee. I'm looking at upgrading my 501 to a 622 and only want the HD versions of my locals (I have the Family pack with locals now).

I'm pretty sure that I'm going to need some strong evidence to get the DISH CSRs to not try to charge me that $7/month extra.

Any ideas?