Another OTA question from new DISH subscriber

[Cyblet]

I recently switched from a DirecTV Genie to a DISH Hopper 3. So far the Hopper 3 runs circles around my dated Genie. The one thing that I'm really disappointed about, is the Hopper's OTA. My Genie had an OTA receiver and the guide data for all the sub-channels would populate. On the Hopper, most of the sub-channel stations do not get any guide data. Why is this? It is obviously the way that DISH/Hopper handles the guide info.As stated, these same sub-channels would populate on my old DirecTV setup with an OTA receiver.

It is a great inconvenience to have to go to a website to see what is playing on those channels. I hope that DISH is able to figure out a way to make this happen on an otherwise great piece of hardware

 

[Horsepower]

I do not have Dish. But if I did this would be an unacceptable, deal killer for me.

 

[mwdxer1]

I have the vip211k with the OTA tuner. Several channels do not have guides including The Comet, Qwest, Stadium, Estrella, and even our KPTV-12-FOX and KPDX-49-MYTV. Some claim it takes too much space to list them all and too much time. How they decide what channels have guides and what ones do not, I haven't a clue. None for the Comet, but one for Decades.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I recently switched from a DirecTV Genie to a DISH Hopper 3. So far the Hopper 3 runs circles around my dated Genie. The one thing that I'm really disappointed about, is the Hopper's OTA. My Genie had an OTA receiver and the guide data for all the sub-channels would populate. On the Hopper, most of the sub-channel stations do not get any guide data. Why is this? It is obviously the way that DISH/Hopper handles the guide info.As stated, these same sub-channels would populate on my old DirecTV setup with an OTA receiver.

It is a great inconvenience to have to go to a website to see what is playing on those channels. I hope that DISH is able to figure out a way to make this happen on an otherwise great piece of hardware

Been like that for years. By the way, welcome.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I think for some providers like dish they provide the guide data.

I think Directv provides the data also but also provide the data for the sub channels

 

[Brussam]

I guess you could just drop the satellite subscription and then you would have no problem with the OTA guide because there wouldn't be one.

 

[Jim5506]

Isn't it that DirecTV provides guide data for all channels it supplies, but you can't add channels.

Whereas with Dish you can scan and add channels but you might not get guide data for everything your receive?

 

[comfortably_numb]

Isn't it that DirecTV provides guide data for all channels it supplies, but you can't add channels.

Whereas with Dish you can scan and add channels but you might not get guide data for everything your receive?

My understanding was the Directv no longer supports OTA?

 

[MikeD-C05]

My understanding was the Directv no longer supports OTA?

That is what I had heard.

 

[Cyblet]

I think for some providers like dish they provide the guide data.

I think Directv provides the data also but also provide the data for the sub channels

The OTA gutde data is actually broadcast in the channel stream and not from the satellite stream. My guess is that DirecTV allows this data to integrate into the sat guide for the receiver. It appears that DISH chooses not to allow this. So, this is a conscious choice by DISH, for whatever reason, to do this.It is a shame because I like everything about the Hopper 3 better than DTV's Genie with the exception of this. Had I known, I would have stuck with them instead. I can't see DISH "fixing" this as I'm willing to bet that the overall demand for OTA on their receivers is not strong.enough.

 

[Cyblet]

I guess you could just drop the satellite subscription and then you would have no problem with the OTA guide because there wouldn't be one.

If You want to pay my early termination fee I'll take you up on your thought provoking advice.

 

[Cyblet]

Isn't it that DirecTV provides guide data for all channels it supplies, but you can't add channels.

Whereas with Dish you can scan and add channels but you might not get guide data for everything your receive?

My Genie has an add-on OTA tuner box (AM21N) that plugs into the back of the receiver. The OTA antenna connects to this box and provides the signal. As far as scanning channels with that tuner. When setting up the tuner, it asks for a primary zip code and a secondary zip code, Once that is done, the receiver scans for your channels and adds them to your guide. I think the point that I'm trying to make is that if DirecTV can do it then why can't DISH? Unless someone from their receiver design team chimes in, we can only hypothesize.

 

[Cyblet]

That is what I had heard.

They do support OTA. Much like DISH though, it isn't built into their receivers anymore. If you want OTA, you need an add-on - same as DISH. The difference is that DTV uses a tuner box and DISH uses a tuner dongle.

 

[comfortably_numb]

The truth is, no one knows why Dish chooses not to provide the guide data. No one on this forum knows. Or if they do, they can’t say. Most of the members here are consumers just like you.

If you feel that strongly about it, email ceo@dishnetwork.com and when you do so, tell them the rest of us want correct guide data, too.

 

[comfortably_numb]

They do support OTA. Much like DISH though, it isn't built into their receivers anymore. If you want OTA, you need an add-on - same as DISH. The difference is that DTV uses a tuner box and DISH uses a tuner dongle.

No, they don’t. They don’t sell the AM21 anymore. If you can find one on Ebay, then it appears to still work. But it is no longer available.

 

[Cyblet]

The truth is, no one knows why Dish chooses not to provide the guide data. No one on this forum knows. Or if they do, they can’t say. Most of the members here are consumers just like you.

I realize that. I guess that I'm voicing my frustration in the wrong forum and should instead post it on DISH's own forum. Based on how little replies are on their forum, I don't think anyone there reads them anyway.

 

[Cyblet]

No, they don’t. They don’t sell the AM21 anymore. If you can find one on Ebay, then it appears to still work. But it is no longer available.

So you're saying that I can get some good money for mine?

 

[comfortably_numb]

So you're saying that I can get some good money for mine?

More than likely, yes

 

[Cyblet]

It's a shame that the small broadcast TV providers get hosed by the big networks and sat providers. I guess I should be glad that DISH even offers an OTA option on their new receiver.

 

[comfortably_numb]

It's a shame that the small broadcast TV providers get hosed by the big networks and sat providers. I guess I should be glad that DISH even offers an OTA option on their new receiver.

The more you read these forums, the more you’ll realize that the opposite is true. The “Big 4” hold satellite and cable companies hostage with retransmission fees. That’s why so many disputes and outages occur