Confused about new receivers

[ralfyguy]

What does ViP mean?

What is the difference between the 211 and the 411?

What are the ethernet ports for and why odes the 211 have it and not the 411, or vice versa?

 

[rdinkel]

What does ViP mean?
What is the difference between the 211 and the 411?
What are the ethernet ports for and why odes the 211 have it and not the 411, or vice versa?

We think vip stands for video-over-IP. 411 came out first without the ethernet port. The 211 has the port---but is not enabled (yet). Apparently after production started on the 411, Dish decided to change the design to permit future use of ethernet connections. So 411 went out of production and 211 became the basic Dish receiver.

 

[mdonnelly]

Nobody at Dish is committing to any specific use for the Ethernet ports on the Vip series. Heres an excerpt from an email response I got from Dish on that topic:

"Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for your recent inquiry online. We are glad that you
have expressed interest in our new SD/HD receiver the VIP211.
Unfortunately at this time we do not have any information regarding the
Ethernet port other than that it will be used for the future expansion
of features on this receiver and will not be used at this time.
I don't have specifics, but I believe it will be used to make
your TV more interactive with features such as fantasy sports and other
online information and features and possibly some networking abilities."

 

[ralfyguy]

That's kinda funny. They develop the 411 and then shortly after it goes out of production, means add a ethernet port as the only change and call it 211 instead, but they don't really know for sure what the ethernet port is gonna be used for.
Will it have the same destiny like the USB ports on all the other dish receivers, where it always says "for future use" and it never happens? Why bother?
A change in production always costs money and there must be some sort of intention behind this. Why don't they just say what it's for? I just don't understand why it is such a secret.

 

[tnsprin]

That's kinda funny. They develop the 411 and then shortly after it goes out of production, means add a ethernet port as the only change and call it 211 instead, but they don't really know for sure what the ethernet port is gonna be used for.
Will it have the same destiny like the USB ports on all the other dish receivers, where it always says "for future use" and it never happens? ...

They finally found a use for the USB ports on the 522/625/942.

 

[ralfyguy]

Yes on the 942...but I got a 625 and it still doesn't work.

 

[Stargazer]

It was told at CES that it ViP stands for Voice Internet Protocal for future use.

 

[ralfyguy]

It was told at CES that it ViP stands for Voice Internet Protocal for future use.

What does that do?

 

[MikeD-C05]

I guess it will be a new way to turn your receiver on. " Receiver ON!" Voice activated controls and no more remote controls.

 

[KE4EST]

I guess it will be a new way to turn your receiver on. " Receiver ON!" Voice activated controls and no more remote controls.

Good One

 

[dougruss]

I guess it will be a new way to turn your receiver on. " Receiver ON!" Voice activated controls and no more remote controls.

Or you can say "Charlie you Suck !"
and Charlie can sit there with a smile on his face,thinking we found another one !!

 

[WakeBdr]

I'm hoping it means an end to having the receiver plugged into a phone line. Ever since I got Dish, I've been wondering why the receivers don't have an ethernet port instead of a phone port. It offers so many more possibilities.

 

[mdonnelly]

I'm hoping it means an end to having the receiver plugged into a phone line. Ever since I got Dish, I've been wondering why the receivers don't have an ethernet port instead of a phone port. It offers so many more possibilities.

Probably because there are a lot more people with phones than with broadband (for the time being).