DISH Network Vip722k questions: tuners, TV1/TV2, watch one show while recording another

[pjn0524]

I'm sorry in advance if these questions are really stupid. We are DISH newbies, after decades of cable (Charter). Our first DISH Receiver died, hard drive issues apparently, after three days. Not a great start. Anyhow, we're trying again, and maybe this is a simple fix that I'm just not understanding.

We have two TVs. One is in the family room, TV1. The other is in the bedroom, TV2. I understand that the receiver defaults to TV2 to record, unless there is a conflict. However, with Charter's DVR we could switch channels and not have to cancel our in-process recording(s). I've read some info that says if I switch the default to a single tuner mode, that we can then watch other shows while recording. When I tried this, though, it didn't seem to work. Do I need to reset the receiver for this to work properly, or is it another glitch that I need to work around somehow?

Thanks for any help ...

Paula

 

[dwarren2]

Once you start recording, you can go into the DVR menu and start watching. So if you are recording on any tuner, OTA/TV1/TV2, just go to DVR and select the show you want to watch. Recording will continue on any tuner.

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

Hey Paula, and welcome to the forums. I would love to help you out with this question, but I need to know a couple of things. When you are trying to switch channels, how many events are recording? If there are two events recording, you won't be able to watch a 3rd program 'live' (just something previously recorded). It sounds to me like this may be the issue, mainly because you mentioned "conflicts" in your original post. Also, are you using an OTA antenna in addition to the satellite?

 

[osu1991]

If the receiver is in single mode, then you can push the swap button on the remote to switch tuners. If the receiver is in single mode then both tv's will have to watch the same content.

You can put the receiver in single mode via a button on the front panel behind the door on the right side of the receiver.

edit: deleted comment about OTA tuner didn't notice they had a 722K instead of regular 722

 

[pjn0524]

I don't have an OTA antenna. And this happens when there's only one event recording at a time. I can't switch to another channel without getting the popup about the recording being in progress and asking if I want to cancel recording. My husband's a channel surfer, so this is particularly annoying for him that he can't just plug in the channel he wants to go to and not have to worry about interrupting anything that's recording. For instance, I tried to change channels while a show was recording this afternoon, on TV2, while I was back in the room with TV2, and I couldn't change. I got the (now very annoying) popup. Nothing else was recording at the time, just the one program. What I meant by "conflict" was with programming a show; the default is TV2 but if there's already a program for 8 pm on TV2, the second program goes to TV1. So you're saying I can't actually watch a third program during that 8 pm hour ...

So if I've got three things on Monday at 10 (which happens!), I can record one on TV2, one on TV1, but can't watch the third one at all. (This is why torrent sites get popular sometimes!) We're still trying to wrap our heads around this ...

Would an OTA be a good idea for us? And how would we switch to it if we did get one? Our area's gone digital, and our TV doesn't have a built-in digital tuner, so we'd have to buy an antenna to get anything that way, correct?

 

[pjn0524]

Therein is the problem. We don't always want to watch the same content. Argh. There are four people here and sometimes my 14 yo son wants to watch something entirely different from what's recording, but he can't switch to that, apparently. That doesn't seem very user-friendly. Seems like there ought to be the capacity to record 2 shows while watching a third. We can't be the only household that has this issue. And I can't record anything on my VCR anymore, since apparently the way the connections are working that only records what's being watched via the DVR/receiver. Confusing and frustrating ...

If the receiver is in single mode, then you can push the swap button on the remote to switch tuners. If the receiver is in single mode then both tv's will have to watch the same content.

You can put the receiver in single mode via a button on the front panel behind the door on the right side of the receiver.

edit: deleted comment about OTA tuner didn't notice they had a 722K instead of regular 722

 

[TheThack]

VIP 722k

I have the Vip 722k. It has the dual tuner which means it can tune in two separate live programs one displayed on TV1 and the other on TV2. (Either recorded show can be played back via the DVR function on TV1 or TV2 later or as they are being recorded.) You cannot watch a separate 3rd live program though, while simultaneously recording on TV1 and TV2. You can however watch two different previously recorded shows from the DVR function. One on TV1 and another on TV2.

You can set your Vip 722k to have either TV1 or TV2 as the default recording TV. This is simple enough to change but ultimately I find it convenient to leave TV2 as my default recording set. As a result of typically leaving TV2 as my default recording tuner, and because I am usually watching TV1 and my wife TV2, we find that on occasion, I am actually watching on TV1 the show I am currently recording on TV2 while my wife who is watching TV2 is actually watching the show currently being recorded on TV1. Unfortunately you cannot change channels when watching the TVs in this manner as it would effect the person watching the show being recorded by that TV's tuner.

Another work around, so that you do not have to change the default recording tuner is to go to the daily schedule and skip the recording so the default recording tuner does not record the show. Then when the show comes on, you can press the record button while on the channel and the recorder will ask which tuner you want to record the show. It is a bit confusing but once you have lived with it for a while it makes more sense.

 

[osu1991]

Satellite is different than cable when it comes to channel tuning. Different technologies.

When in dual mode as you are using the 722k, the receiver actually acts as two individual single tuner receivers. The only way to get what you want is to add another dual tuner dvr to your account and run them in single mode instead of dual mode or swap the 722k for a couple of 612's.

The 612 is a dual tuner single output HD dvr whereas the 722k is a dual tuner dual output dvr.

If you are close enough to receive your locals with an antenna, you can add the over the air tuner module to the 722k and connect an antenna to it and it will integrate the locals directly into the satellite channel listings. They will show up in the guide just like the satellite channels. In this case being a separate antenna tuner, you could change the channel to an over the air channel while the dvr is recording a satellite channel or vise versa.

If you choose to swap receivers to 612's the over the air antenna tuner is already built into the 612's.

 

[Jhon69]

The VIP722k does not have an OTA tuner builtin you would need Dish Network's MT2 Dual Over The Air Module.If you have the MT2 in your 722k you can then record up to 4 programs at once(2OTA+2SAT) while watching a prerecorded program.I really like this ability in my 722k because it makes it more versatile.

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

Paula, I think that the ideas here in this thread are dead on. I always ask questions first to really determine the best solution. With regard to your answers to my initial questioning, I have a few more (go figure). You mentioned 3 things on at 10 on Monday, and 4 people in the house. Of the three things on Monday, how many are on local channels? Of the 4 people, how many watch locals more often then not? If the programming is mainly local channels, an OTA module would help you out, and that is something I can help you out with. If its satellite programming, a second box as mentioned before would probably be better, even if it is not a DVR, and the module may still be an option. Sometimes, specifics from you provide the best answers from everyone, and whatever you determine suits you best I can setup for you.