Don't like Dish's Answers to Locals in HD - Here's an answer

[Cabby]

OTA..... I waited over a year for Dish to give me my locals in HD. I didnt want to have to use an OTA antenna, but I'm not getting all new receivers and a new dish, and who knows what else, so I finally called a place to put an antenna on the roof.

All I can say is WOW! It's free, it looks great, it works with my current equipment, and did I mention it's free?!!!

I wish I had done this a year ago..... I live 39.3 miles away from the antennas according to antennaweb.org so I thought I was somewhat screwed. But a pre-amp took care of that, I get at least 100 on every single channel, some are even 125. I get Washington, Baltimore, and even Annapolis channels.

I'll give more details later, but I'm going to go watch my local news in HD now.... :devil:

 

[rickaren]

I have tried to convenience people to use/try an indoor or outside OTA antenna to receive free OTA HD programing, myself with little luck. I guess that many think that it is a step backward or that an antenna has not worked in the past with analog, so why would it work for HD? I started receiving it 4 years ago to receive a Local PBS HD station using a inside powered antenna. Moved up to an outside antenna mounted behind the entertainment center, inside. Received a free mounted outside antenna from VOOM DBS and now have it hooked-up to the DISH and DirecTV HD DVRs with dual turners. I couldn't be happier either. I doubt that either DISH or DirecTV will supply a picture as good when they start offering Locals in HD shortly for Indianapolis. Many may be pleased with the PQ since they have never seen what was free to them in the past. Glad you woke up (by default) but most may never do so. Enjoy!

 

[charper1]

Many more people than you can imagine can't receive a signal via OTA due to distance, topography or affiliates with their head up their backsides. So DBS delivery needs to progress rapidly; regarless of if its DirecTV or Echostar.

 

[dodge]

Free ota yeah!!!

Many people complain about not being able to get locals in HD, yes I agree many people cant due to terrain or distance, but there is a great majority of people who wont put up an antenna or even try and still complain about no hd......

 

[iKramerica]

the $50 radio shack table top antenna with power applifier picks up all my HD locals in LA where larger and more complicated antennas can't. Sometimes, people just buy the wrong thing.

It can't hurt to try the radioshack one. After all, you can return it if it doesn't work for you. RS doesn't mind.

 

[tunagimp]

OTA..... I waited over a year for Dish to give me my locals in HD. I didnt want to have to use an OTA antenna, but I'm not getting all new receivers and a new dish, and who knows what else, so I finally called a place to put an antenna on the roof.
All I can say is WOW! It's free, it looks great, it works with my current equipment, and did I mention it's free?!!!

You betcha!

When Mr. Ergen announced my just-bought $600+ 942 was now worth $200 towards a trade-in, the first thing I did was pull two receivers off my account, remove all HD and Locals.

I've discovered I'm watching just as much HD as when I had Voom. If you can overlook the obvious political bias of PBS (e.g., little did I know when my Dad was freezing his butt off flying around in B-24's up in the Aleutians during WWII, what he was REALLY doing was O-pressin' the local Native peoples) the stuff ain't bad.

Of course, as soon as someone at E* reads this, the $6 HD-access fee will be applied to all HD receivers.

I mean, how DARE you try to get something for something. Better watch your step or they'll hunt you down and confiscate your antenna.

 

[lakebum431]

iKramerica - I couldn't agree more. Different antennas are better in different places. It is really funny that sometimes a little set top antenna will work better than a huge outdoor antenna (a lot of the time due to multipath). If people would just give it a shot they will probably be surprised!!

 

[ntechnic]

Out here in the West, distance is not important, line of sight is due to all the mountains. We get nada, zip, nothing at 43 miles due north of downtown Los Angeles. Tried amplified outdoor antenna, no signal at all.

Oh well...

 

[Cabby]

Better watch your step or they'll hunt you down and confiscate your antenna.

I've already been auditted twice in a year..... and that's with 3 of 4 receivers hooked up to telephone lines.

This raises another question.... on my lowly 921, I often have no guide data. This makes it pretty hard to set up programs to record. When I call Dish and ask, they say I should shut off my receivers at night.... right, I dont think so. "Honey, dont forget to walk around the whole house and shut off all the Dish receivers before bed!" Ummm, no. Plus, I often record games or movies in the middle of the night that are re-broadcast. My guide will come back after about a day, but it's pretty annoying.

 

[mdonnelly]

Welcome to the club, Cabby. OTA is THE BEST HD out there today.

 

[KenSoren]

Out here in the West, distance is not important, line of sight is due to all the mountains. We get nada, zip, nothing at 43 miles due north of downtown Los Angeles. Tried amplified outdoor antenna, no signal at all.
Oh well...

Due to the location of the LA transmitters - 60 miles away - and a 3,500 ft set of hills between us and them, my amplified CM fring area antenna pulls some of the LA HD locals some of the time, but we do not get CBS or FOX at all. The channels that we do get show a 70 to 85 signal strength on my 921 on good days and on bad days I lose the signal completely. On my 50 inch Samsung DLP switching from a lost HD program to SD is quite a letdown.
You that get reliable HD OTA are really lucky, but us poor folks out in the boonies really appreciate the chance to get Dish locals in HD.

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

The Zenith Silver Sensor, about $20 is the best indoor antenna I have found so far. I laughed the first time I saw it as it looked like a toy.

 

[M Sparks]

For every person too stupid/lazy to put up an antenna, there's someone who simply can't receive them at all. I have no sympathy for the former, but as one of the latter, I want my HD Locals.

 

[keith]

I'm seriously considering getting rid of Dish completely and just watch OTA. OTA HD is stunning, and we mostly watch Law & Order, CSI, the local news, and DVD's. Hmmm, just talked myself into saving $40 a month.

Cheers!

 

[Cabby]

I'm seriously considering getting rid of Dish completely and just watch OTA. OTA HD is stunning, and we mostly watch Law & Order, CSI, the local news, and DVD's. Hmmm, just talked myself into saving $40 a month.
Cheers!

I heard people say that before, but damn OTA in 1080i is absolutely breath-taking. Even Dish's channels look grainy and blurry, let alone the "normal" channels. I sit there and switch back and forth between Dish's CBS and OTA CBS. The difference is mind blowing!!

 

[CPanther95]

The number of people who could receive the BIG 4 networks in HD with minimal expense/effort outnumber those that can't by at least 2 to 1.

 

[M Sparks]

So, you're saying that the other 33% (me) are worthless. DISH can only DREAM of capturing 33% of the television homes.

AND those people who can receive OTA HD, also have a better chance of having other options, like decent cable. Rural customers make up a huge chunk of DBS business.

What I don't understand is why people have a PROBLEM with HD-LIL. If you don't want it or need it, good for you! You're lucky! Save yourself $5 a month! But why begrudge the rest of us?

There is already a spotbeam bird sitting up there unused. There's another one scheduled for launch. Those spots have no purpose other than LIL of some sort. Living in an area that has great OTA coverage and complaining about HD-LIL is completely pointless. It's going to happen, the money is spent, and it doesn't affect you. It's just being an a******. It's like standing over a homeless guy and complaining about your steak being slightly overcooked.

Sorry, this was probably the wrong thread to post this in...I don't actually see any of those "HD-LIL is a waste" posts here, but we've all seen them before.

And believe me, I have NO sympathy for those that COULD get OTA HD, but don't. I've said this a million times, but I have a 10 foot antenna 20 feet in the air so I can pick up ONE digital channel (which doesn't broadcast HD.) On the other hand, it's the sheer number of lazy people that will drive DISH to offer HD-LIL...which I DO want. So I guess I should thank the lazy bastards.

 

[chevyN8]

For me, if FOX, ABC, and NBC would actually broadcast at full power and in HD I'll be happy because will a big enough antenna I can probably get 2 of those three. Not sure if that will ever happen. In the mean time OTA CBS HD is great.

 

[Cabby]

So, you're saying that the other 33% (me) are worthless. DISH can only DREAM of capturing 33% of the television homes.

AND those people who can receive OTA HD, also have a better chance of having other options, like decent cable. Rural customers make up a huge chunk of DBS business.

What I don't understand is why people have a PROBLEM with HD-LIL. If you don't want it or need it, good for you! You're lucky! Save yourself $5 a month! But why begrudge the rest of us?

There is already a spotbeam bird sitting up there unused. There's another one scheduled for launch. Those spots have no purpose other than LIL of some sort. Living in an area that has great OTA coverage and complaining about HD-LIL is completely pointless. It's going to happen, the money is spent, and it doesn't affect you. It's just being an a******. It's like standing over a homeless guy and complaining about your steak being slightly overcooked.

Sorry, this was probably the wrong thread to post this in...I don't actually see any of those "HD-LIL is a waste" posts here, but we've all seen them before.

And believe me, I have NO sympathy for those that COULD get OTA HD, but don't. I've said this a million times, but I have a 10 foot antenna 20 feet in the air so I can pick up ONE digital channel (which doesn't broadcast HD.) On the other hand, it's the sheer number of lazy people that will drive DISH to offer HD-LIL...which I DO want. So I guess I should thank the lazy bastards.

Don't get me wrong, even with OTA HD, I would still pay the $5 or $10 a month to get the Dish HD locals..... HD-Lite or otherwise. Well, I would, but unforunately I have to buy $700 receivers and pay for another ugly dish on my roof just to get them so..... no.

 

[rdbeyer]

shutting off receivers

I've already been auditted twice in a year..... and that's with 3 of 4 receivers hooked up to telephone lines.

This raises another question.... on my lowly 921, I often have no guide data. This makes it pretty hard to set up programs to record. When I call Dish and ask, they say I should shut off my receivers at night.... right, I dont think so. "Honey, dont forget to walk around the whole house and shut off all the Dish receivers before bed!" Ummm, no. Plus, I often record games or movies in the middle of the night that are re-broadcast. My guide will come back after about a day, but it's pretty annoying.

Every night at the same time , my phones ring with a very short ring ring. and there is never any one there, could that be Dish ? I am having it investigated - as phone company will not give me the number when its traced. Also annoying about shutting off the receivers, is having to program to turn them on if you are using windows Media on your computer to record a program .