Fee for OTA channels??

[AngryStamen]

Don't have Dish yet, but if i do get them, I'm interested in having a roof antenna to get local channels, in addition to getting locals thru Dish, so that I can effectively record 3 local channels at once (I watch ALOT of TV!!!)
So, I was looking at a brochure for the ViP722, and I noticed a footnote that I didn't like. One bullet point reads, "View and record HD over the air digital broadcast on TV1" and referred to a footnote that reads, "Requires an optional over the air antenna to receive local high-definition over the air digital broadcasts; additional fees apply."


That kinda sucks! How much is this fee? Anyone have an OTA antenna hooked up that can give me some insight on this? Thanks for reading, hope you can help me out, it's much appreciated.

 

[garys]

$6 per month, but only if you do not subscribe to the HD package. If you don't want the HD pack, you can buy a 942 and omit the fee.

 

[DirectDishNet]

$6 per month, but only if you do not subscribe to the HD package. If you don't want the HD pack, you can buy a 942 and omit the fee.

So if you subscribe to the HD pack, The locals are free?

 

[teachsac]

Don't have Dish yet, but if i do get them, I'm interested in having a roof antenna to get local channels, in addition to getting locals thru Dish, so that I can effectively record 3 local channels at once (I watch ALOT of TV!!!)
So, I was looking at a brochure for the ViP722, and I noticed a footnote that I didn't like. One bullet point reads, "View and record HD over the air digital broadcast on TV1" and referred to a footnote that reads, "Requires an optional over the air antenna to receive local high-definition over the air digital broadcasts; additional fees apply."


That kinda sucks! How much is this fee? Anyone have an OTA antenna hooked up that can give me some insight on this? Thanks for reading, hope you can help me out, it's much appreciated.

Additional fee applies, inthis case, means that if you don't have an OTA antenna, they may install one for you for a fee. If you already have one, can install one on your own, or use an indoor, you're good to go. But like Gary said, with an HD box, you're going to have to sub to the HD pack.

S~

 

[osu1991]

So if you subscribe to the HD pack, The locals are free?

You still have to subscribe to locals from from dish if you want guide data, but the 942 does not have an enabling fee to use the OTA tuner.

 

[SmityWhity]

So if you subscribe to the HD pack, The locals are free?

Nothing's free except the save-a-tree literature they send in all of the paper bills. (Both of mine.)

You pay for basic subscription.
Then you pay $5 or $6 for whatever Analog Locals that Dish retransmits for your area.
If you want HD programming, you pay $20 extra for it (except those in HI, AK, or grandfathered?).
If you have a DVR, you pay $5.98.

If you pay for Local, HBO, and etc...; and also subscribe/pay for the $20 HD programming, then your Local Digitial Stations (if Dish retransmits them), HBO-HD, and etc... are given to you at no extra cost.

But if you have an MPEG4 HD capable receiver (ViP series) and do not subscribe to the $20 HD programming package, then Dish will charge you $6 HD Enabling Fee. I suspect the $6 fee is so that you can use an Antenna to receive (and record) your Local Digital channels. However, on the bright side, if you have a ViP722, subscribe to a regular package with Analog Locals, but no HD programming; then Dish will turn on the Local Digital channels that Dish normally retransmits for certain cities, for that $6 HD Enabling Fee.

If Dish has no Local Digital channels for your area to retransmit and you can not receive any Local Digital channels, then the $6 HD Enabling Fee becomes a $6 Disabling Fee.

 

[DirectDishNet]

OTA Over the air, channels will only work untill November of 2009 after that you will need a converter box to get your locals

 

[SmityWhity]

OTA Over the air, channels will only work untill November of 2009 after that you will need a converter box to get your locals

Good point in case the OP doesn't already know this.

The ViP622 and ViP722 will NOT pick up you local Analog TV stations that have been around for a few decades. These receivers will only pick up the the newer Digital TV stations if you are using an antenna. The built in tuner is an ATSC (digital) tuner, and there is no NTSC (analog) tuner.

However, most locals provided via a Dish Network Local Station subscription are the current analog stations for the area.

 

[digiblur]

OTA Over the air, channels will only work untill November of 2009 after that you will need a converter box to get your locals

LOL... And you install satellite systems for a living? Wow. The OTA channels that the DVR's receive are just getting the hang of things in most areas. They are going no where!

 

[Barry Erick]

Analog (traditional) OTA is ending FEB 19, 2009, not november.

 

[Peter Parker]

The 722 only tunes digital OTA channels. Thiose are not going away in 2009---some of them may move back to the original channel location but there will be no need for aconverter box to watch locals using the 722.

 

[jahost]

My VIP722 which was installed last week is picking up the OTA analog channels. In fact it is kind of irritating when I punch in 13 and it goes to 13 analog instead of 13.1 digital. I nees to research how to remove them if I can. "John"

 

[Jim5506]

My VIP722 which was installed last week is picking up the OTA analog channels. In fact it is kind of irritating when I punch in 13 and it goes to 13 analog instead of 13.1 digital. I nees to research how to remove them if I can. "John"

Menu-6-8 and make sure the analog type is set to Offair, not Cable, HRC or IRC.

 

[SmityWhity]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Just like the ViP622, the ViP722 only has an ATSC tuner, i.e., an Integrated 8VSB off-air digital tuner, so it shouldn't be picking up the analog channels.

The ViP622 also has the "Off-air, Cable, HRC, IRC" settings, but someone said it is only used for passing your various cable systems through the receiver and to your TV.

Guess I'm and maybe others are !

 

[osu1991]

My VIP722 which was installed last week is picking up the OTA analog channels. In fact it is kind of irritating when I punch in 13 and it goes to 13 analog instead of 13.1 digital. I nees to research how to remove them if I can. "John"

That is probably your channel 13 that is delivered from dish via sat. Either create a favorites list and remove the locals from dish from the guide or enable the channel mapdown to hd in the menus.

 

[kb7oeb]

There is a $6 fee for any ViP HD receiver thats not subscribed to the HD package. OTA will work as long as the receiver is activated, if you you want guide information for the locals you must subscribe to local channels.

It sounds like the OP was planning on getting the HD package and Locals so he should not run into any problems or extra fees using OTA.