I'm new to Dish. I have OTA for network channels. Is there a way to record or watch past network shows? I can find them on the On Demand feature but the only thing it lets me do is "Close" that episode. Thanks for any help.
How To Record Past Network Shows With OTA
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Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that the network (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) On Demand content requires a subscription to the satellite-delivered locals. For example, whenever a local affiliate gets pulled from Dish, that network's On Demand content is no longer available in that market, since you are no longer receiving your local affiliate from Dish. Whether you can receive that same station OTA or not does not matter when it comes to qualifying for the network On Demand content.
The good news is that if you log into your online mydish account, you can add and remove the satellite-delivered locals as often as you want, with no programming change penalty. For example, you could log in and add the locals in the morning, watch the network On Demand content all day, and then log in again and drop the locals before midnight. There would still be no charge for the locals for that day. The prorated credit for dropping the locals would completely offset the prorated charge for adding them. So, the content is still available absolutely for free, as long as you know how to manipulate the system to get it that way. It requires micro-managing your account (constantly logging in to add and remove locals) but you can do this as many times as you want. Enjoy!
That might work. The problem was when changing over from Directv to Dish I failed to have some programs set up to record the series. Now we have missed some of the episodes that we would have liked to watch. If I log in and change the programming can I record a few programs that day and watch them later in the week after removing the locals and logging out?
As far as recording the programs (from the satellite-delivered feeds) yes, those recordings should still work even when you do not subscribe to the channels. As far as renting the episodes On Demand (even though the shows are free, it is still considered a "rental") those episodes will only be playable while you still subscribe to the locals. They will stay in your Rentals folder on your DVR screen for awhile even after they expire, though. So I suppose you could go through the entire On Demand list and rent every episode that you might want to see. Then, you could drop the locals, and add the locals again later in the week when you are ready to watch them. That way, the On Demand episodes would already be in your Rentals folder, and should be available to watch.
I may try the Dish local pack for a week or so to see if I like it better than the OTA (reception not great). If I go on line and add it do I have to change any settings or remove the OTA adapter or does it just happen automatically? Thanks alot for the advice. Sure appreciate the help
No, you need do nothing as the sat locals will appear as channel #.0. The OTA locals will appear as .1,2,3 etc. This means that, if you have timers set up on your OTA locals, then I doubt they will be transferred over to the .0 channel.
Also remember this. All the sub (or most) channels you get with OTA will not be available with satellite. You can always keep ota adapter attached to your equipment and still view or record them. I have Welcome package and locals package is included. I called to drop Locals (after getting ota adapter few months ago). I was told I couldn't do that. Networks main stations always look better with ota than satellite since there isn't much compression. I also enjoy getting 4 public tv channels with ota compared to only one with satellite.
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