Install DISH on 6 TVs

[ml6223]

I am a newbie to this forum. I need suggestions on the best way to have DISH available on 6 TVs in my home (I have a big family). I used the online chat to ask Dish about it. On the first 4 tvs they would provide two dual tuner receivers. For the 4th and 5th TV I would have to pay $425 for the purchase and installation of an addition dual tuner receiver. Is this reasonable? I notice that radio shack is selling the receiver for $149. Can I buy the additional receiver and install myself? Another option is to to mirror one of the 4 tvs on the 5th and 6th set. The installation cost starts at $59. How difficult would it be for me to do this myself? Does anyone have any other suggestions? Has anyone had more than 4 TVs installed?

 

[Sarang]

Honestly I think you should do the first one from Dish and the rest you buy yourself because honestly it'll cost you $10 every month with those extra receivers unless you're doing HD in which case if you're going whole hog and get whatever new channels become available I would HIGHLY suggest you pay $5 for one because it's cheaper than shelling out for an 811 which they will most likely replace if you're dedicated to paying for extra HD programming.

 

[Texanmutt]

Dish doesnt sell 322's.

 

[ml6223]

What's involved with installing your own receivers? Is it easy to do?

 

[C1787GJ]

Dish may not sell 322's but Radioshack is i just looked. Also I'm sure DishStore probably does, they sell everything you need to do your install by yourself.

 

[ml6223]

If I own my own receiver, I assume I would not have to pay the extra receiver fee. Does anyone know if this is true?

Also, what else do I need besides the receiver? Are instructions included?

Thanks for your help!!!!

 

[RandallA]

This is what I got at the Dish Network site:

"2 ROOMS WITH DVR CAPABILITY

Add a monthly $5.00 access fee for each receiver beyond the first.
Add a monthly DISH Video-On-Demand Service Fee of $4.98 for each DISH Player-DVR 510 and each DISH Player-DVR 625 multi-room receiver.
Add a monthly $9.99 DISH Network HD Pak subscription fee for the DISH 811 HD solution.
Free upgrade to the DISH Player-DVR 625 requires a 2-year commitment; if qualifying service is terminated or downgraded prior to the end of 2-year period, a cancellation fee equal to the lesser of $240 or $10 per month for each cancelled month of service will apply. You may opt to pay a $19.99 lease upgrade fee for the DISH Player-DVR 625 and participate in Digital Home Advantage with no commitment."

Add a monthly $5.00 access fee for each receiver beyond the first wether you own it or not. Dish will lease you 2 receivers for a max. of 4 rooms. For the other two rooms you will have to buy a receiver(s). You can buy a 322 for those two extra rooms at Radio Shack for $149.00 like you said.

Will you get your local channels? What's your zipcode? It's possible that you may need two dishes to get your locals depending on your area. You will also need a switch to feed those extra receivers depending on your installation. If you are going to have dual tuners most likely a DPP44 and those switches run about $180.00.

 

[goaliebob99]

Actually thats quite resonable.. after you buy the reciver and the extra dp34 switch... (he will need atleast 2) then cableing and installation... basically he's paying for 2 34switches, wireing, the 3rd dual tuner reciver and installation....

 

[Jared Twomey]

If I own my own receiver, I assume I would not have to pay the extra receiver fee. Does anyone know if this is true?

Also, what else do I need besides the receiver? Are instructions included?

Thanks for your help!!!!

wrong, you are going to pay $4.99 for EVERY reciever beyond the first one... you are paying for the programming, not the receiver

 

[wobbie]

You may want to think anout mirroring a couple of T.V's. For exmple, the living room could be mirrored to the master bedroom. Dish will hook you up with a 4 room system and I'm sure they will install two - 322's. Then if you wanted to add recievers you will need a 44 switch which is about $150.00. I would suggest that you look in the phone book and call a local retailer, ask if they would come to your house and do a site survey and tell them what you are wanting to accomplish. I have done several installs for customers where I have installed four tuners on 7 or eight T'V.s In fact installed a 322 on 7 T.V's for one customer with TV1 and TV2 outputs to all the T.V's. When I was finished they were more than happy. Additional charges to the customer, $50.00 for two additional UHF remotes.

 

[Liquidforce88]

Well if you really want 6 individual tv's then this is what I would do. This is assuming you live in a Dish500 area.

Go out and buy a DP Quad, DP34, and an extra 322. Should be able to get all that for less than $200 on Ebay. Just make sure the 322 has never been leased before you buy it. Dish does sell 322's now by the way. When the tech gets there to install the system tell him that you need the extra equipment installed, and how much he would charge to do it. I would bet he would do it for $100, and he can keep the DPP Twin for himself. Offer to help pull wire and what ever you can do to help. The installer may have a busy day and may not have alot of extra time.

If you live in a Superdish area, all you would need to buy is a DP34 and the extra 322.

That would be around $300 to get it done.

If you don't really need 6 tuners. I would pay to have the installer hook up four of the tvs with the 2 second tuners. Basically he would combine the tuners on a splitter, so you could have channels 21 and 60 going to those 4 tv's. Then all you have to do is set the tv to the channel you want to watch with the remote you have. The two other tv's would have the channel 3 output from the box only. That should not cost you more than $50.00, and depending on your house wireing setup it can be a pretty simple job.

 

[goaliebob99]

wrong, you are going to pay $4.99 for EVERY reciever beyond the first one... you are paying for the programming, not the receiver

Under DHA' hes entitled to 4 rooms free.. he has to pay for the 5 and 6th room (the actual box) and programming is mirriored for an extra 4.99 a month every month to those boxes..

 

[TheDishNetworkInstaller]

Using a DPP44 switch or buying a second one is pointless and a waste of money unless your using a Dish 1000 or actually pulling programming from 4 satellite locations.

A Dish 500 or Super Dish with 2 DP34 switches will allow him to run 6 locations just fine. You need to speak to a local retailer and see what is being installed in your area.

If you are in a Dish 1000 market a second DP44 (Dish should provide the first one because you want 4 TV’s) and either buy another Dual Tuner Receiver or two individual receivers. Dual Tuner would be cheaper monthly fee.

Since Dish under any plan only provides installation of programming on up to 4 TV's, whether 4 individual receivers or mixed with Dual Tuners the mirroring or installation of additional receivers is custom labor and subject to hourly rate that the tech charges and what ever fees Dish charges for the additional receivers.

Now since you had to ask “What's involved with installing your own receivers? Is it easy to do?” I would suggest working out a deal on the labor with the installer when he shows up or as Wobbie suggested going to a local retailer and trying to work something out with them.

If you can get a 322 Dual Tuner Receiver from RS for $149 go for it, but make sure there isn’t a catch like activating it through them on a New account only or something like that.

Near as I can figure your monthly cost will vary from $42.98 to $62.98 plus tax as long as there not DVR or HD Receivers. The 5th and 6th TV will have the additional programming fees, but if you use a 322 for them and as long as it’s plugged in to a phone line then you should only have to pay one $5.00 fee for the 5th and 6th TV's.

Even under the DHA, whether you own your receiver or lease you will pay a $5 fee for every tuner, exception is the dual tuners if there plugged into a phone line. And according to the DHA the maximum number of TV's is 4. That’s why Dish wants the extra $425.

If I'm missing something or stated something incorrectly I'm sorry as I was in a hurry when making this post.

Dish DHA Agreement
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/getDish/disclaimers/dishPVRplans/index.shtml

DHPP Agreement
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/customercare/warranty/terms/index.shtml

Residential Agreement
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/aboutus/rca/

 

[Texanmutt]

Using a DPP44 switch or buying a second one is pointless and a waste of money unless your using a Dish 1000 or actually pulling programming from 4 satellite locations.

A Dish 500 or Super Dish with 2 DP34 switches will allow him to run 6 locations just fine. You need to speak to a local retailer and see what is being installed in your area.

Then he would have to run 2 cables for every dual tuner receiver. With a DP+44 switch he can use one cable and the separators, then back feed tv2 with diplexers.

 

[Liquidforce88]

But spend alot more money.

 

[Texanmutt]

Running a 2nd cable sometimes is not possible. Alot of times it's not desired or even tolerated by the home owner. I used to have alot of cancels when sbc did the 522/ 2 311 combo.

 

[jpezz]

Another option is to to mirror one of the 4 tvs on the 5th and 6th set. The installation cost starts at $59.

This is by far the simplest and cheapest especially if you do it yourself and that's not hard. You simply get splitters from Wally World or your favorite retailer and split off the signal from the TV you want to mirror and run ordinary TV cable (RG-59) from the splitter to the other TV(s). These should always be the TV2 connections on the dual receivers as they support RF vs the TV1 remotes which use infrared so they work from other rooms. That's what I do. Just think about which TVs you don't ever use simultaneously. In my case, its the master bedroom and the alternate connection (which goes to a a second input to my main TV). Under normal circumstances I use the PIP to my dual tuner main TV. When we are in watching in the master BR, we are not using that alternate connection. In my case, I had the installer put one receiver by my main TV and connect its main input to the receiver TV1. The TV2 from that receiver runs to another room. Then in a third room I have a second receiver with a local TV on its TV1. The TV2 goes to that PIP input of my main TV with a splitter also sending it to a DVDR (to burn DVDs) b the main TV and to the master BR. That DVDR also has a video connection from the local receiver so I can record from either.

For your alternate connections, you will probably want additional remote controls. When customers terminate service with leased receivers, Dish wants them back so they cannot be sold (as Dish will not activate them). But Ebay has lots of remote controls as they are not tracked. Wait until you find exactly what receivers you are getting and then look for the remote controls on EBay. Much cheaper than anywhere else. Most important - use the TV2 connection and buy the RF remote controls.

IMPORTANT: Make one of those receivers a dual recorder. You will never regret it. I now have a Dish DVR for time shift recording as well as my DVDR which has hard disk and burn capabilities so I can edit and burn permanent copies of shows.

John

 

[ZandarKoad]

Get a smaller family, sell 2 TVs.

 

[jpezz]

Get a smaller family, sell 2 TVs.

Two people. 4 TVs, one with dual RF input for PIP, 1 DVD player, 1 DVD recorder w/hard disk drive and burn capability, 1 Dish 522 DVR, 1 VCR (no longer used).

Who says that in this country we have too many material possessions?

John

 

[jeffthefish]

I want to mirror from a Dishnetwork HD receiver. How do I do it? There is an existing coax connection but it is not connected at the main box. Can you describe the connections and splitters I will need? Please walk me through this. I am a complete novice. Thanks