Is the VIP 211K better than a Wally/

[IggyAZ]

Hi All1 New Guy here.

When RVing I use DISH SAT using my Tailgater Antenna and my VIP211K box.
Has been working well for years when I active it for long RV trips.

Now the Wally can be used to replace the VIP211K and the only advantage I see is it is a smaller footprint.
Both get SD and HD signals so the true question is do I need a Wally and why.
Thank you

 

[Bobby]

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it…

 

[rvvaquero]

Hi All1 New Guy here.

When RVing I use DISH SAT using my Tailgater Antenna and my VIP211K box.
Has been working well for years when I active it for long RV trips.

Now the Wally can be used to replace the VIP211K and the only advantage I see is it is a smaller footprint.
Both get SD and HD signals so the true question is do I need a Wally and why.
Thank you

Using a Tailgater, you wouldn't see any advantage going to the Wally. I made the switch because I use a fixed 1002.5 dish. If you add an external hard drive, the Wally has two tuners, four tuners if you add the OTA module. The 211K has one tuner plus an OTA module built in with one tuner for a total of two.

 

[Radioguy41]

I replaced both 211k receivers with Wallys mainly for the added tuners but also the 211k's are approaching EOL. If you have a problem with a 211k they're going to send you a refurb and tell you to not even send the old one back, just scrap it. Plus you get the new user interface with the Wally.

 

[Ziptied]

Always felt that the 211k was taylor made for RV use. The hodgepodge way that RV manufacturers did the A/V wiring made all of the 221k's outputs (particularly the modulated output) very handy. That and the internal tuner made it an excellent go-to receiver for RVer's. The obvious downside to all the features was the large footprint.

 

[mwdxer1]

Hi All1 New Guy here.

When RVing I use DISH SAT using my Tailgater Antenna and my VIP211K box.
Has been working well for years when I active it for long RV trips.

Now the Wally can be used to replace the VIP211K and the only advantage I see is it is a smaller footprint.
Both get SD and HD signals so the true question is do I need a Wally and why.
Thank you

I use the vip211k and I love it, as the OTA tuner is built in. So both Dish & OTA are in one place. A great receiver even though it doesn't offer streaming. I have a Fire Cube for that.

 

[chainblu]

Unless you have enabled the DVR function, there really is no improvement over the 211. I find the user interface of the Wally more 'clunky' than the 211's.

 

[HipKat]

It's sad to see a receiver as versatile as the 211K come to EOL. I've hated that we've been stuck with 211Z's for the last few years.

 

[TheKrell]

I think the Wally can also play VOD, assuming you have Internet service... Why non-DVR VIP receivers (like the 211) could never do that, I do not know. That would make sense out of the VIP receivers' name.

 

[mwdxer1]

Unless you have enabled the DVR function, there really is no improvement over the 211. I find the user interface of the Wally more 'clunky' than the 211's.

I spent the $40 years ago, so no additional fees having the DVR function on the 211K too.

 

[mwdxer1]

It's sad to see a receiver as versatile as the 211K come to EOL. I've hated that we've been stuck with 211Z's for the last few years.

There are a few 211k refurbished ones still around, if you look. Make sure you check the serial number and call Dish before you buy.

 

[ethanlerma]

There are a few 211k refurbished ones still around, if you look. Make sure you check the serial number and call Dish before you buy.

I think he meant the stock from his employer and/or provided by dish

 

[Ziptied]

The majority of the remaining 211k's that dish had in inventory were reserved for bulk account receiver swaps over the last couple of years. I replaced 60+ 311's with 211k's at 3 of my accounts last year.

 

[IggyAZ]

Thank you All for your updated information about the Pros and Con's to the VIP211K and the Wally.
I wasn't aware of the 211K having its own OTA tuner.
So the 211K stay until it dies a happy death.
Thanks again everyone.

 

[TheKrell]

I wasn't aware of the 211K having its own OTA tuner.

Yup; the 411, 211, and 211k all had a single OTA tuner. The 211z had none and required the dongle.

 

[zippyfrog]

Since we are on the topic of Wally's, I noticed something on the Dish website:

MyDISH

my.dish.com

On the chart midway down the page, it says "Receiver Fee: First TV" then for the Wally it says $7. I thought the first receiver fee was included in all packages, so it would be $7 for the second Wally. Since I have two VIP211k's, I currently have a $5 charge for owning the receivers and the charge is for the second VIP211k. If I were to swap out the two VIP211k's for two Wallys, would I now have to pay a fee for both Wallys? So there would be an increase in $5 (assuming I own both Wallys)

 

[HipKat]

Yup; the 411, 211, and 211k all had a single OTA tuner. The 211z had none and required the dongle.

Also the 722, but not the 722K

 

[IggyAZ]

Additional Questions regarding my VIP 211K and remotes

I may consider having my VIP 211K in a remote location in my RV as I may not have space close to the TV to have it sit.
I was told that some DISH Remotes are RF signal that can travel up to 300 ft to the VIP 211K
Now I have 3 different remotes I may be able to use and want to know if any of them are RF capable.
I know all 3 are IR as I see the LEDs on the top of all 3.

I have a
3.2 IR
5.0 IR
5.4 IR

Does these model mean they only are IR or could they have RF or NOT?

Second question
If they won't work using RF is their a DISH remote that I can buy and will work with my VIP 211K?

Thank you

 

[HipKat]

Additional Questions regarding my VIP 211K and remotes

I may consider having my VIP 211K in a remote location in my RV as I may not have space close to the TV to have it sit.
I was told that some DISH Remotes are RF signal that can travel up to 300 ft to the VIP 211K
Now I have 3 different remotes I may be able to use and want to know if any of them are RF capable.
I know all 3 are IR as I see the LEDs on the top of all 3.

I have a
3.2 IR
5.0 IR
5.4 IR

Does these model mean they only are IR or could they have RF or NOT?

Second question
If they won't work using RF is their a DISH remote that I can buy and will work with my VIP 211K?

Thank you

Those are only IR and the 211 is not able to pick up UHF signals

 

[IggyAZ]

Those are only IR and the 211 is not able to pick up UHF signals

Thank you for that information.
I was guessing that was my case but needed someone to verify for me.