Newbie Questions on Dish and the 622

[Michigan Czar]

Hi, I have tried searching the forum but I see conflicting answers. I am planning on switching to the Dish from Directv. I would want the 622 but I am confused on what I read on how many people can use the two tvs at a time. Say if I was recording on one tv and watching a different channel on that same tv at the same time what could someone do on tv2? Are they stuck with watching a recorded show or one of the two channels on tv1 or can they watch a third different show?

I also noticed some people that just had installations and had 2 dishes installed, why? I am looking at 3 tvs with one dvr and one regular receiver (or 2 depending on your 622 responses) living in Grand Rapids, MI. What does that mean for me? I want locals too, one dish or two?

Thanks in advance for the replies, this is a great forum!

 

[tkorcal]

I am assuming that you are talking about the vip 622 hd dvr. The first tv will receive hd content and in single mode allow you to record and view two DIFERRENT live programs. If you set the receiver up in this mode the second tv will be viewing the show that is being recorded. I thus have my second tv be the one viewed the least.
Dual mode- allows you to view and record programming on two different tvs. The downfall here is that when recording you must either watch the show being recorded or pick a show on the dvr that has all ready been recorded.
Hd content MAY require a second dish. Retailer will be able to tell you for sure.
You can also go to dish network.com and view the owners manual for this receiver which will better explain what I tried to.
Also being from Grand Rapids Mi myself I highly reccomend the local installer Conrads tv in Rockford. Very good install, and customer service. Let me know if I can help in any other way.
You may email me at tkorcal@yahoo.com

 

[Michigan Czar]

Thanks, I appreciate the quick response. I will check out the store in Rockford that you mentioned.

I do not have HD yet but I am planning on getting a HD tv soon. From what you said I am now leaning towards getting the 622 and then two regular receivers for tv2 and tv3. I have 5 people in my family and we would run into trouble sharing one receiver for the two tvs.

 

[ryanvan]

Thanks, I appreciate the quick response. I will check out the store in Rockford that you mentioned.

I do not have HD yet but I am planning on getting a HD tv soon. From what you said I am now leaning towards getting the 622 and then two regular receivers for tv2 and tv3. I have 5 people in my family and we would run into trouble sharing one receiver for the two tvs.

If you don't have HD, you don't need the 622, that is only for HD. You need the 625, that is free. The 622 is $200 out of pocket. The 625 has the same capibility as the 622. I just got the 622 (I have HD) and it's AWESOME!

 

[bhelms]

One thing to remember about the 622, and it can be a bit confusing: There are 2 sat. tuners and 1 OTA tuner, and all 3 are HD capable, thus whichever you are recording from (or all three at once for that matter!) can provide an HD recording, assuming the content is HD. What is then output is HD or SD (per program) to the TV1 outputs and SD or downconverted HD to the TV2 outputs and the "agile modulated (RF) output". It's easy to confuse tuners 1 & 2 (the sat. tuners) with TV1 and TV2.

OP - hold out until you can get HD then go for the 622. "Growing pains" aside, this is one fantastic receiver! Here's a link to the User's Guide in a series of pdf files that you can D/L:

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/products/userguides_manuals/receivers/ViP622_DVR/index.shtml

If you need a third receiver and SD is adequate, add a 311. You can also share the 622's TV2 output via coax to that same TV to watch recorded programs.

Welcome, BTW...!

 

[Michigan Czar]

Bhelms,

Thanks, I agree I will just wait and get the regualr dvr for now. Thanks for the advice.

 

[JimP]

bhelms,

I'm asking a redundant question to be sure that I understand the functionality of the 622 correctly.

If I'm wanting to record two different OTA-HD broadcast at the same time, well, the 622 won't do it as it only has one OTA-HD tuner.

 

[osu1991]

Correct, the 622 only has 1 OTA tuner. If dish offers local hd from the satellite in your market then you could record 2 local channels in hd. 1 from the OTA tuner and then 1 or 2 from the satellite hd tuners.

 

[JimP]

Thanks osu1991.

Important point that I nearly missed. It may turn out to be significant.

 

[Kaydigi]

If you don't have HD, you don't need the 622, that is only for HD. You need the 625, that is free. The 622 is $200 out of pocket. The 625 has the same capibility as the 622. I just got the 622 (I have HD) and it's AWESOME!

He may be trying to future proof his install, so all he has to do is install a TV at a later date. He can view the HD content letter boxed to SD 480i right?

 

[hobojoe]

before i got my first small hd TV a magnavox lcd 19" (it was only $300 at best buy!!!) i was going to get the 622 and watch the hd channels on my current sd tv. sounds dum but the hd channels have that good of content! at least to me. the one thing i don't understand is why you couldn't get the hd in sd format for other receivers? i don't mean the new hd ones just hd in general.