I have a VIP 922 installed and still have analog cable. Any reason why I could not add a OTA module and have 2 extra tuners since analog cable is NTSC?
OTA for Analog cable
- Thread starter dsheri
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If you can't record it on your DVR, there's little point in being able to tune it on your DVR.
Modern digital satellite DVRs have no facility to encode MPEG streams from analog video content. They depend entirely on the content being previously digitally encoded.
Modern digital satellite DVRs have no facility to encode MPEG streams from analog video content. They depend entirely on the content being previously digitally encoded.
The point is convenience.
You don't realize how often I'll get a call at from my mother after she has to change the input on her TV to watch the "local" weather channel because she cannot get the TV back to the correct input to watch the Satellite STB.
We never had to do that when we still had the 942 since the 942 and every model receiver we had before that had an NTSC tuner.
Dish should include a QAM tuner on their DVRs for unencrypted digital cable channels. I still don't understand why they wont spend the nickel it takes to include it in their OTA modules.
See ya
Tony
See ya
Tony
Most analog cable systems are QAM, not "pure" NTSC. Channel assignments/spacing are different. NTSC OTA is dead, with the few remaining repeaters/low powers to shut down in the future. Even analog cable will fade away, as they can use the space one analog channel takes up to provide several digital channels.
DISH is a satellite company, in competition with cablecos, and has little or no incentive to help cable reception in any way, on any of their satellite boxes. Especially when analog cable itself is fading.
I'm sure Echostar would love to sell boxes to cablecos.
Cable companies would LOVE to make it so a digital cable box was required, but that pesky FCC is making them leave analog cable switched on just a little bit longer.
And Echostar actually would mind selling them DVRs. Wasn't at CES a year or two ago where they showed a prototype cable 722 box?
Yes, a complete switchover to digital will take longer than most cablecos would like. But I believe at least a couple have somehow managed it already.
There seems to be a fight in Washington over allowing greater "competition" by allowing unique boxes with unique features per cableco, all digital of course; and supporting ease of use and standardization by requiring all to support one model. Of course, that would open another type of competition, whereby the STB manufacturers would compete with features in selling to consumers. But that would cut into cableco revenue. All the same, I'd HATE to see all satcos be required to support one standard. We'd probably lose gems like the ViP series.
Yes, Echostar did something like that. Which is why I said they'd love to sell STBs to cablecos. But cablecos don't want to "help the competition" so to speak. They also don't seem to value higher end DVR boxes, judging by the SA stuff they put out. Of course, a cable version of a ViP722 would likely cost a lot more, so they'd have to change their model a bit. I'd think they could keep their current box lineup, and free replacement policy - AND offer a top tier box such as the ViP722 for an extra X dollars a month over the lesser DVRs. But every added line item to inventory costs. A LOT. Storage, tracking, training, etc. Yet, the only thing that could get me to consider Fios would be if they had a DVR essentially identical to the ViP722 units I now have, EHD support included.
The problem is that it would be a "nickle" per box that would eventually number in the millions. Charlie was too cheap to give us an eSATA port so that the 722/722k could have DVR capability just like the internal HDD dual tuner models instead of cheap skating and using USB 2.0, so it is no surprise he didn't pop for anything beyond ATSC tuners.
In Dish's defense, e-SATA ports were pretty expensive compared with USB-2 when the box was designed. And the number of eSATA devices were very limited
Any customer with "lifeline cable" and Dish would be able to take advantage of it. Namely me! 
So in Satelliteguys logic I am bound to say "Everyone" would use it!
My cable has all the locals and then some in HD and in the clear on QAM compression along with about two dozen educational, access and other PBS channels in SD. I understand how Dish would rather I didn't get cable at all, but since I have cable internet service, the lifeline tier is only about $6 more a month after the bundle discount.
See ya
Tony
So in Satelliteguys logic I am bound to say "Everyone" would use it! My cable has all the locals and then some in HD and in the clear on QAM compression along with about two dozen educational, access and other PBS channels in SD. I understand how Dish would rather I didn't get cable at all, but since I have cable internet service, the lifeline tier is only about $6 more a month after the bundle discount.
See ya
Tony
It is too hard a problem for Dish. So, it was easier to just to remove the functionality. Very likely the chipset they use already support QAM tuning, since it would be cheaper to use a mainstream mass produced chipset than try to get a custom one that does not support it.
But, if Dish turned on the functionality, people would then expect their DVRs to be able to record these channels. This would mean Dish would have to have some way to map all the channels on a cable system and keep up with all the changes (essentially what TiVo does). It is far less a can of worms to just deny the existance of the ability.
But, if Dish turned on the functionality, people would then expect their DVRs to be able to record these channels. This would mean Dish would have to have some way to map all the channels on a cable system and keep up with all the changes (essentially what TiVo does). It is far less a can of worms to just deny the existance of the ability.
bradfordj,
That is not always the case for many areas. Here the lifeline service is blocked if you only have cable internet. You have to pay the $6 bucks net/mo to get locals.
That is not always the case for many areas. Here the lifeline service is blocked if you only have cable internet. You have to pay the $6 bucks net/mo to get locals.
