To 811 or not to 811 and/or other suggestions?

[sdallnct]

OK, I got my 1st taste of HD last weekend, then watched MNF and it was AWESOME!! I'm using a PJ on a 94" so you can image that my SD TV thru Dish is pretty bad. Of course I didn't realize HOW bad to I could switch back and forth between HD>

The problem is I bought a Voom box off eBay and it came with a powered Winegard antenna. It works awesome. Not a single drop out or pixal problem during the entire football game. However, no matter what I do I cannot get the Voom box to lock onto my Fox affiliate despite having a strong signal (I have been getting some great help in the OTA thread) but nothing I do can get it so I watch Fox in HD.

Soooo...just got off the phone with Dish. They offered to lease me a 811 for $5.00 per month, free HD programing for 6 months and NO OBLIGATION to keep the HD programing and $100.00 to install. I'm seriously thinking about taking it. I'm pissed they won't mail it to me to install myself, but still working on that part.

But I have been reading where some (many?) have had trouble with the 811. In particular with the Winegard antenna I would really like to keep (I mounted on the ridge been in my attic and get between 89 and 99 on all major channels). Plus one HD channel I want is in VHF and this antenna is picking up both UHF and VHF with no problems. I also would like to keep it as it came with the Voom box so I wouldn't feel my money was totally thrown away on eBay.

I'm in the Dallas flat lands, 30 miles from the towers, all of which are on the same hill in the same direction. Right now I'm running the 311 (SD Tuner) thru a stand alone Tivo. I understand that the 811 outputs both components and S-video at the same time, so I could still out put SD (via s-video) to the Tivo and the HD (via components) to my HT Receiver (it has component switching) which right now works well with the Voom/311/Tivo combo.

So should I just grab the 811 from Dish? $5.00 per month is what I'm paying now for the SD box that I will move to another room and use, so really no more money. But for quality is it the right move? Any other suggestions? I really don't want to spend $300-$400 on a HD STB till I see what all happens with MPEG4.

Sorry for the long post,

 

[dfergie]

OTA aside the Voom pack and hd-nets make the move to HD worth it IMO... I run a 6000u and a Replay in my Ht room with an X1...(along with htpc and dvd players... )

 

[sdallnct]

OTA aside the Voom pack and hd-nets make the move to HD worth it IMO... I run a 6000u and a Replay in my Ht room with an X1...(along with htpc and dvd players... )

You got an X-1? Cool, that is what I'm running (on a DIY 94" screen). I was really surprised at the HD quality considering the PJ is not HD. But as cheaply as I was able to pick up the Voom box, I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I can't imagine going back! But I have got to get Fox for Cowboy games.

Doesn't the Voom pack require a new dish? I had just assumed the "Free programing for 6 months" was just for Dish Networks HD channels???

What is a 6000u?

 

[riffjim4069]

IMO, pay the $250 upgrade fee and get the 942 - it's a much better box than the 811 and it's a feature packed HD DVR. I would further suggest going through Claude at The Dish Store. If you can afford to wait a couple months, perhaps E* may have a fantastic promotion for the upcoming holiday season. I have a 942 and two 811s. The 811s are ok, but they aren't in the same league as the 942.

 

[sdallnct]

IMO, pay the $250 upgrade fee and get the 942 - it's a much better box than the 811 and it's a feature packed HD DVR. I would further suggest going through Claude at The Dish Store. If you can afford to wait a couple months, perhaps E* may have a fantastic promotion for the upcoming holiday season. I have a 942 and two 811s. The 811s are ok, but they aren't in the same league as the 942.

In all honesty, I would LOVE to do that. My "Tivo" is a Toshiba SD-H400 which is a Tivo/Progressive scan DVD Player. I realize it is not that high quality of a unit, but I can't imagine going competely w/o a Tivo/DVR. If I got the 942, then I could upgrade to a nice DVD Player and improve PQ there as well.

However, I assume if I get a 942, I would still have to pay the $5.00 per month equipment fee? So basically we are talking about $250 or free. It has a DVR but I got one (I know not that great). Is the HD tuner THAT much better? I am concerned about the 811 as I have read so many bad things about it.

I'm interested in you saying I should purchase Dish stuff from someone other then directly from Dish. What does doing that do? In other words do you still have to have units purchased thru 3rd parties "activated"? Do you still get any promotions (such a the 6th months free HD programing)? Do you still have to pay the $5.00 equipment fee?

edit: I notice the 942 is dual tuner, does that mean I could watch HD in two different rooms? I was going to put the old 311 in my yet to be bar next to my HT room, but something else to think about it I can run the 942 to the set in the bar.

 

[dfergie]

Doesn't the Voom pack require a new dish? I had just assumed the "Free programing for 6 months" was just for Dish Networks HD channels???

61.5 dish or maybe soon 129 with another dish

What is a 6000u?

E*s HD receiver before the 811...I run it with the X1 as well as a Replay networked with 2 other Replays and 3pc's(one at a time)the Replay has component outputs and is 480p...One Replay is hooked to a D* HD receiver the other I use as a server but I frequently swap them... I also have a 921 that I can archive to the Replay in the Living room and stream to any and all... You might check on the 921's ava... they are buggy, but mine has been good to me...

 

[wilme2]

Which Winegard antenna are you using?

 

[Tweak]

DON'T get the 811!! It's a piece of junk...it constantly screws up...I have been with Dish for 7 years and that is the worse receiver they have ever offered....besides that you will get tired of watching the same bugs on Discovery and seeing airial shots of Italy...and ESPN HD (what HD?-my VCR has a better picture than ESPN HD).. couple that with having to watch Cheryl Crow in concert 50 times a month and endless Living Dead movies on the Monster channel and you have a package that would even make Conan the Barbarian cry...I would hope there is a better receiver out there, but I'm sure that will come with a price..You like good HD?..stick with OTA...it's free...just my 2 cents...

 

[PILMAN]

The 811 works fine, i've had it for about 8 months now and I've had no problems. The only issue is the fact it can't save the tv guide and after 3 days you have to update. Another one being lack of search issue.

Yeah ESPN HD does suck only like 20 percent of the time are live games shown in HD. Discovery can get old but some of the programs are really interesting. To be honest I have the basic HD channels and I thought it was great at first but now I rarely watch them. It's still a nice feature though.

 

[VegasVoomer]

I've had the 811 for about 3 weeks now and no problems. At first I wasnt able to make a favorite list and that somehow fixed itself. I turn it off every night and never loose the program guide. And it Does have a search that works...at least mine does. I had Voom and didnt watch much of the Voom originals cause of all the repeats so I dont have that pack now. Just the other HD channels which are not very many.

 

[Tweak]

I'm glad that at least a few people are having better luck...sorry if I'm sounding off a bit, it's just that I get nowhere with Dish techs on the phone..when mine goes out, it's just a black screen...nothing....then I have reset...then run set up..which tells me I have no signal from any of my three sattelites and displays red x's (when I know they do because the 311 upstairs works fine and all 3 signals are over 120%)..then I have to run a switch test...After the switch test, and the signal aquisition has completed, and only then will my program information download and my picture return. I go through this at least 3 times a week..Dish guys run tests and tell me everything is normal...They won't send me a replacement. Sorry, I just can't give a very good recommendation for the 811 having to go through all that every time I want to watch TV...

 

[Harry]

I agree with Tweak, the 811 is ok for HD from E* but really sucks on OTA. The HD package is your call but I also dropped it as I got tired of the repeats.

If you are happy with OTA HD then check into an STB. I have the LG 4200A and it is excellent, much better than the 811. They cost around $200.

 

[VegasVoomer]

Tweak, what's kinda weird is I went through the exact same thing with the resetting, no signal red x's, switch test, and download only it was with my 311 downstairs. I think it had recently got a sw upgrade just prior to all that happening. Now if I had to go through that everytime I watch TV I would demand a replacement or cancel the whole deal. I keep both of mine turned off whenever I'm not using them. I dont know if that matters or not.

 

[sdallnct]

Thanks for the additional input guys! At THIS point, I'm really only interested in OTA HD (When MNF goes to ESPN I might be more interested in Dish HD). In fact, I did not start with a 811 as a month or so ago with I started this hunt, Dish told me I would be required to purchase their programing at $10.00 per month to lease a 811 for $5.00 per month (plus the $100 install). I refused and bought the Voom box on ebay - If I could get it to lock on my Fox a affiliate I would be happy. But I called Dish yesterday and they have dropped the requirement of having to purchase the programing if you don't want it. So now from a $$ stand point I'm more interested in the 811.

I would love to pick up a 942, but I really don't want to drop that kind of $$ on a unit till I see what MPEP4 brings to town. But...if I get great OTA HD signals, does it really matter?

I guess I'm pretty safe if I lease it? I mean if I get a crappy picture, no signals or whatever, I can just sent it back and they would remove the $5.00 from my account..right?

wilme2, this is what I got off ebay. As mentioned, the antenna actually works great and much better then I imagined. All major channels reat between 89-99 and picks up has no trouble with UHF or VHF - and I mounted in my attic!

dfergie, I did a search and looks like the 6000u sells for almost as much as the 811! I guess because people think it is a better unit?

I went to 5 pawn shops today looking for a Voom box (some feel the problem is with what map I have, so a unit that was local and had local mapping on it, should work) no luck. I tried 5 Wal-Marts to see if they had any open boxes of US Digital receivers, no luck. Tho I about had the guy at one store convinced to sell me the LG HD receiver they were using for their TV's. But his boss came out and shut that down real quick. I did try 2 Best Buys, but nothing to get excited about.

Harry, the LG runs $200? Is that used???

 

[dfergie]

The 6000u is pretty solid, but it will drive you batty... It has a slooow guide and if you leave it on an OTA station problems arise... I Keep mine slaved to the Replay with an IR blaster and it works fine... (9 day guide instead of "2 day"which actually means a few hours guide and an endless wait)

 

[Carl B]

I've had my Dish 811 since 12/03 and I think it is a pretty fair machine. Yes, it has some warts, but nothing to make it non-functional. I don't lose my EPG on any frequent basis. I have to do a soft reboot about once a week, but then I do more reboots than that on my PC at work. Not a perfect HD receiver, but its faults are not a big deal. For $5/month, I don't see a problem leasing it.

Dish's basic HD Pak is OK. I don't watch it as much as I used to, but there are frequently good movies on HDNMV and TNTHD. Plus, unless your woman controls the remote, Guys Night In on HDNET sure is fun (unfortunately my wife does control the remote). Also, football season is upon and ESPN-HD Sunday Night Football is some of the best HD available. They also do some of the post-season college bowl games in HD. Makes the Pak worth having for at least the football season.

I also own an LG LST-4200A. If you can still find one, they are $299 plus shipping. But, most of the well known on-line vendors are out of them and it doesn't look like they are getting any more. Yes the OTA tuners, both digital and analog, in the 4200A are better (PQ-wise) than 811s. Yes, the scaler in the 4200A is better than the 811s. As to OTA channel locking, I haven't seen a difference between them yet. I expected the 4200A to be much better, but it is, at best, maybe slightly better (based on signal strength readings).

I got the 4200A so I would have 2 digital tuners. Since most of the analog signals I get are very ghosty, the best signal for recording is the digial signal. After a year and a half, we've found that any time there are two shows we want to see, but they are on at the same time, they are OTA channels (so much for compelling content on Dish). Since none of the Dish HD products have dual OTA tuners, I got the 4200A and an s-video signal from it or the 811 will go into my DVD recorder when the next schedule conflict occurs.

 

[sdallnct]

Well one of the issues for me besides PQ is ease of use. I travel a lot for work so I want it easy for the wife and kids to use. This is my HT Room and not main TV watching room, but I'm sure all you guys know, with wife and kids different tastes, so they need to be able to use it to.

Tonight was at BB and saw the LG XXXX that has the DVD player HD receiver. Interesting idea, but $390 :shocked

I'm trying to do this as cheaply as possible for now and upgrade once things wash out.....

 

[DarrellP]

You got an X-1? Cool, that is what I'm running (on a DIY 94" screen). I was really surprised at the HD quality considering the PJ is not HD. But as cheaply as I was able to pick up the Voom box, I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I can't imagine going back! But I have got to get Fox for Cowboy games.

What is a 6000u?

Congrats on your setup, I have a 110" DIY with a Sanyo Z2 (720P) and HD is awesome. Wait until you upgrade and see HD on an HD capable pj, your jaw will snap when it hits the floor. I invited my neighbor over for MNF this week and we watched the Seattle/Cowboys game and he was in awe the entire time, you can see threads sticking up from the seams of the jerseys it is so clear.

Ditto dfergie on the 6000, I've had mine for almost 5 years now, it is an antique but delivers a great pic and has a VGA output for connection to a computer monitor.

 

[sdallnct]

Congrats on your setup, I have a 110" DIY with a Sanyo Z2 (720P) and HD is awesome. Wait until you upgrade and see HD on an HD capable pj, your jaw will snap when it hits the floor. I invited my neighbor over for MNF this week and we watched the Seattle/Cowboys game and he was in awe the entire time, you can see threads sticking up from the seams of the jerseys it is so clear.

Ditto dfergie on the 6000, I've had mine for almost 5 years now, it is an antique but delivers a great pic and has a VGA output for connection to a computer monitor.

Thanks, I got the X-1 a year ago to learn about PJ's, experiment, see what I like and don't like, etc. I image I will get about 18 month more out of the bulb (I have already had the unit up and running about 10 months). Once the bulb blows or reduces output significatly, I doubt I will replace the bulb. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a great unit, especially for the money, but I will be looking to upgrade to an HD PJ. I really can't go a bigger screen as I have it hanging between two doors. Besides my REAR row of seating is only 14' so any bigger screen and I think I would get sick watching it!

 

[Harry]

Thanks for the additional input guys! At THIS point, I'm really only interested in OTA HD (When MNF goes to ESPN I might be more interested in Dish HD). In fact, I did not start with a 811 as a month or so ago with I started this hunt, Dish told me I would be required to purchase their programing at $10.00 per month to lease a 811 for $5.00 per month (plus the $100 install). I refused and bought the Voom box on ebay - If I could get it to lock on my Fox a affiliate I would be happy. But I called Dish yesterday and they have dropped the requirement of having to purchase the programing if you don't want it. So now from a $$ stand point I'm more interested in the 811.

I would love to pick up a 942, but I really don't want to drop that kind of $$ on a unit till I see what MPEP4 brings to town. But...if I get great OTA HD signals, does it really matter?

I guess I'm pretty safe if I lease it? I mean if I get a crappy picture, no signals or whatever, I can just sent it back and they would remove the $5.00 from my account..right?

wilme2, this is what I got off ebay. As mentioned, the antenna actually works great and much better then I imagined. All major channels reat between 89-99 and picks up has no trouble with UHF or VHF - and I mounted in my attic!

dfergie, I did a search and looks like the 6000u sells for almost as much as the 811! I guess because people think it is a better unit?

I went to 5 pawn shops today looking for a Voom box (some feel the problem is with what map I have, so a unit that was local and had local mapping on it, should work) no luck. I tried 5 Wal-Marts to see if they had any open boxes of US Digital receivers, no luck. Tho I about had the guy at one store convinced to sell me the LG HD receiver they were using for their TV's. But his boss came out and shut that down real quick. I did try 2 Best Buys, but nothing to get excited about.

Harry, the LG runs $200? Is that used???

Keep in mind that if you watch a lot of OTA with the 811, you will constantly be rebooting the darned thing. You will lose the guide info and will get sound but no picture when you go back to watching satellite alot of the time. At least that is what mine does.