I am about to upgrade to the VIP 622. If I attach an OTA antenna to it and do not subscribe to any local channels through Dish, will the OTA digital channels show up in the program guide at all (even in the high 8000 numbers)? If so, can I use the DVR to program a recording of these OTA digital channels? Finally, if the digital OTA channels do show up in the program guide and if I can receive OTA digital channels from two different DMA's, will all of the channels (from both DMA's) appear (for example the CBS affiliate from each DMA)?
ViP and Digital OTA
- Thread starter katsfan
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All digital channels you can get OTA will show up in the guide. But without paying for Dish locals, no programming info will be provided. You could still set timers, but they would only be manaul timers, much like you'd set on an old school VCR.
Ask for DVR Advantage. You'll pay no DVR fee (for one DVR receiver) and it'll include your locals with programming info both for locals through Dish and any OTA you can pick up. With the DVR fee included, the locals will only cost you a buck and change. Manual timers are a PITA. JMHO.
Ed
Ed
They will show as yellow in the guide. They will be located at the mapped numbers and not in the 8000's, ie: 004-01; 006-02. The other big difference would be after the first three digits, ota lists as -01 for the main channel, then the subchannels ie:-02; -03 up to the number of subchannels they may have. If your tv has a digital tuner, the channel number would be the exact same number on the tv and the Dish Network guide. The 8000 are Dish supplied channels and they are the sd ones as well.
Ok. If I subscribe to the locals for my assigned DMA and get the programming info, etc. for them, will any other OTA digital channels from another DMA be as you have said (i.e. will have to be programmed manually)? I know that sometimes one network affiliate wil pre-empt network programming for local programming. So, if my local affiliate from Dish is pre-empted by local programming, would I have to set a manual timer to get the network programming from an out-of-market digital OTA affiliate?
You attach an antenna to the ViP. You do a scan for local OTA channels. They appear in yellow on the guide, but no programming info is provided. But every OTA station you can receive is listed. With Dish locals, you'll only get the channels they have made deals with- and maybe not get all the subchannels.
I do not subscribe to Dish Locals. I believe the PQ I get OTA is better than what Dish provides. I also get more channels and more subchannels. I set manual timers. I only have two recurring ones, so I only set them once. Every now and then, I set another timer for a one time recording. It's easy to do, but not as easy as clicking on an EPG box.
If you get Dish locals, you'll still have to have an OTA antenna and scan in the stations if you want out of markets. And yes, you'll have to set the timer manually, the ViP will have no knowledge of any pre-emption, and no smarts to figure out what to do.
I do not subscribe to Dish Locals. I believe the PQ I get OTA is better than what Dish provides. I also get more channels and more subchannels. I set manual timers. I only have two recurring ones, so I only set them once. Every now and then, I set another timer for a one time recording. It's easy to do, but not as easy as clicking on an EPG box.
If you get Dish locals, you'll still have to have an OTA antenna and scan in the stations if you want out of markets. And yes, you'll have to set the timer manually, the ViP will have no knowledge of any pre-emption, and no smarts to figure out what to do.
Interestingly, programming info is provided for my locals which I receive via OTA as well as subscribing since I want the HD feeds. However, when I turn the antenna towards another DMA I receive those locals which also provides programming guide info.
You are correct. As long as you subscribe to locals from Dish, you will get Guide Data for any locals you can see OTA that Dish has Guide Data for (even if you do not get those channels).
For instance, if I "Move" to Chicago and subscribe to that DMA, I will have the Chicago Locals (and their guide data) and would also keep my OTA guide Data for the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek/Grand Rapids, MI Locals that I get from the OTA Antenna. I would not see the Michigan locals on the Sat Tuners, but I would have the data for the OTA.
Therefore, if you can see 2 DMA's from your Antenna and you subscribe to any Dish Locals, you would get OTA Guide Data for both DMA's for your OTA.
Geoff
And you can start the DVR playback of the OTA signal even one second after it starts recording - so basically you can see the OTA signal on TV2. Good point.
Also - I have my OTA antenna feeding it's signal into TV2's coax from a splitter - so (for now) I can get the OTA signal on TV2 (but obviously not the program guide). And as soon as I get a DTV converter box or digital tuner for TV2 - I'll be able to see the digital OTA broadcast on TV2.
The DVR is a great thing to have for grabbing the OTA signal, watching it, recording it, and playing it back whenever.
I record a daily timer for my local OTA channels for my daughter to watch shows. It's easy enough to check the tv listings on the internet and setup a show to record. Saves me $60/year that I can spend elsewhere.
If they are listed and have guide info as you state, will you still have to set timers to record OTA?
Thanks
You wont have to set manual timers. You click on the show in the guide,
it asks if you want to record it once, daily, new episodes, weekly, etc.
Get the dvr advantage with your locals, if you record more than 3 things a week, you need the guide info.Way easier, faster, plus you will have the program name on your recording. If not everything you record will be listed as digital service, then you will have to rename everything. NOT worth the hassle
That is the theory of how it works. But no one has been able to explain to me why I do not get guide data for the Charlottesville DMA OTA even though I subscribe to locals through Dish also.
About a year ago, I briefly "moved" to Atlanta to get HD Locals and the guide data for my Charlottesville locals showed up. As soon as I "moved" back my guide data for the OTA locals disappeared and I still do not have it.
I used to get my guide info on local channel #12-1 and # 24-1. Now I receive them on 35-3 and 24-58! NO guide info. Called Dish and tech said he will send a memo to the people in charge of this. Wierd, 58 is the digital frequency for 24 and 52 is for 12. 12-1 is to weak a signal and pixelates. Both stations claim they have to wait for 2/17/08 analog cut off because they want to broadcast as 12 and 24 insteads of 52 and 58. I think it is BS.
In my last on line chat with tech support about my lack of OTA guide data, I was told they would let engineering know about it and if it was not resolved in 2 weeks to check back.
I guess it is time to check back....
Has anyone ever successfully resolved this type of issue? No guide date for OTA even when you have it for the Dish Locals?
I guess it is time to check back....
Has anyone ever successfully resolved this type of issue? No guide date for OTA even when you have it for the Dish Locals?
