ViP722 -- use only with OTA possible?

[tgdsilva]

Is it possible to use the ViP722 with OTA connection only?

I just want to take the receiver and HDMI monitor (i don't have an hdtv) to the attic and see if I can get good reception through the OTA up there.

When I plug in the ViP722 with nothing else connected except the OTA antenna, I can't scan for the local channels. It says something to the effect that that feature cannot be accessed at this time (while it is looking for satellite).

Is there a a way around this?

thanks!

 

[Hall]

When it's searching for satellites, it will eventually "time out" and stop searching. While it's searching, you should be able to hit the "MENU" button and do different functions. If I recall though, some of the menus will be disabled w/o a valid satellite connection and the "Local Channels" menu is one of them. I can't think of a technical reason for this, but I think they do it.

 

[teqhead]

I'm sure you could probably use the 722 with a OTA only. OTA Only meaning you have no other programming available?

 

[ET392]

It will cost a few bucks, but you could just buy a spool of coax, throw some connecters on the ends and run from the attic, down the hall, etc. as a test. I did this to verify my OTA signal was ok before going to the trouble of running through the walls. I did end up having to add an inline amp to get all my channels.

 

[DishSubLA]

AFAIK the OTA will not function for a Dish Network satellite STB unless there you have a qualifying subscription to a satellite package. Dish Network views their satellite STB's as satellite boxes and NOT OTA boxes. Dish feels that since they subsidize their sat boxes, even the ones bought at full retail are subsidized, they don't want people getting a sophisticated OTA box like the 722 at a discount while Dish won't be able to recoup its subsidy unless one subscribes to one of the qualifying satellite packages. Some of you may disagree with this logic, but I am only telling what Dish and Charlie did say on a previous Charlie Chat.

If you want an STB for OTA use only, Dish points you towards their My PalDVR that is designed for OTA only, and is less sophisticated than the 722, et al., but still reported to be solid in most cases. It is not designed to receive any satellite channels. There is no monthly fee for the My PalDVR. You buy it once, and that is it. No more additional cost.

So, if you want to use the 722 to record OTA only, that is fine, but the box will have to be connected to the satellite dish and the STB will have to receive the data confirming that you are subscribed to a qualifying satellite package. Also, if you want the guide data for your OTA on the 722, then you must also subscribe to the LIL package. Again, the My PalDVR has no such requirement and gets its guide data from the PSIP. No subscriptions of any kind necessary.

 

[Pen15head]

providing the reciever has previously been activated and it does not come up with the "attention 129" message when you boot it up, you can make it happen. while its trying to aquire signal, press the menu button to access the main menus. go to local channels and scan in your locals. then create a favorites list, that only has your OTA channels and not sat channels. then access the program guide from option 1 on the main menu, set the favorites list to your OTA favorites. now when you channel up and down it will only from one ota to the next ota. you will not be bothered by 015/002 messages. but, you will not have program guide info, and you will not be able to name base record. you will have to set manuel timers. kinda of a PITA compared to just getting the dvrpal for 249.00.

 

[Smith P.]

DOESN'T WORKS !!!

providing the reciever has previously been activated and it does not come up with the "attention 129" message when you boot it up, you can make it happen. while its trying to aquire signal, press the menu button to access the main menus. go to local channels and scan in your locals. then create a favorites list, that only has your OTA channels and not sat channels. then access the program guide from option 1 on the main menu, set the favorites list to your OTA favorites. now when you channel up and down it will only from one ota to the next ota. you will not be bothered by 015/002 messages. but, you will not have program guide info, and you will not be able to name base record. you will have to set manuel timers. kinda of a PITA compared to just getting the dvrpal for 249.00.

Sounds good to be a truth, but it's not !
Doesn't work !

1st - if you have no dish connected and see Att#15 you could got Menu, but (!) 6-9 for Local will be not available for you . Dead end !
2nd - if you'll connect dish with good signal then that Menu-6-9 will be available, but (!) when you'll scan all channels, the unsub device will find 0 channels for you . Used 722@L618.
Yes, that HD TV found 40+ channels and ViP211 (sub) found 38 channels without any problem using same OTA antenna cable.

 

[Pen15head]

Sounds good to be a truth, but it's not !
Doesn't work !

1st - if you have no dish connected and see Att#15 you could got Menu, but (!) 6-9 for Local will be not available for you . Dead end !
2nd - if you'll connect dish with good signal then that Menu-6-9 will be available, but (!) when you'll scan all channels, the unsub device will find 0 channels for you . Used 722@L618.
Yes, that HD TV found 40+ channels and ViP211 (sub) found 38 channels without any problem using same OTA antenna cable.

read they very first line of my post. "providing the receiver has previously been activated". if you press the menu button and it goes straight to "system info" and not to main menu, then the reciever still has factory software in it. it will read verison 0.XX in it. i know it just begins with a zero, cant remember the second numbers. after a receiver has signal and a successful checkswitch, it will then download current software. you can have any verision of 622/722 software, as long as it begins with 6.XX. then when you press menu from the "attention 015" screen you will have the option to get to program guide as well as get to local channel scan. i realize a reciever right outta the box will not work for OTA use only. that is why i stressed "previously activated". even right outta the box after a software download, it will go to "attention 129", and from there, you CANNOT get to the menu at all. so if you buy a reciever from ebay that is not transferable due to its previous account status, you CAN actually use it as OTA.

 

[Hall]

read they very first line of my post. "providing the receiver has previously been activated".

I believe you're wrong .... read my post above where I said

If I recall though, some of the menus will be disabled w/o a valid satellite connection and the "Local Channels" menu is one of them. I can't think of a technical reason for this, but I think they do it.

 

[Smith P.]

I got same status as hall mentioned on ex-subbed 722 and mister Pen's posts meaning nothing so far. Regardless of his street talk about factory FW level and such.

 

[Pen15head]

i did not start using the OTA option on my 722 until a buttload of snow piled up on my dish and i didnt feel like going out to clear it. i simply hooked up an OTA to my receiver, pressed menu-6-9, and ran my local channel set up scan. then i created a fav list of only OTA channels to simplify use. I had no signal whatsoever when i did this. the only time i have seen a dish reciever skip the "main menu" and go straight to "system setup" when the menu button is pressed is when a reciever has facotry software.

try it youself, yank out sat cable feed and press menu-6-9. you will be able to access your local channel set up. i just did to make sure that perhaps a software update hadnt disabled the feature since i did this last year.

bottemline though, he is still better off with a dvrpal. who wants to deal with setting manuel timers and having no epg menu?

 

[DishSubLA]

providing the reciever has previously been activated and it does not come up with the "attention 129" message when you boot it up, you can make it happen. while its trying to aquire signal, press the menu button to access the main menus. go to local channels and scan in your locals. then create a favorites list, that only has your OTA channels and not sat channels. then access the program guide from option 1 on the main menu, set the favorites list to your OTA favorites. now when you channel up and down it will only from one ota to the next ota. you will not be bothered by 015/002 messages. but, you will not have program guide info, and you will not be able to name base record. you will have to set manuel timers. kinda of a PITA compared to just getting the dvrpal for 249.00.

A PITA? EXACTLY! Dish does not want this kind of set-up. In the older STB's they would SHUT DOWN any OTA functionality, completely. However, if the ViP model STB's are connected to a phone line or Ethernet, the STB may get the "all clear" if the one is subbed to a qualifying satellite package. If what you claim is true, I am sure, due to your detailed description of it, the software folks are now busy writing and testing software to kill your rare fix for the few random STB's out there that won't behave. Unfortunate, but that's they way they want it.

 

[Smith P.]

Cold blood bastards !

 

[DishSubLA]

Cold blood bastards !

Not really. The DTVPalDVR is their solution, and it has no fees. The sat STB's a very expensive, but they subsidize the upgrade or purchase cost (the new Moxie retails for $799, I believe), so they want their money back on the subsidy, and Dish won't get a cent back if one can use the sat box as an OTA only solution without any Dish Network satellite programming subscription. Perhaps, "by the spreadsheet numbers business folk" would be a more accurate description.

 

[Smith P.]

You know, if you are works for companies who design and sell such electronic devices, you'll not so confident in good faith Moxie's $800 price if will consider reasonable margin.