What OTA USB Unit to Look For, For a Hopper/Sling

[Liam4824]

solid signal whom I have done a lot of business with, has the ota dual tuner usb for $61.99 plus shipping which is probably around $7.00.
was able to get one over at DishformyRV for $49.99 plus free shipping ten days ago but now that price has jumped $10.00 there..

 

[WB9SBD]

Ok, got my dongle, and installed it and it all works great!

One question, does anyone know what the output via the USB connector is?

 

[KAB]

Ok, got my dongle, and installed it and it all works great!

One question, does anyone know what the output via the USB connector is?

Same as whatever the station is feeding...720p/1080i, if that's your question.

 

[Jim5506]

Ok, got my dongle, and installed it and it all works great!

One question, does anyone know what the output via the USB connector is?

Dish receivers output resolution according to how the user sets the output regardless of the input whether satellite or via OTA dongle.

It is all the same depending out your settings on the receiver, not according to the resolution that comes from the provider.

 

[Liam4824]

with the flex pack, if I drop my locals will I still see the guide data I am seeing now for the ota networks. I was thinking of dropping them once the ota dual tuner adapter has the software downloaded. and who knows when that will be....

 

[DWS44]

with the flex pack, if I drop my locals will I still see the guide data I am seeing now for the ota networks. I was thinking of dropping them once the ota dual tuner adapter has the software downloaded. and who knows when that will be....

There have been recent reports by at least one poster with Flex who lost their OTA guide data when they dropped their locals.

 

[pattykay]

There have been recent reports by at least one poster with Flex who lost their OTA guide data when they dropped their locals.

There have also been plenty of posts by Flex Pack subscribers who still have OTA guide data without subscribing to locals. I even have OTA guide data on deactivated receivers with no Dish subscription whatsoever. Maybe it varies by receiver model. ViP receivers should still have OTA guide data without a subscription to locals, in my experience. I am not sure about Hoppers, though.

 

[Crickee]

I just purchased the OTA dual adapter. It works great, but it’s extremely hot almost too hot to touch. I’ve searched and it seems to be a common problem. Is anyone here experiencing this? It seems like it could be a fire hazard. My set up is totally in the open so no airflow issues.

 

[DWS44]

I just purchased the OTA dual adapter. It works great, but it’s extremely hot almost too hot to touch. I’ve searched and it seems to be a common problem. Is anyone here experiencing this? It seems like it could be a fire hazard. My set up is totally in the open so no airflow issues.

It does get quite warm, as most have experienced, but with a setup out in the open like you mention, I don't think it would cause any major issues.

 

[ekilgus]

It does get quite warm, as most have experienced, but with a setup out in the open like you mention, I don't think it would cause any major issues.

I also haven't seen any issues due to the tuner getting warm. However, I've noticed and others may have also noticed sporadic events like the OTA signal loss box, sometimes even superimposed on the picture, and the sound dropping out. I believe this is a software issue (CUI) rather than a hardware one. In any event, a quick change to another channel and back again resolves these issues.

 

[dweber]

The other problem with the dual tuner besides the extreme heat is that the new tuner is not as sensitive as the old tuner. If you are located in a market with broadcasters that are not close you will not receive the weaker stations.

I bet you could catch tissue on fire with the hot tuner. I have gone back to using the old tuner.

 

[boba]

Generally if the component runs hot it will have a shorter life, see if the provider will swap it out.

 

[JSheridan]

Generally if the component runs hot it will have a shorter life, see if the provider will swap it out.

That won't help. They all run hot. It's their natural condition.

 

[ChadT41]

They are hot, averaging about 115 F, but that is not hot enough to catch a Kleenex on fire. Otherwise the state of AZ is screwed.

 

[SandFarmer]

The other day I called the Exec office to confirm some info in regard to a new install and asked about a single band OTA module that has died, I was going to buy a new dual for a Hopper 3, and was told they are gone. They don't even have them in their system to look them up. I thought that the new dual tuner units were the new holy grail. I looked on their website and they are showing an all-in-one antenna unit.

Walmart even has them. And a lot of other DISH gear. What happened or is happening?

Apologies if this has been covered, but nothing the suits this question came up in a search.

 

[ChadT41]

The other day I called the Exec office to confirm some info in regard to a new install and asked about a single band OTA module that has died, I was going to buy a new dual for a Hopper 3, and was told they are gone. They don't even have them in their system to look them up. I thought that the new dual tuner units were the new holy grail. I looked on their website and they are showing an all-in-one antenna unit.

Walmart even has them. And a lot of other DISH gear. What happened or is happening?

Apologies if this has been covered, but nothing the suits this question came up in a search.

They have been keeping the accessories through 3rd parties lately. Not sure why.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I bought a dual tuner ota usb dongle from Amazon. Got a second one coming tomorrow for my parents Wally on my second account.

 

[SandFarmer]

They have been keeping the accessories through 3rd parties lately. Not sure why.

OK. Just for kicks and giggles, I called again tonight and got a lovely young lady, in retention I guess, that was more than glad to help. When I told her about my last call regarding the OTA module she said she was not sure what happened but they still have them in both kinds. She tried to send one out to me under the service plan, but the "system" said a tech had to come with it. I said that would an awfully large box to ship. ARG! ARG! I also said that it is a waste of time to have a tech come out for a 10 minute situation. So well then if a tech is coming out and I have to "disrupt" my day, the least he or she could do is bring a dual tuner unit. She said OK. So when they show we'll have to see what happens. Then we had the two H3 discussion since my account is marked for it and I explained the physical logistics of the situation and how the 16 tuners had nothing to do with it, and it was physically impossible to merge two HwS into one box that was basically a a single HwS (2) in hard drive and allowed amount of timers. And plus the one box - one TV culture that DISH has had since we first started back in the mid-90's is the way our house is set up with modulators feeding all the TVs and that's the way we have done it for years. Going to one box for everyone would be culture shock and impossible. She said she was, "blown away" and that it made perfect sense and now she knows. Glad I could help.

So I don't have to order one from Walmart after all. But probably will if I can't get a deal from DISH when the time comes to get a dualy if I don't get one on this next visit. Fingers crossed.

 

[ChadT41]

Keep us informed on what happens. Maybe one of the techs here can answer if they carry them on their trucks. HipKat JSheridan

 

[JSheridan]

Keep us informed on what happens. Maybe one of the techs here can answer if they carry them on their trucks. HipKat JSheridan

We carry them but we're an independent retailer so we can decide what we carry. I don't know about Dish corporate or the RSP's.