What would you have installed? (Equipment for Dish or Direct)

[worldtraveller]

Hi Guys,

New to this satellite stuff and have finally decided to swap from my local cable company due to lack of HD availability. Was wondering if you could help me design a system and work out what it would cost (installation and per month). I would probably use Turbo HD Silver on Dish or Plus HD DVR package through ATT on Direct.

I have two 1080p tv's - lounge and master and would want HD on both, with a DVR on one. In the rest of the house I have 3 other locations where I would want access to TV but only one at a time - question is can I run one receiver to all 3 locations as well as having my Slingbox Solo connect to the receiver? I would probably want HD/DVR on that one for future TV's (the DVR for my slingbox)? (all TV's viewing the same channel would not be a problem - I would locate the receiver in my office with my router and Slingbox)

Would it make any sense to buy any of these receiver's or just lease them?

I look forward to how you would suggest I do this.

Thanks

World Traveller

 

[CowboyDren]

Two 722s, one dedicated to one HDTV, the other in a closet, running your other HDTV. Put the Sling on TV2 of the first reciever, which would allow you to access the DVR recording. The TV2 output on receiver 2 would be responsible for feeding the other 3 TVs via coax. The Problem is that the Sling can't do RF remotes, which means that TV1 and the Sling would argue over who gets to control the screen. You could put the sling on the second receiver if HDTV1 can't be shared.

 

[worldtraveller]

Well I took the plunge and have an installer coming on Friday. They are going to install 2 722k's. The confirmation email says under equipment that they will use the 110/119 Orbit and lists two Dish 1000.2 KITs - does that mean I am getting two dishes?

I also ordered an OTA module for each 722k. Is there anything else I should be concerned about/ need to know when dealing with the installer?

As for the sling location - I still haven't figured that out yet - 48 hours to decide!

Thanks for your help.

 

[dsp81]

No, the 1000.2 can handle 3 receivers. The 1000.2 uses the 110, 119 and 129 orbital locations. You will only be getting one dish.

 

[CowboyDren]

So here's how I would do the setup, shown as Receiver:Ouptut -

1:1 1st HDTV, HDMI or Component, IR Remote
1:2 Sling, Composite, UHF Remote

2:1 2nd HDTV, HDMI or Component, IR Remote
2:2 SD, Coax, UHF Remote

The installer's job will be to get the dish pointed and the receivers updated. In your case, you need to know the exact, permanent location of each receiver, and the exact, permanent location of the two HDTVs, and at least one of the three SDTVs. He will need to configure and verify all four remote controls, one each IR and UHF for each receiver. He will also need to set up one SD with the wiring and verify that the second UHF remote works as advertised.

This is where his responsibility ends. If the Sling goes on DVR #1, he may be nice enough to set that up for you, but since it's not technically a TV, it's not officially his problem. Nor are two of the three SD boxes his problem...I just want you to know so that nobody gets upset on Friday. You can move the Sling to be a mirror of 1:1 via Component later, you just want to prove that it works on Day One. The quick'n'dirty way is run the TV2 composite (S-video + Stereo) output into the composite input of the 1st HDTV, just to prove it works independently of TV1, then move that composite from the TV to the Sling. Side note, by putting the Sling here, it'll make upgrading your main DVR to a 922 easier to get used to.

Once the installer has left, it'll be up to you to run coax, just like he did for SD #1, for SD #2 and #3. A simple one-input, three-output coax splitter is just fine, but if you use a 1*4 instead of 1*3 splitter, make sure you get a coax terminator cap for the unused output. By any chance are all three of these TVs the same brand/family? Setting up power and volume controls on remote 2:2 may get tricky if they're not. You may be able to get away with ordering two more 21.0 UHF remotes, setting them up to use the same address as 2:2, and then you'd get to leave them in the desired rooms instead of carrying it around with you. Make sure that the 1:2 UHF remote does not use the same address, or your SD remotes will change the channel on the Sling!

If you don't have an antenna distribution network, make sure you have a set-top rabbit ear kit handy so that he can verify the operation of the OTA module as well. Don't worry about getting every single channel at the point of installation, you can install/point a real antenna later if you don't have one. His job is just to prove that everything works and that you get your ESPN-HD or whatever.

Just remember that attitudes are reciprocal; if you are courteous and pleasant, so will he be.

 

[worldtraveller]

Wow thanks for the detailed reply.

I have the locations for the boxes set and intend to put the sling with box 1. I will do the quick and dirty check you suggest for the sling. The second 722 will be in the bedroom with a coax to the other rooms. The master is on the 1st floor and the other locations upstairs - is this going to be a problem with the standard install - will I have to pay extra? I may just ask the guy for a price to run the coax to the other rooms when he is here.

As to the attitudes - I'm with you on that one - it never ceases to amaze me when people are rude and have an attitude and still expect to get exactly what they want!

Thanks again

 

[CowboyDren]

Going from 2:2 to an upstairs location, for one TV, is included in the standard installation. If it's a Dish employee that does your install, he may not be able to officially charge you for running coax to the additional locations. An independent contractor/installer may offer you a VIP install price list.

If he stutters at your request, I'd put a $50 bill on the TV stand in the bedroom and say, "It's yours if you run all three coax cables for me." Go to Lowe's beforehand and pick up a standard 1*3 or 1*4 Antenna/CATV splitter and a terminator (don't go to Radio Shack, it's the same crap at twice the price).

Say, "Make it pretty, and there's another Jackson in it for you."

 

[worldtraveller]

Thanks again Cowboy!

Any other tips regarding getting good install?

I do have a basement/crawl space that makes running cable easy downstairs, my only concern is how they make it look nice going to the upstairs. I looked at the dish locator website and it appears to me that the dish will either have to be in the far corner of the back yard or up on the roof at the front/side of my house - is either location preferable other than how it looks?

Thanks again for the help

 

[CowboyDren]

Did you evaluate the Eastern Arc options? Look at the same locators for 61.5, 72, and 77 orbital locations. I didn't catch your location, but if your locals are on 61.5, this may free up your options. The installer would need to bring a 1000.4 dish instead of the 1000.2, because they're pretty different.

 

[CowboyDren]

Forgot to answer the core question! Whichever dish location requires the shortest cable run is the best. You also have every right to refuse the install if the installer doesn't bring the right gear, doesn't know what a 1000.4 dish is, or otherwise smells of incompetence. This dude is going to spend two hours drilling holes in your walls and roof; you have to be able to trust him.

 

[bhelms]

Another consideration - in all probability the installer will NOT have HDMI cables with him. Hopefully he will use at least component connections from the 722s to your HDTVs, but when you read other threads in these parts you learn that's not always the case! If your TVs have HDMI inputs, that's probably on your nickel to connect.

A good source is monoprice.com HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!. Might be too late now to get them in time for your installation, but there's always tomorrow for an "upgrade". Make sure the 722s are also set for HD output (720p or 1080i preferred) to their TV1 locations...

 

[worldtraveller]

Did you evaluate the Eastern Arc options? Look at the same locators for 61.5, 72, and 77 orbital locations. I didn't catch your location, but if your locals are on 61.5, this may free up your options. The installer would need to bring a 1000.4 dish instead of the 1000.2, because they're pretty different.

I'm in Macon, Georgia 31210 - Hadn't looked at that - I will try to check, of course the installer will probably show up with 1000.2 since that is on the work order.


I do have HDMI cables on my blu-ray player so I can use that to check the instal. I also have component cables.

Thanks for all of the help.

 

[worldtraveller]

I checked on dishpointer and it seems to be about a wash with the 1000.4. It may have more trees close to its direction but the azimuth is 49.9 v 36.2 so trees may be less of a factor.

What advantage would the 1000.4 give me if both the 1000.2 and 1000.4 have an equally good unobstructed view of the sky?

I wish I had been reading up on more of this before I booked the instal!!! (having said that I have seen more Dish ads on TV in the last two days than I have for a while so maybe the instal dates will be getting further out!)

 

[CowboyDren]

I know it's getting late, but the Eastern Arc hardware is 100% MPEG-4 instead of MPEG-2. My Kansas City stations are in both services, and the SD stuff in MP4 is a lot easier to look at than MP2 channels on Western Arc. You're near Macon, about 80 miles out of Atlanta; does that mean you're eligible for Atlanta locals, or are there specific Macon locals? If you can subscribe to Atlanta, you're EA-eligible. Maybe you'll get lucky and the installer will have both dishes on the truck.

Did you get that coax splitter?

 

[worldtraveller]

There are Macon locals - how do I know if they are on EA or not? I would assume that if Macon locals are on 1000.2 then I would be forced to take 1000.2.

Would it be possible for me to request EA since I will have the OTA module and could get the locals that way? I know I wouldn't have the guide info but that really wouldn't matter, Atlanta locals would be fine.

I do have the coax splitter, thanks for your help.

The installer is coming the afternoon so I still have a little time! It may be delayed anyway since we have storms forecast today.

 

[CowboyDren]

This is getting complicated.

If you lived in Atlanta, you could flip a coin for WA vs. EA, though I'd encourage EA because of the MP4 encoding, mentioned above. Living near Macon, four of your local channels are on 110W (CBS, NBC, Fox, and WGNM [ind]). Since they're not on 61.5 or 72, this means that you're pretty much stuck with Western Arc, which isn't all bad. The satellites at 110 and 129 are stronger than anything on EA, and 119 is next to be replaced. I have to settle for what I have until 61.5 is replaced, which will happen after 119. You'll be just fine.

With an antenna, you should be picking up more like 7 channels from Macon-ish, and if you're lucky, and the wind is blowing right, maybe some Atlanta. The good news is that the only VHF station out of Macon is PBS (known as ch. 29), which will be going to ch. 7 in June, according to TVFool.com. If that's not an important station to you, you can peg out your OTA module's signal meter with a $13, low-profile, outdoor antenna. As a matter of fact, that same $13 antenna works just fine for me on ch. 9, which is a similar distance from me as you to ch. 29. I wouldn't hold your breath for Atlanta OTA, though you could "move" to Atlanta if you don't need Macon guide data.

I'm tangentizing...let's just get your initial stuff up and running first.

 

[CowboyDren]

I wait with baited breath.

 

[worldtraveller]

Finally got done at 8pm! Some trouble running one of the cables. The weather is terrible here at the moment but the picture looks great. Good guys doing the instal - telephoned ahead with the arrival time , 2 722k's with OTA installed and a 1000.2 in the back yard - they don't get the 1000.4 in this area yet so it wasn't an issue.

I didn't even ask about the splitter as it was getting late - I can do that myself. Picture looks good on the 2 SD locations as well - better than my cable ever was.

Now all I have to do is get the OTA installed - that will be another request for info when I get around to getting it done

Looking forward to using the slingbox when I go to Japan next week.

Thanks again for your help.