Difference between Dish Network receivers Picture Quality ?

[gurevise]

Hi Guys,
Do you know if there is any difference in Picture Quality between Dish Network receivers ?
I'm not interested in any features line PVR and the likes, I just want a good PQ from the system.
So, does the 301 have the same PQ as 501 and 721 ?
Let me know.

Thanks
Sergey

Dayton, OH

[Mike123abc]

I would recommend the 6000 receiver. I personally love the HDTV capabilities. The 6000 has every feature I want except the program guide is extremely limited, you can only see the current show and the next show. You do not get PiP when in the guide.

[James_F]

All receivers should have the same PQ. Of course the 6000 will have better picture on HD signals, but for standard def the difference would not be noticeable. Features of the receivers is what sets them apart.

[gcutler]

I can't tell the difference between the PQ of my 4900, 301 and 501.

[boba]

The 6000 is not user friendly if you are going to connect more than 1 TV to it. The 6000 has no RF output(ch3/4) and can only output either SD or HDTV at one time.

[Mike123abc]

But, the 6000 you can also get the over the air module that lets you recieve HDTV OTA, and regular NTSC. You can also get all the analog cable channels too. I find this very valuable since my cabel company will not pick up my HDTV any time soon and no dish LIL.

[Jacob S]

I think your television will have more of an effect on picture quality than receivers.

[motjes2]

Here is something interested. I have a 721 and 6000 model connected to a Sony 60" XBR. The CBSHD channel when transmitting SD looks a lot better than the CBS channel in the 8000 from the same receiver or from the CBS channel from the 721. Can anyone explain this to me?

I also have the OTA module on the 6000 and the SD OTA signal from CBS looks identical to the signal I get from the CBSHD channel on the dish receiver...

[bunkers]

I would wait a little longer for the 921 to come out. I have a 301 and 501 and don't see any different in PQ personally. I like the guides on the PVR receivers, because they have more days of programming in them, and no more "waiting to aquire from satellite" messages, etc.

[MarkA]

"The 6000 is not user friendly if you are going to connect more than 1 TV to it. The 6000 has no RF output(ch3/4)"

Ever hear of distribution amps and MTS RF modulators (which would be superior to the built in RF out anyways), my friend? That's not a real problem (for the kind of people with the money for a 6000). Only HD OR SD IS a real problem, though.

Anyways, for the most part, the receiver makes little difference. Some older receivers had a major PQ problem called "red jaggies" and the 6000, of course, has a (poor quality) built-in scaler. But other than that, the difference in minimal.

[MrAkai]

I noticed (for SD at least) that my 50x's have a slightly better PQ than my 7100s and my 4000s before them, on the same TV.

[DarrellP]

The 6000 is not user friendly if you are going to connect more than 1 TV to it. The 6000 has no RF output(ch3/4) and can only output either SD or HDTV at one time.
A trick I use with my 6000: I run my 6000 & 501 into an electronic switch using one set of the Composite Video outputs. I run one set of the outputs from the switch to my VCR, this allows me to watch TV with the Home Theater turned off via the coax on Ch 3 if I choose too. Not a pretty option as the RF offers the worst possible Picture Quality, but for late night viewing or quick viewing to check the news or to record a show, it is a solution.

As far as PQ, there is no difference on standard def material with the 6000 or 501.

[jerryez]

I have the Dush 2800(bottom of the line receiver and the Dish 6000. I cannot tell any difference in picture quality between them. I have a 65in HDTV and both SD pictures are the same, which is an acceptable picture on most channels. Actually, my Cox cable picture is a little bit better.

[Jack White]

Originally posted by motjes2
Here is something interested. I have a 721 and 6000 model connected to a Sony 60" XBR. The CBSHD channel when transmitting SD looks a lot better than the CBS channel in the 8000 from the same receiver or from the CBS channel from the 721. Can anyone explain this to me?

I also have the OTA module on the 6000 and the SD OTA signal from CBS looks identical to the signal I get from the CBSHD channel on the dish receiver...

The reason CBS HD when transmitting SD looks a lot better than your CBS local on Dish is because Dish COMPRESSES THE HELL OUT OF almost all the standard def channels because it really has way more channels than it was ever really designed to carry in my opinion.
Another thing that proves that Dish wasn't meant to carry so many channels in the first place is the fact that there are a lot of EPG problems because the EPG on many recievers wasn't meant to handle so many channels. The last time somebody posted the average bitrate based on their pvr recordings, it was about 2.5Mbps.
I'm guessing that your CBS HD channel has a much higher bitrate than that when transmitting in SD mode.
Another thing that may lower picture quality is probably the fact that Dish probably does NOT have a fiber hookup for your CBS local. The only standard def channels I've personally seen on Dish in a LONG time that have a respectable bitrate in my opinion are the NBA League Pass Channels.
I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that it may also be possible that your HD CBS when broadcasting SD might be doing it in Progressive Scan mode so that might be another thing that makes it seem better.

[Jupiter]

I just upgraded to a 508 from an old 3700 and the picture IS better. The 3700 had problems with the color red... The edges of anything red used to be jagged, now they are much smoother. I still have a 4000 in another room... It also has problems with red.

Has anyone had this problem?

[DarrellP]

The "Red Jaggies" was a known problem and Dish was supposed to fix those receivers for free if you requested it. This was about 2 years ago if my dusty braincells serve me correctly.

[ghickman]

Dish needs better marketing to sell ANYONE with a bigscreen TV a Model 6000 receiver! It is mandatory now...read on my nightmare.

Like so many here, I got home from Circuit City and hooked up my 57" Sony HDTV bigscreen.....and very disappointed with the picture off Dish. I immediately returned the TV and got a Hitachi....thinking the Consumer Reports "winner" would make the picture better. Needless to say, I am not making great friends at the Circuit City! I then returned it thinking the way to was Sony again but a better model....and still not happy at all with the picture quality off Dish, the artifacts, ghosting and "painted" look on faces in closeups. Of course, I have almost as much money invested in cables...all Monster Cable and a strong signal from Dish. I put $50 in TERK amplifiers on the signal...and the picture still looked crappy. I then read here on your forum to get a calibration cd....and threw more money at the problem to correct the terrible picture quality. It didn't help one bit but at least I "know" now the settings are acme. The whole time my picture signal was fine and Dish just as good and certainly better than cable!

Well....Dish needs to market or be more lucid in marketing of the Model 6000 receiver. I invested even MORE in my home theater setup with the $499 model 6000 receiver and it fixed 99% of my problems. Immediately all the ghosting and "painted" faces were gone and picture quality acceptable again. I am SO DAMN HAPPY now with my bigscreen. God, I love this stuff...but it is very stressful and many nights were spent reading all your posts and researching web sites all over the world for help. The "near HD quality Hitachi and Sony and all preach with SD Tv is bull....it doesn't come close to the Model 6000's Enhanced HD adapter.

It seems the stuff inside the Model 6000 DOES REALLY HELP picture quality of SD transmissions. I am running it YPbPr and can toggle between the SVIDEO and see a huge cleanup in the picture....and my Sony is a XBR 57"! I am leaving it on YPbPr all the time and tolerate the fact the signal is having to be blown up so much. The 6000u is the same thing with the Enhanced HD adapter that converts Dish's signal to the proper format for upconversion to 1080i or 720p...you pick. It takes almost 99% of the jaggies and pixelation out and makes the picture look great.

The model 6000 is the best kept secret in the entire friggin' industry.

Thanks to all of you....I would have never known about it except for reading one post from someone who noticed a difference....I called Dish and talked to 4 or 5 folks who said the Model 6000 ONLY MADE HDTV LOOK GOOD AND NOT SD PROGRAMMING! Jeez...let me sell them and make a million by putting a couple lines of description better on their website.

HDTV is worth every penny of money if you have the right equipment to match Dish's signal with the Enhanced HD adapter included to decode and process Dish's signal properly.

I am NOT going to get the extra Dish for HDTV yet....not worth it for only one channel or some more packages like HBO and Showtime...I like Starz and will wait. The receiver alone with the included Enhanced HD adapter for $499 is perfect. I will wait for more programming and love the better picture...miss the PVR and better screens and longer downloads with programming...but still. Life is good.

Thank you all...keep up the good work.



PS- the guys at Circuit City still don't like me very much. I advise to buy a bigscreen only at a major reseller where a return policy applies in writing. A friend went to a local reseller "Meltons" with a 20% restocking free and no money back policy. Poor guy got a really bad one and stuck with it now.