(newbie) Switching from Dishplayer to 721?

[GuyW]

I'm finally posting! I'm lurked for a while, gleaning insights from all of you, thank you.

I have had Dish 500 since 10/2000. For the first year, I swore I would one day come home and seriously rip the thing out and throw it in the street. It was horrible. Error messages daily, reboot, call tech support, get a replacement receiver, replace switch, replace wiring, replace LNBF, new installation, REPEAT all of the above. Anyway, Tech support stunk, but I got a ton of credits that allowed me to endure the misery.

After a couple of years now, things are going smoothly (with the exception of the occasitionaly blackout). With two kids now, my wife & I want to upgrade and start using a PVR. I know our current Dishplayer has one built in, but it is $9.99 per month, and we don't want to pay it. (We do use the free 10 minute preview often though if one of us gets a phone call, etc. !)

So, if we upgrade, we want to go all the way with the 721. Since I have no idea what the 721 requires for installation, my main question is:
Can I buy the receiver on its own, or do I need to buy more cables, LNBFs, switches, etc. to upgrade?

Here are the details to help answer that question:
- I only have one TV in the house, thus only one recevier
- I believe I have two Dual LNBFs (DishDepot's website says "Dual LNBF (Legacy)
- I can't remember the switch I have. It only has two inputs and one output, I believe a SW21

That's it! So, do I need to change anything, or do I just disconnect the cable coming in from the dish and connect it to the new 721 or what?
Like I said, I'm good at watching TV, not setting it up...

Thanks for all your help?

[Bill R]

GuyW,

I recently replaced one of my DishPlayers with a 721. The 721 has two tuners so you will need to hook the cable that is hooked up to the DishPlayer to the 721 AND run a cable from another SW21 to the second tuner of the 721. It is fairly easy to do all this yourself (depending on where your dish is mounted) and the original installer may have already run the cables from the LNBs so you might not even need to do that. Check to see if you have 4 cables coming from the dish. If you do then you don't need to run more cables from the LNBs to the new SW21. The cable from the SW21 runs to the second tuner of your 721. If you only see two cables from the dish you will need to run the other two (one from each LNB) to the new SW21.

You will really like the 721. It is quite a giant leap up from the DishPlayer.

[GuyW]

Thanks Bill.
I only have one line coming from each LNB to the SW21 and then the one line into the receiver.
So, I need to basically duplicate what I currently have (each LNB will have two lines coming out, one line to one SW21 and the other lines to the other SW21. Then two lines coming into the receiver....
A local retailer I called wants about $900 for the 721 and to install everything needed. $300 seems high to me...

[Chris Blount]

Guy, welcome to DBSTalk! :hi:

You can get everything you need from http://www.dishdepot.com . Like Bill said, to hook up the second tuner, just run another cable from both LNB's to another SW21 switch and then to the 721. Easy as pie and you should be able to do it yourself.

You can purchase a 721 all by itself from DishDepot with no commitments. You can also get an SW21 switch from them.

To get the most money from your Dishplayer. Sell it on E-Bay. The going rate right now is around $250. Well worth the effort to help buy your new 721.

[TerryC]

Guy, I have a Quad lnb for sale on the Buy, Sell, Trade board for $80, shipping included. It would be easier to install that and you'd have room for future expansion. It would be win-win for you and me. :)

[MAllen]

Guy,

It sounds like you have most of what you need. If you already have dual/dual LNBF's (two feeds from each of two LNBF's on your dish 500). All you would need to get is another sw21. I have had my 721 since last July and have LOVED it!! Not only the PVR functions but the AWSOME fast 7 day program guide (I upgraded from a 5000 receiver). I bought my 721 from Dish Depot.... good people! I have done ALL the installs myself (including the original install), and you should have no problem with this one. Sound like you just need to pull one more RG6 from your switch location to the receiver location and the pulls from the dish to the switches. Go for it!!

[tontomono]

I just ran an extra 100' length of RG6 cable yesterday in preparation for a 721 that I just ordered the other day from dishdepot.com . Really, if you are going to get anything, get it there, they did have the best price and "free" shipping. I actually purchased my 721 and a quad lnb from another place and then like an hour later found this place, read a whole lot, canceled my order with the other retailer, started posting here, and then ordered a dish and quad lnb from the dish depot place for like 30 dollars less! now I am just waiting to receive the 721 and lnb on Monday! woohoo! can't wait to join all of you. It'll be great, especially since I am never home to watch what I want to. See ya around.

Jon

[guywall]

Thanks everyone! (I finally registered & got it to work).

One follow up question, is my dishplayer 500 the 7200? I did a quick check on ebay and those are all over the place.
Since I am paid through October with Dish, if I go to sell my Dishplayer, do I lose that payment? Or what it effect the new buyer? Do I have to wait until October to sell it?

Sorry for all the basic questions, but this seems liek the place to ask them!

TerryC- you mentioned that if I went with a LNB Quad-Legacy that It would give me room for the future. What do you mean? Would the Quad be the same as my two dual LNBs?

I already have an extra switch from when I went through all my problems before, but it seems I would just have to buy some new cable to make the 721 happen. I'm curious though to hear the difference (advantages) between the Quad and the Dual.
Thanks again to all of you. Hopefully, someday, I may be able to help you all with something!
Guy

[TerryC]

Originally posted by guywall

TerryC- you mentioned that if I went with a LNB Quad-Legacy that It would give me room for the future. What do you mean? Would the Quad be the same as my two dual LNBs?

Guy
A quad has four outputs, each combining the 110 and 119 satellite slots. This means that you can run two cables from the quad directly to a 721, with no switches needed. You would then have two unused outputs that can be used for two more receivers or for one more 721. With your situation, you can hook up one 721 using the two lines from your SW21s, but you won't have an option to add a second or third receiver in the future.

Now, in all fairness, *I believe* you could get a 44 or 64 switch which would allow four outputs, but the advantages of a quad are:

1) A quad would a be a less messier (not as messy?) hookup. Instead of (as in your case) four lines out to the SW21s and two lines from the switches to the 721, you would need only two lines straight from the quad to the back of the receiver. Then one or two more to your other receivers, if you got them. Maximum of four cables.

2) If you had a quad and later added a 44 or 64 switch (don't quote me on this, I've never had a switch larger than a 21) you would have the ability to have many more than 4 outputs. Something like 12(!). Maybe someone who knows for sure can chime in here.

I went with a quad because I didn't want a lot of cables strung all over the place or the hassle of switches which can be a pain to situate and to get to if they go bad. And the lack of a switch meant one less thing to possibly malfunction.

[tontomono]

According to dish tech support if you have a quad lnb legacy you cannot further split out from the 4. Has to do with the switch already being integrated in to the lnb I believe. I know, I asked, since I wanted to know for the future if it would be possible. You would be much better off getting the quad dish pro if this is a first setup or if you don't have any legacy receivers since you can then further switch from the pro. Hope that helps!

Jon

[MAllen]

Tontomono,

I got the DishPro Quad from Dish Depot when I got my 721. It works great, but if I had to do it over again, I might have gone with a DishPro Dual and an SW34 in case we EVER get locals here and I would be ready for the 2nd dish. I have used the SW21 and SW42 switches (the SW42 is essentially 2 SW21's combined, i.e. 2 feeds from 110 and 2 feeds from 119 being combined into two "combined" outputs. As you said the Dishpro dual (2 outputs each with 119 and 110 combined) and DishPro Quad (4 Outputs each with 119 and 110 combined). The SW34 is the newest switch which will allow three inputs 110, 119, and 61.5 with four combined outputs. The SW34 will also allow cascading of additional SW34's to allow even more (I think a total of three switches to allow for 12 combined outputs).

[tontomono]

Yeah, just can't do that on Legacy Lnb's ;) So I won't be upgrading beyond my 721 and two legacy receivers ;) At least not without buying a new lnb and switches and adapters for the old receivers. :-/ Oh well, I'll be happy when my 721 arrives and I get it hooked up.

[BobaBird]

TerryC, on your point 2), the legacy Quad can act as 2 dual LNBFs in a parallel SW44 or parallel SW64 setup for a maximum 8 outputs. See http://ekb.dbstalk.com/129. To get 12 outputs you would have to switch to DishPro.

MAllen, a couple corrections of names. There is no DishPro Dual, it is a DishPro Twin. Dual refers to a legacy dual output LNBF for one satellite slot. The external switch is a DP34. Don't worry about not getting the DP34 now. If Dish ever puts some of your locals on a side satellite, they will have to provide the dish and switch to you.

tontomono, you actually can get more than 4 outputs from a legacy Quad but it would be much cheaper to just put up another Dish500.

[Randy_B]

Originally posted by guywall
Thanks everyone! (I finally registered & got it to work).

One follow up question, is my dishplayer 500 the 7200? I did a quick check on ebay and those are all over the place.
Since I am paid through October with Dish, if I go to sell my Dishplayer, do I lose that payment? Or what it effect the new buyer? Do I have to wait until October to sell it?

Guy

Guy, the Dish 500 is the dish itself, nothing to do with the receiver. The DP 7200 has the bigger HD. I believe it is/was 16 GB (WD I believe) compared to the 7100 which has/had an 8GB HD (I think these were Seagates). The 7100 also shipped with the IR keyboard, the 7200 did not. If it has an upgraded HD, the 7100 or 7200 label is kinda moot, except for an indication of how old the box actually is.

If you are prepaid for the PTV fee, you should get a credit on your account for the prorated amount if you keep your subscription and just change receivers. If you left Dish you would loose the money (or it would sit in a credit you could reclaim if you resubscribed). Dish does not issue refunds just credits.

Prepaid PTV would not transfer to the buyer. One thing. If you sell the DP, make sure the Dish CSR removes the receiver from your account. If you just tell them you are deactivating the receiver, the receiver and smartcard #s are still tied to your account even though it is not charged for. The receiver will have to be free of any charges and not tied to an existing account for a new subscriber to activate it.

[guywall]

Just to let you all know, I finally did it - I switched from the 7200 to the 721 last night. I waited & waited for the 522, but no more.
Was able to do the set-up (new wires, up on the roof, etc.) and downloads in about an hour and a half.

So far so good, knock on wood. I'm still trying to figure out all the tricks, since it is different that the old Dishplayer. My wife liked the old colors (light green, not as bright) over the 721 and the first thing she said she wanted to do was change the colors.

The search by title feature is very cool. I decided not to post in the Dish v. Direct Tivo thread. typing in a name of a show and hitting search was quick and easy. We were able to read descriptions and set the timers to start early and end late. I, for one, don't think I need the name based recording, since I think this does a great job. But I don't want to start a war in this thread over it...

I'll be sure to ask all my questions as they come up!
Thanks again for the information you all provide.

[guywall]

Now I need to sell the old 7200...