522 and 811 on ONE tv?

[mightiDBS]

Ready to quit my cable and looking at current promotion of "digital home advantage" now...

I am thinking hook up the 522 and the 811 to my HD set, but seems that I have to hook up both recevers to different inputs. It's really troublesome to switch back and forth for SD and HD, does anyone has any suggestion?

I had talked to the CS, and he doesn't even know if I can hook both receivers to ONE tv? I don't think there is an issue on it, right?

Also, I heard a lot of bad experience on 811, which let me reconsider getting the HD pak, do you guys think the HD pak worth the $$? it costs $15(service fee + additional receiver)...

BTW, anyone knows any better deal on E*? the terms from E* and online vendors seems to identical.

Thanks for your help!!

[SimpleSimon]

Welcome Aboard!

I'm sorry, but you've got to think about these boxes like a VCR or DVD player - how would you possibly take the outputs of 2 separate boxes and put them onto one input of your HDTV?

That being said, there's various ways to make things convienent. I us my Sony STR DE695 to auto-switch my audio and video between my DVD's and 921's component and digital audio outputs. That's just one example.

[garypen]

I have a 721 and 811 hooked up to my home theater. Easy as pie. Piece of cake. T*ts. Go for it.

OTOH, I do not think the HD Pack is worth the $10. I use the 811 for HBO-HD and local OTA HD and Digital broadcasts. (OTA digital looks waaaaaaaaaaaay better than Dish locals.)

[mightiDBS]

Thanks for the input.

Garypen, do you have to switch back and forth to different inputs if you want to watch HD and SD? or you have any trick? As for spending the additional on HBO, I rather subscribe n*flix service.

Thanks!

[scooper]

"It depends". In some cases, the 811's upconvert to HDTV of the SD looks best, in other cases or if you want to watch recorded material - your TV may do a better job.

And something else to consider - each satellite tuner (there are 2 of them on the 522) needs it's OWN cable run - no splitters. ( There maybe a different situation for all DishPro equipment with the very latest switches/LNBs)


Speaking of Netflix - you'll probably want to put your DVD player on yet another input.

[garypen]

Thanks for the input.

Garypen, do you have to switch back and forth to different inputs if you want to watch HD and SD? or you have any trick? As for spending the additional on HBO, I rather subscribe n*flix service.

Thanks!
I use two different inputs on my HDTV, and two different inputs on my audio receiever which goes to my projector. Both Dish receivers have multiple simultaneous outputs. (I also use the RF output of the 721 to feed the rest of the condo.)

As for HBO and NetFlix, we have both. NetFlix basically negates the need for Max/Starz/Encore/Showtime. But, HBO has original series we like to watch.

[HTguy]

Actually, you don't have to use seperate inputs on the TV.

You can connect TV1 from the DVR 522 into Back Panel Input 1 on the 811 and TV2 from the DVR522 into Back Panel Input 2, for example.

But if you have a DD A/V Surround receiver or processor you will certainly want to connect TV1's optical digital output into it as well as the 811's. So it may make sense to connect the TV1 video to another input on the 811 (perhaps thru the A/V receiver) as well.

[SimpleSimon]

scooper: The way to run a single cable to "near" a x2x box is to use the DishProPlus Separator connected to a DPP44 switch, or the not yet available DPP Twin LNBF which is effectively a DPP32 switch (no - that's not a 'real' model number) with 2 LNBFs built-in, plus a 3rd input available.

HTGuy: There's lots of reports that the analog inputs on the 811 are ca-ca. YMMV

[jmbrooks]

mightiDBS,

I have 3 recievers connected to my HDTV, all on separate inputs. Video cables go to the TV, audio to my A/V receiver. I use a learning remote that has macros for switching between them and setting aspect ratio's with one button push.

My 2 DVR's are for recording SD and my 811 is strictly for watching HD stuff. I also output the 2 DVR's coax to my other TV's so I can watch recorded stuff on any TV in tbe house.

When I change from the SD reciever to the HD one I do not have to change the TV from SD to HD. I also do not see a difference in picture quality when watching SD channels on the 811 with it set to SD or HD.

[rhasselbaum]

Yeah, a learning remote with macro capabilities is the way to go if you want to make switching inputs as simple as pushing one button. I use Universal Remote's URC-200 for this and it works GREAT! Not bad at the $110 street price, either. (No, I don't work for them. I'm sure there are
a dozen other remotes that'll do the same thing.)

[oldgoat]

:) i have my 522 going to one tv & use it only for recording programs on tv2 while watching tv1. upstairs my 2nd 522 goes to two tvs so my wife can watch her soaps [3 hours] while i can see anything i want [with wireless earphones]. i work shiftwork & can watch tv1 while recording her soaps. :D

[SDiego]

I just ordered my 811 to go with my 721 last week. I will have them both hooked up to my projector since it has two inputs. I was hoping to get the 811 by now, but just got off the phone with dish, and they said there on BackOrder, and could take another week or longer to get. Oh well the Olympics are cool in stardard mode :)

[garypen]

Actually, you don't have to use seperate inputs on the TV.

You can connect TV1 from the DVR 522 into Back Panel Input 1 on the 811 and TV2 from the DVR522 into Back Panel Input 2, for example.


But, that looks like sh*t.

[scooper]

Fine - then run the outpus from the satellite receivers into an A/V receiver and from there into the TV - oh the DVR only has NTSC outputs and you want HDTV outputs from the 811. Sorry, no way around it - run them to the TV.

Hide the cables with furniture, etc.

[jmbrooks]

I have the URC-8811 Universal Remote (One-For-All), it controls all my equipment including the 721 DVR. It can learn functions to most all buttons from an OEM remote, has up to 5 macros, and a JP1 connector for connecting to a computer for more advanced programming.

Here's the info URL:

http://www.ofausa.com/remote.php?type=URC%208811

.....And I got it from Walmart for $19 :D .

[Tyralak]

Actually, you don't have to use seperate inputs on the TV.

You can connect TV1 from the DVR 522 into Back Panel Input 1 on the 811 and TV2 from the DVR522 into Back Panel Input 2, for example.

But if you have a DD A/V Surround receiver or processor you will certainly want to connect TV1's optical digital output into it as well as the 811's. So it may make sense to connect the TV1 video to another input on the 811 (perhaps thru the A/V receiver) as well.

Looks like crap that way though. I have my 811 going into Component 1 and my 522 going to Video 1 (S-Video) on my TV. Switching back and forth really isn't too big of a deal for me.

[Tyralak]

[QUOTE=SimpleSimon

HTGuy: There's lots of reports that the analog inputs on the 811 are ca-ca. YMMV[/QUOTE]

WTF?

[SimpleSimon]

HTGuy: There's lots of reports that the analog inputs on the 811 are ca-ca. YMMV
WTF?
:) I have seen reports that using the inputs on the 811 isn't worth the time to hook them up because they do not get their signal through the 811 in a decent fashion. Also have heard this (and seen it) on the 921.

If you're asking about my abbreviations:

ca-ca = B.S. or more accurately, it's what you say when you want your horse to drop a load. :)

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary

[Tyralak]

If you're asking about my abbreviations:

ca-ca = B.S. or more accurately, it's what you say when you want your horse to drop a load. :)

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary

Ah, that clears it up. :)