Any Luck with 921 OTA Recording in West Michigan??

[lionsrule]

Anyone using a 921 unit from dishnetwork in west michigan DMA??

I ask because I recently put up an antenna and I now get my locals in HD here in west michigan. The thing is, my wife and I have become used to using our DVR so we don't have to watch commercials. I've heard the the functionality of the 921 (which MAY be able to record OTA in HD) depends on your specific area.

I'm hoping some of you have had good luck in west michigan using a 921 to record locals in HD RELIABLY!! If so, I may cancel my paying for locals over the SAT.

Let me know.....

[Stingray]

[QUOTE=lionsrule]Anyone using a 921 unit from dishnetwork in west michigan DMA??

QUOTE]

Go to "antennaweb.com" and enter the requested information. The result will be a map and a list of stations in your area including those that broadcast a digital signal.

That should help you find out if you can get them OTA.

[DanB33]

I live on the West Side of GR. I have no problem recording Local HD on the 921, except when I make an error programming my antenna rotor. Also, I do not receive WGVU-DT because I am close behind a hill in the path.

[lionsrule]

You've recorded on all 4 nets?...abc,cbs,nbc and fox?
Do all 4 allow you to "trick play"?...FF,Rewind, skip 30 seconds?

When you say "program" your rotor...do you mean that you accidentally had the antenna in the wrong direction? (that wouldn't be a problem for me since all four nets are to the n/ne from me).

Do you have to settle for unmarked or unlabled events on your hard-drive??
Is there a work around?....I haven't read of any in this forum.

Supposedly there should be guide info for HD locals on the 921 within the month...if that works, I may get rid of my 510/811 in exchange for a 921

[DanB33]

You've recorded on all 4 nets?...abc,cbs,nbc and fox?
Do all 4 allow you to "trick play"?...FF,Rewind, skip 30 seconds?

When you say "program" your rotor...do you mean that you accidentally had the antenna in the wrong direction? (that wouldn't be a problem for me since all four nets are to the n/ne from me).

Do you have to settle for unmarked or unlabled events on your hard-drive??
Is there a work around?....I haven't read of any in this forum.

Supposedly there should be guide info for HD locals on the 921 within the month...if that works, I may get rid of my 510/811 in exchange for a 921

I can record all the stations and skip ahead and back within the playback. Pause Live TV works fine on all local stations.
I use an IR controled antenna rotor that is controled by a Philips Pronto Pro Remote. I watch ABC on WZZM because they don't strech their up converted SD signal.
Local HD Recordings show up in the DVR List as WZZM local programing for example.
If My antenna does not move correctly, usually because of operator error, I get a 0 second recording in DVR List.
I currently program Local HD Recordings manually because they are not in the guide. Local HD Channels are in the channel list after channel 9999. Or just enter the 5 digit channel number (WZZM HD is 01301) on the Manual Timer Create page. Do keep the default start 1 min. early and 3 min. long times. I have always done that, but others say changing those for Local HD cause problems.
I have had my 921 since July 2 and the only missed recordings I have had operator error in programing, especially antenna position.

[lionsrule]

Thanks for the helpful info. I'm glad to hear that the "pause live tv function" works well in our area. I wanted to follow up on your rotor comment. I also have a remote controlled roter (it's a seperate remote), but I really won't ever need to change it from the 60 degree's I have it set to right now because all of the towers are in the same location. I'm assuming that when a timer fires to record a local, it will simply record at what ever location I have the antenna pointed at, right?

[DanB33]

Thanks for the helpful info. I'm glad to hear that the "pause live tv function" works well in our area. I wanted to follow up on your rotor comment. I also have a remote controlled roter (it's a seperate remote), but I really won't ever need to change it from the 60 degree's I have it set to right now because all of the towers are in the same location. I'm assuming that when a timer fires to record a local, it will simply record at what ever location I have the antenna pointed at, right?

It will record if the antenna is pointed the correct direction. My Rotor has a remote and I can program the controller for the position of each channel. So to point the antenna to WZZM I hit 13 and the antena moves there. I also have the rotor codes programmed into my Philips Pronto Pro Remote. I use its Macro and Timer functions to move the antenna before the recording. The Rotor is a Channel Master, but Radio Shack also sells it under their name.
My biggest problem is not putting the Pronto in its' cradle so it is pointeg at the equiptment stack.

[Stingray]

lionsrule - One more thing- On tech-chat last Monday, they said that when the fix is in for the OTA guide, the program information will be copied over from the Dish locals. It sounds to me like you will still have to subscribe to the locals in order to get program guide information on the OTA locals.