View Full Version : HD locals on 811
I was noticed that QAM system at apartment complex I am living at was upgraded to support HD. Until now I have been using dish500, but just turned my 811 to QAM mode and I am seeing pretty much everything except local HD channels. Why is that? Local HD channels should be available in Dallas area. With dish500 I used to have OTA antenna for local HD channels. Can I still use it in QAM mode?
I have no clue how an apartment QAM system delivers dish network, but on the 811 the qam support uses the ota port, so no you cant have both ota and qam
James Long
08-29-06, 10:22 PM
HD locals via E* in your market are transmitted in MPEG4.
The 811 cannot see MPEG4 channels (or those channels E* has chosen to restrict to MPEG4 only receivers).
BFG's answer would cover why you are not seeing OTA channels on your 811.
Thank you all for info.
What would be a good choice as a QAM receiver supporting MPEG-4?
James Long
08-30-06, 10:54 AM
The only MPEG4 receivers E* has are the ViP-211 (aka 411) and the ViP-622 DVR. Both receivers would require subscription to a DishHD package and other monthly fees. I can't remember if the ViPs can be connected directly to QAM or not ... E* was developing a "Q-Box" to interface between their normal receivers and QAM.
The information I'm seeing doesn't have the ViPs listed as QAM compatable - but you won't get the current HD packages without the new receivers.
Jim5506
08-30-06, 04:47 PM
I don't think there are ANY QAM receivers that do MPEG4. Cable does not do MPEG4.
Does it mean that there is no way to get local HD channels through QAM system? Other HD channels, e.g. HBO HD, are coming through it.
James Long
08-30-06, 04:54 PM
HBO HD is an MPEG2 channel, not MPEG4. You are probably getting 287 NFLHD free preview as well.
Your locals and most of the DishHD package are for MPEG4 receivers only.
Jim says above that cable doesn't do MPEG4, so it means that I couldn't get HD locals even with MPEG4 capable receiver. So if you are having QAM system there is no way to get HD locals, because QAM and OTA feed use the same port and cable doesn't do MPEG4. Is that right?
Can you put up your own dish?
because if you did that you could get dish mpeg4 locals...
James Long
08-30-06, 09:38 PM
(And, of course, one would also need to upgrade to a ViP receiver and the required DishHD packages.)
Problem with my own dish is that my apartment is pointing to the wrong direction. I had to put it inside of my garage and keep garage door open while I am watching TV. That is why I would rather use apartment's QAM system. I already have a basic HD package and HBO (HD included) and like I already said I am seeing them just fine through QAM system.
What does an apartmant QAM system do?
It somehow converts the dish signal to a QAM signal that can be split and distributed every which way?
Meaning you can subscribe to whatever you want and get all the channels normally on the 811 as if you had a dish directly connected to it?
If that's all that is then I guess we're back to waiting for dish to create a mpeg4 hd qam receiver, and your apartment would also have to have a dish 1000 installed
James Long
08-31-06, 02:14 PM
The first thing to check is to see if they have the 129° dish on the system.
Pointless to proceed without that.
Then look for the "QBox" that E* was designing (and showed in January) that would allow other E* receivers to be used on QAM systems.
Yes, it is there (129 I mean). "QBox" - never heard about that. It converts QAM signal to normal satelite signal?
James Long
08-31-06, 03:44 PM
Not sure of the exact function but it is supposed to allow the connection of 'regular' receivers to QAM systems. I really have not heard that much about it.
Jim5506
08-31-06, 05:16 PM
If an apartment system can convert MPEG2 to QAM, perhaps Dish has a system that that will let apartment systems convert MPEG4 to QAM also. Maybe they are working on it.
they aren't converting mpeg2 to qam.
they are converting a DBS signal (QPSK,8PSK,etc) to QAM
mpeg2 is method of channel compression...
QAM, QPSK,8PSK are transmission methods.
James Long
08-31-06, 05:34 PM
It seems to reason if MPEG2 8PSK signals are making it through the QAM system to j0n1's system then MPEG4 8PSK signals could be passed.
The QAM headend and "Q-Box" are probably just fancy transmission modifiers.
The next step would be to contact whomever he is paying for service (the apartment complex or Dish Network if he pays direct) and try to get someone who understands the situation involved.
There was no reason to add 129° unless there is some solution to pass that satellite's HD.
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