Got my 622, raves, questions, & issues

[thejtrain]

Hey all, I pulled the trigger on a new installation with the new house and new plasma, and for the most part I'm thrilled with the installation and what I've got. HD is amazing - even my wife has commented about seeing "the window effect", and that's with a brand-new uncalibrated TV!

The installer surprised me with what he was able to arrange using the existing coax network in the house - using diplexers to allow signals to run in two directions on the same cable run - impressive. So here's what's running: a Dish1000 feeds two receivers, a 622 and a 522, using the single coax run from the attic to each room. He diplexed the single coax into the two inputs for each receiver, then diplexed the TV2 output back into the single coax for distribution to the "other TV" of each receiver. Total of 4 TVs and 2 DVRs with not a single extra hole drilled in the wall (other than what he needed for the dish itself). The only downside (which wasn't his fault at all) was that he couldn't tone out the line from the attic to where I really want the 622 to go, so we're using one completely across the room for the time being.

The question I have is about HD locals (I'm not using OTA at all). I'm paying the extra $5-6 to get my local channels, and there they are at the bottom of the guide, channels 2 (CW), 4 (NBC), 5 (CBS), 12 (ABC), and 29 (Fox). Now, I look in the program guide up in the 6000s (ABC, CBS, and Fox) and 8000s (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and CW) and see more of those familiar call letters and think these are HD locals. Only one of those are labeled HD (ABC) so I'm really not sure these are what I'm looking at - for example, the NFL Sunday night game on NBC looked the same (obviously SD) on 4 and 8472. Can anybody shed any light on what I'm seeing? Also, I recall reading that there was a way to show the HD locals right next to the SD locals down in the bottom of the program guide. How do I do that?

And now, the issue report. The trouble I've had so far is with TV2 on the 622. Sometimes we'll turn the TV on and wake up the receiver to find the same thing on every channel: sound but no picture. The program guide is there, full of data, you can scroll around and pick a channel (so some kind of signal is obviously getting to the TV), but there's never any picture. A hard reboot will sometimes fix it and sometimes not. It doesn't seem to follow any pattern for when it comes back. If it matters, the modulator setting for TV2 is on Air, channel 30. I'm wondering if it might not be something to do with the various diplexers in the network, maybe one of them is intermittently NOT passing the frequency band used by the video? I've got a tech visit scheduled for Friday, but if anyone has any ideas before then, I'd be very appreciative.

Jason

[Ron Barry]

I will sheed light on your locals. Your HD locals will be in the 6000 range and your SD are in the 8000. You cannot map your SD locals next to your HD locals unless you create a favorites and even that will not do the mapping as you would like it. What you can do is set your locals to HD priority and that would map your Dish HD locals to 002-0 which places them next to your OTA locals (If you have any). I believe that is what you are referring to.

Audio sound...

THis has been the hot button as of late. I don't run in duel mode, but they have been working on resolving sound issues with the last update. What version of software do you have running? you can tell my doing a Menu Menu.

[Mark Lamutt]

To elaborate a little more on Ron's response - you change your local channel mapping using the SAT LOCALS option from the Local Channel setup screen (Menu-6-9).

[thejtrain]

I will shed light on your locals. Your HD locals will be in the 6000 range and your SD are in the 8000.
So if I understand that all of the HD locals are in the 6000s, then only ABC, CBS and Fox have an HD channel in my area (they are the only 3 channels in the 6000 range, period)? Sucks that NBC does not.

You cannot map your SD locals next to your HD locals unless you create a favorites and even that will not do the mapping as you would like it. What you can do is set your locals to HD priority and that would map your Dish HD locals to 002-0 which places them next to your OTA locals (If you have any). I believe that is what you are referring to.
Yes, that's what I was wondering. Sounds like if you choose HD priority then when you select the 002-00 channel it will be the HD version not the SD version, correct? Sounds good to me.

Audio sound...

THis has been the hot button as of late. I don't run in duel mode, but they have been working on resolving sound issues with the last update. What version of software do you have running? you can tell my doing a Menu Menu.
It's actually not an audio issue - the audio comes through fine no matter what channel is selected, but the screen is dark (though the program guide comes through so obviously some kind of video is getting through to the TV). I'm not at home to check but I'll check the software version when I get home and post back.

To elaborate a little more on Ron's response - you change your local channel mapping using the SAT LOCALS option from the Local Channel setup screen (Menu-6-9).
Is that where you have to have the rcvr "scan" for HD locals? I did that and it came up with 0 found - even though I found those three 6000-range channels in the program guide. Am I doing something wrong here?

Thanks!
Jason

[ChuckA]

The "scan" is for finding OTA digital channels you can receive in your area. A set top antenna or roof mounted antenna must be connected to your 622 in order to get these. These channels will be mapped with the stations usual channel number and a subchannel number like -001, -002. The channels in the 6000 range are the Dish provided sat HD locals.

[Jolard]

So if I understand that all of the HD locals are in the 6000s, then only ABC, CBS and Fox have an HD channel in my area (they are the only 3 channels in the 6000 range, period)? Sucks that NBC does not.

You are correct sir! This is often the situation, although in my area (Seattle) the missing HD network is Fox. The hope of course is that eventually Dish will negotiate the deals necessary to get everyone their top 4 networks.

[thejtrain]

The "scan" is for finding OTA digital channels you can receive in your area. A set top antenna or roof mounted antenna must be connected to your 622 in order to get these. These channels will be mapped with the stations usual channel number and a subchannel number like -001, -002. The channels in the 6000 range are the Dish provided sat HD locals.
Ah - that would explain why it came back with zero - the OTA connection on the back is empty, as I have no antenna and really have no plans to get one. Thanks again ChuckA!

You are correct sir! This is often the situation, although in my area (Seattle) the missing HD network is Fox. The hope of course is that eventually Dish will negotiate the deals necessary to get everyone their top 4 networks.
Cool, thanks for the info.

Good feeling: that my equipment and subscription is working as designed.

Bad feeling: that I don't get all the HD locals, booooo!

Now if I can just get TV2 working correctly all the time....

[lujan]

You are correct sir! This is often the situation, although in my area (Seattle) the missing HD network is Fox. The hope of course is that eventually Dish will negotiate the deals necessary to get everyone their top 4 networks.

In the Albuquerque area, it is CBS that is not on the HD locals yet. Seems like there is no consistent HD locals from area to area.

[Mark Lamutt]

Ah - that would explain why it came back with zero - the OTA connection on the back is empty, as I have no antenna and really have no plans to get one. Thanks again ChuckA!


Cool, thanks for the info.

Good feeling: that my equipment and subscription is working as designed.

Bad feeling: that I don't get all the HD locals, booooo!

Now if I can just get TV2 working correctly all the time....


If you're anywhere near the San Antonio area, I just about guarantee you that you if connect even a small antenna to the antenna port on the 622, and then scan for local channels, you won't be without NBC in HD anymore... not to mention the 12 or 15 or 20 other digital channels you'll find (however many are broadcasting in the area).

[al88]

I just got Dish installed on Saturday. So far, I'm loving my 622. Much better than my Comcast 6412!

I have a related question to the 6000/HD and 8000/SD mappings. I currently have "HD priority" set, so my HD locals show up in 002, etc. If I set a timer for a non-HD daytime show for the Mrs. using 002, is the 622 smart enough to record an SD stream? I don't want to waste chunks of disk space to record Oprah, Ellen, and Martha!

If the 622 doesn't automatically do this, I suppos I can set my daytime timers on the 8000's and my primetime timers on the 6000's. Is this better?

Thanks.

--A

[Ron Barry]

No it is not smart enough. There has been some posts requesting the DishPass be enhanced to include HD/SD as an option, but currently you need set your timer up for the content you want. So if you set a All or New for 002-01 it will record on 002-01.

As far as Dish Pass goes. Not sure how they make the determination if two of the same shows on different channels are set. My guess is it picks the first one off the list or maybe the first one you created.

[thejtrain]

Ok, I've verified that I'm on L365 for software, and the HD priority setting does indeed put the HD locals down in the 0##-00 range (very cool). Lost last night in HD was awesome!

Still having the problem with TV2 - I noticed late last night that the screen had frozen on a frame during Biggest Loser (which we were recording on Tuner 2) though the audio was for the current show (Jay Leno I think). The program guide was completely active and navigable, with no change to the audio or the frozen screen. Then when I tried to change the channel, both the audio and the video went out (usually it's just the video). Then in a twist, this morning it seemed to have corrected itself (at least for 5 minutes or so) and I could watch and hear any channel I chose. Then inexplicably, when changing channels from one SD channel to another SD channel, the picture went away again but the audio stayed. Dish tech out Friday, we'll see what he says.

I do have to say that I'm very very impressed by the performance of the UHF remote for TV2 - it's having no problem talking to the 622 that's downstairs and on the other side of the house! I bought a couple of splitters to use ChuckA's workaround but they're still in their packaging 'cause I don't need 'em. Sweet!

Jason