Dish 6000 OTA local HD

[bennej]

OK, here is my setup, Dish 500 with DishPro LNB, DP34 switch, PVR721, 501 and a 301. Now, I want to use the OTA feature on the 6000 to get local HD. So my switch is full and I live in a condo and wasn't supossed to drill holes through the walls to begin with. So, can I place a 2-way splitter on the coax (designed for satellite) on a one of the feeds to the 721 to input the 6000??

Thnx,
John
:confused:

[Mark Lamutt]

If all you want is OTA HD, then you'd probably be better off picking up one of the Samsung OTA only boxes, or one of the directv HD boxes - their tuners are more sensitive. From what you said, it sounds like you don't already have the 6000, and you'd get one of the other boxes cheaper. What you describe *might* work, because the 6000 must see a satellite for OTA to work. You couldn't use your 6000 to tune to satellite channels, though. Not a great plan, IMO.

[Mike123abc]

I do not think it will work since the recievers send signals up the lines to talk to the satellites. I am not sure, but I would not risk it because I believe they send voltage up the line to to power the switch and LNBs. If you have 2 boxes sending up power it probably will short out something and end up burning up a reciever, switch, lnb, etc.

[HTguy]

You could swap the DP TWIN for a DP QUAD & gain 2 more outputs.

You know that for OTA locals you need an OTA antenna & 8VSB tuner module in the 6000, right? Hope you can get away with putting up an OTA antenna w/o a hassle from your assn..but you are allowed to do so per the FCC.

As noted above, the 6000 requies a sat hook-up to use the 8VSB.

Finally, since you will be gaining a rcvr maybe you could live w/o the 301. Then you don't need the QUAD.

[Mike123abc]

Well after some experimenting, I do not think you need to keep the satellite dish hooked up to the 6000. If you hook it up to the satellite and let it do its download, then set up all the digital and analog locals, then tune in a local channel and disconnect the satellite cable.

As long as the box stays powered on (i.e. on a UPS) and you do not tune to a dish network station, you will not need the satellite connection. Perhaps make a favorites list of only local channels so you will not accidentally tune to a sat channel. Note you do not want to use the power off button for the reciever on the remote either, it will try to tune the satellite in if you do.

[DarrellP]

You do need to stay hooked up. The first time he hits a wrong button or hits the guide or does something that the 6000 doesn't like, it will acquire a new signal.

As flakey as the PSIP data is, it can cause the 6000 to reboot and reacquire the signal.