942 and 722 in one house with HD

[tferrio]

I was on the phone with tech support today clearing up a "channels missing" problem. During a reboot lull I asked about my impending move to a new house.

I said I would want to keep my 942 and get a 722 because we would have 2 HDTVs. He said that we would not be able to receive HD channels on the 942 because it "is not MPEG4". I know it's not MPEG4 but I figured it would still be able to get the current HD program package. He was not able to clarify that in a way that maid sense.

So I'm asking if anyone knows here, can I keep my 942 running in the guest bedroom with a small HDTV and use a 722 with my main TV? Do you know if that presents any antenna difficulties? Or maybe subscirption package difficulties? (The location will be in Rhode Island if that makes a difference, zip 02813.)

He also said that I should get the 942 moved and then, later, order the 722 as a separate install. He was not able to give me a convincing reason why to do it in two installs. Does anyone understand that?

Thanks for helping with my near-newbie questions!
Tom

[Miner]

tferrio,

I have my 942 running fine in my mbr with a 622 in the living room. I now get (only) 10 Hd channels through the 942 vs 30ish on the 622 (including local ABC, CBS, NBC) and both pick up the locals over the air. I have just ordered a lease upgrade for my 942 and will phase out the 942. While it works fine as a DVR, getting 10 vice 30 HD (plus future additions) made the choice fairly easy. Before the 15 Aug change to MPEG 4, I was getting about 15 HD channels so 5 of the Voom Channels (Rave, Film, Monsters and 2 others stayed MPEG 2).

Cabling for sat and OTA are the same between a 942 and 722. I would think being in Rhode Island you probably aren't going to get the locals through the sat, unless you are in the Boston DMA (instead of Providence).

I have no idea about getting the 722 and a dish mover done at the same time. I have experienced first hand some of the SNAFUs with dishe's customer service computer system. There are some stories that if the work order generated by the computer says install a 722 only, the istaller would only install a 722. Perhaps the system doesn't allow both an install of new equip to be done at the same time as a dish move. Or maybe the CSR just wasn't willing (or knowledgable) to make the necessary paperwork to authorize both.

Miner

[tecman]

tferrio,

I have my 942 running fine in my mbr with a 622 in the living room. I now get (only) 10 Hd channels through the 942 vs 30ish on the 622 (including local ABC, CBS, NBC) and both pick up the locals over the air. I have just ordered a lease upgrade for my 942 and will phase out the 942. While it works fine as a DVR, getting 10 vice 30 HD (plus future additions) made the choice fairly easy. Before the 15 Aug change to MPEG 4, I was getting about 15 HD channels so 5 of the Voom Channels (Rave, Film, Monsters and 2 others stayed MPEG 2).

Miner

Interesting. I called today to add a 722 and keep my 942 running with the "old" basic HD package and was told once the 722 is activated they will automatically deactivate the 942 in HD (SD will still work). I can have one or the other, not both at the same address.

[Miner]

tecman,

Sounds hokey to me. I know I had my 942 along with my 622. With the migration to MPEG 4 the 942 lost 5 or 6 channels, but still getting the original 5 HDs and some of the Vooms. I de-activated the 942 this week and replaced it with a new 622, but did it because I wanted all the HD channels including the 3 locals that I couldn't get with the 942.

I suspect the CSR is misunderstanding the MPEG 4 switch. When activating my first 622 I switched over to the new HD programming ($20 a month) from the $15 plan and the (at the time) 811s in other rooms kept on chugging fine on the new package.

Miner

[Mike D-CO5]

Unless they plan on converting all hd to mpeg 4 by years end as I suspect. Then the csr would be right.

[Jon Spackman]

The 942 is heading towards being a great SD unit, but will not have much HD available soon. You need to trade it in for a 622 or 722. I traded mine in for a 722.