[clay_w]

I am thinking of switching from DTV to Dish and…

1.Will OTA still work if I lose sat signal in bad weather?

2.Opinions on sharing DVR between rooms and available space issues.

3.Opinions on Sat signal loss - better or worse than DTV?

 

[R_Childress]

Yes OTA will still function if you loose signal in bad weather, but you better not change from the local channel or you get an error.

SHaring DVR between rooms is flawless and with the implementation of USB external storage (sometime this fall), space should not be an issue.

Have not had Direct for years so I can't compare picture.

 

[clay_w]

Yes OTA will still function if you loose signal in bad weather, but you better not change from the local channel or you get an error.

SHaring DVR between rooms is flawless and with the implementation of USB external storage (sometime this fall), space should not be an issue.

Have not had Direct for years so I can't compare picture.

So, if I am watching a sat channel that goes out because of the weather, can I switch to an OTA station to watch or will this cause an error?

 

[James Long]

It depends on the weather. I lose OTAs before I lose dish signals.

 

[clay_w]

It depends on the weather. I lose OTAs before I lose dish signals.

That is the kind of thing that I am worried about. I know with my current DTV setup that if I lose the sat because of weather that my OTA will still work fine.

Now, this is OTA via my sat receiver so I just don't know if it would change with the Dish receiver.

 

[boba]

I am thinking of switching from DTV to Dish and…

1.Will OTA still work if I lose sat signal in bad weather?

2.Opinions on sharing DVR between rooms and available space issues.

3.Opinions on Sat signal loss - better or worse than DTV?

1, When DISH receivers lose satellite lock you will lose OTA functionality. If you are watching OTA when signal fails you will be locked onto that channel, you can't change if you lose power it will drop all channels until it reestablishes a satellite lock.
2, If you are happy with the signal quality of coaxial cable it is OK but if you want A/V quality they can't deliver. If you have a receiver in the living room and want a second TV in the kitchen say a 13" it will look great. Put the RF signal on a 30" or larger and you will probably see degredation and you will lose stereo capability with a 322.
3, In most of the United States D* has a slightly higher look angle so it will see a little less atmosphere so rain fade should be less. Both if correctly aimed with good cables and fittings have very little rain fade.

 

[James Long]

That is the kind of thing that I am worried about. I know with my current DTV setup that if I lose the sat because of weather that my OTA will still work fine.

Now, this is OTA via my sat receiver so I just don't know if it would change with the Dish receiver.

If your OTA survives current weather it should survive on the sat receiver's OTA as well.

It takes quite a storm to knock out either at my place. The dish is shielded from most direct rain and snow and is out of the wind. About the only time I lose satellite is when I should be hiding in the basement listening to NOAA. My OTA antenna is on the roof where the wind can catch it and the weather is more of an issue.

 

[clay_w]

If your OTA survives current weather it should survive on the sat receiver's OTA as well.

It takes quite a storm to knock out either at my place. The dish is shielded from most direct rain and snow and is out of the wind. About the only time I lose satellite is when I should be hiding in the basement listening to NOAA. My OTA antenna is on the roof where the wind can catch it and the weather is more of an issue.

My antenna is in the attic and works great with the DTV receiver but it looks like the Dish receiver will not work as well (at least if weather knocks out the sat signal).

It is definatly a bonus with DTV to know that if my sat goes out that I can always watch my OTA channels.

 

[James Long]

The loss of the satellite signal should not affect OTA on the E* receivers. You may have to work your way past an error box if you were watching satellite that the time of loss, but that is easily done by pressing GUIDE then selecting an OTA channel (or on a DVR, you can also watch a pre-recorded event).

 

[CyberWhip]

My antenna is in the attic and works great with the DTV receiver but it looks like the Dish receiver will not work as well (at least if weather knocks out the sat signal).

It is definatly a bonus with DTV to know that if my sat goes out that I can always watch my OTA channels.

I am able to switch channels on my 622 and watch OTA when I lose sat signal, although there might be something I'm missing, some circumstance where you can't change. I have watched local OTA few times when my sat signal was lost. I think the Dish signals are generally stronger that DTV signals (just what I have heard), except sat 129.

Additional TVs work fine as long as there is no additional hdtv. You can only have one HDTV signal.

 

[clay_w]

Thanks guys, that eases my mind on that topic.

My wife is a hard sell on this change, lol. She likes having her own dvr in the bedroom.

With the 622 being connected to the HD TV in the family room and also to the bedroom tv, is there any watching or recording restrictions that I should be aware of?

She certainly does not want to be restricted in her watching/recording Twilight Zone shows...:lol:

 

[harsh]

My wife is a hard sell on this change, lol. She likes having her own dvr in the bedroom.

Absent the box, she may never know that she doesn't have her own DVR.

With the 622 being connected to the HD TV in the family room and also to the bedroom tv, is there any watching or recording restrictions that I should be aware of?

You have only the three tuners available. If your combined viewing habits require more tuners, you will have issues. Dish probably should have put in another OTA tuner given that the networks seem to like to put "tent pole" programs up against each other in the weekly lineup. It doesn't help that E* is offering only four of the seven broadcast networks in HD.

 

[clay_w]

Absent the box, she may never know that she doesn't have her own DVR.You have only the three tuners available. If your combined viewing habits require more tuners, you will have issues. Dish probably should have put in another OTA tuner given that the networks seem to like to put "tent pole" programs up against each other in the weekly lineup.

If I pay for locals (which I checked for and am eligable to get), I will be able to record the HD network channels (ABC, NBC, FOX...) both via OTA and via the sat feed, correct? If so, that would mean having one OTA tuner wouldn't be so bad.

 

[harsh]

I will be able to record the HD network channels (ABC, NBC, FOX...) both via OTA and via the sat feed, correct?

Record, you may.