I'm sorry if this question seems elementary, but I have searched the forums and cannot find an answer. I have been a DTV customer for over 7 years and am about to switch to Dish next week. I have one very simple question. Do I have to have a phone line with a VIP 722 or can I use a broadband set up? If I can use broadband what is the best configuration based on user experiences? Thanks in advance!
Broadband install question
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You can use an Internet connection in place of the phone connection on the ViP receivers, like your 722. "Best" is a wired Ethernet connection.
Other alternatives are: a HomePlug adapter (available on Dish website) that you plug into a wall outlet and run an Ethernet jumper to your router. The receiver can then connect to the Internet via its power cord, which is connected to a HomePlug device inside the receiver.
Or, you could buy a WiFi wireless bridge (also called a game adapter) to convert the wired connection to a WiFi connection, assuming you have a WiFi-capable router/access point already.
Other alternatives are: a HomePlug adapter (available on Dish website) that you plug into a wall outlet and run an Ethernet jumper to your router. The receiver can then connect to the Internet via its power cord, which is connected to a HomePlug device inside the receiver.
Or, you could buy a WiFi wireless bridge (also called a game adapter) to convert the wired connection to a WiFi connection, assuming you have a WiFi-capable router/access point already.
Also, there is no special setup unless you've customized your router to use static IP addresses. If you don't know what that is, you don't need to worry about it 
Just plug the cat5 cable in (ethernet) and your router will assign it an IP. nothing to do on your side.
Also, this is going to be required for users that want to use the new MyDVR so you can manage your ViP722/625 with a browser.
Just plug the cat5 cable in (ethernet) and your router will assign it an IP. nothing to do on your side.Also, this is going to be required for users that want to use the new MyDVR so you can manage your ViP722/625 with a browser.
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I have the net gear home plug and works like a charm20thmac said:
I have my ViP722 receiver connected to broadband via WiFi using a Linksys WGA600N game adapter. It supports wireless a, b, g and n signals as well as all current encryption methods for WiFi. It's not the cheapest adapter out there, but works well.
Word of advice, anyone buying the WGA600N should avoid the stupid CD wizard thing for installation. It sucks. It's far better to just hard wire it to your WiFi router, log into it and do the web browser based setup.
Word of advice, anyone buying the WGA600N should avoid the stupid CD wizard thing for installation. It sucks. It's far better to just hard wire it to your WiFi router, log into it and do the web browser based setup.
Thanks for the info! I have a follow up question. Is the ethernet adapter that uses the home electrical system a receiver/transceiver type of set up? Also, I know this is a massively general question, but I am a current DTV customer with HD and 3 DVR's. I'm getting Dish installed next week for a cheaper package and like the idea of 2 VIP 722's running 4 TV's. Is this a smart decision? Very interested in opinions!!!
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The HomePlug adapter is used give your power lines the ability to carry Ethernet signals. Normally you need 2; one on each end, but since the VIP receivers have a built-in HomePlug, all you need is the one by the router.
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A 722 runs 2 TVs, but only the TV1 output is in HD; the TV2 output is fed with coax and down-converted to SD. The 722 has 2 satellite tuners and 1 OTA tuner (requires you to have an OTA antenna). It's configuration means that a few things are different from DirecTV.
On one hand, you will have 2 TVs that can share the "library" of recordings on the DVR. That can be nice if you, say, want to move from the living room to the bedroom to finish watching a movie.
On the other hand, if both TVs are each using a sat tuner, either to watch something live or to record, then there are no "extra" tuners to watch something else. Example: you're recording a show on TV1 and someone is in the bedroom watching something else live on TV2, and you decide you want to watch something else on TV1. Your options are:
- watch what you are recording
- watch what the TV2 person is watching live
- watch something already recorded on the hard drive
What you cannot do is watch a 3rd show "live". If you're used to doing this, which many people do since DirecTV DVRs dedicate 2 tuners per TV, then you'll need to adjust a bit. If you mostly watch pre-recorded things off the DVR, then you may never even notice.
Also, if you have an OTA antenna, you can view the OTA feed live, or record it, on TV1. TV2 cannot see the OTA feed live; it is limited to watching OTA recordings off the DVR.
==
A 722 runs 2 TVs, but only the TV1 output is in HD; the TV2 output is fed with coax and down-converted to SD. The 722 has 2 satellite tuners and 1 OTA tuner (requires you to have an OTA antenna). It's configuration means that a few things are different from DirecTV.
On one hand, you will have 2 TVs that can share the "library" of recordings on the DVR. That can be nice if you, say, want to move from the living room to the bedroom to finish watching a movie.
On the other hand, if both TVs are each using a sat tuner, either to watch something live or to record, then there are no "extra" tuners to watch something else. Example: you're recording a show on TV1 and someone is in the bedroom watching something else live on TV2, and you decide you want to watch something else on TV1. Your options are:
- watch what you are recording
- watch what the TV2 person is watching live
- watch something already recorded on the hard drive
What you cannot do is watch a 3rd show "live". If you're used to doing this, which many people do since DirecTV DVRs dedicate 2 tuners per TV, then you'll need to adjust a bit. If you mostly watch pre-recorded things off the DVR, then you may never even notice.
Also, if you have an OTA antenna, you can view the OTA feed live, or record it, on TV1. TV2 cannot see the OTA feed live; it is limited to watching OTA recordings off the DVR.
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To my understanding all VIP models 612, 622, and 722, will have that function, I can't wait!4HiMarks said:
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If you are getting a new 722, you need a phone line for the initial call home. After it makes that call during the install and setup, you can disconnect it and go with ethernet.
I had to run a 100 foot wire across my floor and up stairs to the only phone line near by. But once it got past that install question, it has worked on ethernet since.
I had to run a 100 foot wire across my floor and up stairs to the only phone line near by. But once it got past that install question, it has worked on ethernet since.
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Are you sure about this? I had an install last week and connected my Router that day. It showed to be connected. I asked the installer if I needed to do anything else and he said no. Guess I'll find out when I get my 1st bill. Sure hope they start adding more internet stuff someday...
jkane said:
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If you made it past the install, all is well. It's been a while, but I recall there being a pop-up on the screen that said plug the phone line in. The installer insisted that it would not get past that screen without it and that I could unplug it as soon as it was done. Since I had a long cord, I did plug it in for him and unplugged it before he even left. He may have been bs-ing me. I didn't argue with him.
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I had that problem except I didn't have a phone cord that would reach, I called them and they activated it over the phone, and you are able to a broadband connection as well.jkane said:
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All dual-tuner receivers are designed to stop at a screen just prior to activation if they aren't plugged into a phone line. At that point, they should either be plugged into the phone IF THEY WILL BE *CONTINUOUSLY* PLUGGED IN, or, when the tech is activating the receiver, he should request a phone-line bypass for that receiver, which will cause a message to be sent to the receiver that will allow it to continue activation.jkane said:
The whole purpose of this is to determine whether or not you are going to get charged every month for non-connection of the phone line. If you plug in the phone just for initial activation, and then the receiver doesn't phone home anymore, the computers at Dish will automatically start charging the $5/month fee anyway.
On the other hand, even if you selected a phone-line bypass, if your receiver later is connected to the phone (or via Internet, for the ViP receivers), the computer will automatically remove the $5/month charge.
Either way, when the computer makes a change, the account is noted. I see these notes in customer accounts all the time.
On the phone line thing, I haven't had a phone line connected to my 510 or 311 in the past year, they kept stopping the caller ID from working on the phones, even with caller ID turned off on the receivers. I have never been charged for it, and don't know why. I never did tell dish about it, or complain about it or anything.
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It hasn't been dropped, it's just not rigorously enforced for those with 2 receivers. The more receivers you have, the more likely you are to get a call from the audit team (search for some very long threads on that topic) to verify that all your receivers are at the same place you answer your phone.
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