[okypinoky]

Hello:

Forgive the duplicate post, however, I was told this forum would be far more appropriate for my question.

I am a current DirecTV HD Tivo subscriber and am thinking of moving to Dish. However, a few financial things concern me that, hopefully, someone here can help me with.

Using Dish Network's DishBuilder on their website I selected the HD Gold (the only HD package that carries Boomerang - it kills me how they added HD to the America 120 package and CHANGED the channel contents). That package price is $69.99. I am interested in the Dish HD DVR as well as an additional DVR for the TV that my kids use.

DishBuilder will initally allow me to select the number of Std TVs I have (1) and select the number of HD TVs I have (1). They further ask if I would like "to pause and record live TV?" I selected yes, and the number 1 under standard tv. However, once I select the HD TVs I have and the desire for DVR, the Std DVR number reverts back to "0". I believe that this has something to do with Dish's ability to function as one DVR for up to 2 TVs. The problem with that is that the tvs will now be SHARING the DVRs resources (i.e. tuners). That, for me, would not be acceptable.

The only solution to my problem is to have two DVRs installed (1 HD and 1 Standard). However, I am disturbed because Dish wants to charge me $5.98 DVR service fee PER DVR (x2) as well as a $5.00 lease fee for the other DVR/Receiver.

DirecTV has been charging a DVR service fee per account, NOT per box. However, if I must accept this difference in charging practice, then so be it. But I do not feel that I should pay a DVR AND Lease fee for the same box. This is nickle diming to the extream.

Hopefully someone will be able to set me straight. Perhaps I am missing some setup tricks/hints. If there are any deals that I could ask for, then that too would be greatly appreciated.

R/
Oky.

 

[Jolard]

Just curious, but why would sharing the tuners with both TV's be unacceptable. Maybe we can alleviate your concerns on that.

I have an HD TV and an SD TV connected to my VIP622 (the HD DVR) and it works wonderfully. I can watch recordings from the DVR on both TV's, and since they both have their own output, there is never any conflict.

 

[okypinoky]

Just curious, but why would sharing the tuners with both TV's be unacceptable. Maybe we can alleviate your concerns on that.

As I understand it, the one primary HD DVR will have two tuners that will be shared between two TVs. As such, should a program be recording that I do not wish to watch, I will need to view the other tuner. There is a great posibility that that tuner will be used by the kids on one of there programs. If so, either I will be forced to watch what they are watching, or I will need to change their tuner/program.

If I am misunderstanding something, please correct me.

 

[saltrek]

You are correct. There are two possibilities to do what you want. 1) Record after kids are in bed 2) one of the programs you want to watch or record are available OTA.

 

[bderouen]

You are correct. There are two possibilities to do what you want. 1) Record after kids are in bed 2) one of the programs you want to watch or record are available OTA.

If I can hijack in here with a question...So...with the HD-DVR, the only way to record on one channel and watch another woudl be to NOT run the 2nd tuner to another TV...is that right?

I'm asking cuz I'm getting ready to hook up with Dish (from DirecTV) and found it very interesting when they said the one tuner would support 2 TVs. But I guess that's the "trick" as it were, right?

Thanks!

 

[Radio Enginerd]

If I can hijack in here with a question...So...with the HD-DVR, the only way to record on one channel and watch another woudl be to NOT run the 2nd tuner to another TV...is that right?

I'm asking cuz I'm getting ready to hook up with Dish (from DirecTV) and found it very interesting when they said the one tuner would support 2 TVs. But I guess that's the "trick" as it were, right?

Thanks!

Yes you understand that correctly...

Example: You have your ViP622 tuned to SpongeBob (tuner 2 - which outputs to the Kid's room) and you're recording Mythbusters (tuner 1 - fed to your HDTV in your family room), you can either watch Mythbusters, SpongeBob or something you've previous recorded on the 622. Make sense? There ARE exceptions… IF you're using the OTA tuner to record Lost in HD and the kids were watching SpongeBob, you could record ANOTHER show or watch another show live without interrupting either recordings. Hope this helps.

Excellent design by Dish Network... It doesn't work for all though.

Hope this helps... Cheers!

 

[bderouen]

Yes, it does,. Thanks Radio! I've just got to make up my mind which I prefer to do. I would think that from an install perspective, putting in a separate SD receiver in my bedroom (no kids...hehe) would be easier, as my HD set is on the first floor and my SD set is on the 2nd in my room. It's not a big house...it's a Townhouse, but I'm not sure if the installer could use the cable that's already in the house.

I wonder...I've not ordered an SD receiver...if the installer gets here and we see that a SD receiver would be better, would he have one with him you think?

Thanks!

 

[garys]

If you are not going to be using both receivers at the same time, you can get away with just the one, leaving it in single mode and watch at differnt times from the two sets. Saves you $5 per month if you don't need the second receiver. You can also add later if you do need it.

 

[Radio Enginerd]

Yes, it does,. Thanks Radio! I've just got to make up my mind which I prefer to do. I would think that from an install perspective, putting in a separate SD receiver in my bedroom (no kids...hehe) would be easier, as my HD set is on the first floor and my SD set is on the 2nd in my room. It's not a big house...it's a Townhouse, but I'm not sure if the installer could use the cable that's already in the house.

I wonder...I've not ordered an SD receiver...if the installer gets here and we see that a SD receiver would be better, would he have one with him you think?

Thanks!

Happy to help!

You raise a good point. You do need a coax run from the ViP622 to (in this example) the kids room. If you don't have that in your town house you could run into trouble. Best of luck to you!

 

[harsh]

I wonder...I've not ordered an SD receiver...if the installer gets here and we see that a SD receiver would be better, would he have one with him you think?

Perhaps, but the installer couldn't give it to you as it is likely registered to someone else who ordered it. They may (or may not) carry spare dishes, LNBs and switches, but usually not spare receivers.

 

[bderouen]

hmmm. There is a cable going from where my 622 will be to my room upstairs, but I'm not sure if it's the quality cable they need. but that's definitly something worth checkin' on.

Thanks for everyone's help!!
Bruce

 

[rasheed]

hmmm. There is a cable going from where my 622 will be to my room upstairs, but I'm not sure if it's the quality cable they need. but that's definitly something worth checkin' on.

Thanks for everyone's help!!
Bruce

If it is a coax used for normal cable tv, it will likely work depending on where the splitters are.

Rasheed