Might have to leave DISH

1595 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Tom Robertson, Jan 10, 2007

lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · Jan 8, 2007

I really could use some input/help. I've been a DISH customer for seven years and would like to stick with them, but my circumstances might force me to go Direct. I lost my long distance networks and am in the process of applying for waivers with NPS. ABC was denied. The other three are pending. I currently have a 6000 HD unit and a 625 DVR unit. I currently cannot record any network broadcasts because I lost them all. I do have multiple antennas in the attic to pull in the locals.

On Friday I was watching CBS in digital/HD and it was pretty much unwatchable. Signal strength was about 50% and it broke up and froze so often that I had a hard time watching it. I wasn't surprised at that. CBS analog is very snowy, so I've got real problems with CBS.

Today I was watching FOX with a signal strength of about 95%. What really surprised me was that the digital signal was breaking up there too, not quite as bad as CBS the other day, but still bad enough that I had to switch and watch it via the analog signal.

I'm afraid to get the 622 unit and commit to it for 18 months if it's not going to be any better than I've got now. DISH does not carry my locals, but Direct TV does. I can take advantage of DirectTV's new customer offers, but I've heard some negatives about their receivers. But if they are my only real option to get and record the networks, I may have to do it.

Any ideas you guys have would be appreciated. Any input you have on the 622 and/or the DirectTV receivers also welcomed. Will the 622 work any better for me than the 6000? I'm also going to hit the forums and do some searching to see what I can find out.

Thanks.

Len

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Stewart Vernon

· #2 · Jan 8, 2007

While some folks' mileage may vary... I was VERY pleased after upgrading from my 6000U to a ViP622. While I was getting pretty good signals OTA, I did get breakups on a couple of them sometimes.

But since getting my ViP622, and making no other changes to my antenna setup... all my signal levels jumped and are much more solid now. There are the occassional glitches, sometimes network problems (like a week or two ago when Raleigh 5 and 50 were lost after a construction accident for several hours!)... but all my good channels before are now great, and my marginal channels became good to very good.

I also have another standalone digital receiver, and my ViP622 is better than that also... and it had been better than my 6000U as well... so OTA-wise, I honestly would expect you to have better results than you are experiencing now if you get a ViP622.

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kb7oeb

· #3 · Jan 8, 2007

6000 ota tuner is probably a 1st generation tuner, the new tuners are a lot better.

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lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 8, 2007

Thanks guys - those are the kinds of answers I'm looking for. Why in the world would my 95% signal break up like that though? I don't recall that ever happening before. The 50% signal I can understand.

I'm still a little torn. If I get the 622, then I can only record/watch one OTA broadcast at a time. There are times when that will be inconvenient. Tell me the 622 is worth it.

Boy, it sure would be nice if NPS came through with a couple of waivers for me. That would solve a lot of problems.

Len

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boba

· #5 · Jan 8, 2007

The 6000 is definitely a first generation HD tuner and was better than nothing when it came out. Now everything is better than it's tuner. If D* offers your SD locals you know you will be able to record programs. Their R15 is probably a little worse than the 625 but it is fairly reliable now, it is not a TiVo and don't expect the reliability of TiVo. If you switch to D* you will have a 24Mo. contract for DVR and HD so it will have to be a beneficial switch to make it justifiable.

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lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 8, 2007

Thanks Boba. A few more days of TV watching like the ones noted in Post #1 and the switch will have to be better. That was really frustrating.

Len

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killzone

· #7 · Jan 9, 2007

I have 2 622s and they are great, but if you watch a lot of shows off the locals and you will only be getting them via OTA your probably better off going with DirectTV. From what I understand you won't get any guide information (for the OTA channels) unless you subscribe to the locals and since you can't you will have to set any OTA recordings manually.

I read some pretty bad things about the DirectTV DVR, but I'm sure many people said the same thing about the 622 when it first came out and had reboot issues.

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lsokoloff

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 9, 2007

Thanks Killzone. Yep, I've considered your points and they are definitely a couple of negatives to staying with DISH. I'm hoping for a couple of waivers from NPS, but those are up in the air right now. Nearly all of what I record comes from the networks.

Len

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kb7oeb

· #9 · Jan 9, 2007

If you could go OTA only you might look at a tivo series3. Its a bit expensive but you can make it up but not having a satellite bill.

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HuggieBear

· #10 · Jan 9, 2007

I can say that the OTA tuner in the 211 is pretty good as long as my signal is higher than 60% I get no glitches on the one channel I can gett with my cheap antenna. I figure the 622 should be just as good. My TV needs a better signal to get the station but the dish box is happy with a 61 or 62 signal reading.

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jsk

· #11 · Jan 9, 2007

I would look at the D* forums to look at the problems that they have. I have heard that one big difference (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that E* regularly sends updates to its receivers to correct issues. D* only allows vendors to send 1 update before they have to pay to send any other updates.

According to other posts, it seems E* engineers are working on the issues that everyone has been complaining about in these forums. One of the issues is that some OTA HD stations freeze up all the time (might be the problem with your Fox station). Also, E* is supposed to send an update in Feb. that hopefully will fix the issues.

Does anyone know if lsokoloff were to upgrade to the 622 and not be satisfied with it, could it be returned w/o any penalties?

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mraroid

· #12 · Jan 9, 2007

Many contract installers take pride in their work. Some don't. A contract installer may not do the work as well as you. I bought my 622 at Costco ($449.99), and then installed a D1000, and bought a D500 on craigs list. I put the 129 LNBF on the D500. My buddy & I dialed in the dishes. If I get snow in the next month or two in HD, and I am going to move to a 24" dish. And I will install it myself so I know the job and the zeroing in on that satellite is done correctly.

Do that, and you will be happy.

mraroid

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Codeman00

· #13 · Jan 10, 2007

My Dish622 OTA tuner is a lot better than even the 811. My signal strength my local ABC went from the low 80s to 98 with the new 622 receiver.

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Tom Robertson

· #14 · Jan 10, 2007

lsokoloff said:
I currently cannot record any network broadcasts because I lost them all. I do have multiple antennas in the attic to pull in the locals.

On Friday I was watching CBS in digital/HD and it was pretty much unwatchable. Signal strength was about 50% and it broke up and froze so often that I had a hard time watching it. I wasn't surprised at that. CBS analog is very snowy, so I've got real problems with CBS.

Today I was watching FOX with a signal strength of about 95%. What really surprised me was that the digital signal was breaking up there too, not quite as bad as CBS the other day, but still bad enough that I had to switch and watch it via the analog signal.

You might be dealing with the digital equivalent of ghosting, multipath distortion. Early generation of tuners could not handle the delayed signal reflections and could pixelate even when the signal strength "looked" good.

To deal with that, be certain your antennas are correctly spliced in together; put them as close to the towers as possible in the attic, and watch closely as you tweak them to eliminate the "ghosts".

BTW, one way tuners have vastly improved is in rejecting the distortion, so a 622 might be your best route.

Cheers,
Tom

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