[James Long]

Your OTA locals might be a problem ... You will need to be within range of the stations to pick up their HD broadcasts. As long as the receiver has been subscribed you don't need the satellite signal. You will have to find the stations without the benefit of the EPG (which will run out 44 hours or so after the last satellite download).

The biggest issue is getting the OTA HD signal to the receiver ... especially for your locals. You may have to find another Fox affiliate in the area and add it's digital signal to your receiver to get a picture.

 

[James Long]

Technally your subscription allows you to use dish services only at your registered service address ... so taking your dish on the road (without an RV exemption) isn't supported.

It's odd that it wouldn't work - you should have at least been able to manually add a channel.

 

[James Long]

Odd. Mine works without the sat cable connected (although testing it a moment ago I had to press MENU-1 to get into the program guide instead of just GUIDE).

Perhaps once the EPG has expired it behaves differently.

 

[James Long]

That's the trick. Once unplugged the ViP-211 needs a satellite signal before it will do anything of value.