Question for users of Dish Network

[project86]

I'm specifically looking for people who currently have SD dish service, or recently upgraded from SD to HD service.

How is your SD content? I think mine is terrible, and that's just on my 27" CRT. I sit about 9 feet away, and can clearly see digital artifacting on nearly every channel. Even my wife (who doesn't usually notice that sort of thing) tells me DVD's look a whole lot better to her. I had a problem with my 625 box a while back, so they sent me a new one, and it looks the same.

I can't imagine blowing this junk picture up to 50" or even 42". Does the quality of the SD content differ at all if you get HD, like a 622 or the new 722? I'd imagine it's the same except processed through the internal scaler, and maybe slightly cleaner due to HDMI instead of s-video.

I've been fairly pleased with Dish, especially the low price, but the bad picture of SD content might make me switch.

PS slightly off topic, but if you only get SD service, couldn't you still grab some OTA HD channels if your TV has a built in tuner? I guess you'd just have to manually switch channels seperate from the dish, which would be kind of a hassle.

 

[OttoMatic]

Hi there,

Yeah, SD sucks in general, but I've always had Dish HD, so I'm not sure of the differences between the 625 and the 622. I had the 942 and now the 622. DVDs do look better, of course.

We are watching on a 52" Mitsubishi DLP.

If you have Dish SD service, you can definitely get OTA HD channels with a TV tuner. If you have a 942 or 622 you can tune those OTH HD channels through the Dish box, which is pretty slick.

In the end, we don't pay a lot of attention to the SD channels. We watch them, but we just wait as more and more become HD.

Good luck!

 

[majorloser]

I have a ViP622 used with a Optoma HD78-DC3 720p projector. It's projected on a 100" 16:9 screen. Obviously at 100" SD programming always looks like cr@p. The ViP622 does a decent job of converting the SD signal to 720p via the HDMI output. As a note, I watch 4:3 images in it's original format, not stretched or zoomed. The black bars are fine with me.

But recently Dish has expanded it's HD programming. It's worth spending the extra money.

As far as OTA HD/digital programming, the ViP receivers have a built-in tuner. All you need is an antenna and your set. Here's a website that can help you find out what's available in your area:

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

You only need to enter your Zip Code in the form.

 

[Bryce_H]

We watch Dish (522) SD upstairs on our 32" set and it looks fine - but down stairs (ViP 622) on the 106" screen it looks REALLY bad (i.e. we never watch SD downstairs). The HD looks great and I pull my local channels in HD OTA through an antenna I mounted in my attic.

 

[project86]

Thanks everyone. I realize that once I get a new plasma (or LCD, or whatever I decide to get...) I will want to upgrade to Dish HD service fairly soon. But initially, I will just have SD. I know it will be disappointing (especially to the wife) to connect this big new TV and have it look like crap.


majorloser: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you are saying this: Your HD channels show up widescreen, while your SD channels stay 4:3? That's exactly how I would want mine. Does the 622 also integrate the OTA channels into the menu system? IE they have the usual info, can be recorded, etc? Also, I didn't understand that link.... which stations are HD?

Thanks in advance everyone, I'll figure this out yet.

EDIT another question: do you have to pay the extra $5 per month for locals, even though you tune them for free from the OTA?

Also, how many HD channels do you get in HD, total?

 

[OttoMatic]

Hi there,

I'm not majorloser, but I'll throw in a couple comments...

Yep, HD channels are widescreen, and SD are 4:3. You can "stretch" SD channels via the dish box or the TV (most widescreen TVs have some type of stretch feature). But as you say, you'll want to keep them in 4:3; they just look best that way. Yes, you can integrate OTA channels into your "guide" and record them as any other channel.

You only have to pay the extra $5 if you subscribe to locals via Dish. If you get them OTA, you don't have to pay, and the usage of the guide for those OTA channels is also $0.

I'm probably pushing 25 channels in HD, including locals. Somethin' like that.

 

[project86]

Thanks Otto. That answers most of my questions, but just to clarify: I know that HD content is native widescreen and SD is 4:3. Is it possible to make the 622 display each in it's native format? I think that is what you are saying, but it also seems like maybe you are just giving me the basic aspect ratios in general. What I would not want is to be watching an HD channel, then flip to an SD channel and have to press a button to change to 4:3 with black bars. I want the box to be able to do it for me automatically. Is thiat what you meant?

Thanks again

 

[OttoMatic]

Hi project86,

Yep, as you flip through channels, the program will remain in its native aspect ratio. No need to hit another button between HD and SD.

 

[majorloser]

majorloser: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you are saying this: Your HD channels show up widescreen, while your SD channels stay 4:3? That's exactly how I would want mine. Does the 622 also integrate the OTA channels into the menu system? IE they have the usual info, can be recorded, etc? Also, I didn't understand that link.... which stations are HD?

Some people like to view 4:3 content in "stretch" or "zoom" mode. You can toggle throught these modes by pressing the (*) key on the lower left of the remote. It allows the entire image to fill the screen. To me, it just makes a poor quality image worse. You can also toggle through choices for grey or black side bars. I prefer black.

Yes, the 622 will allow you to scan for OTA channels and save them. It will indicate which ones are digital signals. The digital signals are the ones that will also send HD when its available. This is done in the setup menu. Take note that not broadcast shows are in HD, but the list is growing quickly.

With the Antenna Web link, the digital channels are the ones that will offer HD content. After you've entered you Zip Code and selected "continue" when it give you a map, you'll see a list of available channels. At the top of the list you can select "Show Digital Stations Only" to view just those network. If you don't have many available, Dish does offer the ability to receive out of area OTA channels that are in HD:

https://customersupport.dishnetwork.com/customernetqual/prepAddress.do

EDIT: BTW, I receive local channel by both methods, satellite and OTA antenna. No matter how bad the weather, when you're looking at 3 different satellite and you have the OTA antenna, you'll NEVER be without television. Heck, even during the hurricanes a couple years back I had almost all of my channels. I use Dish at work, too. Even during the worse the storms could throw at us the signal was there. (emergency generators rock) My neighbors whom are on cable didn't have JACK for days. Sucks to be them. I mounted my dishes into concrete so they'd last the winds. Didn't even sway. Though, if your dishes get out of aim due to a storm, Dish will send somebody right out to fix them for free.

 

[project86]

Thank you. The link from Dish shows I will get FOX, NBC, and CBS. The Antenna web link shows I will get NBC, PBS, a small local channel, and some other channel I've never heard of. So if that is accurate I'm basically getting only 3 channels that I would watch. Not very impressive.

I have a friend who live a few miles from me. He has basic cable and is able to pull in quite a few HD channels with his TV's tuner. The link shows he should get the same channels as me. Is that something different, or should I get the same channels as him?


It's funny: the impression I get from the current state of HD is that it is still very primitive. My son (who is 2 years old) will certainly laugh about it when he is a teenager. I can hear it now - "so you paid extra for an HD package but only got 15% of your channels in HD, and even those were only HD sometimes, and even then the resolution wasn't all that great? You're a dinosaur dad!"

 

[annunaki]

I do not have HD right now, nor do I have an HD capable receiver. Not sure of the model but it has the 60 hour HDD DVR. I use s-video into my televison (via the S-video switching from my receiver) and the picture is fine with SD programming. Of course it is not as good as DVD but it still looks quite decent. I do not experience a lot of artifacts and such and I have a 4:3 32" set.

I plan to upgrade to a 42"-47" HD set in the near future. My parents have a 42" Panasonic Plasma and they have SD only programming and it looks pretty good. There are more artifacts than my set up but it is not bad.

 

[Geno]

I've had Dish HD for about 2 years now. I think their HD content (they bought the extinct VOOM network) is first rate. My SD content is pretty good, too, IMHO, but that "pixelation/blocking" effect that's mentioned here can happen once in awhile. It's my understanding that it's the loss of signal strength that causes it. I had a tree growing in front of my dish and a feedhorn that was going bad, so a tree-trimming and new antenna solved that.

 

[jake5717]

I've had Dish for about a year now and it wasn't until this weekend that I upgraded to the Dish HD ($14 more) I’m so dumb for not starting out with the HD package. It’s totally worth the extra money.

 

[project86]

I've had Dish for about a year now and it wasn't until this weekend that I upgraded to the Dish HD ($14 more) I’m so dumb for not starting out with the HD package. It’s totally worth the extra money.

Isn't it $20/month extra for the HD package though?

 

[majorloser]

Well, my bill says it's $30 but I get a $10 credit.

I have no freakin' idea what I'm paying for. I just like it.

 

[yettitheman]

Dish HD has made my parents a slave to their TV.
I guess I won't have to worry about them playing shuffleboard

 

[Fred in Lompoc]

Dish Network reception

I've been on Dish Network for about 7 years. Always in SD. I have a 721 and a 501 receivers. I very rarely have the problem with pixelation that I think is in question. However I have seen it on a friends SD set up with the 501 receiver. I think it is an installation and set up problem rather than anything involving the dish system.
My set is a 36 inch Panasonic which still displays a very good picture. In the bedroom I have a 25 year old 19" Zenith that has a decent picture.