Dish receivers

[Jon E D]

I'm having AT&T come install Dish at my home this week and I was wondering what receiver I might be getting.  I told them that i have 2 HDTV's that will be needed connection and would like DVR on one of them.  I was told by a friend that i'll receive one box and that both tv's will be connected to it, but when I look at the dish website the box that I see that is HDTV DVR has only one HDTV out and the other is SDTV.  Will I be getting 2 boxes or just one?  And what will it (they) be?

Thanks

[kevbeck122]

My guess is they'll give you a ViP612 DVR and a ViP211 HD receiver.  You might get the ViP722 DVR, but since you are only using the receiver for one TV I'm thinking they will give you the 612.  

The dual TV receivers only send SD/downconverted HD to the second TV.

[Jon E D]

Cool. Thanks for the info!!

[jkane]

You ordered television service and don't even know what you are getting?  Ouch!  That sounds like a setup for disappointment.  Good luck!

[kevbeck122]

Dish doesn't really tell you what you're getting... at least in my experience.  When I ordered, I thought I only mentioned that I had one HDTV.  I assumed I was getting a 722, but then discovered that if you only had one HD set they were giving out 612s.  Well I called and they said when I ordered (online), I supposedly indicated I had one HD and one SD, so I was getting the 722.  My order didn't go through because of lazy installers, but that's how it went.

[Jon E D]

Well, you were both right.  I set myself up for disappointment and Kevbeck nailed it on the head with the boxes I was receiving, the only thing is the guy that set up my order screwed it up and wrote on the work order that I was only getting one tv with HD DVR and the other would take feed from that box in SD.  When I told the installer that I repeatedly told the salesman that I needed 2 HDTV boxes one with DVR he made the call and had to adjust the work order, and add $7 to my monthly bill.  So I now have the 612 and 211.

After the install was all done the installer sat down and showed me some of the features.  He got to showing the guide and showed me how channels not in my package showed up a different color.  I noticed that Vh-1 Classic was showing up as not subscribed to and told him that I thought it was in the my 250 package.  "Well you have the America's favorite 200 package"....Crap.

Long story made a little less long, after a couple phone calls I come to realize that the original salesman screwed me over.  I was told to get what I was told I was originally getting I will now have to spend $20 more a month than I was quoted.  Wife is ballistic, receivers will be going back to Dish, and TWC is coming back to reattach my main cable feed the the Dish installer removed to put his in.  

I blame myself, I should have been a bit more thorough in my research and pricing, but me being a dumbass trusted a salesman.

So.  What do I do with 2 spankin new dishes?

[jkane]

I order directly from dish.  Not from a retailer.  Unless it could be local and I can see the face of the person selling me the stuff!  I have never not gotten what I wanted to order by telling them specifically which model I want to have installed.  We have had some disagreements over what kind of dish (the one on the roof) I am getting, but I wouldn't agree to the upgrade until I clearly understood what the installer was supposed to be doing!

[Chinatown]

Well, you were both right.  I set myself up for disappointment and Kevbeck nailed it on the head with the boxes I was receiving, the only thing is the guy that set up my order screwed it up and wrote on the work order that I was only getting one tv with HD DVR and the other would take feed from that box in SD.  When I told the installer that I repeatedly told the salesman that I needed 2 HDTV boxes one with DVR he made the call and had to adjust the work order, and add $7 to my monthly bill.  So I now have the 612 and 211.

After the install was all done the installer sat down and showed me some of the features.  He got to showing the guide and showed me how channels not in my package showed up a different color.  I noticed that Vh-1 Classic was showing up as not subscribed to and told him that I thought it was in the my 250 package.  "Well you have the America's favorite 200 package"....Crap.

Long story made a little less long, after a couple phone calls I come to realize that the original salesman screwed me over.  I was told to get what I was told I was originally getting I will now have to spend $20 more a month than I was quoted.  Wife is ballistic, receivers will be going back to Dish, and TWC is coming back to reattach my main cable feed the the Dish installer removed to put his in.  

I blame myself, I should have been a bit more thorough in my research and pricing, but me being a dumbass trusted a salesman.

So.  What do I do with 2 spankin new dishes?

I have had Dish for 16 months. I have the VIP 612 & the SD 625. Both receivers have been spot on.

By the way, did you ask them about the Cinemax $.1 cent deal
It should be available to you if you opt to auto pay.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=114025&highlight=cinemax

In addition, I also read a recent post  that they are offering Starz/Encore for $5.00

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/145126-starz-encore-5-01-a.html


However, you may have to establish yourself for a few months.

[Jon E D]

I have had Dish for 16 months. I have the VIP 612 & the SD 625. Both receivers have been spot on.

By the way, did you ask them about the Cinemax $.1 cent deal
It should be available to you if you opt to auto pay.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=114025&highlight=cinemax

In addition, I also read a recent post  that they are offering Starz/Encore for $5.00

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/145126-starz-encore-5-01-a.html


However, you may have to establish yourself for a few months.

Dish is gone, luckily I never discontinued my service with time warner so all they had to do was replace the cut line.  They gave me a line of crap about having to pay the disconnection fee of $240 after I was told on 2 different phone calls that I had 30 days to decide.  after talking to a manager and having to threaten to remove my phone and dsl they let the disconnection fee slide.  The whole experience put a bad taste in my mouth for AT&T.

[Chinatown]

Dish is gone, luckily I never discontinued my service with time warner so all they had to do was replace the cut line.  They gave me a line of crap about having to pay the disconnection fee of $240 after I was told on 2 different phone calls that I had 30 days to decide.  after talking to a manager and having to threaten to remove my phone and dsl they let the disconnection fee slide.  The whole experience put a bad taste in my mouth for AT&T.

It appears that you orchestrated your initial programming with AT&T. I am sorry you had such a bad experience. I suspect that that you had quite a lot of time left on your commitment, per the lofty disconnect fee.

I dealt with "Dish directly and  only have a month left on mine.

However if I upgrade to a secondary HD  receiver, it will be purchased privately, as I also don't want the possibility of what you just explained, happening to me.

Good Luck with TWC.

[brewtownska]

Guys,

I just had Dish installed on Friday, and loving it so far.  Had to suffer through an SD Brewers game on Friday (at least they won), but Saturday was in HD and was great.  We have the 722 box, so we're using it for an HDTV and the room 2 output.

Currently, our main HDTV is suffering a convergence issue, so we're doing most of our watching on a 27" RCA analog TV until I replace the bad set.  The 27" is using the TV2 home distribution coax output.  My question lies with that TV2 output...

Does anyone know if there are options to make that output letterbox?  For instance, the SD Brewer game on Friday was squished, but I also had black boxes on the left/right sides.  I assume this is because they broadcast a 4:3 picture and ADD the black boxes to the signal, so the 722 sends the whole signal as-is to the output.  With the Saturday game, watching the HD Brewers broadcast gave me a full screen picture, but you can tell the picture is anamorphic because it's squished to fill up the screen.  I guess down the road when I upgrade to a widscreen TV in that room, this won't be an issue, but I just figured there must be a way to letterbox the output instead of sending the channel signal out as-is.  Wasn't able to find anything in my setup menus, so I figured asking others here who have the box may produce an answer.

Another question - what quirks have you guys found with this box, or what features do you love?  So far the only other things I dislike are the size of the picture-in-picture boxes.  The first size seems too big for being the small box, and the 2nd size is WAY too big - you can barely any of the main picture behind it.  Also related to PIP, I wish the locations of the PIP (I found 9 locations) would put the box further to the outside of the screen.  It always seems like it's in the way where ever I put it.  Obviously both of these are minor things and very nit-picky of me.  I can tell everything I heard from others is true...this seems like the most advanced box available, so I'm glad I went with Dish.

Mike

[Chinatown]

Guys,

I just had Dish installed on Friday, and loving it so far.  Had to suffer through an SD Brewers game on Friday (at least they won), but Saturday was in HD and was great.  We have the 722 box, so we're using it for an HDTV and the room 2 output.

Currently, our main HDTV is suffering a convergence issue, so we're doing most of our watching on a 27" RCA analog TV until I replace the bad set.  The 27" is using the TV2 home distribution coax output.  My question lies with that TV2 output...

Does anyone know if there are options to make that output letterbox?  For instance, the SD Brewer game on Friday was squished, but I also had black boxes on the left/right sides.  I assume this is because they broadcast a 4:3 picture and ADD the black boxes to the signal, so the 722 sends the whole signal as-is to the output.  With the Saturday game, watching the HD Brewers broadcast gave me a full screen picture, but you can tell the picture is anamorphic because it's squished to fill up the screen.  I guess down the road when I upgrade to a widscreen TV in that room, this won't be an issue, but I just figured there must be a way to letterbox the output instead of sending the channel signal out as-is.  Wasn't able to find anything in my setup menus, so I figured asking others here who have the box may produce an answer.

Another question - what quirks have you guys found with this box, or what features do you love?  So far the only other things I dislike are the size of the picture-in-picture boxes.  The first size seems too big for being the small box, and the 2nd size is WAY too big - you can barely any of the main picture behind it.  Also related to PIP, I wish the locations of the PIP (I found 9 locations) would put the box further to the outside of the screen.  It always seems like it's in the way where ever I put it.  Obviously both of these are minor things and very nit-picky of me.  I can tell everything I heard from others is true...this seems like the most advanced box available, so I'm glad I went with Dish.

Mike

Yes, you have the Rolls Royce of Receivers. My 18 month contract with Dish, just ended. However, I have no intention of going with any other provider.
By February, I will be able to go to one of the HD only packages. I figure by then, that most of the popular SD content will be in HD. Should be able to reduce the bill by $30.00.

By the way, if you auto-pay, they will give you 5 "Cinemax" channels for a penny a month.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/145777-cinemax-1-cent-per-year-special.html

Anyway, I have the 622. The main set is HD, the other SD. When watching on the SD, the HD programming does have the letterbox look. I think you just need to click the format button on its own remote. That should get you the proper aspect ratio. If not the Tv itself, may have a format feature, as well.

As  to the PIP..... I really don't use it that much......When I do, I will just have the alternate channel in the corner.........that works for me.


Lastly, the search button on the remote.........If you are watching something that was joined in progress...........just hit it.... It will take you to the search index. It will then show you when it is on again, in the next 10 days.

There are other great features, but I will let you discover those on your own.

Have fun.

[brewtownska]

I found my formatting answer online...the * button toggles between standard, partial zoom, zoom, and stretch; even letterbox when on an HD channel.