Dish network HD TV question

[G.]

Finally clawing my way out of the stone age.

After Thanksgiving, I bought an HD TV (Sharp Aquos). For really dummass reasons, I'm finally getting my HD receiver next week, in time to see the Bears kick some cute widdle ponies around.:p

I'm getting the 622 DVR model, with 2 tuners (one SD). The sales babe said that with ALL of their dual tuners, you MUST attach a phone line to it. Well, crap, they said that about the SD tuner when I got it 4-ish years ago. The thing ain't even sniffed a tele cord.

Lady tells me that if you DO NOT attach the tele cord to it, it "will not work correctly", which means TO ME that I cannot get instant weather, must call for PPV, no vid games, etc. No problem here.

(She rattled off all the wonderful reasons for attaching the line, then told me that if I don't, "it will not work correctly". She said she was reading the script.)

No, if you don't hook up a telephone line, they CHARGE you $5 a month! WTF!?!

Can this be true? What the **** would be their justification for that crap?

Again, she said you can leave it off with single tuners, but not the dual tuners. Unless you get a "bypass", which has a $5.00 installation charge (I think she meant monthly charge here, but I didn't get into it with her.).

Anyone know if this is accurate? Why? Why, I ask ya, WHY?

Thanks!

[cameraman]

I don't know why but the $5 thing is true. It also has a thing about 3AM. Every morning at exactly 3AM it wakes up and spins up its hard drive and fans to maximum speed and makes quite a racket for about 45 seconds.

[WickerBill]

Looks like it is true....

http://www.dbsforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=39216&highlight=phone+line+charge

[KLang]

No, if you don't hook up a telephone line, they CHARGE you $5 a month! WTF!?!


As others have said, that part is true. I've got three receivers and the 622 is the only one I have hooked into the phone. I think they are doing it to protect against fraud, and to try to encourage using PayPerView. Wouldn't surprise me if most of their future receivers do the same. I believe your 622 will work just fine without the phone line though, just the extra charge. It is possible to buy a wireless remote phone thingy if you don't have an outlet handy.

BTW your 622 actually has 3 HD tuners. 2 satellite and 1 OTA. (for an Over The Air antenna) The 622 can run two TV's, the output for the second TV is downressed to SD.

I hope they told you they will need to replace the dish on your house. You will need input from three satellites to get all the HD programming and your locals.

Edit: Oh, and welcome to the HD world. :cool:

[Sean O'Gorman]

I don't know why but the $5 thing is true. It also has a thing about 3AM. Every morning at exactly 3AM it wakes up and spins up its hard drive and fans to maximum speed and makes quite a racket for about 45 seconds.

Oh man I hate it when it does that. :irked:

[KLang]

Oh man I hate it when it does that. :irked:

I think the receiver is updating the guide info. The 510 in our bedroom does the same thing in the middle of the night.

[G.]

Thanks guys. I guess their "justification" is if you connect the line, they don't charge for the "extra" receiver.

(yes, I'm getting a new antenna, and yes, I'm trying to see if this new thing called "fire" will help me to make that thing called a "wheel".)

[KLang]

FYI for Dish HD subscribers:

Dish turned on A&E HD yesterday, channel 9419. :)

[G.]

A&EHD:thumbup:

Just to reiterate what a lot of you know already. DVR's RULE!

I have not yet even begun to see how to set it up to record, but by doing NOTHING, whatsoever, I can pause, rewind, FF live TV. No setup, haven't cracked the manual open, etc.

That's the cool part. I've just gotten the 622 RX and without any setup, I can do this.

I guess that I am easily amused.:gomer:

[KLang]

I have not yet even begun to see how to set it up to record

Easiest way to me is to select a future show from the guide and it will give you the recording options.

[KLang]

Hey G. just remembered something, make sure you check the output resolution the 622 is set at. The default, unless they changed it, is 480P. You will want to set it to probabaly 720P, but try 1080i also.

[cameraman]

Another thing to think about. Be very careful with the HDMI cable, they are stiff and heavy and on mine moving the cable actually broke the HDMI port mount on the 622.:mad: It is component cables for that machine now. There is no visible difference between the pictures so it doesn't really matter but still...