# OTA Channels on HD 811 without satellite feed or subscription



## Boomerang67 (Sep 6, 2006)

Hi there,

I would like to know if it is possible to pickup my local OTA channels without plugging in the sat feed or having a subscription.

I live in Canada and I just wanted to use the 811 for local OTAs.

PS Can I plug my rabbit ears into the 8VSB input???

What is the best indoor antenna for the HD811??


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

Boomerang67 said:


> I would like to know if it is possible to pickup my local OTA channels without plugging in the sat feed or having a subscription.


No it is not possible to use the 811 for OTA without a Sateliite feed attached. You can however use it for OTA without a subscription. I assume you have the Bell Express Vue version of the 811? I do not know for sure if the Express Vue 811 is setup like the US side Dish Net 811 is. In the US you would have to have your 811 connected to a live dish for 8VSB to function. If your trying to use a US spec 811, you may be out of luck and technically it may also be illegal. I do not know that answer for certain.



Boomerang67 said:


> I live in Canada and I just wanted to use the 811 for local OTAs.


Again, don't know the main differences between Express Vue and Dish 811 functionality.



Boomerang67 said:


> PS Can I plug my rabbit ears into the 8VSB input??? What is the best indoor antenna for the HD811??


Your choice, I do not believe in indoor antenna's. I would never purchase one but hey, your mileage may very.


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## Boomerang67 (Sep 6, 2006)

Thanks for the info, it is a 811.

I would like to know if I put the receiver in the stream so I can get the OTA locals without a subscription, will it update to to the latest rev?

I do not want the rev update.


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## kb7oeb (Jun 16, 2004)

It will update if you leave it connected and powered off. Others have posted that the current versions still allows it to work unsubscribed so you shouldn't have to worry about it.


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## baumane (Aug 17, 2002)

I recently moved and I had to switch to cable since my house is surrounded by trees with no available line of sight. I still have my 811 and wonder if I could use the OTA tuner for the couple of HDTV locals that are not in my cable HD subscription. 

If I understand..... what you are saying is the 811 will not work without a "live" or dialed in sat feed, meaning I would need the dish (lnb) hooked up and have a line of site. I would not need to "activate" the box and subscribe though.

In other words, I am out of luck without a dish hooked up? No way to trick the box?


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## kb7oeb (Jun 16, 2004)

You will not be able to get past the searching for satellite screen. It does not matter what orbital location you have, if you can see any dish bird you could get it going.


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## Miner (Oct 29, 2004)

baumane,

Since you are only needing to have a live connection to a dish satellite, could you aim a dish to one of the secondary dish sats at 61.5, 129 or 148? Since they are at different views from the main 110, 119 sats, there may be an opening in the trees that surround your house. Of course, the elevation is going to be lower than the main birds. You could try the "fence pole in a bucket" moving the dish around the house to see if you can get a connection.

It may not be worth the time to get a couple of channels.

Miner


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## baumane (Aug 17, 2002)

Miner said:


> baumane,
> 
> Since you are only needing to have a live connection to a dish satellite, could you aim a dish to one of the secondary dish sats at 61.5, 129 or 148? Since they are at different views from the main 110, 119 sats, there may be an opening in the trees that surround your house. Of course, the elevation is going to be lower than the main birds. You could try the "fence pole in a bucket" moving the dish around the house to see if you can get a connection.
> 
> ...


kb7oeb and miner,
thanks for the information! I think I will see if I can sell the 811 and my old 301's on ebay and then use the cash to just buy a decent OTA HD tuner.

I figured as much since all Dish equipment is proprietary, that would be the case even though I own the box.

baumane.


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## ee1995 (Feb 10, 2004)

You willl be much better off with a new OTA convert box that has the fifth generation chip set. Much better performance with regard to multipath.


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## DougRuss (Oct 16, 2005)

I agree !!

I bought a *Samsung DTB-H260F OTA STB* to watch the HD OTA . It is so much better that the tuner in the 811 !

Who would have thunk it?


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