# Dish, 211, OTA and 2 TVs?



## sdsalsero (Mar 3, 2006)

I'm investigating getting Dish Network for my office so that we can watch March Madness. But I don't know if it's worth it? We have a small lunchroom with a 27" TV (and no cable service available) and, right across the hall, a large training room with a high-def projector and 10' screen. I think March Madness is on CBS so maybe all I need is an ext antenna and a STB?

What I'm considering is this:
1. sign-up for the Dish BronzeHD service and buy the 211 box.
2. have their installer do the dish plus a proper OTA antenna.
3. cancel the BronzeHD service after a month (or whatever is allowed)
4. continue to use 211 strictly as an OTA STB

Does this seem reasonable?

This is also dependent on the 211 supporting simultaneous outputs, e.g. component (to the projector) and composite or RG58 (to the lunchroom). Does the 211 do this?

Thank you for any information and suggestions!


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Well, why bother with Dish if all you want is OTA? Get an old VOOM STB or something from e-bay or WalMart, put up your antenna, and you're good to go. SoCal has lots of HD OTA, and it's free.

And yes, the 211 outputs are all hot all the time.

:welcome_s


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## mkpolley (Dec 8, 2003)

i think you have to pay a fee to continue to get ota,after dropping the HD package.vip 211 has component and hdmi inputs.
i forgot to tell you the vip 211 is a single tuner reciever,therefore,you cant watch 2 different channels with it.
you will have to watch the same channel on both tvs.


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## sdsalsero (Mar 3, 2006)

Thanks for the immediate replies!

- I was thinking of the Dish 211 because I assume it has a later-gen tuner and also so that we continue to have the option to actually subscribe, i.e., my boss turns around and says, "I think we should have CNN Headline News, too."

- I talked to a local Dish and antenna installer (one who caters to businesses) who says that he can sell me the 211 box sans Dish service for $400. And, that the OTA is usable even without Dish. But he's also willing to setup any ol' STB I can find. How cheap can I get one?

- Having just one tuner is okay since most of the time it's only going to be used in the lunchroom. The big screen in the training room is just for special occasions.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

I don't think he's quite right about the 211 OTA being available without a Dish subscription. I do know that it won't get OTA until it's been activated by Dish CSR's.

I've seen new USSB HD tuners in WalMart for about $200. OTA works without a USSB subscription. You could probably find tuners on e-bay for less. I don't know if all outputs are active simultaneously on all receivers.


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## sdsalsero (Mar 3, 2006)

USSB? Didn't they disappear years ago? I tried searching the walmart.com site for the term "ussb" and it didn't find anything. I also tried searching Ebay's Consumer Electronics for "ussb" and that didn't turn-up anything either.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Sorry, not USSB. Had a brain fart. Maybe US Digital. WalMart may not carry them any more, but you can find some on e-bay: http://cgi.ebay.com/US-Digital-HDTV...876762705QQcategoryZ61396QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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