# OTA doesn't work on my VIP211



## ivseenbetter (Oct 19, 2006)

I just joined up with Dish and was very excited. I was enjoying everything but I missed my local channels. I went out and bought an antenna so I can get OTA. The problem is that when I plug it into the VIP211 and then run a search for local channels it comes up with 0. The signal meter is 0 the whole time no matter what I try. I thought it might be the antenna so I didn't move it, but plugged it into the back of my TV directly instead. When I ran through the setup on the television set I was able to find 15 digital stations! What the heck is that all about? Am I doing something wrong on the Dish box?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I forget where it is, but make sure your ViP receiver is configured to receive OTA from antenna (as opposed to cable). I don't remember what it defaults to, but that could be a problem.

Some people experience different results with different types of receivers (Dish, TV, standalone, etc.)... but I would think you would not have the extreme difference of 15 vs 0.

If the configuration is correct, and you scan for channels and get nothing in the ViP... you *could* have a defective receiver. I have read of a few people who had bad OTA tuners in their receivers that had to be returned for a new unit.


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## ivseenbetter (Oct 19, 2006)

I tried it on two different VIP211's. I have one upstairs and one downstairs. I had the same result with both. Maybe it is a settings thing but I couldn't find anything in the manual about it. I called Dish and they told me some bunk about not being able to recieve it through the reciever if it wasn't "originally carried" by Dish. I will keep looking at the settings though. Thanks.


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## John W (Dec 20, 2005)

ivseenbetter said:


> I tried it on two different VIP211's. I have one upstairs and one downstairs. I had the same result with both. Maybe it is a settings thing but I couldn't find anything in the manual about it. I called Dish and they told me some bunk about not being able to recieve it through the reciever if it wasn't "originally carried" by Dish. I will keep looking at the settings though. Thanks.


The Dish answer is bs, but, ya gotta be smarter than the machine.


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## ivseenbetter (Oct 19, 2006)

Well, I guess I'm not smarter than the machine because I don't find anything that allows me change the situation and I have combed through all the options. I'm literally getting a 0 for all OTA channels when I know for a fact that I should be getting 15...heck I would be happy with 1 right now. I've been reading a lot of people complaining about similar problems with OTA and the 211 but nobody has posted a fix of anykind yet. Bummer.


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## ivseenbetter (Oct 19, 2006)

Just figured out what I was doing wrong...and I am a huge bonehead! You need to go under the HDTV setup and turn the analog selection to Off-air. Mine was set to cable for some reason. Worked like a charm after that. Hope the info helps somebody else as well.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

ivseenbetter said:


> Just figured out what I was doing wrong...and I am a huge bonehead! You need to go under the HDTV setup and turn the analog selection to Off-air. Mine was set to cable for some reason. Worked like a charm after that. Hope the info helps somebody else as well.


That's the setting I was talking about... I just couldn't tell you exactly how to get there without being in front of my receiver (which I wasn't at the time I posted). I can't remember what mine defaulted to when first installed, but I remember going there and verifying the setting anyway.


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