# Questions about the ViP622



## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

We are moving in to our house in a month or so and I have been considering Dish Network because I can get a bundle with DSL, phone and Dish cheaper then what we are paying now for Digital Cable, DSL, and Phone. However I don't want to lose the features that I like with our Digital Cable. So to cut to the point here are my first round of questions:

1) Can someone confirm that it will record 2 HD shows at a time and have the ability to play a previously recorded show in HD? 

2) If I use the TV-2 output distributed through the house via coax, what happens when 2 shows are being recording at the same time? Does the TV-2 output one of the shows being recorded? Can it output a previously recorded show?

3) It looks like the TV-2 output is a UHF band?

4) Can both tuners be run off of 1 coax line, ie can I have a splitter?

5) This may be stupid but again never had satellite always cable, do I get the locals from an OTA? If so depending on #4, is there a splitter that will split 2 satellite signals and the OTA signal? Or will I have to have a splitter and a diplexer?


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## CricTic (Mar 17, 2006)

brax4 said:


> 1) Can someone confirm that it will record 2 HD shows at a time and have the ability to play a previously recorded show in HD?


Confirmed.


brax4 said:


> 2) If I use the TV-2 output distributed through the house via coax, what happens when 2 shows are being recording at the same time? Does the TV-2 output one of the shows being recorded? Can it output a previously recorded show?


If you are currently recording 2 shows, you will not be able to tune to a third using TV2. You can watch recorded programs, however.


brax4 said:


> 5) This may be stupid but again never had satellite always cable, do I get the locals from an OTA? If so depending on #4, is there a splitter that will split 2 satellite signals and the OTA signal? Or will I have to have a splitter and a diplexer?


Most people can get standard def locals over the satellite for $5/mo. Most major markets have hi-def locals over sat as well for the same price. Not sure what the situation is for your location but you can search the forum or ask Dish. Almost certainly, you can get std-def locals over satellite. A lot of folks (like myself) can't get hi-def locals over satellite yet, so we use OTA for the locals. The OTA antenna connects directly to the 622 via a dedicated input so no splitters etc. are necessary.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

1. With an OTA antenna you can actually record 3 programs at once.

3. You can use either UHF channels or Cable range channels.

4. Yes with the current technology Dish. The 622 comes with a dpp seperator so you can have a single cable from the Dish.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Welcome to DBSTalk, brax4! :hi:

Good answers all there.


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## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks folks for the replies!!!:up: 
Like I mentioned first rounds of questions. I am trying to plan out my setup to maximize everything. My wife is a TV junky and I being an electronics junky I end up feeding her addiction. 

Ok since I can split the incoming signal to feed multiple satellite tuners, what about splitting it to drive 3 tuners? Any signal degrade like with splitting cable? Reason I ask is the setup I am thinking is to have the 622 and 1 other sat receiver which would be connected to our TiVo series 1. We have a TiVo series1 that has life time subscription on it that I hate not being able to use. This way I could record 3 shows (2 in HD and 1 in SD) at once and watch a previously recorded show. Now before you folks ask what the hell I need to be able to record that much at a time, remember wife is a TV junky.

I will have 2 coax lines in the family room which is where I plan on housing everything. After you guys post, I am now planning on splitting one of those lines 3 ways to drive the 2 tuners on the 622 and the other standard sat receiver connected to the TiVo. I need to check on the locals in HD over the sat, the Dish site does not show any of my local with an "HD". I am planning on using the other coax line to distribute the TV-2 from the 622 to other rooms.

Ok next question about the TV-2, since it's on UHF band anyone tried combining this with a VHF band signal? Reason that I ask is I have a modulator (which should be VHF since it uses channel 3 or 4) with 4 composite inputs. I was planning on feeding the DVD changer, single Disk DVD, and the standard Def sat receiver in to it. Then from the modulator in to the VHF UHF combiner that would combine the VHF and UHF signals. The combiner connected to the second co-ax line in the family room that goes back to my media panel. So the second co-ax line would have the 622 (on a UHF channel) and the output selected from the modulator (on channel 3 or 4). If all my figuring is correct all I would have to do is have 2 channels (say 3 and 60) on the TV's throughout the rest of the house. Would this work? Does this even make sense?

What I want to do is to be able to view the 622 live and recorded shows, the other sat receiver with TiVo, and DVD Changer in the family room and the master bedroom. I hate having to pull movies out of the changer to take to the bedroom and don't want to have to burn 2 copies of the same movie. I have tried the wireless systems and they just don't work that well. They seemed to get interference from the 2.4Ghz wireless modem and/or 5.8GHz phone depending on which wireless system it was. Also I just don't have anymore "fun" budget to spend on the house for a cat5e distribution center, but that will be for the future. I had 3 cat5e lines run to the family room and one to all the other rooms with coax, of course they all tie in at the media panel.

Now as for remote I have a Pronto with RF extender so I should be able to control everything in the family room from anywhere in the house, mainly just concerned with the family room and master bedroom at this point as the kids are to small to have a TV in their room. If that doesn't work I have a Niles system I can use.

Sorry this ended up being long


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## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

Brax -

Some of what you're asking is WAY over my head, so I can't help with all of the distribution questions you're asking. I'll leave that to the real experts on this forum.

Instead of using a DISH Receiver / TiVo connected together, why don't you get a second SD DVR from DISH? That's what I have. A ViP622 HD-DVR and a 522 DVR. I can actually record 5 things at one time if I wanted to - 3 on the 622 (all in HD with the OTA) and 2 on the 522. You could also split the 522 Tuners to run to different rooms, so that they could each watch different programs.

As far as the signal coming into your house from the dish, DISH uses a switch that combines all of the satellite signals together into one line. The switch performs the splitting. So if you have 2 receivers, DISH will bring 2 lines into the house - one for each receiver. Those lines would each be split behind your receivers then with the DPP splitter so that each tuner on each receiver would have it's own line coming in.

As far as DISH's plans for HD Locals, here's a link for what is currently available, and what is planned. It looks like DISH is saying that Louisville will be available soon (??) -

http://www.dbstalk.com/ekb/hdlocal.htm

I love my HD Service from DISH. I have a lot of friends that have HDTVs and they drool when they see the amount of HD I receive from DISH. I think I am responsible for at least 6 additional people getting DISH HD setups. I am envious of you . . . it sounds like you have one seriously impressive system!


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## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

sNEIRBO said:


> Brax -
> 
> Some of what you're asking is WAY over my head, so I can't help with all of the distribution questions you're asking. I'll leave that to the real experts on this forum.
> 
> ...


sNEIRBO - Thanks for the reply! Yea I had thought about just getting another Dish DVR but I don't want to pay any extra then what I have to. I'll check on the price for a standard sat receiver versus a DVR one. The "problem" is that my TiVo will not break; it is still going strong and has a life time subscription on it. All I have done on it is replace the hard drive several years ago because it was one of the first ones that only had a 14gig HD. So as long as it is a live we get TiVo for free. My wife's grandfather passed away 6yrs ago and he had bought it about 6months before he passed away. Nobody in her family knew what it was at the time so I ended up with it. It turned out he had bought a life time subscription on it and TiVo transferred it in to my name for free.

Yea the amount of HD that I would be able to get with Dish is one of the main reasons I am considering it. With Digital Cable (no HD package) I get the big 4: NBC, CBS, FOX, and ABC. The HD package only adds ESPN and is an additional $7-10/month. I watch college football on ESPN and that's about it, and even then only a select few games, so not worth the extra money just to get ESPN.

I do have a question, since it looks like my area, Lexington KY, the locals will require an OTA. Say I have to get my locals in OTA, can you record 2 shows from the antenna?

Not really an impressive setup, just trying to be able to view everything in the family room and the master bedroom. Not only is my wife a TV junky but also a movie one. I have our collection, 350+, in a spread sheet but I still have to get the one she wants out of the changer and take it to the bedroom.

I have 3 coax lines coming in to my media panel from the outside. I had wanted 4 but forgot to add the forth.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

brax4 said:


> Ok since I can split the incoming signal to feed multiple satellite tuners, what about splitting it to drive 3 tuners? Any signal degrade like with splitting cable?


This is not possible with satellite. One coax line coming from your switch can be "separated" to connect to 2 tuners in the same receiver, but you will have to have a 2nd coax line connected to a 3rd receiver. There is no physical way around this.



brax4 said:


> Ok next question about the TV-2, since it's on UHF band anyone tried combining this with a VHF band signal? Reason that I ask is I have a modulator (which should be VHF since it uses channel 3 or 4) with 4 composite inputs. I was planning on feeding the DVD changer, single Disk DVD, and the standard Def sat receiver in to it. Then from the modulator in to the VHF UHF combiner that would combine the VHF and UHF signals. The combiner connected to the second co-ax line in the family room that goes back to my media panel. So the second co-ax line would have the 622 (on a UHF channel) and the output selected from the modulator (on channel 3 or 4). If all my figuring is correct all I would have to do is have 2 channels (say 3 and 60) on the TV's throughout the rest of the house. Would this work? Does this even make sense?


If I follow you, I think this will work. But...the modulated output from the 622 is an amplified signal, and my gut feeling is that you may run into problems with the combiner because of it, unless you amplify the signal coming out of your VHF modulator. I don't know that for sure, but that's the first thing that occurred to me when reading your description.



brax4 said:


> Now as for remote I have a Pronto with RF extender so I should be able to control everything in the family room from anywhere in the house, mainly just concerned with the family room and master bedroom at this point as the kids are to small to have a TV in their room. If that doesn't work I have a Niles system I can use.


TV2 control is UHF only, and either your pronto or Niles will only control it if they can use the same frequency range as Dish UHFPro. I bring this up because I remember there being problems with the pronto rf extender controlling the 921s back when they were first released. So, it may work or it may not.



brax4 said:


> I do have a question, since it looks like my area, Lexington KY, the locals will require an OTA. Say I have to get my locals in OTA, can you record 2 shows from the antenna?


No, because the 622 has 1 OTA receiver, so you can record only one OTA program at a time.


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## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

> No, because the 622 has 1 OTA receiver, so you can record only one OTA program at a time.


Thanks Mark!
This may have closed the deal for me. Most everything we record is on locals NBC, FOX, CBS, and ABC. I know there are several nights when there are multiple shows on at a time (in HD) that we will want to record. Since we have an HDTV I want to be able to record and view in HD, otherwise it's a waste and since we have been exposed to HD it's tough to go back.

I'll check with Dish to make sure that locals HAVE to be brought in through the OTA, if so sounds like we will be another year or so before we go satellite. It is nice to know that they have gotten being able to drive 2 tuners (same sat box) with 1 coax though, this was the deal breaker a couple of years ago for me.


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## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

brax4 said:


> It turned out he had bought a life time subscription on it and TiVo transferred it in to my name for free.


I forgot about those "Lifetime" memberships on the TiVos . . . I had a DirecTV TiVo before I switched to DISH DVR. I almost went with the TiVo Lifetime Subscription . . . I'm glad I didn't now.


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## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

sNEIRBO said:


> I forgot about those "Lifetime" memberships on the TiVos . . . I had a DirecTV TiVo before I switched to DISH DVR. I almost went with the TiVo Lifetime Subscription . . . I'm glad I didn't now.


Yea I would not buy one with a life time subscription, but since it was free I definitely was not going to pass it up. Funny thing is now that everyone in her family knows what it is and how it works they all say "man I should have taken it". I keep telling my wife I feel guilty keeping it


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## Hunter Green (May 8, 2006)

You guys have it wrong; the lifetime subscription, back when it was available, paid itself off in far less than the lifetime of the TiVo, so it's virtually always a savings. Mine paid itself off about 1/3 of the way through the life of my now-retired TiVo. Plus it'll add to the resale value when I finally finish watching the stuff piled up on that box and sell it. But they don't offer lifetime anymore; it was too good a deal for TiVo to be able to afford to offer.


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## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

Hunter Green said:


> You guys have it wrong; the lifetime subscription, back when it was available, paid itself off in far less than the lifetime of the TiVo, so it's virtually always a savings. Mine paid itself off about 1/3 of the way through the life of my now-retired TiVo. Plus it'll add to the resale value when I finally finish watching the stuff piled up on that box and sell it. But they don't offer lifetime anymore; it was too good a deal for TiVo to be able to afford to offer.


Depends on how you look at it. With my series1 I only have S-video out. I can never record in HD or playback in HD.  This is why I only use the TiVo to record non-HD programs and leave all the HD recording to my Digital Cable box DVR. Also the HD content takes up a lot of space so this way I don't eat up space for HD programs.

But if you are not interested in keep up with the latest and greatest then yes it did pay for itself very quickly and the cheapest option was to buy the smallest drive and add to it. Mine was free and I am one of those people that will run till it dies since it was free.


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## pnunes (Sep 5, 2006)

Brax4 -

I have a similar question, and being a electronics junky I hope you can help with the following questions:

1) I also have a series 1 Tivo, and I think I might like the User I/F more then the 622 (athough admittedly I have not seen the 633 I/F). How do you compare the two I/F's.

2) In changing channels is there any latency in using the Tivo compared to the 622?

3) I have several HD sets in the house, but the 622 only offers HD to one set. Is it better to get the 622 or a 622 and a 211 only 211's. I am confused how to support multiple HD contents most economically. (I have old version Dish STB)

4) Can you split out of STB to multiple monitors? (I guess it would be same channel, but with RF remote it should be controllable correct?)



brax4 said:


> Thanks folks for the replies!!!:up:
> Like I mentioned first rounds of questions. I am trying to plan out my setup to maximize everything. My wife is a TV junky and I being an electronics junky I end up feeding her addiction.
> 
> Ok since I can split the incoming signal to feed multiple satellite tuners, what about splitting it to drive 3 tuners? Any signal degrade like with splitting cable? Reason I ask is the setup I am thinking is to have the 622 and 1 other sat receiver which would be connected to our TiVo series 1. We have a TiVo series1 that has life time subscription on it that I hate not being able to use. This way I could record 3 shows (2 in HD and 1 in SD) at once and watch a previously recorded show. Now before you folks ask what the hell I need to be able to record that much at a time, remember wife is a TV junky.
> ...


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## brax4 (Aug 28, 2006)

pnunes said:


> Brax4 -
> 
> I have a similar question, and being a electronics junky I hope you can help with the following questions:
> 
> ...


I actually do not have the 622. I had some questions/concerns that I needed answered before I ordered and the folks at Dish were not knowledgeable enough to answer my questions. I have ended up not ordering it because I will have to have my locals in over the antenna and I need to be able to record multiple locals in HD at a time and the 622 can only record one show over the antenna input.

But I can help with some of your other questions. You might check out:
http://www.smarthome.com

As for distributing HD to multiple locations, it may depend on if you can run some additional cables or not. Here is a kit that they have that uses cat5e cable:
http://www.smarthome.com/77707k.html

It's a bit pricey to me but considering the alternative may be a bit cheaper due to running cat5e instead of RG6.

Now the next option would be to run 3 RG6 for video and 2 RG6 for audio (assuming stereo audio or coax digital would be ok) from your 622 to a structured media panel (or some sort of distribution point). Then from the structured media panel out to all the rooms that you want HD in, that would be 3 RG6's for video and 2 RG6's for audio to each room. In the structured media panel you could have something like this.
http://www.smarthome.com/8145h.html
Now the problem with this may be that you might need some sort of amplifier to get the signal from the 622 back to media panel, which then adds to the cost and coax is normally more then cat5e and you would be running a lot of coax.

Now there are some "baluns" that use cat5e that are component and digital audio like:
http://www.smarthome.com/7805hd.html
Now they are cheap and if you are going to be doing a cat5e system may be worth trying out if you can return them. Now the only problem with these is that you would need to split the signal out of the 622 if you are using component going into your TV that the 622 is connected to. But the upside is that you could get a splitter that has an amplifier in it that would boost the signal before it is run through the cat5e.


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