# Setting up a Dish Pass - I must be missing something



## jeffnebraska (Nov 8, 2006)

I know setting up a Dish Pass from the Guide is very easy, but what if you don't know when a show is on? 

Right now, I am typing in a big part of the name, looking at the Dish Pass that gets created (which includes other random junk) to see when the show is on, deleting the Dish Pass, and then going back to the Guide to create the Dish Pass. 

The other option is to set the title search to "exact match," type in the entire name of the show and create the Dish Pass, but using this approach doesn't allow you to select new epsiodes only.

Neither of these options is a good one.

I am missing something right? It can't be this hard to set a Dish Pass without using the Guide, can it?


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

If you are setting up a timer from the Guide, it isn't a DishPASS, just a timer and it knows the name of the program because you had it selected. 

If you don't know when a show is on, don't setup and delete a DishPASS - just search. The # button on the remote takes you to Search, but prefills the name of the current show, Guide entry, list entry, ... If you know you'll be entering the name, it might be faster to use Themes & Search and select Search so you don't have to delete all the prefill from the # key. The direct # is better when you start into a show late and want to see when else it is on, or to resolve a timer conflict.


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## jeffnebraska (Nov 8, 2006)

Good tips. I didn't know there was an independent search function.

When you use search and find a show, can you set up a Dish Pass to record only new episodes, or is that limited to a Guide timer?


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

You almost NEVER need to create a DishPASS. I'm guessing you were a TiVo user in a former life? IF so, think of a DishPASS as a Wish List and a regular DISH Timer as a Season Pass. In the likely event that doesn't make sense, ignore it.

Yes, when you Search, you have created a list of shows where the program name and date-time are known and if you just hit Select on an item in the Search results (or Theme, or Browse, ...) you are taken to the Create Timer screen like when you select from the Guide. You can pick All, New, M-F, ... 

You would normally only need to use DishPASS only when you want to record something that is 1) based on something other than Title - anything with Hepburn in the description or 2) something that won't be on for the next 9 days (Search limit). A few other uses for a PASS, but with a Timer the receiver knows the whole program name. When the various series didn't air because of the writer's strike, you could leave a timer for Lost, Monk, ... (pick your show name instead) and it will start recording new episodes when the show resumes (as long as it resumes on that channel). If you don't have a Timer already set for "your show" and you can't find it in the next 9 days with Search, you can then create a DishPASS for it so that it will record when it starts back, regardless of channel. Then, once a week you can check your passes and if they are NOW in the Guide, use a Timer for it and delete the PASS. If your PASS isn't a show with episodes ("Finding Nemo"), you can just leave it as a PASS and let it record that way.

There are other specialized uses for a PASS, but it is likely (viewing habits differ!) that all you really want are Timers, not a DishPASS.


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## wje (Mar 8, 2006)

CABill said:


> You almost NEVER need to create a DishPASS. I'm guessing you were a TiVo user in a former life? IF so, think of a DishPASS as a Wish List and a regular DISH Timer as a Season Pass. In the likely event that doesn't make sense, ignore it..


It seems every prior Tivo user, myself included, makes that mistake. Once I figured that out, I've never used DishPASS again. I suppose it must be useful for something, but it eludes me as to what that use is.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

I can think of a number of use cases where a user would use it.... An American Idol fan that wants to catch everything American Idol or how about the case were someone is looking for a particular movie that does not come on often and when it does come on they want to catch it. To me, DishPass should be used as a hunter looking for content based on keywords or phrases.


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

If you want to catch the same show on multiple channels, then you have to sue dish pass.


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## jeffnebraska (Nov 8, 2006)

This is a big help. 

I am a former HD Tivo guy (I still miss it in so many ways) and was picturing the role of DishPASS as equivalent to Season Pass, not Wishlist. I was also somehow totally unaware of the option to Search, other than through DishPASS. 

I'm glad I asked this question, because it's going to make my 622 usage a lot easier in the future.

Thanks all.


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