# Vip211 and OTA



## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

Hello all:

I'm new to the board but have been watching it for quite a while. I've got a Vip211 and use a Terk HDTVi (I'm switching to a CM 4228 around x-mas) for my locals here in Montgomery(36117). I get great reception through the 211 on all channles and they got even stronger when I added a CM 7777 pre-amp. However, I used to get my local Fox station at 72% strength. That all changed about a month ago. Now, the signal comes in at 35% and then drops out. I tried troubleshooting like soft and hard resets and that didn't bring it back. I called the station and they said everything was o.k. with thier signal. I've talked to other people in my local HDTV forum on AVS and they are having the same problems with the 211 only. Those who have other OTA receivers get the Fox station just fine while all of us with 211's have lost a signal that we used to get. The signal just won't lock on. It used to be there and my troubleshooting leads me to beleive there is an issue with the 211. I called Dish and, of course, they weren't much help. Does anyone know of problems with the 211 all-of-the-sudden not being able to get a signal that it used to get? The other people I've talked to have different antennas used with the 211 and experienced the same problem. Does any one know what the issue might be? If it's not the antenna and not the local station then it has to be the 211. Anyone know a fix? Thank you in advance for your advice.


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## mruk69 (Jul 26, 2003)

I am only having problems with my one Vhf channel. It is my local NBC station, I get about 75-78% however a lot of the time it sits at the yellow lost signal screen, or keeps coming in and out. I called the local station and they said that they are not having any issues and that they broadcast the storngest signalin the area. My upstairs TV which has a built in Tuner does not have this problem, so that leads me to believe it is the receiver. Dish has acknowledged to me over the phone that they are aware of it.


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

I tried checking the connections and removing the pre-amp. Still no local Fox. I tried an atennuator with and without the amp installed. Still no local Fox. It used to work just fine with my current set-up. Others in my area experienced the same problem. Those who have other tuners get fox in my area just fine. Some have vips and hd built-in on their tvs. They use the same antenna and get fox on thier built-in but not on the Vip. It has to a be a problem with the VIP if others still get Fox in my area. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas? Please help.


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## jerryez (Nov 15, 2002)

Try posting your problem at this link. It is for Montgomery, Al Folks:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8570907#post8570907


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

jerryez said:


> Try posting your problem at this link. It is for Montgomery, Al Folks:
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> I've already done that. People at that site are wondering the same thing as me. That's where I found out others were having the same problem.


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## cwelk87gn (Oct 4, 2006)

I just got my vip211 hooked up and have tried 4 different antennas and had no luck getting my local channels. I know I have service around here because the Radioshack where I bought the antennas had great reception and they are only about 3 miles away. Is there any trick to making this thing work?


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

cwelk87gn said:


> I just got my vip211 hooked up and have tried 4 different antennas and had no luck getting my local channels. I know I have service around here because the Radioshack where I bought the antennas had great reception and they are only about 3 miles away. Is there any trick to making this thing work?


Make sure your antenna is hooked up to the correct input and then go to the area that lets you scan locals. The scan will take several minutes. I don't remember how to get there but the instruction manual is pretty easy to follow. If you want to know what digital channels you'll get, go to antennaweb.org and put in your zip.


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

I contacted Dish about the problem and they are clueless. Dish tried to tell me the problem was my antenna. Well, I've been posting on my local avs forum and others with several types of antennas are having the same problems on the vip receivers only. One guy has a vip622 and a 811. With the same exact antenna he gets fox on the 822 but not the vip622. Also, they told me the vips only pass through signal. I told them this is only true of analog signal. Their box actually decodes digital signal.


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## mruk69 (Jul 26, 2003)

Can you say Run a around.


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## jerryez (Nov 15, 2002)

Dish CSR's told me that my 211 just passes through the signal. but almost everytime it downloads the guide, I lose sound on all my OTA channels. I do a uplug reboot and the audio returns to all the channels, but it is not Dish's receiver problem according to them. THeir reciever has nothing to do with the OTA signal. They say it is an antenna problem. How stupid can they be. I disabled the guide download and have not lost sound on my OTA channels since.


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

jerryez said:


> Dish CSR's told me that my 211 just passes through the signal. but almost everytime it downloads the guide, I lose sound on all my OTA channels. I do a uplug reboot and the audio returns to all the channels, but it is not Dish's receiver problem according to them. THeir reciever has nothing to do with the OTA signal. They say it is an antenna problem. How stupid can they be. I disabled the guide download and have not lost sound on my OTA channels since.


They don't want to be responsible for any problems with ota b/c they want to sell you the locals so they act clueless. It's not an antenna problem. If it was, it would be localized to one antenna type or just a few. I've talked to many people with all kinds of antennas and it doesn't make a difference. Dish just won't admit they have an imperfect product.


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## EELLISON (Jan 16, 2005)

Yes, it seems like the Vip211 is more sensitive than most OTA receivers. I am comparing the Vip211 to the built HDTV decorder in my LG HD TV. The internal HD receiver does not fade complete out or go to yellow window like the Vip211.


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## mruk69 (Jul 26, 2003)

Channel 4 in my area is vhf, I always have problems with that channel, always comming in and out.
Yesterday, I was having the same problem with channel 2.
My other TV witth a built in tuner has no problems, just the VIP211.


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

Well, it looks like its not just people in my area with 211s that are having this problem. Has anyone been able to fix this problem? Dish has no clue what's going on.


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## mruk69 (Jul 26, 2003)

I have not yet been able to watch Sunday night football, because of this bloody problem. What makes it more frustrating is once you start watching Network proggies in HD, its impossible to watch them in analogue.


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

Several people in my area have contacted the local Fox and they still maintain that there isn't a problem. Since i posted this issue on my local AVS forum several members have complained of the same issues. In addition, several new people have joined to complain about the same issue. We still don't know what the heck is going on. Anyone know of a fix for the vips? Could it be a firmware problem?


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## mruk69 (Jul 26, 2003)

jtrippe77 said:


> Several people in my area have contacted the local Fox and they still maintain that there isn't a problem. Since i posted this issue on my local AVS forum several members have complained of the same issues. In addition, several new people have joined to complain about the same issue. We still don't know what the heck is going on. Anyone know of a fix for the vips? Could it be a firmware problem?


I am leading more to a hardware problem.
As long as we just sit there they are not going to do anything about it except cash our check each month.
In the mean while a lot of new customers are being suckered in to getting one of these boxes and stuck with a 1 or 2 year agreement.


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## jtrippe77 (Sep 28, 2006)

I've complained on many occassions to Dish. Hopefully others will follow suit. In the mean time I picked up an LG 4200A ota box from ebay to go ahead and fix my locals problem. I may cancel Dish after my contract runs out.


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