# OTA HD Single/Dual Tuner Question



## vahighland (Mar 29, 2005)

Thanks for the great review! Is it really true that this product lacks a dual tuner for OTA? I want to make sure I read that right. Just to make sure, can someone answer a few specific questions (see below) about the new Dish DVR-942 with an OTA setup for locals.

Background:
I'm currently a DirecTivo SD user who recently purchased a HDTV and I'm looking into HDTV options. In additional to HDTV channels such as HBO, Starz, Discovery, etc., I want local HDTV channels. Yes, I know Comcast in Atlanta does have a dual-tuner DVR with these channels and local HD; however, I would rather not succumb to the beast.

Questions:
1) On Wed night both West Wing and American Idol begin at 9:00 pm ET. Can I record both these shows with the DVR-942 in high definition?

2) If I can't record both these shows in HD, can I at least record one show in HD and the other show in SD. Assume that I'm willing to purchase the local SD channel package. 

3) If I can at least record one show in HD and the other show in SD, how in the guide or Dish PASS screen, do I indicate which show I want to record SD versus HD?

4) Are the SD locals listed as a different channel from the OTA HD locals?


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## Moridin (Mar 22, 2005)

1) No. There's only one OTA tuner.

2) No. You cannot record anything in SD from OTA, since the 942 does not possess an mpeg encoder. When you record HD OTA, the bitstream is being written directly to disk. SD OTA broadcasts are analog, and so would have to be encoded before being written to disk.

3) not relevant due to 2).

4) Since I don't have my 942 yet, I'm not entirely certain how it will show up. However, on my 811, analog (SD) stations are listed as <number>-00. HD stations are listed as <number>-<subchannel>. For example, my local NBC station is listed as 10-00 for SD, and as 10-01, 10-02, 10-03 for HD.


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## Mark S. (May 14, 2004)

Moridin...

Your answer to # 2 is incorrect. He stated he was willing to purchase the SD locals from dish so technically he could record one show in HD from his OTA antenna and 2 other local broadcasts coming through the satellite feed.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

2) Yes, if you also purchase locals.

Moridin, SD (digital) is not NTSC (analog). DTV encompasses SD and HD resolutions. You are correct that when NTSC tuning is enabled the 942, like every other satellite DVR, won't be able to record it.


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## Moridin (Mar 22, 2005)

BobaBird said:


> 2) Yes, if you also purchase locals.
> 
> Moridin, SD (digital) is not NTSC (analog). DTV encompasses SD and HD resolutions. You are correct that when NTSC tuning is enabled the 942, like every other satellite DVR, won't be able to record it.


Since the question was framed in terms of SD/HD, I thought it better to answer in kind rather than adding more to the alphabet soup by dragging in ATSC/NTSC terminology.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

1. No

2. Yes, definitely if you subscribe to your Dish locals package.

3. From the guide, you choose the one you want recorded in HD from the HD OTA channel, and the one you want recorded in SD from the SD satellite channel. From the Dish Pass screen, you can either define what channel (ie the HD OTA channel or the SD satellite channel) you specifically want recorded, or you can have it search all channels and then do a little bit of timer management yourself telling which timer to record and which to skip.

4. Yup. Dish local channels are either listed in the 7000 or 8000 channel range, or are mapped down to your local channel numbers and are accessed by attaching a -00 to the end. I.e. in Denver, channel 8200 is mapped down to channel 7, and is accessed by 007-00, differentiating it from the digital channel at 7-1, accessed by 007-01.


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## vahighland (Mar 29, 2005)

Thanks for the quick responses. I still can’t understand what Dish’s rational was for not having a dual OTA tuner. Over time, the studios will air more and more HD content. They’ll probably focus on HD shows within the small primetime window first, which means that you’ll have more and more primetime HD conflicts going forward. Bummer. At least until the local HD channels are offered via satellite in your market.


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