# VIP 211 installation review



## OceanaJones (Feb 16, 2005)

Hi, I would just like to pass on my experience with the installation of my VIP211. This install was as a new Dish customer and I was getting a two room setup, 1 HD, 1 standard, with locals. I was replacing DirectTV.
The installer, a Dish employee (Lead Installer), arrived at 10:30 AM to begin. I thought I was going to get the new dish 1000 but the installer said that since my locals were not HD yet, they had to install two dishes. I was a little disappointed with that, but nothing I could do about it. Since I was replacing DirectTV with Dish, he placed the small dish in the same place as the DirectTV dish, but had to place the super dish further up the roof. He utilized the existing cabling where he could, replacing all connectors
Once complete, the installer had problems getting a signal and the switch would not be recognized by the system. He replaced every single component in the system and still could not get it to work properly. By 3:30 in the afternoon he was frazzled and had to call in some back up which arrived a short time later. Finally they determined that the problem was that the VIP211 needed a software upgrade. Once the upgrade was complete, everything seemed to work OK. The install was complete at 4:30, six hours later. The installers were nice, courteous, and helpful. 
I was surprised the VIP 211, a high definition receiver, did not come with at least a set of component cables, if not a HDMI. A install cannot really be complete unless you can check out the HD part of a install. Especially since Dish forces you to subscribe to a HD package in order to get a VIP211. I think this is shortsighted on the part of the manufacturer and Dish. I had planned ahead and did my homework by researching this forum, and ordered a set of AV component and a HDMI cable from monoprice.com. These quality cables arrived only three days after I ordered them and on the same day as my scheduled install. I was able to hook them up after the Dish technicians left. 
So far, I am happy with the VIP211 and get a great picture on my new Sony WEGA 30" HD TV. I am experiencing pixilazation on the HDMI connection, so I installed a set of composite AV cables. This way I can watch Standard as well as HD, and I must say, my standard def looks almost as good as HD, but I haven't played with it much. 
My advice to installers of this system is: *Perform a software upgrade on the receiver as soon as you get a satellite connection *. Hopefully you won't experience the same problems my installers had.


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## Henry63 (Feb 16, 2006)

OceanaJones said:


> Hi, I would just like to pass on my experience with the installation of my VIP211. This install was as a new Dish customer and I was getting a two room setup, 1 HD, 1 standard, with locals. I was replacing DirectTV.
> The installer, a Dish employee (Lead Installer), arrived at 10:30 AM to begin. I thought I was going to get the new dish 1000 but the installer said that since my locals were not HD yet, they had to install two dishes. I was a little disappointed with that, but nothing I could do about it. Since I was replacing DirectTV with Dish, he placed the small dish in the same place as the DirectTV dish, but had to place the super dish further up the roof. He utilized the existing cabling where he could, replacing all connectors
> Once complete, the installer had problems getting a signal and the switch would not be recognized by the system. He replaced every single component in the system and still could not get it to work properly. By 3:30 in the afternoon he was frazzled and had to call in some back up which arrived a short time later. Finally they determined that the problem was that the VIP211 needed a software upgrade. Once the upgrade was complete, everything seemed to work OK. The install was complete at 4:30, six hours later. The installers were nice, courteous, and helpful.
> I was surprised the VIP 211, a high definition receiver, did not come with at least a set of component cables, if not a HDMI. A install cannot really be complete unless you can check out the HD part of a install. Especially since Dish forces you to subscribe to a HD package in order to get a VIP211. I think this is shortsighted on the part of the manufacturer and Dish. I had planned ahead and did my homework by researching this forum, and ordered a set of AV component and a HDMI cable from monoprice.com. These quality cables arrived only three days after I ordered them and on the same day as my scheduled install. I was able to hook them up after the Dish technicians left.
> ...


They are supposed to come with a set of component cables.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

OceanaJones said:


> ...
> My advice to installers of this system is: *Perform a software upgrade on the receiver as soon as you get a satellite connection *. ...


The instruction sheet that comes in the vip211 box says to do that first.


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