# 721 owner thinking about possible upgrade to 921. Any thoughts?



## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Currently I have a 4x3 HDTV with a 721 hooked up. With the price drop, I was thinking about moving to a 921 to take advantage of the HD I have in the house. Any previous 721 users make this jump and if so any regrets? I am aware of the double buffer issue.

I also would need to get my antenna signal back to the 721. It is currently hooked into my 811.


```
Antenna ---> PreAmp ---> || ---- Preamp Power--> Anntuetor --> 811
                    Family Room Wall

I would think I would need to do the following

Ant -> PreAmp -> Splitter ------> || -- Pre Power-> Anntuetor -> 811
                       |       Family Room Wall
                       |
                        --->Diplex --> || --> Diplex --> 921
                                      Bedroom Wall

|| - Wall Seperation
```
Make Sense? Missing anything? Sorry for the crudeness of the document


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Sorry, WJD, I don't really grok your diagram - maybe wrap it in [ code ] tags.

BUT, if it says what I think it does, you're fine.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

SimpleSimon said:


> Sorry, WJD, I don't really grok your diagram - maybe wrap it in [ code ] tags.
> 
> BUT, if it says what I think it does, you're fine.


Wrapped it with code tags.. Hopefully that improve things. Having spent the time with the 921 would you jump from a 721 or 811 to a 921?


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

That's better. Make sure the splitter is DC passing on one side only, and that you use the correct type of diplexers.

As for 921, I'm addicted to DVRs. Always have been. And I'm grandfathered for a bunch of distant nets, so I'm stuck with E* (not that that's bad). Then I got a good deal on a 60" HDTV. Therefore, my only choice is a 921. It works - if you're careful with how you use it. It's definitely not ready for primetime, and probably never will be.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

SimpleSimon said:


> That's better. Make sure the splitter is DC passing on one side only, and that you use the correct type of diplexers.
> 
> As for 921, I'm addicted to DVRs. Always have been. And I'm grandfathered for a bunch of distant nets, so I'm stuck with E* (not that that's bad). Then I got a good deal on a 60" HDTV. Therefore, my only choice is a 921. It works - if you're careful with how you use it. It's definitely not ready for primetime, and probably never will be.


What do you mean by if you are careful how you use it? Do you have this only on a 16x9? Any thoughts on how it would work in a 4x3 environment? I have a 32 HD Sony Tube in the bedroom.

Anybody out there that switched from a 721 to 921 and what are their thoughts?


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

WeeJavaDude said:


> .
> 
> Anybody out there that switched from a 721 to 921 and what are their thoughts?


Yes, I did. I like the video quality better on my 921 as I use the DVI. 721 is limited to s-video. I like the 721 PIP functionality better than the 921's. The 921 has HD and digital OTA, bigger Hard Drive and can store more sd than the 721. I use my 721 as a back-up. If L2.10 works out and they get the OTA bugs fixed, I'm getting another 921 and moving the 721 to the bedroom.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

The other issue, Right now I have an SW64 and all my outputs are used. 2 for the 721, 1 for the 811, and one for a 508. If I was to swap out my 811 for the 921, what would I need to add the the switch side to get an additional output?


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## n0qcu (Mar 23, 2002)

You would need to add another SW64 or switch to DishProPlus 44 and seperators


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

WJD: Going above 4 tuners on Legacy equipment is very difficult.

If you only look at 2 birds, maybe add another D500.

Otherwise, convert to DishPro, or drop back to only 4 tuners.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

SimpleSimon said:


> WJD: Going above 4 tuners on Legacy equipment is very difficult.
> 
> If you only look at 2 birds, maybe add another D500.
> 
> Otherwise, convert to DishPro, or drop back to only 4 tuners.


Well Install is this Saturday. The plan is to have a 721, 921 and a 508. That is 5 tuners. Plus OTA on the 921. I eventually plan on moving the 921 to replace the 721 in the bedroom and put the 811 back where the 921 is until the 942 comes out and then that will take its place.

I will need to get OTA into the bedroom. This is where the power power inserter is located. Simon mentioned something about diplexer and switch that passes DC on one side. Can someone expand on this. I assume it would be a good idea to have the OTA come down one cable and the Power inserter be on the other. Does this make sense? I am also looking at three birds with two dishes.

Where should I go to get this equipment? Any suggestions. Is this something you can get a Best Buy or is Radio Shack the place to go. Any other suggestions where? Fry's Perhaps?


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

It sounds like you've made the decision to go DPP44 and DPP Separators.

Diplexers and power inserters just do NOT get along. The diplexer can't pass enough current to do the job. The power passing side is just for Legacy signalling voltage levels, in the case of DishPro, the voltage levels are all the same, but DC passing is probably still needed. I've never tested it any other way, so I'm not sure about that, tho.

So, the power inserter must be closer to the switch than any diplexers on the same cable.

The DPP Separator must be closer to the receiver than the diplexers.

Hope this helps.


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## moviegoerman (Aug 18, 2004)

Here is how I've got my DPP44 installed with a 921 and a 721... See attached imaged.

http://www.dbstalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2497

I definitely regret purchasing the 921. I have no way to recover my loss since the price has dropped in half... Just go look at the current bug list with the long awaited release L211. Or check out how everyone is in an uproar about having to pay for local satellite channels in the support forum. All they did was map the satellite SD local channel guide to the OTA digital guide for most (not all) channels. So if you want a guide for your OTA content, expect to pay 6-8 dollars more.

I ran out and got a 10-250 after 2 days of using my 921. I'm an extremely happy DirecTV customer and a still very frustrated Dish customer after 5 months of using both services.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

SimpleSimon said:


> It sounds like you've made the decision to go DPP44 and DPP Separators.
> 
> Diplexers and power inserters just do NOT get along. The diplexer can't pass enough current to do the job. The power passing side is just for Legacy signalling voltage levels, in the case of DishPro, the voltage levels are all the same, but DC passing is probably still needed. I've never tested it any other way, so I'm not sure about that, tho.
> 
> ...


Well I got my 921 installed today and was able to get a DP44. this simplifies things a lot and I got things working to my liking. I still have an OTA issue but hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow when I can get a new connectors and a new splitter. Because of the DP44, I can runn my OTA and Dish signals on seperate cables and don't need to mix them.


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## kelliot (May 15, 2002)

I was about to go looking at Costco to get a 921, but the upgrade requirements from legacy to DishPro is going to cost me bigtime at retail prices. 

In fact I'm thinking of switching back to DTV where I should have less of a problem.

Any way of getting around this?


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

kelliot said:


> I was about to go looking at Costco to get a 921, but the upgrade requirements from legacy to DishPro is going to cost me bigtime at retail prices.
> 
> In fact I'm thinking of switching back to DTV where I should have less of a problem.
> 
> Any way of getting around this?


 Without having any clue whatsoever of what your current configuration is, there's no way anyone can even begin to give even a bad response.


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