# Dish Network Receivers and QAM



## aesculanus (Feb 16, 2007)

I am new to Dish Network and I am ordering a ViP 211 receiver with my package. I'm ordering Dish for just one international channel. I am not using it to view local channels or anything else, other than some occasional pay-per-view movies.

my question pertains to whether the receiver has a QAM tuner. I am aware it does have an ATSC tuner, but I use a QAM tuner to watch my local HD (selection is far superior to the ATSC broadcast options).

Can I plug my cable into the ViP211, as opposed to an ATSC antenna, and still get all those QAM channels through the receiver?

If not, are there other receiver options I can consider? Or do is my only option an HDTV with a built-in QAM tuner?


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## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

aesculanus said:


> Or do is my only option an HDTV with a built-in QAM tuner?


Yes, or an external HD tuner w/QAM tuning...


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## jarvantgroup (Mar 24, 2006)

aesculanus said:


> I am new to Dish Network and I am ordering a ViP 211 receiver with my package. I'm ordering Dish for just one international channel. I am not using it to view local channels or anything else, other than some occasional pay-per-view movies.
> 
> my question pertains to whether the receiver has a QAM tuner. I am aware it does have an ATSC tuner, but I use a QAM tuner to watch my local HD (selection is far superior to the ATSC broadcast options).
> 
> ...


10-4. :icon_cool


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Dish 811 has a QAM tuner, if I'm not mistaken.

But of course it is not MPEG4 compatible.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Q-BOX ?


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

Q-Box (TechPortal accessories) is only comatible with the 522/625.

aesculanus, I'm thinking you don't need a 211 along with its HD enabling fee just to watch one intl channel and not use the OTA tuner. A 301 or 311 will do fine. Or did you mean the one channel is what made you choose dish, and you will be getting HD or some other package too?


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

Who sold you a ViP model for one international channel? That is not the way to go at all! 

ViP's do not tune QAM, only ATSC (over-the-air). There is an additional fee for having a ViP model since it can tune OTA ATSC. 

Unless/until there is an HD international channel (there currently are none that I am aware of) having this receiver is overkill.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

BobaBird said:


> Q-Box (TechPortal accessories) is only comatible with the 522/625.
> <skip>


And with SOME ViP622s.


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## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

Jim5506 said:


> Dish 811 has a QAM tuner, if I'm not mistaken.


Nope, as I said, E* has NEVER made an HD box that does QAM cable.

However, they DO make a version of the 811, which DOES do QAM satellite signals, which I think is what you're thinking of. E* has headend equipment which is used in apartments & other MDU locations, which converts the satellite QSPK signals to QAM, which can then be sent on a single coax cable throughout the complex, w/out needing to rewire for E*.

I didn't being this up before, since it really was not really germane to the OP's question...


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Tell me about 3750, DP381, D351 and Q-BOX now.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

P Smith said:


> Tell me about 3750, DP381, D351 and Q-BOX now.


All the receivers you listed are QAM compatable, but not HD (I believe the 381 will do OTA HD, not satellite ... it is a rebranded 811).

The Q-Box adds QAM to the 522 and 625 ...The Q-Box allows compatible DISH Network satellite receivers to work in a commercial QAM MDU environment. The QBox connects in the home between the satellite receiver and the QAM-enabled wall plate, receiving the QAM-modulated signal and remodulating it as QPSK so the satellite receiver can decode it. The satellite receiver needs updated Q-Box-compatible software to be able to work with the Q-Box.
http://tech.dishnetwork.com/departmental_content/techportal/content/tech/equipment/qbox.shtml​Neither of those receivers being HD.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I know there're 284 ViP622s what have Q-BOX connected.

PID=08F2h
Upgrading FW:
'001E': '0AA1'- 'ZZZZ'
New FW:'001E'
List of BootStraps and BuildConfigs:
'1[3-8]1[A01]' 'RB[BDE][A-DJ]'
IRD Model: ViP622
List of Serial Numbers:
[284] 
.............


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

And why 381/811 can not do MPEG-2 HD from sats ?!
Demo HD from 61.5W perfectly working on 811.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Must be betas (or alphas).

IIRC they did mention the 622 when the Q Box was introduced at CES 2006 more than a year ago.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

TechPortal Q-Box info said:


> ... receiving the QAM-modulated signal and remodulating it as QPSK ...


If this is all it does, then it wouldn't be suitable for locals which the receiver is expecting to get as 8VSB. The 622 can use QPSK on the sat tuners, but both are required to have the same configuration.


P Smith said:


> And why 381/811 can not do MPEG-2 HD from sats ?!


For the same reason some other MPEG-2 HD channels are flagged for viewing only by MPEG-4 receivers. They want everyone to use the newer MPEG-4 equipment for which they require you to carry the larger (read: more expensive) HD Pack or pay the enabling fee. But you knew that.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Yeah, I knew, flagged for "ViP only" ; but again some of the HD channels still MPEG-2 and MUST be *allowed* to see using 811/6000/942/921.
This flag smells bad !


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

E* reserves the right not to offer any channel to any customer.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

That's OK, but fooling ppl is not.


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## aesculanus (Feb 16, 2007)

Thanks, I think that cleared things up a bit.

Given that Japan TV only comes in SD, I will call Dish and have them change my order to the 311.

But they're still charging me $150 for it, their little $5 rebate not withstanding. so if say 6 months down the road, pay per view movies or Japan TV DO come in HD, is it going to cost me another $150+ to upgrade to an HD receiver?

I think that's why my original order was for an hd receiver - to future proof my system, as the sales rep i spoke to at dish told me they're trying to make all their channels, including pay per view, hd asap...

These are the only 2 things i really want. And the BBC. I love how dish lets me order that for $1.50/month! On cable I'd have to buy a $30 package full of crap like food network and animal channel just for that one channel!


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I'm think you mistyped the price - you can't go for less then $6 for local + $5 service fee; in case of international channels you must pay $15 per channel or $25 per package MINIMUM plus $5 serv fee.


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## aesculanus (Feb 16, 2007)

P Smith said:


> I'm think you mistyped the price - you can't go for less then $6 for local + $5 service fee; in case of international channels you must pay $15 per channel or $25 per package MINIMUM plus $5 serv fee.


not what they're telling me. the only thing i'm paying for are those 2 channels - japan tv and the bbc, and that's all i'm getting. my monthly total is under $25, after the $5 discount is applied.

the local channels i can get free through my tv's qam tuner.

still though, i'm wondering if i should get the hd receiver now, even if i'm won't get any hd stuff immediately...


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