DISH & OTA Antenna help

[kgator28]

I am new to this site. I am having trouble getting the local OTA HD stations through my DISH HD DVR receiver.

I have a Samsung 52" DLP HD ready set as my primary TV connected to the DISH receiver. I have tried 3 different radio shack antennas. The latest is the 15-2186 Indoor/Outdoor Amplified HDTV antenna.

When connected to the DISH receiver and doing a channel scan using any of the antennas, I can only pick up the VHF HD station. None of the UHF stations are located.

I also have a 32" Winbook LCD with a HDTV tuner. I can pick up all the HD stations with any of the antennas when attached directly to the TV.

Any thoughts? DISH support has not been much help. The regional folks who installed the DISH are scheduled to come out a week from Saturday. I'd like to watch the local stations in HD before then, parades, football games, etc.

I live close to the new Giant Eagle on the corner of Hayden Run and Cosgray. The main HD antennas are about 12 miles away.

Thanks

[Robbiee19]

From your location you should have no trouble picking the stations. Have you tried moving the antenna around to different positions. Get a longer cable run for the antenna and put it into different positions within the room. I have to move my antenna sometimes to pick up the stations sometimes. Also make sure the antenna can pick up VHF and UHF. some antennas will only pick up vhf. Most of our local digital channels here are on vhf freq. not the lower UHF. I Directv so I can't speak for the Dish receiver.

[festivus]

I have a Terk HDTVi on the top of my set in the great room. I have no problems picking up all local stations with it. I'm about 17 miles from the transmitters and connect the antenna to my Dish vip622.

From where you're located (I didn't pull up a map) you should probably point the antenna almost directly east, maybe a bit south. I position my terk with the mast pointed directly to the transmitters and the dipoles extended nearly all of the way forming a big, 90 degree V that directly faces the transmitters as well.

Any large buildings, trees, etc. directly in the line of sight?

[bucks17]

Not to split hairs with you Robbiee, but I thought that UHF contains the higer band frequencies (14 and up) and VHF are the lower frequencies (13 and below).

IIRC, WSYX (ABC) digital is on 13, and that is the only VHF station in our area. WCMH (NBC) is on 14 which is UHF.

That is strange, kgator, that you pick up all the channels with your Tuner Card but not your DISH box. I hope that you have figured it out.

[Robbiee19]

Not to split hairs with you Robbiee, but I thought that UHF contains the higer band frequencies (14 and up) and VHF are the lower frequencies (13 and below).

IIRC, WSYX (ABC) digital is on 13, and that is the only VHF station in our area. WCMH (NBC) is on 14 which is UHF.

That is strange, kgator, that you pick up all the channels with your Tuner Card but not your DISH box. I hope that you have figured it out.No plitting hairs here. I was very tired at the time and just didn't feel like looking up the info. I knew WSYX (ABC) is on 13. Just find it strange that he he is not picking up the channels with the Dish receiver.

[kgator28]

Thanks for the reponses. I too think it is strange. I'm betting on a problem with the DISH box. We'll see, I've got the DISH tech coming back out Saturday. I'll let you know how I make out.

[jocooper]

I am having this exact same problem!!!!!!!!!!

I have the el cheapo Dish receiver [212 I think?]

The channel scan only picks up ABC and some other weird channel - 6-2.

If I hook the antenna directly to the TV i get great signal on all of the OTA channels.

[jocooper]

I figured it out!

In the HDTV setup screen [where you change the ratio and resolution] I had to change the ANALOG TYPE to "OVER THE AIR". It was set at cable.

I then rescanned and it picked everything up.



I am having this exact same problem!!!!!!!!!!

I have the el cheapo Dish receiver [212 I think?]

The channel scan only picks up ABC and some other weird channel - 6-2.

If I hook the antenna directly to the TV i get great signal on all of the OTA channels.

[Scott]

You're on a roll!!

[kgator28]

OK, I'm back. I still can't get the local HD stations over the air when the antenna is hooked to my dish 722 receiver on my samsung hd ready tv. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my hdtv with the built in monitor picks up the local stations OTA with very good signal strength. (I am iust east of the intersection of Hayden Run & Cosgray, Giant Eagle)

Dish has been of no help. They have been out and could not fix it. So, with the olympics coming up , I really need local hd!. I am considering purchasing a hdtv receiver, On ebay they have the following recivers. I have not been able to find any reviews. Can anyone make some suggestions? I don't want to spend a lot of money. This will be used only for OTA local stations. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

CE Labs HD100RQ - $20
Mitsubishi SR-HD5 - $30
HISENSE HDTV DB2010 - $40

[dweber]

I am located midway between Marysville and Plain City and I receive 24 OTA channels with my DISH 622 receiver. I have an outside antenna with a mast amplifier. I receive all of the Dayton and Columbus channels. From your location, you should have no problem receiving all of the Columbus stations.

1) Is your antenna connected to the antenna inlet on your 722 receiver? There is an RF modulated outlet on the 622 and 722 receivers for TV2.

2) In the setup menu did you specify OTA and not cable or HRC?

3) Have you tried to manually add the channels instead of doing the scan?
WCMH would be 14
WSYX would be 13
WBNS would be 21
WTTE would be 36
WOSU would be 38
WSFJ would be 24
WWHO would be 46

4) Is your 722 box currently activated through DISH? DISH can shut off the OTA HD tuner if your account is deactivated.

If none of this works, I would think that you have a defective box.

[Rob052067]

I am located midway between Marysville and Plain City and I receive 24 OTA channels with my DISH 622 receiver. I have an outside antenna with a mast amplifier. I receive all of the Dayton and Columbus channels. From your location, you should have no problem receiving all of the Columbus stations.

Curious, with a 622 or 722 box and OTA, does this '3rd' tuner work with the DVR (and incorporated into the Guide), or is it strictly for viewing live TV?

[kgator28]

Yes,
I tried all of your suggestions and so did the DISH tech that came out after my attempts failed. He talked to DISH & they said it was my antenna.
I think you are right. I need to get them to switch out the unit. They were unwilling to do it at my suggestion the first time. Guess I need to move up the chain and demand they replace the unit. I do have the free maintenance program for the first year as part of my package.

Thanks fro your help

[dweber]

Curious, with a 622 or 722 box and OTA, does this '3rd' tuner work with the DVR (and incorporated into the Guide), or is it strictly for viewing live TV?

The 622 and 722 receivers show the OTA program information in the Guide if you pay for your locals. Otherwise the Guide does not show the program information. Thus we have to pay for the satellite locals even though we rarely use them (Columbus and Dayton only have SD locals).

[Rob052067]

The 622 and 722 receivers show the OTA program information in the Guide if you pay for your locals. Otherwise the Guide does not show the program information. Thus we have to pay for the satellite locals even though we rarely use them (Columbus and Dayton only have SD locals).

Thanks. That's good to hear. Having 3 tuners available to the DVR is a nice feature. Especially one not susceptible to weather outages.

[Rob052067]

I ordered an indoor HD antenna, but have not yet received it.

I'm curious: Instead of hooking up an OTA antenna to the box, could I just hook up cable? I still have cable TV in the house and an antenna or cable would still connect to the same coaxial port on the back of the box. Could I not just hook up cable directly to the box and have it search (install) for available channels, just like I would do if hooking up a TV directly to the cable?

[zelig2]

If I had to guess it probably wouldn't work. Most cable companies send QAM signals and the Dish box only does ATSC.

[Rob052067]

If I had to guess it probably wouldn't work. Most cable companies send QAM signals and the Dish box only does ATSC.

OK, thanks. I'm gonna try and I'll let post back.

[Rob052067]

OK, thanks. I'm gonna try and I'll let post back.

I never got around to trying out connecting cable to the antenna-input on the Dish box. I have, however, hooked up the antenna I bought and it's working well. All the local digital/HD channels are coming in around 80% signal strength or better, except WWHO at around 70% since it's farther away.