[mythtv-users] Dish gotchas?

[Brian Wood]

On Apr 10, 2006, at 1:11 PM, BlackCamera wrote:

> Michael Tiller wrote:
>> I'm seriously considering a move to Dish Network in my attempt to  
>> get a
>> better picture than I currently get with analog cable.  I thought  
>> about
>> digital cable but it is really just analog cable for the channels  
>> I watch.
>>
>> Are there any "gotchas" for Dish Network?  Is there a preferred
>> receiver?  Obviously, I don't want a DVR unit but are there any
>> important differences in terms of channel changing, firewire  
>> potential, etc?
>>
>> The main "downsides" I'm considering at the moment are:
>> 1) Need for receiver on every TV
>> 2) The fact that I'll still have to capture in analog mode with my
>> PVR-150 (firewire?)
>> 3) Hassles with getting program guide data?
>> 4) Need to deal with IR blaster issues (both for MythTV and my  
>> mom's TiVo).
>>
>> If I'm missing something (vs. analog cable), let me know.
>>
>> Thanks for any assistance.
>>
>> --
>> Mike
>
> I have a dish 311, I've never had any problems with it.  Unfortunately
> there is no firewire interface, on any of the dish receivers.   
> There is
> svideo, I've not had any problems with getting guide data.  The 2  
> DVR's
> 522 and 625 are supposed to be identical, I have a 522 from before I
> found out about myth, they are both supposed to have working usb  
> ports,
> I have not yet tried to used the usb on the 522 as I really don't  
> need it.
>

Agreed, for Myth the 311 is the best of the currently-available (from  
Dish) receivers. The on-screen display looks a little primitive but  
who cares, and if you time things properly you never see it anyway.

You can also set up the remote to respond to any of 10 sets of codes,  
so you can use multiple receivers with just one IR blaster.

The guide is no problem in NA, zap2it does just fine.

It would be nice of it had serial control, but no receiver available  
for Dish has that, only some DirecTV units.

The actual de-coded output of the 311 looks better than my "top-of- 
the-line" 942 receiver.