DISH is the only television provider to allow you to choose how to receive your Local Channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC).
Today you receive Local Channels via satellite from DISH for only $10/month.
You qualify for an exciting new opportunity:
DISH will professionally install an over-the-air antenna (OTA) at no charge, so you can receive your Local Channels for FREE.
Plus, you will SAVE $10/month since you will no longer need to receive Local Channels via satellite from DISH.
Call 1-844-407-5464 today to schedule your free installation.
Our technicians will also provide a complimentary full system checkup while in home.


I plan to take them up on this. Figured I’d pass the news along.

Soooo, what happens with the channel guide and DVR functions for the local channels when the OTA is enabled?

KOT

It should be quite possible for the local channel INFO to remain as part of the Dish Network Guide. The actual channels would just come from somewhere else.

Of course, that doesn't mean that channel 37.346, the Tibetan Death Metal Review channel, will be in that lineup through Dish, though surely it comes in on the TV antenna.

I recently ran a channel check in the LA area and more than 200 channels were memorized. Most were of VERY narrow interest!

They have OTA module that puts channels and info in the guide and allow you to record the OTA channels.

Unless something has changed with the hopper3 or a new OTA module only 1 receiver location at a time can view an antenna channel. Don’t know if you can record more than 1 OTA channel simultaneously or not.

Well, I give the credit for offering the choice. But Ill stick with getting the networks through Dish

No one does anything for free, there has to be a ulterior motive. Odds are if they push everyone to switch to receiving locals over the air, dish no longer has to pay a franchise fee, and get into squabbles with the network over fees, like they recently did with CBS. Every time there is a channel blackout over a dispute it sullies the companies reputation.

I don't know what they're up to, but there will never be a lack of need for local programming without a standard TV antenna, at least not in the Los Angeles area. Here, all the canyon homes north of downtown, Hollywood, and Santa Monica run downhill from a mountain (ok, hill) range that more or less points at the transmitters. That is, these locations are not only in canyons, but the canyons are at right angles to the signal orientation, making reception often quite difficult. This is why cable caught on so quickly to begin with!

Well i had them install it today. It was painless. Took 15 min. I get all the local channels that I could have received in my area. Great quality. The guide is populating as we speak and seems really seamless. Plus i'll save $12 a month. Plus the OTA adapter I got is dual tuner.

All in all seems like a win to me.

What kind of antenna did they install?

Wonder what they would do when they come into an area like mine, where one antenna won't get the job done.

I have two quad bays up on the roof, with one turned 90 degrees from the other.

Dish Network installers have become the worst a-holes to deal with in my area.
Apparently they sell all kinds of audio / video gear off the vans now too. And push it hard on customers even if it is not needed.
Today's example:
I have an older customer I installed a full surround sound for, several years ago. Their old Dish 622 died and they got an upgrade to Hopper.

1) Dish guy says the wire coming from the old dish is very old and needs to be replaced. He also said it was corroded and didn't see how the system was even working. He replaced this before I got on-site. I personally installed that dish 9 years ago with Belden quad RG6, solid copper and compression fitted ends. I had seen all the connections just 2 years ago and they were all still perfect.
I pretty sure the Dish guy was full of crap. But since replacing the cable and ends was part of the install, I can't understand his angle on this? WTF!

2) He has a Polk Audio sound bar that his says the customer needs. It is "an exclusive made for Dish Network by Polk and the best on the market". It costs $400. I kindly explain they already have a full surround system (5 years old) that costs MUCH more than that sound bar - why would they downgrade. He continues pushing the sound bar, saying my system is old and they need to upgrade. At this point I got pissed and rude, told him to shut the f up and finish his job (yes, in front of the customer - he asked for it!).

3) This is going to get to long. There was some more words exchanged when he said something about my URC remote controlling the system. And about keeping the doors open on the cabinet (which I had cooling fans installed in). Etc...

A few months ago had one refuse to do an upgrade for one of my clients. Told them the wrong kind of wire was installed in their 6K sqft. home and they couldn't do the install. I PREWIRED that f^er!! Customer had to pay for the equipment from another dealer and I installed everything - it was easy and worked perfect.

Dish Network installers (at least in my area) have become the scum of the Earth!

Rarely let that get in your way, especially when you're painting a delicious picture as you are here.


This "wrong wire" red herring is the worst. I once was talking with the guy from Belden who wrote the book on low voltage installations and he agreed that the only two reasons to use RG6 Quad are a) you're wiring inside the building at the base of the 350,000 watt TV station transmitter, so you need that little extra shielding, and b) the next installer to come along can't look at the perfectly good foil and braid and lie to the client by saying "Oh, I see they didn't use the good stuff, that thicker RG6... yeah, QUAD!"

I have to look again. Swore it said tele something. Teledyne telesys idk

There is a very good reason to use Quad that is legit. "Distance". That quad shielding has a lower resistance per foot than others. Most spec sheets will also show a little less loss per foot.
Makes a big difference when pushing the limits of a signal out 300, 400 feet or more. And getting voltage out the same distance without significant drop.
In those situations, the center conductor becomes the primary limiting factor. With the outer conductor doing little to increase the limiting.

Nothing like seeing the results of a visit by one of these idiots.

Coax run around the outside of a house, then a hole drilled through the wall so the coax comes out somewhere behind that TV (with any luck), or coax run up through the hardwood floors.

I can understand the "wrong wire" thing. These guys get paid so little, they really need to sell some crap to make a decent living. The pay is sh**.