Question about Dish receiver # VIP211k

[jokvist]

I am looking at switching from DirecTV to Dish Network in my RV. I am looking for information about their Dish receiver Model # VIP211k that they recommend to use with their DISHForMyRV service. I want to know if you have that receiver connected to a satellite feed from my Winegard dish (converted from DirecTV to Dish reception), will it allow you to watch an HD channel on the TV while simultaneously recording a different HD channel on the Hard drive running as a DVR.
When I call their customer support they said you could do this. I am concerned that is an incorrect answer and I don't want to go to the trouble and expense of the switch only to find that you can not do this function with that receiver.
My concern is that I thought this is a one tuner receiver and that they would need two tuners. Also with only one satellite feed plugged into the receiver I did not think that you could receive two different channels. I thought you would need two feeds plugged into the receiver.
Based on my discussion with Dish customer support the Dish receiver Model # VIP211k is the only one that can be used with their DISHForMyRV service. They apparently check the ID numbers on the receiver to confirm that it is a VIP211k.

So if anyone is using a VIP211k receiver with a hard drive connected can you test to see if this function works.

[TechWriter]

jokvist wrote:

I believe that the VIP722K or the Hopper would fit the bill correctly. It is my understanding that dish will check the r... and s... numbers to validate that I am connecting a VIP211k to the Pay as you go service. Is anyone using one of these receivers in their RV witha Dish home service contract? If so do they work OK in the RV? I expect to need to connect two satellite feeds to the receiver.

If you have a rooftop Winegard Travler, then pretty much the "sky is the limit" as far as receiver selection is concerned.

I've used a DISH VIP722 with a Travler and it works fine, but though it has 2 tuners that allow you to watch different programs on two TVs, one of those TVs will be HD and the other has to be connected as SD.

That's why I switched to a Hopper with a couple of Joeys. With this setup, if you're receiving an HD signal from a satellite, then all your TVs can get HD. In addition, the Hopper provides a "whole house (or RV)" DVR that each TV can access, and it has the Prime Time Any Time (PTAT) feature which will record ALL prime time major network programming each day.

The VIP722 and Hopper can be used with DISH Pay-As-You-Go.

[Bill_Satellite]

jokvist wrote:
I originally posted this question and I want to thank everyone that has responded. The answers were as I expected.
It's a shame that service companies like DirecTV and Dish Network do not understand that they are providing a service and that it is not only a product that they are providing but a total service package. The part they fail on is the service side not the product side.

Since I can not record and watch at the same time with the VIP211k, I would like to expand the question to identify what receiver in the Dish lineup will work as I desire. I want to seed the discussion with the fact that I have a Winegard Traveler dish on my motorhome. when I convert it to Dish reception it will have three LNB's(I think I got the abbreviation correct). That means that I have three satellite feeds, one for the back TV and two for the front to drive a two tuner receiver.

I believe that the VIP722K or the Hopper would fit the bill correctly. It is my understanding that dish will check the r... and s... numbers to validate that I am connecting a VIP211k to the Pay as you go service. Is anyone using one of these receivers in their RV witha Dish home service contract? If so do they work OK in the RV? I expect to need to connect two satellite feeds to the receiver.

Thanks again for the response so far.

Any Dish satellite receiver will work with your Trav'ler. You also only need one cable to that receiver, even if it's a dual tuner, if you add the Dish Separator switch.
The Hopper will also work but you will need to add a special splitter called a Solo Node between the antenna and the Hopper and Joey(s). It's a cheap part and easy enough to install but it is required.

[Bill_Satellite]

rposgood wrote:

I rv wrote:
you need vip 222 receiver which is duel tunner then add external hard drive

Does the VIP222 work with the tailgater system?

No, it will not. However, there are other portable units that can be used with the 222.

[jokvist]

I originally posted this question and I want to thank everyone that has responded. The answers were as I expected.
It's a shame that service companies like DirecTV and Dish Network do not understand that they are providing a service and that it is not only a product that they are providing but a total service package. The part they fail on is the service side not the product side.

Since I can not record and watch at the same time with the VIP211k, I would like to expand the question to identify what receiver in the Dish lineup will work as I desire. I want to seed the discussion with the fact that I have a Winegard Traveler dish on my motorhome. when I convert it to Dish reception it will have three LNB's(I think I got the abbreviation correct). That means that I have three satellite feeds, one for the back TV and two for the front to drive a two tuner receiver.

I believe that the VIP722K or the Hopper would fit the bill correctly. It is my understanding that dish will check the r... and s... numbers to validate that I am connecting a VIP211k to the Pay as you go service. Is anyone using one of these receivers in their RV witha Dish home service contract? If so do they work OK in the RV? I expect to need to connect two satellite feeds to the receiver.

Thanks again for the response so far.

[rposgood]

I rv wrote:
you need vip 222 receiver which is duel tunner then add external hard drive

Does the VIP222 work with the tailgater system?

[Bill_Satellite]

As accurately described above, the 211K is a single tuner receiver. One means one! Moving to a dual tuner DVR will allow you to watch/record 2 different channels but when used with a dome, both programming must be being broadcast from the same satellite which can cause issues.
Now, the 211K does have an OTA tuner and if you plan things carefully, you can watch a satellite channel and record an OTA channels (both HD) or vice versa.

[I_rv]

you need vip 222 receiver which is duel tunner then add external hard drive

[BluStem]

That's correct. One channel at a time. You have to watch what's being recorded. If you are watching a program on one channel and a program scheduled to be recorded starts on another channel the receiver will switch you over to the channel being recorded. The 211k's DVR function is only useful for recording while your away or something you want to save while watching.

[kirbybear]

DISH as usual is wrong. The 211K can only watch/record one channel at a time. I record everything on the external HD. Then you can watch a recorded program while recording an other program. Bob

[wa8yxm]

As Fire said, With a "Dome" like the one you have or the tailgater you can only see one sat at a time... now, if the two progrtams are on the same bird, I do not know since I have yet to get my 211K working properly (Antenna problems, My dome broke) so till I get a new antenna... I can't help you.

I will give you one bit of advice though.. With your existing antenna you may get stuck at 2 out of 5 followed by an "Error" message. when that message appears press the STAR (*) button on the reomte to get to the regular antenna pointing page (menu 6-1-1) we all love.

[Firemanmarcus]

My Dish VIP211K only can receive one satellite at a time, I live in California where you have 3 satellite covering all their channels. I have not had any luck DVRing any programs. The ones I want to DVR are on a different satellite than what I'm watching at the time. The VIP211K will only view one satellite at a time. Hope this helps.