Force 811 to OTA channels during storm?

[DWS44]

Currently have a bad storm going over... the worst since I've had satellite installed...and first time I've lost a signal. I was getting my OTA channels fine though until I accidentally hit the channel button and it tried to go to a dish channel. Ever since I'm stuck at the "Acquiring signal" screen" and it wont let me change channels.

Is there any way to force it back to the OTA channels?!?

 

[DWS44]

welp...nevermind...just as I hit submit on this the 811 just switched back to the OTA channel I was watching by itself.

 

[MikeF]

What I did the other day was put a splitter just after the amplifier but before the 811. Then ran a line to the 811 and a line to Antenna A on my Hitachi. I didn't notice any difference in the signal to the 811 and now I can just use the TV tuner if needed, bypassing the 811 altogether.

 

[boba]

Currently have a bad storm going over... the worst since I've had satellite installed...and first time I've lost a signal. I was getting my OTA channels fine though until I accidentally hit the channel button and it tried to go to a dish channel. Ever since I'm stuck at the "Acquiring signal" screen" and it wont let me change channels.

Is there any way to force it back to the OTA channels?!?

DISH HDTV receivers when they lose lock on the satellite signal are designed to lose the local channels, you end up with nothing to watch. MikeF has a good suggestion.

 

[Bulldog]

Thanks Mike I'll try it.

 

[MikeF]

Glad I had it setup that way tonight. Same thing happened here, storm went over and knocked out all satellite reception. Showed the wife how to just use the TV tuner fro OTA (a first for her in years) and she got to keep watching CBS. I was a hero,,,,, for once.

 

[ashoo]

What I did the other day was put a splitter just after the amplifier but before the 811. Then ran a line to the 811 and a line to Antenna A on my Hitachi. I didn't notice any difference in the signal to the 811 and now I can just use the TV tuner if needed, bypassing the 811 altogether.

Good point! I have a similar setup but from the splitter I am running it to my Antenna 1 on my Panasonic through my VCR. That way I can watch any satellite channel and at the same time record locals. Also, I get to use the PIP features on my TV. Basically, it is like having two tuners (three if you count the VCR tuner )

 

[W4WMM]

DISH HDTV receivers when they lose lock on the satellite signal are designed to lose the local channels, you end up with nothing to watch. MikeF has a good suggestion.

I know I'm being naive about this but aren't you supposed to be able to receive OTA without receiving SAT? The box didn't lose it's authorization which is, as I understand it, is what's required to active the OTA receiver section.

Alan

 

[mike123abc]

I know I'm being naive about this but aren't you supposed to be able to receive OTA without receiving SAT? The box didn't lose it's authorization which is, as I understand it, is what's required to active the OTA receiver section.

Alan

You can watch local programs during a storm without problems but if you do anything that wants to talk to the satellite, the box will just sit there trying to acquire the satellite signal, effectively knocking out locals.

This means if you are watching a satellite channel and the weather gets really bad and you lose satellite, you cannot turn to a local channel at that time.

If you are watching local channels and by accident tune to a satellite channel or try to pull up the program guide you could get locked up.

As long as you are already on local channels before the satellite goes out, only flip channels around on local channels, and do not try to bring up the guide you will be able to watch local channels throughout the storm.

 

[snathanb]

Here is what has worked for me when weather knocks the satellite out when I am on a satellite channel

1) hit menu
2) select program guide
3) select OTA channel from guide - typically, it won't tune in. (yet)
4) hit menu again
5) select program guide again
6) Now, the OTA channel should now appear in the Picture in Guide window, hit "watch TV"


Try it!

It even works for me if I completely unplug the satellite connection from the back of the 811. (that means you can test it now and figure it out before you get that tornado in your trailer park )

 

[W4WMM]

Thanks guys, I'll check that out.