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Dish 301 vs. 811

398 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  CourtneyW, 
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I’m one of the many people waiting patiently for an 811 from Dish. On probably my 15th call, and 4th time asking specifically, they FINIALLY agreed to install a 301 receiver in the meantime, and swap it out with my 811 when it is available.


They came out yesterday and installed my Super Dish and 301 (I think the receiver actually says 311 on it, though). Only output options on the back were coaxial, composite, and s-video. And of course, they didn’t include an s- video cable, so I hooked it up with composite cables. This is to my Toshiba 51†HDTV (51H83)


The picture quality sucks, and is actually a little worse than my analog cable (Time Warner). I’m buying an s-video cable today after work, with hopes of it making the picture quality better. I know it will, but I’m wondering “how much?†Hopefully, the difference will be enough to surpass the quality of my analog cable.


Question for you guys that have a 301(311?) hooked up to a HD RPTV... How would you rate the PQ? Assuming I’m almost completely unsatisfied using the composite cables, will switching to s-video satisfy me? How does the PQ (using both outputs) compare with the 811?
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than 301 for SD DISH programming. In fact, 811 may be a bit worse than 301. And this is comparing 301 via composite vs. 811 with DVI and/or Component.


It's not the receiver's fault, really. The signal sucks. OTA digital stations I get via my channel master 4228 antenna via 811 look very good, MUCH better than exact same channel via DISH network. HDTV on OTA or DISH look both superb via 811.


Just put up a huge UHF rooftop antenna and forget about DISH SD channels. At least their HBO HD, SHO HD, CBS HD look good...
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The SD satellite channels look good on a 27" TV, but when you blow it up to your 51" TV they are going to look a bit crummy. I can't complain though, I had analog cable before and even the SD satellite channels are an improvement in PQ for me. Like drjlo says, HDTV OTA or via Dish is excellent.
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Okay your situation is much like mine was. I have a sony 51 RPTV.


I also got 2 311s installed because they didn't have the 811.


I guess I should also say that I used to subscribe to Mediacom Cable. Which was never that great (not digital).


But yes the 311 probably looks worse than the cable did. I don't remember it bothering me that much you might be more of a video file than I. I do remember really disliking watching it Zoomed (the way I used too) becuase it just made the bad look worse. All this was hooked up with the composite cables that came with the 311.



Since then (last week) I got my 811. Which I hooked up with the Component cable. I think it makes everything look better. I have been watching everything upcoverted to 1080i. I even did a Picture in Picture and put the component out from the 811 next to the composite from the 811 and I think the component upconverted to 1080i looks better. But its still not great, and after you start watching the HD channels it all looks like crap anyways.


So my advice is to hold out for the 811. I am not even sure id spend the money on the s-video cable (I think a free one comes in the 811 box).
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wait for the 811...I use it on my FP, and to it looks ok...HD looks awesome...BTW...dvi vs composite is not even close...heck, component looks noticably worse than DVI to my eyes...as it should...but its nice to see there is a difference once I spent 100 bucks on a dvi cable!
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Quote:
Originally posted by Threecard
wait for the 811...I use it on my FP, and to it looks ok...HD looks awesome...BTW...dvi vs composite is not even close...heck, component looks noticably worse than DVI to my eyes...as it should...but its nice to see there is a difference once I spent 100 bucks on a dvi cable!
What kind of TV do you have? I have heard for the RPTV component vs DVI wasn't that noticeable.
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I hooked up the video last night with an S-Video cable, and am pleased with the increase in PQ. I also converged my TV again, and played with some picture settings. Now, it is as good, or noticably better than my analog cable.


Now... I need to pick up the phone and continue working on getting my 811.


Order date: Dec 8th.

Status: Still waiting.


:confused:
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