Hi,

Just signed up for Bell using their promotion where we got 2 9241's and 2 9131's . I would like to have my local HDTV channels at least on the main receiver/TV in the living rooom. After getting the installation done, I was about to plug in my local Antenna and I could not find the spot in the receiver to do this! In the past when living in the states and with Dish Network equipment, I've just hooked up an old fashioned antenna to a receiver and it has added my locals like as shown in this link:

http://www.dishnetwork.com/supportsection/setup-ota-module

I know that one alternative is to try to locate and buy a 9242 receiver, but is it possible to buy the above OTA module from dish and install it into a 9241? This is assuming that the slot is there, and I would need to cut out a piece of metal in the back of the Bell box to let it slide out as shown above. But would the Bell software recognize the OTA card, and allow it to work? Has anyone done this?

If not, what is the best way to locate a non-expensive, used 9242 box receiver? I realize in either case that the Bell software may not necessarily pick up the local program guide(s) but I can live without that if I can just get my OTA.

Bell castrated the ViP612 Dish Network receiver and removed the OTA feature. The MT2 module will not work. You need a 9242. Ebay is about your only choice.

You could buy a used 9200 for less than a 9242 (it has OTA capabilities) and Bell will replace it with a 9242 at no charge sometime in the future when they switch all HD to MPEG4.

Great advice Peano, that is what I am telling people too. Same goes for 6100's, if you can get one cheap, Bell will swap it for a 6131/6141 when they go MPEG4.

Pretty sure at some time they will stop activating the 9200/6100, if I hear of a date I will post it here.

Slighty OT, (and probably the wrong forum, but I've tried the OTA forum without success), but I figure guys like Pinza & Peano would do or encounter setups like this on a regular basis, so here goes:

Is there any way to get a OTA signal to my 9200/9242 via the dish and existing sat cable? What I'd like to do is set up an external antenna on the roof and feed the OTA signal into the existing cables @ the dish. Here are my questions:

1. I've got a DPP twin LNBF with the extra "input" (which I think is there so you can connect to another LNB) - can I just hook that input up to the OTA antenna?

If that doesn't work, I assume I'll need to use diplexers to combine the sat and OTA signals.

2. Would I need 1 or 2 diplexers @ the dish, i.e. would I have to combine the OTA signal with one or both of the sat output cables from the DPP twin?

3. Will a diplexed signal pass through a DPP44, i.e. would I have to "uncombine" the OTA and sat signals before the DPP44 then "recombine" them again after the DPP44?

Any help is much appreciated.

Did you read
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=42428

1. No.

2. One diplexer at the dish and one inside on the same line. Better yet, just run a new RG6.

3. No idea if OTA passes thru a DPP44 but I doubt it. Again, running a separate RG6 is the best option. It may be the only way if a head end OTA amplifier is installed. It will also result in a better signal all around and fewer problems overall.

Thanks, SB - that helps a lot. New dedicated R6 cabling for OTA isn't feasible, so I guess it's either buy a whole lotta diplexers and hope for the best or try indoor antennas @ each TV. BTW, am I correct in assuming this "head end OTA amplifier" is something I need if I do end up trying to feed an OTA signal to three or four TVs from a single antenna?