Dish Network/DirectTV question

[stormbv]

Do the receivers for these services need to be hooked up to a phone line to work? If so, why?

 

[NutBucket]

You have to have it hooked up to activate the service but otherwise no, unless you're ordering PPV. Even then, you don't need to have it hooked up. It will store the order on the access card and eventually, if you fill it up, will make you connect it up.

I haven't had my DTV receiver hooked up for years.

 

[ElFenix]

no. what the phone line does is dial directv after you've bought a movie. it connects at 4 am or so. thats the only time its in use. the box can store ~25 movie purchases before it absolutely has to dial out.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Yes, you will get warnings if they're not and eventually cut off. Your receiver needs a way to upload info to DTV, but it doesn't have the capability to do that through satellite transmission, so every so often it has to dial a local server to transmit data (ie PPV info that you've purchased, since all it does is go onto the card when you order a PPV movie).

 

[nord1899]

I have Dish Network with a PVR (TiVo knockoff) receiver. Only reason to hook up to the phone line would be to order Pay-Per-View.

I think the DirecTiVo units do need a phone line as TiVo requires it. But I could be wrong.

Normal receivers should not need it for either service.

 

[hevnsnt]

last post was incorrect.. No you do not have to connect it.. the other posts were right, you only have to connect it once the card is full of ppv purchases

EDIT: ok we were posting at the same time, not the last post, but the post before it

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
last post was incorrect.. No you do not have to connect it.. the other posts were right, you only have to connect it once the card is full of ppv purchases

EDIT: ok we were posting at the same time, not the last post, but the post before it

Yeah, true I suppose you only do if it has any PPV on it, but I don't think it has to be FULL, since I know DTV kept nagging my friend to connect it and I know they don't order many PPV movies at all...maybe 1 every 6 months...

 

[stormbv]

So it will let me know when I need to hook it up to the phone line, but otherwise it doesn't need to be permanently hooked up? I really need a phone line in my bedroom...I'm going to cry if I can't get dish network

 

[stormbv]

Nevermind that last question, I understand now. Thanks for your help. I'm so excited! I'm going to go cut down all the trees that are south of my house now...

 

[nord1899]

More details regarding Dish network.

I was told by the installer guys that I could still order PPV without the phone line. I could call them up and they would beam down the info activating the card via sat. But there would be an extra charge involved doing it that way.

No idea if that is true as I have never done it.

 

[stormbv]

Originally posted by: nord1899
More details regarding Dish network.

I was told by the installer guys that I could still order PPV without the phone line. I could call them up and they would beam down the info activating the card via sat. But there would be an extra charge involved doing it that way.

No idea if that is true as I have never done it.

I'm just glad it doesn't need to be hooked up to a phone line permanently. I don't think I'll order PPV movies very much anyway.

 

[nord1899]

Originally posted by: stormbv

Originally posted by: nord1899
More details regarding Dish network.

I was told by the installer guys that I could still order PPV without the phone line. I could call them up and they would beam down the info activating the card via sat. But there would be an extra charge involved doing it that way.

No idea if that is true as I have never done it.

I'm just glad it doesn't need to be hooked up to a phone line permanently. I don't think I'll order PPV movies very much anyway.

I've had it for nearly a year, never once ordered a PPV feature. I've also had cable at home, in college and after college and never once ordered PPV. So it worked out for me, especially since I don't have a landline at home (just a cellphone).

 

[thebestMAX]

I have had DirecTV for ~ 6 years and have NEVER had it connected to a phone line.

 

[ElFenix]

if you've going to get a pvr get the one thats in the receiver box... the prob with tivo is that the receiver box decodes to an analog signal and then tivo encodes to mpeg and then decodes... with the receiver box one it just writes the mpeg 2 stream from the satellite to the hard drive and then uses the regular dtv/dish hardware to decode it. no quality loss.

 

[rootaxs]

Here's the scoop on DishTV.

You *do not* need to connect the receiver to a phone line. It's only there to order PPV which you can do otherwise through calling up the 800 number. The only catch is it's a buck or two more expensive that way.

You also do not need a phone line connection to get activated, terminated or to get updates for the schedules and/or the firmware.

 

[Pepsei]

Originally posted by: stormbv
Do the receivers for these services need to be hooked up to a phone line to work? If so, why?

Yes and no.

If you want to get pay-per-view, it's cheaper with the phone hook up to it.


In theory, you could hook up the phone cord, order your payper view..and then disconnect ... I think up to 10 times before the card gets filled up with outstanding balance.