8/11/2010 4:36pm - Uplink Activity Report - 108 changes
- Thread starter DigiDish Uplink Report
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Scott Greczkowski said:
That was about to be my question. I thought that I had read that as of now, the master feed was not even in HD. If you will remember, initially EPix was not supposed to have multiplex feeds, I guess plans changed.
The Monroe LA area has the same situation. It does appear that we will all need either a wing dish to point at 77 or a switch from western arc to eastern arc. No one knows yet which will happen, or if there will be a charge for the service. Several of us have tried contacting Dish today, but the CSRs aren't even aware that the new locals are available. We're all trying again tomorrow; we'll see what happens then.
They have plenty of room for more HD on their C band mux. Half of the bandwidtih is currently null pids.
ROFL That's the best joke I've seen in some time. (I sure hope the original poster was also joking, but I saw no smileys.)They decided since it was only a "few" channels and not "several" that they could fit it in today!
It all still baffles me is the fact that there is no rhyme or reason to which locals go on 77W conus or 119. Plus I wonder what the factors are as to which PBS goes HD. ElDorado, AR/ Monroe, La. is as small a market there is out there, and they have more HD then Little Rock or Shreveport. To my knowledge, both Little Rock & Shreveport dma's have been WA and for some reason LR hd locals go 77W and then finally Shreveport drops in HD and it's on 119.
Dish continues to amaze me.
Dish continues to amaze me.
E* has to put them where there is transponder space. There is either no transponder space on any western arc spot beam that covers the market or no spot beam at all on WA that covers the market. Something they have to consider is what satellite can host a spot beam for the area you live in. The ConUS HD locals on 77W likely will be put on a 77W spot beam when that new sat is orbited in the not too distant future. One assumes they have designed that satellite with a spot beam to cover your DMA. Eville, Paducah, and the Quad Cities were announced long ago but never made available for reasons unknown. The Quad Cities were first announced to retailers a couple of years ago and then not made available.
As to why these new markets are getting all their locals, the recently passed law requires all HD locals be added when any are added. That wasn't the case before. The "older" markets will get their other HD locals eventually whenever E* gets around to it, finds space on transponders, etc.
Couldn't have said it better myself... well done Laddyboy! Spot on...
The only tid bit I think I could add since I believe the beam the Shreveport locals are on is a very large one that would cover Monroe too, but of course they only had one transponder on that beam due to the current config of E14, it probably had to do with subscriber numbers between the Shreveport DMA and the Monroe DMA. Which one had fewer dishes to swap.
Dish Chat was down until just after 6 AM Central time, but I've just finished chatting with a CSR. He confirmed that I (and presumably everyone else in the Monroe / El Dorado DMA) will be switching from the Western Arc to the Eastern Arc. He also confirmed that as a "valued Dish customer", meaning that I have a service agreement, the charge for the re-installation will be $15. I don't think that that is unreasonable, though I know some (many) people will be unhappy.
The earliest appointment I could get was for Monday morning, which is 4 days from now. I had hoped to have access to the channels by the weekend, but 4 days isn't bad. I wonder how quickly the appointment book for technicians will fill up, though.
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Actually, I'm not sure what all will be involved. I understand that the Eastern Arc requires (?) customers to use VIP receivers because all compression is MPEG4, or at least Dish is moving in that direction. I don't know if that actually translates to a new dish. Since I have two VIP 722 receivers, I'm not worried about the compression issue.
There will likely also be a line-of-sight (LOS) issue for some customers, given the tall trees in the area. I'm pretty sure I have better LOS to 77, but haven't checked the other satellites yet because I had assumed I would just be getting a wing dish instead of switching arcs. That may be an option for some if 77 has good LOS but not the other satellites.
Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the complexities of switching arcs can weigh in here.
I am in Davenport IA and have 110, 119 & 129 setup on a single 1000 dish. The new HD locals ar on 77w. What do I need to do to receive these on 77w? Do I need another dish?
One would think that Dish has a long range plan related to spotbeams and the design of future satellites like QuetzSat-1 and E-16 but then again it does seem they make many decisions from a short term perspective. From a long term perspective it wouldn't make sense to put HD locals on a EA satellite with the SD locals on the WA and have to switch everyone in that DMA to EA. Then later when the WA is converted to MPEG-4 and more TPs are available for spotbeams on E-14, switch those HD locals back to WA but it wouldn't surprise me if that happens. I guess if that is something that Dish has to do to be competitive in a DMA, they will do it.
I think for right now, I will stay moved to Baton Rouge instead of moving home to the Monroe DMA.
I would have to call Dish and "move" back home then fight all the red tape BS to get Monroe DMA.
I also have the option of changing to DTV which will have there Monroe DMA transmitting real soon so I have read.
My OTA picks up every channel in the Monroe/Eldorado area except channel 39 which I never watch anyway. Channel 43 has been off the air for months also.
IF I can swing the HR24. DTV is looking pretty good.
I would have to call Dish and "move" back home then fight all the red tape BS to get Monroe DMA.
I also have the option of changing to DTV which will have there Monroe DMA transmitting real soon so I have read.
My OTA picks up every channel in the Monroe/Eldorado area except channel 39 which I never watch anyway. Channel 43 has been off the air for months also.
IF I can swing the HR24. DTV is looking pretty good.
I live in Davenport and called and they are switching me to the eastern arc tomorrow. Let me sign up for $6.00 protection plan to waive the $95.00 tech service fee and then told me I could cancel the plan for $25.00 afterward. Is the Davenport DMA really switching to the eastern arc?
It appears that for at least some of the markets that just lit up, that EA is going to be the way it is from now on. That's what they are doing for the Paducah, KY DMA also.
