Adding Dish 6000 to my system

[mattopia]

Hello all!

I've come across the forums several times in the past for research. This is the first time I've actually needed to post though.

I've had a Dish installation for about a year now -- 311 receiver, DP34 switch, and a SuperDish that faces 110/119/121. Installed it all myself.

I've recently acquired an HDTV (well, ED, but I'll stay on topic here...) and decided to devise my own solution to gain the Dish HD channels.

Not wanting to LEASE a receiver AND sign a 2-year contract, I've acquired a Dish 6000 receiver from eBay. It wasn't until after receiving it that I discovered it wouldn't talk to my DP LNB's or switch without an adaptor.

Well, after noticing that all of the HD channels (except Voom) are on the 110 satellite, and that my SuperDish's 110 LNB was a dualie, I decided to try using the extra port directly into my Dish 6000 receiver. Surprisingly, even though it's a DishPro LNB, it works fine for the most part. I don't get some things, but all of the HD's (which are on low transponders I've noticed) come in fine.

I'd like to consider a solution that will allow me to get more than just "most" of the 110 content on this receiver. I'd also like to get the Voom channels at 61.5. Here's what I'm considering -- I need the advice of the pros to tell me if it'll work. Otherwise I won't bother collecting the necessary parts.

I have a few legacy 18" dishes, so I can easily point one of those at 61.5. I also have an SW21. Here's what I'm thinking: Connect my 6000 to the SW21. Take one port of the SW21 and connect it directly to an 18" for 61.5. To gain the other sats, I would connect the other satellite port of the SW21 to a DishPro adaptor (currently bidding on one over on the 'bay), which would then in turn go to port 2 of my DP34 and the SuperDish. Port 1 of the DP34/SuperDish would remain connected to my 311 receiver. In theory, this would give me 61.5/110/119/121 on my 6000, and 110/119/121 on my 311. Is this configuration possible?

I'm sure at least one member will tell me to go get an 811. I got such a great deal on the 6000, and I like some of the 'features' that can be added at a later time. And even with an 811, I'd still want the 61.5 and wouldn't want to invest in a DP+44.

 

[goaliebob99]

Hi welcome to Satellite guys that Configuration will not work.. you will need a Dish Pro Plus 44 switch. (the sw 21 switch will not work because you have a dishpro set up and you cant mix the equipment like that because it will not work. Dishpro uses diffrent type of technology called "Band stacking" witch makes that not possable. Once you have your DPP 44 Switch.. everyone can have 119/110/61.5/121. and its just swappping out the 34 sw for that 44 sw..

On a side note.. Ditch the ED tv as its not HDTV! You will not get the impressive screen resolutions of 1080I or 720P with an EDTV (someone correct me if im wrong).

I dont know why EDTV was ever made but if you can DITCH IT FAST, take it back and get a real HDTV. the more you pay will be more worth it. WIth EDTV basically your buying a tv that can view HDTV but not at its full potental (480P) the piture looks like fox base ball on saturday's. (Standard def streched) With a real HDTV any hdtv channel you look at you will get clear and really crisp picture at 1080I or 720P (Take that picture of fox base ball on sat and Clean it up about 3000 times.. and make it look kinof 3d lookin also... and you have HDTV at 1080I The better picture you get will be well worth it. (also the reason why you payed such a lower price on that EDTV than the HDTV is becaues EDTV's really dont sell because the fact they dont do true hd.) I hope this helps..

 

[Anole]

since you like to be creative...

I see two easy choices, depending on how frugal you are trying to be:

1).
Get a DishPro LNB for that 18" dish which you are going to point at 61.
Get a DP21 switch
Combine the 110 and 61 in the DP21.
Feed that to your DishPro Adapter, on the 6000.

2).
Since you have spare toys....
Mount a legacy LNB on an 18" dish and point at 61
Mount another legacy LNB on an 18" dish and point to 110
Combine both through your existing SW21, and feed your 6000.

3).
spend more money on a more traditional approach.

 

[HokieEngineer]

I'm trying to think of a technical reason the sw21 wont work in front of the dishpro adaptor. The dp adaptor will take the band stacking away and listens to what polarity the receiver wants and sends that group down the pike.

I tried to do a search but I dont think anyone has ever tried this. Maybe someone with a legacy receiver, dp adaptor, sw21 could try this?

As to the first part, the reason you get some of 110 is because as Goalie said Dishpro puts the odd transponders on the normal "low" range, then stacks the even transponders on the "high" range. Legacys cant tune to the high range. So you'll get all the odd transponders on the 6000 hooked to the 110 dp lnb.

You're best bet is to sell your old gear on ebay and use the cash to buy a dpp44 switch Or if you have enough old gear, why not just setup a dish pointed at 61.5, another at 110/119 and combine them with the sw21 for the 6000. Then you'll look really cool to your neighbors with 3 dishes

 

[goaliebob99]

a dish pro adapter wont work like that because it provides the extra voltage to the switch for the higher band that the legacy systems cant see. if you have dp lnbfs and then the dp adapter then a sw 21 it wont work. becase the reciver will think its looking at legacy when in actuallity its looking at a dp setup. if you do it this way... dp lnbf, 21sw, then dp adapter it still wont work because of the 21 sw. to make this work as stated above he needs a dp21 sw and a dp adapter. he has to eliminate the legacy 21 sw compleatly.

 

[Anole]

skeptical

I don't think it'll work either, but on paper, there are no technical reasons it won't (that I'm aware of).
I just don't have the equipment on hand to test the theory.

Without starting a heated discussion here,,,,,
The legacy 6000 talks 13/18v through the SW21, and that voltage would normally select a polarity at a legacy LNB.
Instead, it talks through the switch to the dishPro adapter, which selects which band to un-stack.
There is no violation of the legacy/dishpro taboo on paper.

 

[mattopia]

Thanks for the welcome and the info guys!

I won the DishPro adaptor on eBay for about $30 shipped. I'll try the SW 21 -> Adaptor -> DP34 to see if it works -- I'm REALLY curious now! In the meantime I'll probably do what Anole suggested in #2 and have two 18" dishes covering 61.5 and 110. I already have 2 dishes, UHF, and two WiFi antennas on the tower, so a third dish will look right at home

The "toss it all on eBay and get an 811 and DP21" is sounding more and more tempting though. Damn this constant desire to "tinker"

As far as the EDTV/HDTV stuff - the short version is I did some computer work for a buddy who owns a TV store. I got one helluva deal. I sat side by side on a 42" ED and 42" HD, flipped around various E* HD channels, and at ~10 feet away did not notice enough of an improvement to spend the extra $1000 (that I don't have)

 

[goaliebob99]

As far as the EDTV/HDTV stuff - the short version is I did some computer work for a buddy who owns a TV store. I got one helluva deal. I sat side by side on a 42" ED and 42" HD, flipped around various E* HD channels, and at ~10 feet away did not notice enough of an improvement to spend the extra $1000 (that I don't have)

Sounds like something wasnt hooked up right... most stores that have tv's on display dont have it hooked up to an hd source so you wont be able to tell the diffrence..

 

[mattopia]

Sounds like something wasnt hooked up right... most stores that have tv's on display dont have it hooked up to an hd source so you wont be able to tell the diffrence..

trust me -- it was hooked up correctly. i'm good friends with the guy. the e* remote was right in front of the tv. there was an 811 going to a component splitter that fed 4 sets. it's a small local store, not a best buy or circuit city type place.

 

[Anole]

well, in all fairness....
1. what qual is Charlie transmitting?
2. how good was the hi-def set?

Too many unknowns to really tell.
Maybe a strong off the air signal (hi-def) would be the deciding factor.
Wait, what mode was the 811 set for?

In the end, enjoy and go get your extra dishes up.
You know how easy that'll be.

 

[mattopia]

i would not have gone ED (or HD right now) if I didn't need a new TV and didn't get the thing for $600. the one i *really* wanted was $3,999 sticker! and HD content still looks quite stunning (perhaps only to me)

anyway, i pointed an 18" with legacy LNB at 61.5, hooked it directly to my 6000 (for now), and subscribed to Voom. so far I'm really not very impressed with the Voom offerings.

my dishpro adaptor will be here in 2-3 days, so i'll experiment then! if voom ends up being a waste though, i'll just take 61.5 out of the equasion, making things much simpler.

 

[SimpleSimon]

I don't think it'll work either, but on paper, there are no technical reasons it won't (that I'm aware of).
I just don't have the equipment on hand to test the theory.

Without starting a heated discussion here,,,,,
The legacy 6000 talks 13/18v through the SW21, and that voltage would normally select a polarity at a legacy LNB.
Instead, it talks through the switch to the dishPro adapter, which selects which band to un-stack.
There is no violation of the legacy/dishpro taboo on paper.

Interesting idea, that's for sure. The DP adaptor might make the DP34 look like an SW64 even though it's behind an SW21. I'd sure like to know the answer, just to fill a gap in the ole brain pan.