Cincinnati HD locals Sat ?

[s10zr2]

So my current sd cincinnati locals are on 110 and the new bullitan says the HD cincinnati locals will be on 77, will dish add the HD locals to 110? Or will they make me change over to 77? Also are the new smart card that are going out for new security issues or for the eastern arch service?

 

[garys]

The new cards people are mostly talking about are for security reasons. To use the EA dish, you need a different smart card in order to obtain the programing on 72 and 77 as well as mpeg4 receivers. Dish should upgrade your dish, receivers and cards to give you the EA.

 

[tsc]

This topic really shouldn't exist since it is already covered elsewhere. However, before it's locked/merged, have things changed? I thought you could not get EA as an existing customer, until February? Which, BTW, to me is the worst business decision E* could make.

 

[HDRoberts]

No one knows how Dish will handle this. They're not up for a week or two so we will all find out. If you have a Dish 1000.2, they should be able to add a wing dish for 77, same as 61.5.

 

[s10zr2]

This topic really shouldn't exist since it is already covered elsewhere. However, before it's locked/merged, have things changed? I thought you could not get EA as an existing customer, until February? Which, BTW, to me is the worst business decision E* could make.

I looked elsewhere and could not get a clear answer on my situation. How can they give us the HD locals finally and not offer them to existing customers until feb? That is why I wondered if they were going to add them to 110 as well. Also one thread says the new cards are for security only and eastern arc gets a different card. And another thread says they are the same card. Which is right?

 

[Hall]

The 77' satellite is an Eastern Arc satellite and Eastern Arc is currently only (officially) available to new customers. If an existing customer wants access, first they need the latest smart cards. Second, they need to buy, on their own, and get installed, on their own, the appropriate dish in order to see this location.

For an existing Dish customer to get switched to this for free, they'd probably have to threaten to quit. Threatening to leave for DirecTV, who carries Cincy locals in HD and does not have a "new customer requirement" to get them, is certainly something Dish must be aware of.

 

[s10zr2]

The 77' satellite is an Eastern Arc satellite and Eastern Arc is currently only (officially) available to new customers. If an existing customer wants access, first they need the latest smart cards. Second, they need to buy, on their own, and get installed, on their own, the appropriate dish in order to see this location.

For an existing Dish customer to get switched to this for free, they'd probably have to threaten to quit. Threatening to leave for DirecTV, who carries Cincy locals in HD and does not have a "new customer requirement" to get them, is certainly something Dish must be aware of.

Thanks for the info. I have no problem putting up my own dish, I have done it before. I just did not know about the smart cards. I will be curious to see what happens when it goes live for my locals. I know there are people in the same boat as I.

 

[Hall]

Dish won't send you a new card either. Simply be patient and when you receive the new cards (they're supposed to be in all Dish customer's hands by the end of November), then work on the new dish and getting it installed.

To be honest, your attitude is surprising ! Most people expect to be upgraded for free and whine endlessly about "new customers get everything".

 

[kaman]

So, did the Cincy local HDs go live today? Anybody actually getting them?

 

[s10zr2]

So, did the Cincy local HDs go live today? Anybody actually getting them?

Nope we don't know when yet.

 

[s10zr2]

Dish won't send you a new card either. Simply be patient and when you receive the new cards (they're supposed to be in all Dish customer's hands by the end of November), then work on the new dish and getting it installed.

To be honest, your attitude is surprising ! Most people expect to be upgraded for free and whine endlessly about "new customers get everything".

I don't mind installing the dish. I love this tech stuff. I have had dish out here the very first time and they did a terrible job on the install. Ever since then I do my own research on the equipment, and install it myself. Plus this way I do it the way I want it done. I did call yesterday and ask about when I might get the new smart cards, but they were unable to tell me.

 

[bretc]

I'm in Cincy and called to get HD locals. They set me up for someone to come over. I asked about 1000.4 rather then a wing dish and the CSR said I'd have to chat with the installer about that.

I was at work so the installer called me and I told him I wanted a single dish rather than a wing dish - he said he'd check and get back to me. So he calls me latter and says - you don't need an HD set up, you already have one. I said. I'm not an idiot - I know I have HD. I want HD locals. He responds - well I can't give you 1000.4 then, that is just for new customers only. I said -- OK, whatever (where the dishes are is pretty hidden).

So he calls me after the install is done and says everything is set up. Then he goes off on how the sat locals will be worse than my over-the-air locals, and I don't waste my breath explaining that I get OTA through bunny ears hidden behind my TV and only reliliably get NBC and don't get ABC at all. I just say - thanks.

So, I get home and help my wife put the kids to bed and turn on the TV to check out the new HD locals, and there are none. The guide hasn't changed. So I ask my wife if he even looked and she said he did. No idea what he was looking at. My guess -- he checked to make sure the wing dish was getting reception and that switches were working, but didn't confirm he could see the channels he came to install.

So I eventually get a chance to call DishN. The CSR who can hardly speak English does whatever she does to check what's going on and finds out that the installer pointed the dish to 61.5 instead of 77. ??? So, I say- well, when are you going to send him back to fix it. She says she isn't. She says 77 is EA and you can only get it if you are on EA and I am on WA. I say -- well I'd love it if he installed a 1000.4 instead, that would be great. She says, that is only available for new customers. I said I know DishN has been installing 1000.4s for existing customers so they can get HD locals. She goes through the whole explanation again. I try another approach and say I am pretty sure that a wing dish can point at 77 even if the other dish is pointing at non-EA satellites. She goes through the whole explanation again -- never telling me no, I am wrong or that I am an idiot -- just explaining the whole thing again and again as if I were an idiot.

Sorry for the tirade, but my wife didn't appreciate my frustration. So this is me venting.

I do have a few questions:

--Will a wing dish pointed to 77 recieve my HD locals if my other dish is pointed to non-EA satellites? In other words, if I point the wing dish to 77 will I get my HD locals?

--Are existing customers getting 1000.4 upgrades when they call to get HD locals?

--If I call DishN again, might I get a different answer?

--Maybe it would be better to just call the guy who installed the wing dish (wrong).

 

[Hall]

First, your receivers need the new smart cards that Dish has been mailing out. Did you get yours yet ? Until you do, you won't be authorized to get Cincy's locals.

Second, I think a single dish pointed at 77' is sufficient. Presuming this is a D500, is a different LNB req'd, vs what is normally used for 61.5 ? I don't know.

 

[s10zr2]

I did it I got a 1000.4 last week and I am an existing customer. The first guy that came out I told him that I wanted a 1000.4 and not a wing and he called dish network. After talking to them for 25 minutes they finally caved and modified the work order. There standard procedure right now is to add a wing dish, but I told them I am not adding another dish to my roof. The locals are on 77, and they look just as good as the antenna does. If you talk to the right person you can get a 1000.4. Keep in mind you have to have your new smart cards to receive the SD programming if you switch to EA. If you don't have your new cards even with a wing dish you will loose some SD channels because the 77 will take priority over the 110 or 119, I don't remember which. I don't know how much luck you will have on getting a 1000.4 now that you caved on letting them put up a wing dish. Good luck! Oh and by the way you should not have to sign a 2 year extension or sign up for anything else to get your locals. They tried to pull that on me after the dish change over, and I refused to sign it.

I'm in Cincy and called to get HD locals. They set me up for someone to come over. I asked about 1000.4 rather then a wing dish and the CSR said I'd have to chat with the installer about that.

I was at work so the installer called me and I told him I wanted a single dish rather than a wing dish - he said he'd check and get back to me. So he calls me latter and says - you don't need an HD set up, you already have one. I said. I'm not an idiot - I know I have HD. I want HD locals. He responds - well I can't give you 1000.4 then, that is just for new customers only. I said -- OK, whatever (where the dishes are is pretty hidden).

So he calls me after the install is done and says everything is set up. Then he goes off on how the sat locals will be worse than my over-the-air locals, and I don't waste my breath explaining that I get OTA through bunny ears hidden behind my TV and only reliliably get NBC and don't get ABC at all. I just say - thanks.

So, I get home and help my wife put the kids to bed and turn on the TV to check out the new HD locals, and there are none. The guide hasn't changed. So I ask my wife if he even looked and she said he did. No idea what he was looking at. My guess -- he checked to make sure the wing dish was getting reception and that switches were working, but didn't confirm he could see the channels he came to install.

So I eventually get a chance to call DishN. The CSR who can hardly speak English does whatever she does to check what's going on and finds out that the installer pointed the dish to 61.5 instead of 77. ??? So, I say- well, when are you going to send him back to fix it. She says she isn't. She says 77 is EA and you can only get it if you are on EA and I am on WA. I say -- well I'd love it if he installed a 1000.4 instead, that would be great. She says, that is only available for new customers. I said I know DishN has been installing 1000.4s for existing customers so they can get HD locals. She goes through the whole explanation again. I try another approach and say I am pretty sure that a wing dish can point at 77 even if the other dish is pointing at non-EA satellites. She goes through the whole explanation again -- never telling me no, I am wrong or that I am an idiot -- just explaining the whole thing again and again as if I were an idiot.

Sorry for the tirade, but my wife didn't appreciate my frustration. So this is me venting.

I do have a few questions:

--Will a wing dish pointed to 77 recieve my HD locals if my other dish is pointed to non-EA satellites? In other words, if I point the wing dish to 77 will I get my HD locals?

--Are existing customers getting 1000.4 upgrades when they call to get HD locals?

--If I call DishN again, might I get a different answer?

--Maybe it would be better to just call the guy who installed the wing dish (wrong).

 

[s10zr2]

First, your receivers need the new smart cards that Dish has been mailing out. Did you get yours yet ? Until you do, you won't be authorized to get Cincy's locals.

Second, I think a single dish pointed at 77' is sufficient. Presuming this is a D500, is a different LNB req'd, vs what is normally used for 61.5 ? I don't know.

That is not true I have my locals without the new smart cards yet, I just can't get the SD programming right now. Without the new cards you can receive the HD programming and your locals still.

 

[mjrusso45]

Wow, this seems like tons of fun. I would like to get EA now for HD Locals in Cincy, but I'm not sure if it's worth all of this hassle. I get OTA HD fine, but there have been times where I want to record more than one local show at a time.

 

[Hall]

but there have been times where I want to record more than one local show at a time.

That's the only reason I want HD-locals from Dish.

 

[bretc]

Update:

So I decided to call the installer and get him to fix it. I called his extension after 8pm, expecting to leave a voice mail, but it rang through to somebody else and I explained my problem. He had the installer call me within 15 minutes. I hope the guy doesn't get in trouble.

Anyway, he told me that the Dish he used is new and he didn't have his software updated correctly so it was hit and miss whether it would work, but the software should update overnight and should be an easy fix when he came over today. So I think he's full of bs.

Here's the kicker. I said, let me ask my wife if she'll be around. He said, don't worry about it -- I won't need access to your receiver. I can just fix it by realigning the dish. This causes me some concerns and leads to my next questions.

--Doesn't he need access to the receiver to ensure he gets the best reception possible?

--If the dish gets pointed to 77, will the receiver automatically find the satellite and add the channels to the guide, ect. without the installer changing any of the settings?

I'm half tempted to just ask them to send out somebody else, but I don't want to cause this guy to lose his job or anything.

 

[nuts4scuba]

I did it I got a 1000.4 last week and I am an existing customer. The first guy that came out I told him that I wanted a 1000.4 and not a wing and he called dish network. After talking to them for 25 minutes they finally caved and modified the work order. There standard procedure right now is to add a wing dish, but I told them I am not adding another dish to my roof. The locals are on 77, and they look just as good as the antenna does. If you talk to the right person you can get a 1000.4. Keep in mind you have to have your new smart cards to receive the SD programming if you switch to EA. If you don't have your new cards even with a wing dish you will loose some SD channels because the 77 will take priority over the 110 or 119, I don't remember which. I don't know how much luck you will have on getting a 1000.4 now that you caved on letting them put up a wing dish. Good luck! Oh and by the way you should not have to sign a 2 year extension or sign up for anything else to get your locals. They tried to pull that on me after the dish change over, and I refused to sign it.

Are you getting guide data for your OTA channels when you just point at EA?

 

[Hall]

He can use a "satellite finder" to align the dish. It connects to the LNB and has a signal meter built-in (like these, Sadoun is a stocking source of Super Buddy, SatHawk, and BIRDOG satellite signal meters).

I do think he'd need to run a 'Check Switch' to "complete" the process (I'm not 100% positive about that) but assuming he does align the dish properly, you could do that when you get home.