DBS Using Mixed Equipment

[w0en]

HI, first time poster. I have always considered my lot to be DBS tree-blocked. I'm a cable subscriber (Charter) and their HD offerings are limited. For the past two years I have been working on OTA HD reception of my own and neighboring DMA's and have aquired a few of the older LG made Directv HD MPEG2 receivers (Sony200, Zenith520, LG4200, Samsung 360) in order to use the OTA HDTV side only. New TV purchases with built in ATSC tuners are making some of this available again to me. In checking the newer sat positions it is possible that some orbital slots may be viewable to me and recent announcements by D*, E* are promising more HD content within a year or so. Charter is only interested in selling telephone service lately and what HD offering they do have still lags DBS HD programming. They are very, very slow to add anymore HD, having both bandwidth issues and financial trouble from what I've read. I was recently offered a newer DISH 500 antenna and was wondering if there was a way to use it to hook to the older Directv HD units to see which sat's if any might be viewable from my lot. When I last did a site survey years back there were only 18" dishes in use and no HD. There seems to be a glut of cheap or giveaway older equipment around from recent DBS changes. Again at this time I'm only asking about mating the two units I have or what kind of LNB I could mate to a Dish 500 to look and verify that signals could actually be received here. I know two houses either side both have DBS dishes but they are less tree-bound than I am. I am not interested in a professional survey at this time I just want to confirm the sats availability DIY. Content is not an issue just availability. Any thoughts or suggestion?

 

[RandallA]

You'll need Legacy LNBs from Dish Network to make it work with Directv receivers. I would use a Legacy dual Dish Network lnb and an I bracket to find a single satellite with Directv receivers.

The D500 can see 2 satellite locations so an I bracket will help simplify finding a single satellite.....

I just remember I have an extra Legacy dual lnb for sale in the classifieds, PM if you want it.

and here is the I bracket:

http://www.dishstore.net/product_info.php?cPath=65&products_id=146