Dedicated 129 Dish Question

[PopcornNMore]

My signal on 129 is crappy like most people experience on this forum. The signal strength on a good day is around 23% compared to the other three satellites which are in the 60's.

Question:
I have an unused 18" DirecTV dis on the roof next to the Dish Network dish. what results would I get if I removed the 129 LNB from the DN dish and installed it onto the DirecTV dish and adjusted to the 129 satellite. Better, worse or the same? Has anyone tried using a separate dish for 129?

 

[Cokeswigga]

I'm using a 76cm for 129, and it's great (but its friggin HUGE).

I'm guess that you have a D1000?

if so.. any dedicated dish for 129 will probably improve your signal.

 

[Mr Tony]

popcorn

even a single 18" dish would be better for 129...24" or even a 30" would be better (hey maybe that 6 footer too)

 

[MikeD-C05]

Just 4 or 5 months more and the 129 sat will be replaced by the new Ciel sat - GOD WILLING. IF it truely launches in November and gets up and going by December or the first part of January of 2009. This will make DISH competitive again for hd with Directv and other cable services. Nothing churns more HD subs to the competition than losing your signal on the hd channels every day and whenever it rains the littlest bit.

 

[Laddyboy]

If you don't need 129 for your locals and RSN, you also could try pointing at 61.5 for your national HD. The 129 replacement should be in place by year-end.

 

[PopcornNMore]

Thank you guys. I will try the 18" dish or might even use my 76cm for an even better signal.

 

[LinkWray]

I am running a separate wingdish for 129 using an old 18" (or maybe 20") dish but my HD signal drops out all the time, even in good weather. Last time I ran a check it was wavering in the 30s. My, er, challenge is that I am in British Columbia (on Vancouver Island about 50 miles or so directly west of Bellingham, WA) so I don't have the option of any customer support or professional installation. I'm on my own. (BTW mine is a fully paid sub through a broker). I understand that I am on the edge of the footprint for 129, plus 129 is malfunctioning. I am trying to get a 30" Winegard DS-2077 to replace the old dish in hopes that I can pull in a more consistent signal but I've been waiting on the Winegard retailer in my area to get their shipment in from the US and it seems to be taking forever. FWIW!

 

[PopcornNMore]

If you don't need 129 for your locals and RSN, you also could try pointing at 61.5 for your national HD. The 129 replacement should be in place by year-end.

Good idea, but 61.5 doesn't have all the same HD channels 129 does. I have a dish 1000 plus with a DPP44 switch.

If you were to feed both 61.5 and 129 signals into the DPP44 switch how would the stations be mapped? For example would USA HD be received from 61.5 or 129? The DPP44 switch only accepts 4 inputs which I already have, but it sure would be nice to add 61.5 as well using an extra dish.

 

[Laddyboy]

I'm not sure what algorithm E*'s receivers use to decide what sat to use for which channel. Usually, when people switch to 61.5 from 129, they either detach the feed from the 129 lnb or cover it with foil to prevent signal reception.

The national HD is identical on both 129 and 61.5. The only differences are locals (LiL) and your regional sports networks (RSNs). Some larger metro area RSNs and LiL HD are on both 61.5 and 129. The replacement 129 signal should be much stronger.

 

[bradleys]

I had an early Dish 1000. It didn't work well for 129 up here in Seattle. I bought a 76cm dish over the internet. Then I simply moved the 129 lnb to the new 76cm dish. The Dish 1000 still has the empty hole for the 129 lnb. I haven't had a dropout since I started using the separate dish for 129. The larger dish is somewhat more sensitive to aiming, but otherwise great.