Dish Channel Charts

[tennisnut]

How accurate/complete are the various Dish channel charts? It's an innocent question, because I need to know what I'm working with to figure out one of my problems. They seem to be very complete, and I've found nothing to that would cause me to question the charts. However, I'm not getting some HD signals that the charts would say I should.

I'm in the Houston area and have a 622 connected to two dishes pointed to the 110, 119, and 61.5 satellites. Those are the only 3 birds I can see due to trees. The subscription is for AT250, HD for free, and HD Platinum. I'm not getting about 20 channels of the channels that I'm entitled to in my subscription. According to the posted channel charts, I should be able to get all but 5 of the missing channels on those sats. For the other 5 I'm shot down.

Last week, before I found SatelliteGuys, Dish told me that the reason for the missing channels is that I need to be on 110, 119, and 129 OR 70.7(sic), 77, and 61.5. After 2 service calls the techs confirmed that I don't have line of sight to 72.7, 77, or 129. (One suggested that I cut down 3 huge trees! Hah!).

After going through the channel charts, I'm ready to go back to Dish, but first I want to confirm that the charts are correct. If so, are there other potential reasons I'm not receiving those channels? Using the receiver tests I checked signal strengths from the transponders carrying the missing channels, and the strengths are reasonable.

This newbie would appreciate any answers or suggestions.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Check out DISHCHANNELCHART.COM Its updated live in real time.

 

[tennisnut]

That was quick! Those are the charts I was using. What/whose information is used to construct those charts? Not knowing that, I wanted to know how correct they are. Also, the channels I'm missing are shown to be available in the charts, so that's not the reason I'm not getting them.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The information comes direct from the DISH Network data stream.

Are they HD channels you are missing?

 

[tennisnut]

Thanks Scott. Yes, they are all HD channels and all newer ones. Knowing that the charts are correct, I'm wondering if there's something wrong with the information being sent to the receiver to build the programming guide, perhaps something wrong with the way the account or this market is configured by Dish.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Where are you aimed at now? (Which satellites?)

I am guessing you have an old DISH 500 pointed at 110 / 119 and a second DISH pointed at 61.5.

All the new HD channels are on 72.7 and 129. You might need a DISH upgrade.

 

[tennisnut]

Right. They're pointed at 110, 119, and 61.5. I can't upgrade to 72.7 or 129 because of line of sight (trees). However, your charts show that about 15 of the missing HD channels are broadcast on 110 and 119. Are there technical or business reasons they can't or wouldn't let me receive those?

 

[harshness]

Yes, they are all HD channels and all newer ones.

It might be helpful if you named what channels you're having problems with.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The ones on 110 and 119 are on spot beams to Alaska / Hawaii and PR.

 

[tennisnut]

Aaaaaahhhh! That's it. Every missing channel broadcast on 110 and 119 is via a spot beam. Is there a source somewhere that shows where each spot beam is pointed? I doubt that's relevant to my situation, but I'm trying to learn more about how things are organized. Thanks Scott.

 

[Mr Tony]

check thelist above
It shows the spotbeams too

SatelliteGuys.US_TheList - TheList

 

[TheKrell]

All the new HD channels are on 72.7 and 129.

Except for the very latest SMC which went onto 61.5 for reasons unknown.