Dish PQ

[J45p3r]

I just got my new HDTV installed (Toshiba 46H84). DVDs look amazing but my Dish Network reception is sub par. I have a non-HD receiver, in fact, I believe it is their bottom of the line receiver (Dish 301). I've connected the sat receiver directly to the TV using an S-Video cable but the picture is very blurry and distorted. Would reception be improved by upgradeing the receiver to a newer model? Would a HD receiver improve the quality of non-HD sat channels compared to my 301?

I'm considering going to DirecTV. I can get a 2 room setup (one HD one SD receiver) for $299 with free install.

Also, If I choose to upgrade to Dish HD will my current dish work with a new HD receiver? I'd like to get the CBS-HD and NBC-HD channels out of NY since my local market, Bangor, ME, isn't available in HD yet so I'm not sure if I need to point at three sats or what, so confusing...

Thanks!

 

[Bobby]

You are only able to receive CBS-HD. NBC-HD is not available on DishNetwork. You would need an extra dish aimed at 61.5 and you will also need a waiver from your local CBS station to receive the NY signal.

 

[K R Kimmel]

As far as upgrading to a HD receiver to improve your picture quality goes, it will and won't work.

It will work because you will be able to receive HD channels whose picture quality is stunning. :up

It won't work because the SD channels you are having issues with are heavily compressed. Your current receiver is showing them the best they can be. A "better" receiver will show a trivial to no improvement in PQ on these channels.

Sorry. One of the disadvantages of upgrading to a better TV is that it better shows deficiencies in poor quality signals.

 

[J45p3r]

Which sats does the SuperDISH point at? Would I be able to get 61.5 here in eastern Maine?

I see a lot of posts about the new 105 sat. I'm thinking I'll want a dish to point at that eventually? I have the Dish 500 now that points at 110 and 119. Right now 110 is not coming in at all. It's been acting up for awhile now and finally quit all together, I'm about to go grab the ladder and see if anything is up with the dish.

 

[K R Kimmel]

A SuperDish points at 110, 119 and either 105 or 121.

Being able to see 61.5 will depend on if you have any obstructions (trees) between you and the satellite. From Maine the bird should be in the southern sky at around 165°—170° azimuth true and about 40° elevation. Punching in your zip code and selecting the 61.5° bird in the Point Dish screen will give you the exact figures.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Regarding receiver upgrades - it MAY help. The upconversion from 480i to 1080i or 720p has to be done somewhere, and different boxes (TVs, receivers) do it with different hardware. I find my 921 driving a Philips 60" RPTV via component inputs does better than my 501 driving it via S-Video. YMMV.

Your location makes satellite reception a bit problematic. Your D500 should do OK - but will be much more sensitive to aiming than most of the country. Extreme patience will be required to peak it - the Point Dish screen is slow to respond. Tiny knudge, wait. Tiny knudge, wait. Repeat until done. Use transponders 11 & 12 on both 110 & 119 as your test points. If you can get a good 110 while losing some 119, and vice versa, your skew might be off a tad. Try gently twisting the LNBF arm to see if it helps BEFORE you loosen the adjusting screw.

As for Superdish, etc. note that 110, 119, and 61.5 are DSS. 105 & 121 are FSS - different LNBFs and dish size.

Finally, if you don't already know it, you're not going to get 148 or anything higher (more to the west). Way too much dirt in the way.

 

[ShadowEKU]

something of note if you are thinking about switching to direct. You will have basicly the same PQ issues on the SD channels. Both companies overcompress. however a note is that the E* picture looks softer and therefore blurrs together well on smaller screens less than about 30". However on the larger screens it looks a little washed out. With D* the picture is sharper... but this leads to massive pixelization and it really doesnt blend together well at all. On the big screen its like watching a collage rather than an actual picture to me.

That said. you will need a waiver for CBS-HD you "Could" receive 61.5 but it will for sure be tricky. 148 is no chance at all. NBC-HD isnt on dish.

For my 52" tv i have it set up as follows:
HD 811 receiver for HD channels pretty much only and OTA reception
510 SD receiver hooked through Svid for SD channels. It makes a difference on my tv as the comb filter actually makes the SD look pretty good through the Svid.

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