Does Dish Have More Outages Than DirecTV?

[DavidZ]

I just switched from DirecTV to Dish HD a couple of weeks ago. Prior to that I had DirecTV (Standard definition) for about 10 years.

It seems like my new Dish setup loses the signal from the satellite a lot more often than my DirecTV setup ever did. Today was a pleasant, but partly cloudy day, in Cleveland and my Dish 622 receiver spent about 15 minutes searching for a lost signal. Thursday night was a relatively calm evening weatherwise, but in the middle of a recording, the 622 lost the signal and said I had a "Switch" problem and that I should run "Check Switch," whatever that is. Eventually, the receiver scanned for, and found, the satellite signal once again.

Does anyone have any good data or other information to confirm, explain or disprove my observations/impressions?

 

[jscud]

I just switched from DirecTV to Dish HD a couple of weeks ago. Prior to that I had DirecTV (Standard definition) for about 10 years.

It seems like my new Dish setup loses the signal from the satellite a lot more often than my DirecTV setup ever did. Today was a pleasant, but partly cloudy day, in Cleveland and my Dish 622 receiver spent about 15 minutes searching for a lost signal. Thursday night was a relatively calm evening weatherwise, but in the middle of a recording, the 622 lost the signal and said I had a "Switch" problem and that I should run "Check Switch," whatever that is. Eventually, the receiver scanned for, and found, the satellite signal once again.

Does anyone have any good data or other information to confirm, explain or disprove my observations/impressions?

It is possible that you are getting more outages with Dish. But it is not Dish Network that is causing the outages but your satellite dish. You need to check your signal strength. Hit the menu key on your remote and then "6- System Setup", "1 -Installation", "1- Point Dish". The signal strength for your current satellite is shown. Check both the 119 satellite and the 110 satellite. You can also "Check the Switch" from this screen.

A good signal strength is at least 70% or higher. Anything in the 60's or 50's can be subject to intermittent outages due to weather or foliage.

John

 

[mdonnelly]

Your problem today was an issue with the Dish uplink to two satellites. The whole country was affected. In my 4.5 years with Dish, this is the first time I've seen anything like that.

 

[Anole]

Your problem today was an issue with the Dish uplink to two satellites.
The whole country was affected.
In my 4.5 years with Dish, this is the first time I've seen anything like that.

Oh, -today- !! I was gone all day.

I was going to say that in about three years, the only time I've had reduced signal problems, I've gone out and trimmed a tree that is growing toward my dish, and the problem was solved.
Oh okay, once I had a bad connector.
As for weather, "clear and sunny" doesn't hurt satellite reception.


However, . . . Dish does sometimes have a bad habit of installing what I would consider a marginal antenna for some users.
The pacific north west needs a big dish for 129, for instance.
I think the Dish 1000 antenna family is a poor compromise for some areas.
There are other examples.
But otherwise, the service is really solid for the rest of us.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Your problem today was an issue with the Dish uplink to two satellites. The whole country was affected. In my 4.5 years with Dish, this is the first time I've seen anything like that.

Can't say I noticed anything wrong.

 

[rad]

You might want to check:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/104419-sudden-lost-sat-signal-119-129-a.html
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/102002-dish-out-again.html
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/101637-110-sat-off-again.html
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-technical-discussions/100784-lost-signal-129-119-a.html


Looks like there has been a number of system issues causing outages for a number of different folk recently.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

You might want to check:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/104419-sudden-lost-sat-signal-119-129-a.html
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/102002-dish-out-again.html
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/101637-110-sat-off-again.html
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-technical-discussions/100784-lost-signal-129-119-a.html


Looks like there has been a number of system issues causing outages for a number of different folk recently.

I don't get the 129. I use the 61.5. I had no problems all day yesterday,or today. My locals are on the 119 didn't notice a problem either. I've been hearing more and more about outages,but I've yet to have a single one. But then again I've only been a customer for a month and a half.Has anyone on the east coast been effected?