Double Dish Woes

[JBRecording]

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum, and new to satellite TV. So far I'm greatly enjoying the much better quality than cable. I was blown away when I first turned it on. However, I am at a standstill since I feel like I was rushed into getting my DirecTV stuff going without being fully informed that I needed two dishes.
I live in an apartment complex, and have an apartment that faces North, so I have limitations going for me right off the bat. I am on the ground floor on the end, so my dish is installed on a pole in the ground at the side of the building. The apt complex was cool about that, and the cabling was buried etc so it looks fine. Now, however, I can't get any locals on that one dish. The installers told me that I needed the 2nd dish, but they just said they couldn't get the signal from where I am situated. Okay... but they didn't indicate that on the work order, so they changed my order to be one dish instead of two, and in the eyes of DirecTV they don't have reasoning to give me locals from New York on my dish. They want to send a tech out here to do another install for the locals-only dish (redundant) to see if they can't get signal...if they can, great, I'll just have to hope my apt complex is nice about this one too. Nobody in my section of the complex has any sort of dish that I could tell (maybe people too on the other side, I haven't looked... but on my side of the building I'm the only one...)... I don't want to start a dish farm... so I'm frustrated. ALSO, since DirecTV is partnered up with Verizon I get a screamin' deal every month, $30/mo or so gets me HBO with the Total choice package second to the least expensive, so that's an awesome deal. I'm loving that.

I called Dish network, they said they could get me everything on one dish, and the price would be $35/mo for the basic 60 channel package, and adding HBo would cost extra, the rep never told me what the cost was... I like the idea of having a single dish, but is it worth it to sacrifice my $30 monthly credit on verizon just to have a single dish?

Either way I look at it I don't want to give Comcast any more money since they are way too greedy as it is (hence my new found interest in satellite).I don't want to get my locals through them nor do I want to do rabbit ears... so I'm stuck folks.

Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[Jimbo]

JBRecording,

Let D* try again if they want to, sometimes they can mount the 2nd dish on the same pole, but I think you said the signal was blocked by the building.

You didn't mention where you are located, but if you are not in a hurry for the locals thru D*, Is your area one of the cities that D* will be upgrading soon ?
If it is , or if it is not, when D* moves over to the new MPEG4 technology I believe all locals will be delivered on one dish.


Jimbo

 

[JBRecording]

Hey Jimbo thanks for your quick reply!

I'm in Fort Wayne, IN...they do have locals here from what DTV told me. The installers never really told me why they couldn't get the signal, just that they couldn't get it and therefore weren't going to put the dish up. Very confusing.

Will they have to run another line into my apartment, or can they run the 2nd dish into the box that's strapped to the pole out there to have all of my channels come in on the line that's already run?

~John

 

[100144618]

Hey Jimbo thanks for your quick reply!

I'm in Fort Wayne, IN...they do have locals here from what DTV told me. The installers never really told me why they couldn't get the signal, just that they couldn't get it and therefore weren't going to put the dish up. Very confusing.

Will they have to run another line into my apartment, or can they run the 2nd dish into the box that's strapped to the pole out there to have all of my channels come in on the line that's already run?

~John

I get people calling in frequently with this exact issue.

The reason he couldn't get a signal for your locals is most likely because your locals are being broadcast from the 75 satellite now - and your TC package isn't; so, in order to get a signal from both sats., a second dish is required.

So many people have such a hard time comprehending this, that I explain it like this: there is a reason there are two mirrors on your car - because you can't see both the left and right sides of the car with just one. You have to have two to see both views.

As for the New York channels, this is how it goes - if your area (determined by ZIP code) is capable of receiving locals - either through an off-air antenna, or through DTV, then we are prohibited by Federal law from selling you NYC or LA channels.

DTV has a tool that checks your zip code to see if you can receive locals. If you CAN, then you're automatically ineligible for NYC/LA channels; you can get as mad as you want about it, and even a supervisor will tell you the same - due to changes in Federal law, DTV is not legally allowed to sell local channels to customers who have the ability to receive local channels in their area.

Hope that helps.

 

[JBRecording]

I'm not mad about it I'm frustrated, because I thought joining DTV would have made things easier and it just looks more complicated.

Therefore, if the tech can't get the signal on the second dish, am I completely SOL? I refuse to pay 2 different companies for TV service, I should get it all or nothing at all.

Dish network gives me everything on 1 dish, my original question stands - am I better off sacrificing my $30 a month credit with Verizon to get digital quality stations local and non-local, all on 1 dish, for a little bit more?

 

[Greg Bimson]

JB, go locate your dish. Stand behind it. Then, extend your arm and point it about 30 degrees to the left of the dish. That is where the local channels are being broadcast. If there is something obstructing the site, that is the problem.

With that in mind, stand behind your dish again. Extend your arm and point it between 9 and 18 degress to the right. That is where Dish Network's satellites are located. The points in the sky for the Dish Network satellites are a little lower, so you'll need to make sure you are free of any obstructions. You said you are in a northward pointing house, which means your house may block the Dish Network signals from there.

Either way, the techs should be able to attach a multi-switch. There is no need to run additional lines to the house.

 

[Mr Tony]

JB

just a FYI...

yes Dish can give you locals on the same dish...BUT its a Superdish

The dish is 36x20....The DirecTV phase 3 I think is 18x20

 

[JBRecording]

36" around by 20" tall?? that big? I looked at pictures it doesn't look too bad... as long as it works...