Eastern Arc Dish Info & Install Guide

[ralfyguy]

I really hate the new signal strength scale that DISH uses now. Before the change it was easy to know when you got great signal strength . ANything from 85 up was a great indication. Now anything from 45 - 75 is okay or the best. THey should go ahead and change the signal meter to reflect this and drop off the 85- 125 range since there is no way you will ever reach that. Either that or change the meters so it once again reflects the great signal strengths as I said before.

I agree. The new SS meter is a bunch of BS! I never liked it. A SS of about 50-60 is good now, yet still it looks pitiful on 125 scale. OTH a 125 scale doesn't make sense either. WHY can't it be done like it is with the OTA SS? 0-100! And even the OTA meter on the 622/722 is kinda stupid: If it doesn't show at least 58-60, it shows NOTHING. I have no idea why this has to be that stupid! If you try to aim an antenna, you have no idea where to start. My voom box displays lower SS than that, even if there's still no picture.

 

[dcbag]

I agree. The new SS meter is a bunch of BS! I never liked it. A SS of about 50-60 is good now, yet still it looks pitiful on 125 scale. OTH a 125 scale doesn't make sense either. WHY can't it be done like it is with the OTA SS? 0-100! And even the OTA meter on the 622/722 is kinda stupid: If it doesn't show at least 58-60, it shows NOTHING. I have no idea why this has to be that stupid! If you try to aim an antenna, you have no idea where to start. My voom box displays lower SS than that, even if there's still no picture.

I totally agree, I could never figure out why a scale of 125, I always thought 100% of anything was perfect. I will say now, on some transponters I do get signals in the mid to upper 80's

 

[fellagator]

Are you getting the 77 sat in your check switch matrix ? I did my own eastern arc install today just to see if I could get it peaked. I don' t have the new smart cards yet to actually use it yet. I got x/72.7/61.5 in my check switch matrix. I got great signals indentical to or better than my side sat dish for 61.5 and on the 72.7 sat I got 43 - 45 strength on all odd transponders. I never got 77 but the installation instructions did say that 77 sat may not be in service at launch. As far as I know there is old echostar 4 up there holding a spot but only the # 1 transponder is lit up with mostly dish latino channels .

I will check when I get home, I remember seeing the 77 signal come in a bit. Is those the mexican channels?

 

[MikeD-C05]

I will check when I get home, I remember seeing the 77 signal come in a bit. Is those the mexican channels?

I don't think anyone can see the 77 sat yet. The one that is up there is just holding a sat slot open till the older sat at 110 gets moved there. Till then it is just showing mexican channels but only on 1 transponder.

 

[JimP]

What happens to the 110 slot?

 

[HokieEngineer]

I agree. The new SS meter is a bunch of BS! I never liked it. A SS of about 50-60 is good now, yet still it looks pitiful on 125 scale. OTH a 125 scale doesn't make sense either. WHY can't it be done like it is with the OTA SS? 0-100! And even the OTA meter on the 622/722 is kinda stupid: If it doesn't show at least 58-60, it shows NOTHING. I have no idea why this has to be that stupid! If you try to aim an antenna, you have no idea where to start. My voom box displays lower SS than that, even if there's still no picture.

The best SS meter dish ever had was on the DishPlayer 7200 (now extinct). It was super sensitive and would react instantanously. Not sure why they can't take the code for it and emulate it on the new boxes.

 

[MikeD-C05]

What happens to the 110 slot?

The latest sat launched to 110 (echostar 11 I think) last month took the place of the other sat that is there . I can't remember whether it is echostar 6 or 8 but either way that sat will be moved to the 77 slot to use for the eastern arc. It hasn't been moved yet but should be this month.

 

[Race]

Okay, I no longer get line-of-sight at the 119 satellite. I have LOS to the EA satellites. Dish tells me I "don't qualify", because I'm in the Atlanta market.

If I buy a 1000.4 dish and pay an installer to come to my house and install it, I still need the smart cards for my 722 and 622, right? Is this only available from Dish? if so, I guess I would be back at square one and "not qualify"? Is there any other way?

I do NOT want to have to order Comcast cable.

By the way, what do the new 3G smart cards look like?

Thanks.

 

[AUTIGERS1101]

do i need eastern arc??

i have a dish 1000 and they said to get my hd locals i need to have a wingdish to point at 61.5 .. (huntsville locals)

should i get an eastern arc install instead of paying 50 bucks for a new wingdish?

 

[navychop]

By the way, what do the new 3G smart cards look like?

They are purple. Everyone should be getting them anyway, as they shift over to the new security system. When? End of year? Who knows?

If you get the hardware set up, and only need the purple card, I'd call tech support and escalate if need be to get someone to authorize sending your card "early." If need be. The hard part for you, I believe, will be getting the hardware.

 

[navychop]

do i need eastern arc??

i have a dish 1000 and they said to get my hd locals i need to have a wingdish to point at 61.5 .. (huntsville locals)

should i get an eastern arc install instead of paying 50 bucks for a new wingdish?

No. They won't even offer EA to you. It is (one more time) for new customers ONLY at this time. Hardware shortage. And it really offers very little to you (single dish solution).

You can wait until they open up EA to current customers. Next spring? DK. Or you can get the second dish. Your PQ will not improve. In fact, SD resolution is lower on EA, offsetting the lower compression. It's a wash. How badly, how quickly, do you want your locals? Personally, I prefer to use an antenna for my locals.

 

[tkrandall]

Okay, I no longer get line-of-sight at the 119 satellite. I have LOS to the EA satellites. Dish tells me I "don't qualify", because I'm in the Atlanta market.

If I buy a 1000.4 dish and pay an installer to come to my house and install it, I still need the smart cards for my 722 and 622, right? Is this only available from Dish? if so, I guess I would be back at square one and "not qualify"? Is there any other way?

I do NOT want to have to order Comcast cable.

By the way, what do the new 3G smart cards look like?

Thanks.

I think one of the issues as to why Atlanta market has not launched yet is they have not brought E-8 to 77W yet, and until they do there is no carry of the Atlanta SD-only stations on the eastern arc.

 

[philhu]

I was offerred EA Saturday.

I was an old customer, over a year ago at my house (Still have service under another name at another house).

I said, no to get dish again, he said why? I said trees grew at my location and I can no longer get 110 or 119 and he said "ok, see ya".

2 hours later I was called and offerred service using new satellites, dish/free install/2 722 rcvrs/$40 month credit for a year if I sub to AllHD or higher, what ever that means. I told him I'd think about it and call in a few days again. Thought I'd ask here about it.

This is the 4th call from dish in the last 2 weeks.

 

[Tyralak]

I was offerred EA Saturday.

I was an old customer, over a year ago at my house (Still have service under another name at another house).

I said, no to get dish again, he said why? I said trees grew at my location and I can no longer get 110 or 119 and he said "ok, see ya".

2 hours later I was called and offerred service using new satellites, dish/free install/2 722 rcvrs/$40 month credit for a year if I sub to AllHD or higher, what ever that means. I told him I'd think about it and call in a few days again. Thought I'd ask here about it.

This is the 4th call from dish in the last 2 weeks.

That's a damn good deal. I'd jump at it.

 

[Indy]

The new smartcards are just starting to go out to existing customers. This rollout of the next security system will finish early next year.

When will you get your new cards? Its anyones guess.

I was surprised when I had to have my 622 VIP DVR replaced about 5 weeks ago. I could not get the new replacement STB to setup and called Dish for assistance. The CSR said remove the smart card from the front and read the number to me. Smart card? I responded, there is no smart card on the VIP receivers. She said yes, there are now and sure enough behind the left hand panel door I found one! See attached pic.

 

[navychop]

Philhu, I'm with Tyralak. It sounds like a great deal. I also recommend you snap it up.

 

[philhu]

Philhu, I'm with Tyralak. It sounds like a great deal. I also recommend you snap it up.

I just did. They are out next weekend for the install.

I told them the dish will have to be 275' away in my neighbors side yard with their permission. Thats where my 61.5 dish currently is. So I get a 1 dish solution
and it doesn't need to be in my yard!

How much bigger is a 1000.4 (EA dish) than a 18" std dish?

Phil

 

[Race]

Okay, Dish is coming out to do an EA install for me. Here's my concern, though - they told me on the phone that I probably would NOT need the new G3 smart cards for my 722 and 622. I told them I didn't have smartcards in them and it requires the new cards, two different people on the phone said it has not been requiring the cards in most cases.

Huh???

I'm guessing I won't be watching any TV tomorrow night.

 

[citico]

I just did. They are out next weekend for the install.
How much bigger is a 1000.4 (EA dish) than a 18" std dish?

Phil

EKB: Dish Types

 

[bpiddle]

Okay, Dish is coming out to do an EA install for me. Here's my concern, though - they told me on the phone that I probably would NOT need the new G3 smart cards for my 722 and 622. I told them I didn't have smartcards in them and it requires the new cards, two different people on the phone said it has not been requiring the cards in most cases.

Huh???

I'm guessing I won't be watching any TV tomorrow night.

I think you can determine if you have the new smartcard by doing the following:

Press menu on the remote.
Sytem setup (6)
Installation (1)
System Info (3)
Next
Next


If the DNASP is 241, you have the new smartcard. If it is lower than that (206), you do not.