Eastern or Western Arc???

[chkord]

Hello everyone. Got a question for you all.

Been a Disk customer for many, many years and to be honest I am very happy with the service. I have all SD equipment, a single DVR 501 and two 301 receivers. My single Dish 500 dish looks at 110 and 119. I have always had great picture quality. Very little rain fade, has to be one big-time storm to lose my programming. I live in the flat lands of the midwest, central Illinois.

I recently bought a 42” Plasma TV and put up an antenna for local programming which is not offered by Dish in my area in HD. I am amazed by the picture quality of my OTA channels. I am now interested in getting HD from Dish.

It is my understanding from readings in this forum that Dish is opening up HD service to existing customers now that we are into February. I would like HD service but I want it only from one dish. From reading in this forum I understand that there are two options available to me at this point, or will be, the Eastern Arc and the Western Arc.

My question…….If I can get either of the two which would be the best option, considering the life expectancy of the satellites in use within the EA or WA. My understanding is that 110 and 119, which have given me great pictures are in the WA along with 129 which just came online and is very powerful. How old are the EA satellites in comparison?

My main reason for asking is that my next door neighbor planted a tree a number of years back and that tree will surely cause me problems with LOS within probably the next 12 months to the WA. The EA LOS will be no problem for the foreseeable future. That and I want the best picture quality available. Note: I could move the dish to another physical location on my house and pickup the WA satellites.

Any recommendations on these questions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

G.B.

 

[Laddyboy]

I'm also in C. IL. Personally I would stay on the western arc and move the antenna location if needed. The EA sats are older for sure. As far as picture quality, there isn't any real difference between the two arcs. If you go EA you must have all mpeg4 capable receivers. That means no older receivers like your 501 and 301 can be used with the EA service. Also, your area in IL is likely not designated an EA DMA. (Chicago, St. Louis, and Quincy are EA designated. Peoria-Bloomington and Champaign-Decatur-Springfield are WA.) E* will therefore put up a 1000.2 WA antenna for you. In case you didn't know, P-B and C-D-S HD locals are supposed to go up on 129W this month.

 

[llzel]

which arc they install will depend on where your SD locals are along with your HD locals if available.

 

[chkord]

I'm also in C. IL. Personally I would stay on the western arc and move the antenna location if needed. The EA sats are older for sure. As far as picture quality, there isn't any real difference between the two arcs. If you go EA you must have all mpeg4 capable receivers. That means no older receivers like your 501 and 301 can be used with the EA service. Also, your area in IL is likely not designated an EA DMA. (Chicago, St. Louis, and Quincy are EA designated. Peoria-Bloomington and Champaign-Decatur-Springfield are WA.) E* will therefore put up a 1000.2 WA antenna for you. In case you didn't know, P-B and C-D-S HD locals are supposed to go up on 129W this month.

Thanks for the reply Laddyboy. My preference would be the EA as the new dish could be installed where my current dish 500 is right now. Its tucked away and out of site.

If I go WA I need to relocate the dish to the South end of the house which would lead me to the next question. Is there a max distance on the coax from the dish to the entry point on my house, if I had to move the dish??

P.S.....I am in Bloomington. I don't believe that we have local HD as yet. If when this occurs I don't believe I will get them as my OTA local channels are perfect in picture quality.

G.B.

 

[Dah-Henny]

I think maximum coax length on dp/dpp products is 200ft.

 

[KE4EST]

I think maximum coax length on dp/dpp products is 200ft.

You are right..

 

[Laddyboy]

Thanks for the reply Laddyboy. My preference would be the EA as the new dish could be installed where my current dish 500 is right now. Its tucked away and out of site.

If I go WA I need to relocate the dish to the South end of the house which would lead me to the next question. Is there a max distance on the coax from the dish to the entry point on my house, if I had to move the dish??

P.S.....I am in Bloomington. I don't believe that we have local HD as yet. If when this occurs I don't believe I will get them as my OTA local channels are perfect in picture quality.

G.B.

I hear you. I just don't know that E* will do an EA install in a western arc DMA which P-B is. They may or may not, I just don't know. You'll have to talk to them. Maybe you can convince them of line of sight problems. You could always do it yourself, although E* usually insists on doing the HD upgrade. I would think if you went through a local retailer you might have better luck in getting what you want. In some markets the locals are on both arcs but the central IL markets will not be. You are clear that if you go to EA you will need all new receivers even for SD? I'll also leave you with one more tidbit. If you get an HD DVR you will pay a $5.95 per month DVR fee for it and all other DVRs on your account. If you signup for Dish DVR Advantage (DDA), you will get both locals and one DVR for $10 per month, thus locals cost about $4 more per month. That's the only reason I get them, since like you I get the CDS and PB locals fine OTA. Of course you need to be pointed at 129 to get them on sat. P-B locals are scheduled for March.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-ne...-dish-retailer-chat-2-4-09-a.html#post1690663

 

[chkord]

Thanks for the replies guys!! I have a pretty good retailer in the area that I plan on working with. They are close to my location and are willing to talk to me and explain exactly what I would be getting myself into as far as equipment and services.

I read about way to many horror stories on this forum concerning attempts to get or upgrade service over the telephone.

Guess I will be waiting until the weather breaks around here and then contact my retailer.

Thanks again!!

G.B.