Help A 'proud Mama'!

[SCONE]

Hi....
My daughter is on a top 3 local news station 50 miles away and we are trying to figure out how to be able to watch her on our TV.
We have digital cable and the company says that they can't do it. I called satellite TV and Dish TV and they said that I'd only get the local stations in my area.
Is there a way to get around this or something else we can do? Can you, for example, use a 'card' from a satellite receiver in her area in a satellite receiver in our home?
Any help for this 'Proud Mama' would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[charper1]

What area are you in and what is her area? If her locals are beamed to your geographical area, just get her to sign up for a satellite account via her address and you go get the box and install it on a TV in your house. You can't swap cards from one receiver to another. I assume that even only 50 miles away, that you two are in seperate DMAs, but send us some of the details and I bet something along these lines will pan out.

 

[SCONE]

She is at CBS in West Palm Beach. We live in Hollywood, Florida. Roughly 50 miles away. Our local stations are Miami based.
Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!

 

[charper1]

Ahh, I have family in Jensen Beach. Very nice. I would try the idea above or installing a long range OTA antenna seeing how flat FL is. Good luck!

 

[SCONE]

Hmmm....
1. What's an OTA antenna? Remember, I'm a 'mama', not a techie (a tad, maybe...)
2. If I opt for the Satellite idea...okay, remember I'm 'green'...is that the same as 'Dish tv' (okay...you're laughing, right?!).
3. If we have her get Satellite or Dish tv, does she have to have the satellite dish installed (she lives in an apartment)?
4. I would then have to also get a Satellite or Dish tv installation (we now just have digital cable)...and then just hold onto that box? Right?
5. I'm assuming we would both have to maintain our subscription with Satellite or Dish. Yes? Or, could we 'drop' hers?

What would your inclination and expert advice be regarding
1. Antenna vs Satellite or Dish
2. If the latter, Satellite or Dish TV

As for Jensen Beach....that's a really nice area of the state.

Know that I really appreciate your help!

 

[charper1]

No, no one is laughing...

1. OTA = Over the Air = regular old VHF/UHF antenna from back in the day; rooftop deal. Many have 60 - 100 mile range.

2. Satellite TV = DirecTV or Dishnetwork (which ever is up to you).

3. Hmm, not sure on this with new install rules, but you could get an install and use HER address as the serviced address. Call Robert at ValueElectronics.com listed above. Tell him Chuck @ ChucksCoffee sent you and you are a member here. He will tell you what you can do and what the best options are.

4. See #3

5. There would only be one subscription, hers. You would just physically have the dish and receiver for the reception. See #3

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Part2
1 and 2 - It would be much cheaper to try the OTA (roof top) antenna FIRST to test the result to decide if you liked that or needed to move on to the satellite solution. See #3 above

 

[SCONE]

You are AMAZING!!!!!!
And, btw, Jensen Beach is in her viewing area!!!!!! Tell your family to watch.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

P.S. Is there any way I can contact you if I've more questions in several days? Should I just add to the post or start another??? Thx

 

[charper1]

What is your MIA zip code and what is the CBS call sign where she is; is WPEC-TV 12 correct? I was trying to determine your distance from their tower which will help to see if you have any chance of OTA reception.

 

[SCONE]

My zip is 33021 (South Broward County...North of Miami=Dade County) and, yes, she is WPEC-TV 12. Zip at the station is 33407.

You continue to amaze me!!!!!!!!

 

[charper1]

Well I hope this link works, but the latest info I could find for the WPEC-TV 12 tower shows as 12209 Homeland Rd Ext, FL 33467, so to you that is approx 48 miles by car. By air (real milage) will shave a few miles off. MAP click

So OTA reception should be achievable with a well setup antenna.

 

[SCONE]

I'll find out from my daughter if that is where the tower is.
If so, shall I assume that then the antenna is the first choice? Not?

And, btw, I'm a 'coffee lover'! Watch for my order on your site!!!!!

 

[Stargazer]

Change your physical location on the account temporarily to get the locals from a different city then change it back to the one your at if you need to see them that bad if the city is in the same spotbeam. Or you can find someone in here in that area to record it for you and send you the tape or video file on here which may be a better solution.

 

[charper1]

I'll find out from my daughter if that is where the tower is. If so, shall I assume that then the antenna is the first choice? Not? And, btw, I'm a 'coffee lover'! Watch for my order on your site!!!!!

If you are within 80 miles you should be able to do an OTA antenna. Once you find out, just PM me and I can reccomend a few. About the coffee; Thanks a lot! I wasn't expecting that.

Change your physical location on the account temporarily to get the locals from a different city then change it back.

They are only on cable right now not DBS so this is not possible.

 

[SCONE]

Keep you posted.
Thanks again.

 

[charper1]

No prob.. and good luck and WELCOME to SatGuys!

 

[SCONE]

one more ?
I'm confused by stargazer's post...and "They are only on cable right now not DBS so this is not possible." What does that mean???????

 

[charper1]

I think that poster assumes you already have a satellite dish system and was telling you to call in to change your service address to where your daughter is. This will allow you to watch those local area channels, but then not your own until you changed back. By law satellite companies are only allow to provide the local affiliates where your service is located. I was telling that poster that you were currently only a cable user so their solution is not possible for you.

 

[SCONE]

Got it! Thanks again (Chuck?) and good night. Much appreciated.....

 

[charper1]

yep, that me. and you are welcome. I will say it is somewhat weird that the West Palm Beach area and the Miami area cable systems don't share local affiliates channels on their systems; they are so close and not bound by law to my understanding.

 

[Derwin0]

antennaweb.org shows WPEC being only 38 miles from Zip Code 33021. Since WPEC is on VHF 12 (digital is 13), it should be pretty easy to pull in with an OTA VHF antenna, since the range for High VHF is pretty far.