Hopper 3 for International Programming

[MayanWithDish]

Hello Friends,

I called Dish Network CSR to upgrade my Hopper 2 to Hopper 3. They starting working on it but then hit a snag. After checking with other people near them (Kept me on hold for about 10 mins), I was told that Hopper 3 will not work for me. The reason provided was - Different satellite is used for International programming and a special LNB would be required for it. Until that is available, I cannot upgrade to Hopper 3.

My friend called to get a new Dish network connection and asked for the exact same programming that I have. He was told that it would work with Hopper 3!!!

I do not know which CSR (mine or my friend's) was right. I do not want swap my hopper if it means that I will lose my package options.

Can the forum gurus help me and opine/tell me if Hopper 3 would work with the Programming I have.

My Packages include America's top 200 and Hindi Mega Pack (South Asian).

Under check switch, I see the following satellites - 77, 72, 61.5 and 118.

Thanks,

 

[ChadT41]

You can get a 1k.2 EA satellite with a 118.7 wing dish for your H3 install. I believe it was discussed that would be fine. You would lose orbital 77, so unless your DMA is on there, or you have spanish programming, you should be fine.

 

[MayanWithDish]

Thanks for the response Chad.

I am not well versed with Satellite terms, so will need little more explanation.

I forgot to mention that I have a two dish setup.

Super Dish for International programming (pointing west) and another dish for American programming (pointing Southeast). Earlier I had a one dish setup (Super dish only) and I was getting everything except for Local channels in HD. To get local channels in HD, I had to get the second dish installed. Once the second dish was installed, they set Super dish for International only and the rest of them were moved to the new dish.

What does losing Orbital 77 mean interms of programming?

Thanks!

 

[ChadT41]

What is your Local channels? 77 does not have a lot of programming on it. You can go to the List at the top of the forum and go to satellite 77 to see what you would lose(if anything)by giving it up. As mentioned, it is mostly Spanish programming, and very few DMA's

 

[Bobby]

If you are truly in South Carolina, receiving SC local channels losing 77 means nothing to you. All of SCs local channels are on 61.5 provided the dish is looking southeast as you said...

 

[MayanWithDish]

Thank you all! I have my answers. My locals are on 61.5 and I dont need 77! Time to call back Dish!!

 

[MayanWithDish]

Sigh! Called back Dish twice. They have cross-checked and said the same thing - At this time, the only way to get hopper 3 is by removing 118. Is there a way that this can get it 'tested' or does someone here have 118 along with 61.5/72 with working on Hopper3?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If you get rid of 118 then you lose your international channels.

 

[MayanWithDish]

Correct! Thats why I need 118, 61.5 and 72.

 

[david_jr]

Have you consulted DIRT?

 

[navychop]

At this time, it is not just the number of sats, it is where they are at. Later this year, 118 might be supported.

 

[MayanWithDish]

I will contact DIRT later this evening.

Its surprising that they 'missed' including 118 as supported by default for Hopper 3. Almost everyone I know from South Asia (Specifically, India) has dish for Asian TV only. (The options of 30+ channels in Dish vs around 6 channels from other providers is the only reason)

The funny part is, if you call Sales department to setup a new service, they are setting up appointments as if Hopper 3 will work for Asian (western arc) and American (eastern Arc) programming in my area!! So they are willing to setup appointments to 'see if it works' for new customers, but not even try to 'see if it works' for existing customers.

 

[nelson61]

The problem is the frequency. 118 is a 11.7-12.2 satellite while all the others are 12.2-12.7. You can connect a wing dish to the new hybrid lnb but I'm guessing the wing satellite would also have to be a 12.2-12.7.

 

[negma]

Is this an issue if I live in Socal? Currently I have latest one dish with hopper w/sling and joey and I am planning to switch to H3. I want to make sure I dont lose south asian international programming. Currently I have At 120 and South Asian all using one dish here in Southern California.

 

[Almighty1]

I am currently on the Hopper 2000 installed on 11/17/2012 with America's Top 250 and also Jadeworld (Chinese Cantonese international) package on a DPP500+ LNB and Dish 500+ antenna and I was able to schedule a H3 upgrade for Sunday without problems.

 

[comptr]

I actually have a hopper 3 and 4k Joey and have a International Package. I have 2 Dishes One 1000+ dish that is for the international channels and One Wing Dish for my Regular American Channels. I did my hopper 3 upgrade on the 31st and everything works just fine. The installed did have to take out the lnb that was there on the 1000+ dish to replace it with a old dual lnb. The installer installed the new lnb that the hopper 3 requires on the wing dish. Also I believe I am on the Western Arc and my internationals are on 118 I believe. The packages I have is the Dish America Package and the Telugu Mega Package.

 

[vipul128]

I was able to get a Hopper 3 with the same South Asian programming. CSR didn't know if it required an extra dish but when the installer came I asked him before he started and he knew what to do. He put up a new dish that pointed to Western Arc (110/119/129) and left my original dish 1000 plus in order to pick up the 118 satellite (south asian programming). He just unhooked all the connections from the old dish and ran the 1 connection from 118 on the old satellite to the input on the new satellite. It was pretty simple and painless.

 

[Almighty1]

I was looking at page 4 of this document http://caottimail.com/InstallationReference.pdf yesterday which seems to tell what satellite each DISH antenna supports.

 

[charlesrshell]

I was looking at page 4 of this document http://caottimail.com/InstallationReference.pdf yesterday which seems to tell what satellite each DISH antenna supports.

Nice find. Wonder if there is an updated version someplace that includes the Hopper system!

 

[Almighty1]

Nice find. Wonder if there is an updated version someplace that includes the Hopper system!

I am on a Hopper 2000, the original without the Sling built-in and I have the DDP 500+ LNB with a DISH 500+.