I left Dish!!! But I'm coming back :)

[Kirby Baker]

Ok, so the topic title was somehwat in jest at all these posts from people announcing their intentions to drop or whatever.

I do have a question though. I am looking at what all I need to get in order to get back on Dish, through Eastern Arc. I have a pole mount for my 61.5 dish still, which I think is 1 5/8" cast iron pipe. The 1000.4 should fit without issue right? I currently only have 1 LNB feed line from that dish location, as before I had a mix from 110/119 and 61.5. So until I can run another line, my best option is to go with a 722 and use a separator right? (gets 2 tuners)

I dont think I can go back to the old 61.5/110/119 setup and get all the HD national channels can I?

Also, if I wanted more than 2 receivers from the 1000.4 dish, I will need to have 3 feed lines correct? No way to run a switch off of 2 of the outputs and have all 3 locations visible right?

Sorry for the 'easy' questions, but ive been away from satellite for a while now.

 

[RandallA]

Kirby,

With a 1000.4 dish you can feed up to 3 dual tuner receivers. One cable run per receiver and the same applies if you use a DPP44 switch, you will need one cable run for each orbital location in this case 3.

Here's some info from Scott on the 1000.4:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/1481074-post1.html

As far as the pole mount, I would say yes it should fit but I haven't seen one. Hopefully, one of the installers will give you a definitive answer.

 

[Kirby Baker]

There's no problem diplexing those 1000.4 outputs with cable or OTA is there? So long as the cable plant is 1ghz and under?

 

[RandallA]

There's no problem diplexing those 1000.4 outputs with cable or OTA is there? So long as the cable plant is 1ghz and under?

Correct. Diplexing still works the same way. The only issue is when you have a Dpp44 switch, you'll need to use a diplexer rated to 2 Amps (blue holland diplexer) for the power inserter going to port 1 on the switch. But it looks like you won't need a switch.

 

[satjay]

I dont have the tech answer just wanted to say your lead in post drew me in..

 

[Kirby Baker]

Yeah, as long as I can get by with just needing 2 feed lines, I will be set, because at most I will go with a 622/722 and then a single hd non-dvr receiver. I currently have a cable feed coming in from the 61.5 location, as well as a powered (pre-amp) antenna feed. So I'm pretty sure that my existing diplexors will work without issue. If I needed a third line, then it gets messy!!!

 

[Laddyboy]

I dont think I can go back to the old 61.5/110/119 setup and get all the HD national channels can I?

You can indeed get all HD with a 110/119 and 61.5 setup. That's what I and many others have. Takes 2 dish 500s and not the more aesthetically pleasing single dish 1000.4.

 

[Kirby Baker]

Really? I thought when I looked at the channel lists per satellite that there were a few on 72.7 that were only duplicated on 129? If thats not the case, then maybe I dont need to buy a new dish, as I still have my old 500 with DPP Twin and 300 with its DPP lnb. Think I even have a DP34 switch, but I sold my DP44 switch some time ago I think.

*edit* oh wait, you said 2 500's? Are you running 61.5/72.7 on one?

 

[Laddyboy]

Really? I thought when I looked at the channel lists per satellite that there were a few on 72.7 that were only duplicated on 129? If thats not the case, then maybe I dont need to buy a new dish, as I still have my old 500 with DPP Twin and 300 with its DPP lnb. Think I even have a DP34 switch, but I sold my DP44 switch some time ago I think.

*edit* oh wait, you said 2 500's? Are you running 61.5/72.7 on one?

One 500 with Twin for 110/119 and another 500 or 300 for 61.5. National HD is mirrored on 61.5 and 129. 72.7/77 is basically carrying the 110/119 programming all in mpeg4. If you have a DPP Twin it should have an LNB port for its built-in switch to accept the 61.5 LNB output. You only need a single line from it to feed a VIP Series dual tuner if you use a separator.

The fly in the ointment is if your locals are on 77, then you'd need a third dish and switch for that sat if you go with the 110/119 and 61.5 setup. Otherwise, the 1000.2 (western arc) and 1000.4 (eastern arc) have built-in switches for a 4th sat position.

 

[RandallA]

I thought you were gonna sign again as a new customer. If you have all your equipment and just want to sign again, then you can still use your current setup if your locals are on 119/110/or 61.5. If you want to sign up again as a new customer, they will install a 1000.4. Most channels on the Eastern Arc are using MPEG4 so you'll need a ViP receiver.

Where are you located?

 

[Kirby Baker]

One 500 with Twin for 110/119 and another 500 or 300 for 61.5. National HD is mirrored on 61.5 and 129. 72.7/77 is basically carrying the 110/119 programming all in mpeg4. If you have a DPP Twin it should have an LNB port for its built-in switch to accept the 61.5 LNB output. You only need a single line from it to feed a VIP Series dual tuner if you use a separator.

The fly in the ointment is if your locals are on 77, then you'd need a third dish and switch for that sat if you go with the 110/119 and 61.5 setup. Otherwise, the 1000.2 (western arc) and 1000.4 (eastern arc) have built-in switches for a 4th sat position.

My locals are Grand Rapids MI. On 61.5. But I get them via clear QAM on cable. So not too important to me from satellite (plus I have them on antenna too). Cant run a cable from the 61.5 location to the 110/119 pole, its over 200 feet away. I run cables from both poles into the house and switch them there. Ultimately I want to get the 1000.4 dish, but given its cold and winter, using existing stuff would be nice. Plus I want to remove the 110/119 pole as its in plain view from my front window out to the lake I live at. Not pretty.

 

[Kirby Baker]

I thought you were gonna sign again as a new customer. If you have all your equipment and just want to sign again, then you can still use your current setup if your locals are on 119/110/or 61.5. If you want to sign up again as a new customer, they will install a 1000.4. Most channels on the Eastern Arc are using MPEG4 so you'll need a ViP receiver.

Where are you located?

I dont want to be locked in at 24 months commitment. Thats why I was just going to spend the bucks and get my own 722 and 1000.4, but if I can still use the 2 dish setup and get everything, thats what I will do, at least til spring when the ground thaws! Had one of the first 622's so i'm experienced with it.

I'm in southwest michigan.

 

[Laddyboy]

I dont want to be locked in at 24 months commitment. Thats why I was just going to spend the bucks and get my own 722 and 1000.4, but if I can still use the 2 dish setup and get everything, thats what I will do, at least til spring when the ground thaws! Had one of the first 622's so i'm experienced with it.

I'm in southwest michigan.

You should be good to go then. There have been a few people disappointed with the signal strengths in MI from the 1000.4 dish according to what's been posted in the forums here. You might want to reconsider going to that dish or at least check around a bit and see what people are reporting. Someone commented on this yesterday here in the forums.

 

[Kirby Baker]

Well if thats the case, maybe I will just deal with the eye-sore of the Dish 500 for 110/119 then. The 61.5 is mounted on the back side of the garage, so its hidden well.

 

[digiblur]

Satellite HD locals are nice so you can record up to 3 networks at one time combined with the OTA.

 

[Kirby Baker]

Satellite HD locals are nice so you can record up to 3 networks at one time combined with the OTA.

True, but I run a Sage HTPC in my home theater too, which has dual clear QAM tuners, and an OTA tuner. I dont really know if I need to have 6 OTA recordings going at once

Now if I could somehow get the South Bend, IN locals (I'm actually much closer to their towers, 35 miles vs. 65 miles to Grand Rapids towers), then it might be appealing to have 3 tuners from each market. Suppose I could "move"

 

[bubbamas]

kirbybaker, your post sure got alot of action! hope you got your answer?

 

[Kirby Baker]

I confirmed this weekend that I do still have my old dishes and lnb's for my old 110/119 + 61.5 setup. Thats good news. I only have a DP34 switch, and I seem to recall that I purchased a DP44 switch to replace it as it was powered and gave me better results (long cable runs to lnb's). But I also know at the time I had a 6000 receiver which I think the DPP44 switch eliminated the need for the legacy adapter, and allowed me to use a single feed to my 622 (and then use the separator).

So this go around, if my plan is to only have 1 dual tuner DVR (722), and maybe add another down the road (922?), do you guys think the DP34 switch is adequate? Or should I spend the bucks to buy another DPP44 switch?

Also, with going to this 61.5/110/119 setup again, do any of you think I will be at risk of not getting new national HD channels (that may get added to say 72.7/129, instead of 61.5/129)? In other words, what is E* planning here? Are they trying to migrate everyone to either Eastern Arc or Western Arc, and eliminate setups like 61.5/110/119?

 

[digiblur]

True, but I run a Sage HTPC in my home theater too, which has dual clear QAM tuners, and an OTA tuner. I dont really know if I need to have 6 OTA recordings going at once

Now if I could somehow get the South Bend, IN locals (I'm actually much closer to their towers, 35 miles vs. 65 miles to Grand Rapids towers), then it might be appealing to have 3 tuners from each market. Suppose I could "move"

I have an HTPC also using BeyondTV with a dual tuner HDHomeRun. I used to use the heck out of it before I got the 722. Now I don't find myself using it all, it's just nice to have everything in one box, guess I'm too lazy to switch over to the PC at times. Plus I like having my recordings in the bedroom.

 

[Kirby Baker]

Ok so I was just reading some more threads here and at the other site, about 61.5 signal strengths. Has something happened to 61.5 to make the signal strengths drop so much? From what I read, my HD locals are on transponder 15 (spot beam, but i cant confirm this - Grand Rapids market). Are the CONUS transponders weak also? Because I can remember having my Dish300 pointed at 61.5 and getting over 100 on the signal strength. But I was seeing reports of signal in the 30's, which I didnt even think was enough to hold a lock?