A customer asked this question the other day, and I thought it would make for a great article. There’s a good story to tell here and there’s a lot of information that might be helpful to someone trying to make this decision.
SInce 2016, DIRECTV has planned to end standard definition local service. The original end date was the end of 2019, but that plan has been pushed back several times. It seems to be going full steam now, and you can get an up-to-date list of which markets have lost standard definition locals here. A lot of those cities are port cities, and that has meant some specific impacts to our marine customers.
In order to get high-definition local channels (in fact to get almost all high-definition channels) you’ll need a Slimline dish. While practically all DIRECTV customers have changed to Slimline dishes in their homes and businesses, it’s a little tougher for marine customers. Marine satellite dishes are a lot more expensive. The single-satellite dishes like the Intellian i3 and KVH TracVision TV3 are less expensive than the larger dishes which are equivalent to the Slimline dishes. So, if you have put one of those smaller dishes on your boat you’re going to have to think carefully before upgrading to a larger one.
This has meant that some of our marine customers aren’t able to get local channels even if they are in their local area, and it’s left them looking for answers.
DISH went through a similar process in the last several years as well. It was a little different because of the way DISH does satellite broadcasting. While DIRECTV has one fleet of satellites in the center of the country, DISH has two — one on each side of the country. So there was a little less impact felt by DISH customers. That transition is over now, so it’s pretty smart of a customer to ask if they would get their locals back if they switched to DISH. So without further ado, let’s answer the question.
If you have a smaller marine dish like the Intellian i3 and KVH TracVision TV3, you’ll probably be able to keep it and change it over to use DISH. A marine installer can reprogram the antenna control unit so it picks up DISH signals instead of DIRECTV.
Of course most of the wiring will change and you’ll need all new receivers, but that’s something you expect when you change services. However, there are going to be some things you don’t expect.
DISH has two satellites in each of its two fleets and your satellite system can look at only one at a time. One receiver becomes the “main” receiver and tells the system which satellite to look at. The other receivers on the boat can only watch programs on that satellite. If they try to watch programs on the other satellite, they’ll get a “no signal” message.
If the “main” receiver changes channels and needs the system to look at a different satellite, then all the other receivers will also change to looking at that other satellite and may suddenly get “no signal” messages. Not only that, it will take some time for the dish to aim and acquire the new signal, usually about a minute. During that time, no one can watch TV.
The last thing you need to know is that DISH, like DIRECTV, moves channels from satellite to satellite all the time so that even if you’re happy with the way things are now, you may not be happy all the time.
Whether you want to stay with DIRECTV or move to DISH, we’re here to help! We’re DIRECTV for Business National Accounts dealers as well as DISH Premier Local Retailers. We can help you choose the right service for you, help you find an installer in your area, and get the entire system activated when it’s time. We’re experts in the marine space and we’ve been helping marine customers for over 20 years.
When you’re ready to talk, give the experts a call! We’re here for you during East Coast business hours. The number is 888-233-7563. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below.
The post If I switch to DISH from DIRECTV on my boat, will I get my local channels back? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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A little background
SInce 2016, DIRECTV has planned to end standard definition local service. The original end date was the end of 2019, but that plan has been pushed back several times. It seems to be going full steam now, and you can get an up-to-date list of which markets have lost standard definition locals here. A lot of those cities are port cities, and that has meant some specific impacts to our marine customers.
In order to get high-definition local channels (in fact to get almost all high-definition channels) you’ll need a Slimline dish. While practically all DIRECTV customers have changed to Slimline dishes in their homes and businesses, it’s a little tougher for marine customers. Marine satellite dishes are a lot more expensive. The single-satellite dishes like the Intellian i3 and KVH TracVision TV3 are less expensive than the larger dishes which are equivalent to the Slimline dishes. So, if you have put one of those smaller dishes on your boat you’re going to have to think carefully before upgrading to a larger one.
This has meant that some of our marine customers aren’t able to get local channels even if they are in their local area, and it’s left them looking for answers.
Meanwhile, on the DISH side…
DISH went through a similar process in the last several years as well. It was a little different because of the way DISH does satellite broadcasting. While DIRECTV has one fleet of satellites in the center of the country, DISH has two — one on each side of the country. So there was a little less impact felt by DISH customers. That transition is over now, so it’s pretty smart of a customer to ask if they would get their locals back if they switched to DISH. So without further ado, let’s answer the question.
Here’s what would happen if you switched to DISH for marine service
If you have a smaller marine dish like the Intellian i3 and KVH TracVision TV3, you’ll probably be able to keep it and change it over to use DISH. A marine installer can reprogram the antenna control unit so it picks up DISH signals instead of DIRECTV.
Of course most of the wiring will change and you’ll need all new receivers, but that’s something you expect when you change services. However, there are going to be some things you don’t expect.
DISH has two satellites in each of its two fleets and your satellite system can look at only one at a time. One receiver becomes the “main” receiver and tells the system which satellite to look at. The other receivers on the boat can only watch programs on that satellite. If they try to watch programs on the other satellite, they’ll get a “no signal” message.
If the “main” receiver changes channels and needs the system to look at a different satellite, then all the other receivers will also change to looking at that other satellite and may suddenly get “no signal” messages. Not only that, it will take some time for the dish to aim and acquire the new signal, usually about a minute. During that time, no one can watch TV.
The last thing you need to know is that DISH, like DIRECTV, moves channels from satellite to satellite all the time so that even if you’re happy with the way things are now, you may not be happy all the time.
We’re here to help you make the best choice
Whether you want to stay with DIRECTV or move to DISH, we’re here to help! We’re DIRECTV for Business National Accounts dealers as well as DISH Premier Local Retailers. We can help you choose the right service for you, help you find an installer in your area, and get the entire system activated when it’s time. We’re experts in the marine space and we’ve been helping marine customers for over 20 years.
When you’re ready to talk, give the experts a call! We’re here for you during East Coast business hours. The number is 888-233-7563. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below.
The post If I switch to DISH from DIRECTV on my boat, will I get my local channels back? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
