Intl Channels only, more than 1 dish needed?

[weaselfest]

So this is the your lesson in keeping good records. Problem: large campus CATV system is inserting Chinese and Japanese programming via Dish. Over ambitious contractor paid to remove extra 3m dishes at antenna farm removes two Dishnet dishes. No exact record of the coordinates they were pointed at after service call last March to accomodate changes to the source of International channel programming.
Do we need more than one dish pointed at 118.7 to get our receivers back in service?
These are the only two channels we need to receive.

 

[MattG@DISH]

Yes, you will need more than 118.7 installed. 118.7 does not carry any guide information, or software, so it would be best to have something like a dish 500+ installed (119/110/118.7)

 

[weaselfest]

we still have the hardware that was working in this installation. I am afraid I got this handed to me late yesterday and haven't investigated the type of dishes and lnbs that were in place, but I do know it was a setup that was legacy equipment, no external multiswitches, lnbs may have been interconnected? I was hoping this was a transitional setup to accommodate the changes to the Intl Programming satellite being used and we could ditch the 61.5 I suspect was in the mix.

 

[dishrich]

Yes, you will need more than 118.7 installed. 118.7 does not carry any guide information, or software, so it would be best to have something like a dish 500+ installed (119/110/118.7)

According to Lyngsat, 118 DOES carry at least a 44-hour guide, as well as any needed software downloads.
And since he's only using this in a headend application, having a (longer) EPG IS a moot point...

 

[Mr Tony]

but 118.7 doesnt get any software updates so you need at least 119 too

 

[weaselfest]

Thanks to all that offered help. We remounted our 500+ dish and were able to re-aim it without too much trouble. 110, 118.7, 119 all working again, programming restored. 2nd dish was pointed at 61.5 and was not reconnected. Is it typical for the 118.7 bird to read lower in signal strength than 110 and 119?

 

[Tampa8]

but 118.7 doesnt get any software updates so you need at least 119 too

I knew it had the guide, did not know there was no software updates from there.. As they say learn something everyday....

 

[DishSubLA]

Thanks to all that offered help. We remounted our 500+ dish and were able to re-aim it without too much trouble. 110, 118.7, 119 all working again, programming restored. 2nd dish was pointed at 61.5 and was not reconnected. Is it typical for the 118.7 bird to read lower in signal strength than 110 and 119?

Yes, but this is not to worry as, if properly aimed/pointed, it is designed to still provide a strong enough signal for 118 to be reliable. 118.7 is an FSS Ku sat. FSS Ku sats operate at lower power than DBS (119 & 110) sats and on a different bandwidth of frequencies and with different polarizations than DBS.

The lower power of FSS Ku is why it is critical to use a larger dish such as the 500+ or Dish HD reflectors such as 1000+ for Western Arcs (as it seems you are a WA arc subscriber) and NONE of the legacy reflectors in order to receive 118 at a reliable signal level. Also, none of the DBS LNBF's can receive 118.7 sat. 118.7 requires an FSS LNBF.

Dish's solution is the 119/118.7 dual band LNBF: a single LNBF capable of receiving both 119 DBS and 118.7 FSS. The mere .03 degrees of separation allows for both sats to be received with a single combo LNBF. These dual band LNBF's are used ONLY if the subscriber requires programming from 118.7 (I think some LIL's used to be at 118, but may have since been moved). Otherwise, the standard DBS LNBF's are used for installs. There is also a little more to particular reflectors and 118 and Eastern Arc installs, but the above info should suffice.

118 is where ALL internationals are and will be located. Dish's plans are for all internationals to no longer be available at 61.5, and Dish may have completed that by now. However, if there are a few still at 61.5, they won't be for very long. Dish has been migrating people over to 118 for quite a while now. Everyone will need to receive 118 if they want any internationals (or Dish World for some).

Hey, check out Dish World (IPTV). That seems to be the future for Dish Internationals, but Dish still has about 10 years left on the lease at 118.7, so don't panic. We should hope by then Dish World becomes more reliable than current reports.

 

[ScottChez]

Are there any free public access channels as the fcc requires on 119 and 110 on 118.7?

I ask because as a new customer if i request internationals i get a free dish upgrade to the 1000+ and can cancel the international later

To check just look for internationals you get for free on 118.7

 

[Tampa8]

There are not PI channels on 118 or if they are not in English that I have ever seen. If I understand what you are saying, your premise is wrong. Dish is not required to carry PI channels on every satellite, and do not carry it on both 110 and 119. There have been times one PI for some reason was on a different satellite than the rest, that was on the EA, not sure if that still exists. You can check this all yourself above this page.

 

[ScottChez]

If I read this right Dish is in FCC violation for any one with a DIsh 500+ that does not have Sat 129 access.
If there is no PI Public Access (free educational) channels on 118.7 or 119 or 110 they are not caring the required percentage.

Surprised no on is calling dish out on this.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-172A1.pdf

 

[DishSubLA]

YES, there are PI's at 118.7. TV Mundial is one and KBS World has been open for years at 118.7 as a PI. KBS World does air some programming with English subtitles. 129 has probably the best PI's.

Oh, yes, all DBS operators are required to have PI's on all sats they use related to a the percentage of sat they use. Most definitely on 119 and 110, shared with DirecTV. I believe DBS still must provide set-asides for PI's even if they use a non-DBS band/sat. Oh, yeah, there are PI's on ALL sats used by DBS. It's the law.