Been meaning to ask this but forgot.
How come D* does not have a 1 wire setup for a dual tuner dvr like E*. Seems like itd be the way to go. I had no idea what was up when the E* guy was here because I was used to the two cables for my HR20.
Last time I was with E* it was only a single tuner dvr.
This all goes back to 1999 when Dish acquired almost all the transponders at 110 degrees, a coup that more than doubled Dish Network's capacity (bandwidth, if you prefer) to offer even more channels. Although Dish's intent for 110 was to use vast majority of the bandwidth for LIL (as it is today), the innovative decision was made to cease the installation of Dish 300 systems (looking only at 119) and install only the new Dish 500 (looking at both 119 & 110) as the standard for all future installs. This strategy gave Dish Network great flexibility in arranging channels among the two satellites for best advantage in a seamless manner that customers were never aware. At first, only new channels for the then AT 150 would be uplinked exclusively to 110, so as not to have lesser AT subs lose channels. However, over the years, often due to bandwidth constraints at 119 Dish has taken advantage of the dual satellite system by moving a few channels from 119 over to 110 without affecting the vast majority of subscribers, but those very few still with a Dish 300 were provided a free Dish 500 upgrade. Dish vigorously promoted upgrading to the Dish 500 in those early days. They really wanted everyone to have a Dish 500 and had a fair upgrade to do so for a long time. While the cynical reason has to do with making it easier for people subscribe to the more expensive AT150, Dish needed the greatest flexibility when it came to rearranging channels, and if they could get you to upgrade on your own dime, than Charlie wouldn't have to pay for it when he did, indeed, move a few channels from 119 to 110.
Adding to the complexity were the vast majority of international channels that Dish acquired. Those foreign language channels had to be uplinked to alternate DBS satellites (mirrored at 61.5 & 148) because there was simply no room at 119 & 110.
The Dish 500 (and the wings at 61.5 and 148) may have brought more channels (and is considered by Echostar as one of their most important and savvy decisions), but looking at at least two satellites at all times, sometimes more, as the standard system naturally complicates the install process.
As an example, let's take my install: I currently look at 3 three satellites. With the legacy install, it would take
6 cables coming from the 2 dishes, and they would have to connect to 6 ports of the old SW64, a hunky piece of metal that may have done the job, but was touchy. Consider that all installers universally HATED the SW64 install for its time consuming cabling (and even confusion, in some cases--when you deal with that many cables) for 6 ports PLUS 4 output ports to 4 boxes, and the fickle nature of the SW64 (I've dealt with it as a customer for years, and it was a pain--it would stop working at the slightest variance of electrical flow).
In addition, Dish was limited to installing only 2 TV's "free" because any more than that required an expensive external switch (not the inexpensive SW21). Even a 2 TV install of a Dish 500 was complicated a bit. Remember, they want those installers out and done ASAP to add more subs. Also, the limit of 2 TV's "free" was keeping quite a few people who had more TV's from switching to satellite. All this meant that using legacy installs was no longer efficient, and it was too costly to add more TV's (still using single box, single tuners back then.) Something better was needed.
So, into the 21st century Dish develops the DishPro technology as the new standard for all new Dish installs. DishPro is an installers wet dream! DishPro greatly simplifies (and speeds up?) the install process and makes it economical for Dish to provide up to 4 TV installs "free," making Dish more competitive and attractive to those with more than 2 TV's.
DishPro LNBF's have micro-swithces eliminating the need for any external switches for even 4 TV installs using the DishPro Quad LNBF, requiring only a single cable from each of the 4 LNBF ports, each running to a single box. There are DishPro Single, Duals, Twins, and Quads from which to choose for best installation option.
Let's take the more complex 3 sat install example again, but using DishPro technology:
Instead of 6, only
3 cables are required, one for each satellite, running to a DishPro 34 switch, still requiring separate cables from each output port for each tuner.
Most recently, the DishPro Plus technology has been introduced. Let's take the same 3 sat install using DishPro Plus tecnology:
The DishPro Plus Twin LNBF has an input port for the cable running from the second dish. Now you need only run
1 cable from one output port to see
3 satellites. A single cable from the DPP Twin can be run to a dual tuner, then a separator at the box. Of course, the second output port connects to a second box.
To provide for more than two TV's, just about any combination of DishPro LNBF's can be used to run to an external switch.
For the same 3 sat install:
A single cable for each satellite running to a DishPro Plus 44 switch (that switch can look at up to
4 satellite locations) with only one cable running from the switch to each dual tuner box is needed. The single cable is then connected to a separator just before being connected to the box.
Consider that using Legacy technology (before the DishPro and DishPro Plus) if one needed to access more than 4 tuners, while looking at more than 2 satellites--as is more common today then many may realize, it would require a massively complex web of overwhelming proportions using two SW64's and special splitters and more than 20 pieces of cable, I think. Perhaps someone will re-post the picture of two SW64's. The picture worth the 1000 words. That was Dish's only solution with Legacy.
Why all this innovation from Dish? Because Dish was the first US DBS to cope with the complexities of customers needing to look at multiple satellite slots on a large scale. While Direct held transponders and services at 119 & 110, the vast, vast majority of Direct subscribers were still looking at only 1 satellite slot: 101 degrees. So, there was no need for Direct to abandon the Legacy systems as Dish had.
However, now that Direct is ramping up it's HD offerings, it too now faces the complexities of customers needing to look at several satellites, just as Dish customers do. And so now Direct will soon be out with it's own "DishPro" type technology.
I hope that gives you an understanding of why Dish built the systems it did, and why you really should stay with Dish branded products on your system. It was no plot to corner the market. Charlie would prefer you could expand cheaply on your Dish system--on your own dime! He wants you to spend more on monthly costs, not feel impeded by LNBF and switching technology. However, for Dish and Direct to provide the services they must, multiple satellite locations and the complexities that result, are the solution for the short term. Ergan has indicated that MPEG 4 could mean looking at fewer satellites than today. Add to the very real possibility of the FCC allowing 4.5 spacing--using different frequencies from the current downlink frequencies--we could see all the HD and everything using
1 dish while looking at more than 1 satellite.
