Possible to pick up DISH Network in England?

[HD Max]

Hi guys,

I'm interested in getting DISH Network satellite TV here in England. Why? Sky is our best provider, and yet offers no HD, much fewer channels than DISH Network and had a mountain of other problems. I would need a broker to get me the services in the US but is it actually possible to pick it up?

Thanks
Max

 

[James Long]

Sorry, but the satellite footprints for the US satellites doesn't cover much more than the US. You would probably have trouble seeing satellites at 119w anyways even if they were hemi coverage instead of conus (Continental US).

JL

 

[PILMAN]

I've been talking to max online about this and I said that getting a broker to get him the equipment would likely not be the problem but the satellite footprints them self probably would. I know some people in canada and mexico can get the service. Any alternatives for him? I know he's looking to get hdtv but apparently sky won't be offering it for quite some time.

 

[roachxp]

SKY HD is coming only in 2006 they need more HD channels and content to lauch.

LINK

 

[Van]

Wont work, foot print as others have stated is your issue, I had looked at setting up an fta to try and get uk programming but the footprint dies out along the coast of far northeastern canada in newfoundland I think.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Besides the footprint, ya gotta remember that the earth is more or less round.

Do the math. It's really hard to receive signals from birds that are below the horizon - even with a really, really, big dish.

 

[johnnytuinals]

I think you can get them with a 18 Foot C/KU satellite dish but nothing small like a 12 footer or something.JohnnyT

 

[SimpleSimon]

I think you can get them with a 18 Foot C/KU satellite dish but nothing small like a 12 footer or something.JohnnyT

OK, I guess everyone is a product of our modern public schools. Here's the math.

Given that London is at 51.5N 0W, the azimuth & elevation of various birds follows:

61.5 247 8.7
101  279 [COLOR=Red][b]-15[/b][/COLOR]
110  286 [COLOR=Red][b]-20[/b][/COLOR]
119  293 [COLOR=Red][b]-25[/b][/COLOR]
129  302 [COLOR=Red][b]-30[/b][/COLOR]
148  321 [COLOR=Red][b]-38[/b][/COLOR]

I don't give a hoot how big a dish you use, you're NOT, no way, no how, going to get a signal from birds that are below the horizon, and even 61.5 is near impossible.

BTW, A bird at 76W is ON the horizon. Even with perfect LOS, nothing west of there is visible from London.

To get 110 to be barely above the horizon, you have to be 30 degrees west of London, and in the tropics (22N).

Data collected using: http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/Satellite-Heading-Calculator.htm

 

[chaddux]

I don't give a hoot how big a dish you use, you're NOT, no way, no how, going to get a signal from birds that are below the horizon, and even 61.5 is near impossible.

So you're saying a 30 foot dish would work, right?

 

[TNGTony]

What if we dig a straight tunnel.... oh never mind.

I also like the fact that to get 148° the dish is pointing NORTH-Northwest..... and into the ground.

See ya
Tony

 

[SimpleSimon]

I also like the fact that to get 148° the dish is pointing NORTH-Northwest..... and into the ground.

Yeah, I liked those, too.

It's kind of a clue that if you're in the northern hemisphere and pointing north of East/West that you're gonna have a problem.

 

[HD Max]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input. I guess I'm going to have to wait until next year before I can get HDTV. Oh well, at least it looks like we're getting quite a few channels - Sky, BBC and most likely ITV will follow shortly, then we just got to hope for UKTV and a f ew other broadcasters and we're sorted HD Box Office sounds cool too, shame you still can't do VoD with satellite.

Thanks

 

[James Long]

Not true VOD, not yet. But fake VOD is on its way.

JL

 

[kanebear]

Not true VOD, not yet. But fake VOD is on its way.

JL

Yep, soon to be sapping PVR hard drive capacity nationwide.... a ton of movies you probably didn't wanna see anyway. I'm very curious to see the religious segment's reaction once they learn that HARDCORE PORN is stored on their box (assuming they do VoD porno which I can't see them NOT doing). Ok so you'd have to purchase it but regardless, it's there. Personally I have an issue with someone else controlling what's downloaded/stored/taking up capacity on my equipment... regardless of content. I would hope they offer an option in firmware to turn the feature off.

ANnnnd back on topic : IF you have unlimited resources, you might have a chance of getting VOOM HD off the 61.5 satellite. Mind you, you're gonna need a gigantic dish (think upwards of 10m) but it is theoretically possible. You wouldn't get any other DISH programming but the entire VOOM package is on that bird. Then again if you've got that much money you can afford to lease out some transponder space and have whatever you want crosslinked to a bird you CAN view. The mechanics of getting this done are extremely complex but it's possible if you feel like spending the GDP of a third world nation to do it.

For regular SD video, this is easily possible though. Have a friend in the US add an extra dish box/cable box for you, give him a bit of $$$ to subscribe to the premium broadband service and get a Slingbox. I'm hosting one now for a friend in London and she LOVES it. She's from here and gets a huge kick out of watching the local news from 5000 miles away.

 

[James Long]

ANnnnd back on topic : IF you have unlimited resources, you might have a chance of getting VOOM HD off the 61.5 satellite. Mind you, you're gonna need a gigantic dish (think upwards of 10m) but it is theoretically possible.

NO IT IS NOT POSSIBLE. The footprint just doesn't go to the UK.

You could use a SETI dish and still not get 61.5 Rainbow1 and Echostar3.

JL

 

[ZandarKoad]

For England, just make sure you tell the CSR to instruct the technician to bring a REALLY tall pole mount (~4000 miles tall). Then when he arrives have him custom bend it to reach around the planet a bit to the footprint of the satellite you want. He's gonna have to peak it in before he mounts the pole though, considering where the satellite will end up after it's mounted.

 

[Sharper]

Instead of the pole option, wouldn't it be faster to just run some coax up to the satellite itself?

I'm sure if you attached directly to the transmitter you could get something usable....