Problems setting up a 61.5 wing dish

[mmcl26554]

Currently I am on western arc. Because my locals are now in HD on 61.5 I wanted to install a wing dish pointed to 61.5 and then discontinue 129. My current dish is a 1000+ with 4 LNB's 129, 119,118,129 and a DP44 switch. I never used 118 and have it disconnected. I know I could have dish install an Eastern arc antenna free but they would then discontinue my "Super stations", so I don't want them to do it. I have an old single dish like the 300 (but this is an old Direct TV dish). I first set it up connected directly to an old 508 receiver with a legacy LNB (no switch). I found 61.5 but only one transponder #14. and a signal strength of 44. I obtained a DP LNB and a Dish "I" adapter because the feed arm was different from the DP LNB. That didn't work I could not find a signal with the adapter. I have a signal strength meter which I use for peaking at the antenna but it doesn't tell me what antenna I am on, just the signal strength. Anyway I removed the "I" adapter and held the DP LNB at the end of the feed arm and got good signal. So I did some cutting on the feed arm and made the DP LNB fit in exactly the same position the legacy LNB would fit and I get good signal strength, with my meter. Now it gets strange, when I checked the 508 receiver there was "0" signal strength. I swapped the LNB I have for 129 and the replacement DP LNB worked fine. So I put the old 129 DP LNB on the 61.5 antenna and "0" signal on the 508 (meter signal strength ok), put the legacy back on and signal of 44 transponder 14. Now the 508 is supposed to work with DP. I also have a 501 which is supposed to work with DP and a 612 I can take out of my motorhome. I just cannot figure out why the legacy LNB receives signal from 61.5 and the DP LNB shows nothing? Can any of you Guru's help me with the mystery.
Michael

 

[TheKrell]

You'll confuse yourself no end (I sure did!) trying to use a legacy receiver on Eastern Arc. This is because there are virtually no transponders left that a legacy receiver can demodulate. Replacing a legacy Dish LNB with a DP Dish LNB should be a direct swap without realignment of the dish, or chopping off the arm that holds it. I've done this and had no issues. I've also jettisoned a Y yoke for an I yoke and had a heck of a time finding 61.5 again, even with DP receivers. Dead DP LNB?

By the way, you do NOT want to get rid of 129 because you need it for your HD national channels.

 

[harshness]

The problem is the 508, not the dish (as TheKrell correctly pointed out). You would be best served to use some manner of ViP series box to do your locating.

Using legacy DIRECTV equipment isn't going to work either as it will likely confuse the DPP44 that wants to see a DP or later LNB.

I predict that by the time summer comes around, DISH is going to be bugging you about putting your 508 into forced retirement anyway.

 

[renegade734]

... and FYI: Superstations are available on Eastern Arc, as long as you don't cancel them.

 

[mmcl26554]

The 508 isn't authorized I'm just using it to identify the satellite and more definitively get the signal strength. Both LNB's are Dish network, I only used the legacy LNB because it was all I had at the moment and all I wanted to do was zero in on the satellite, didn't want to watch anything. However, it does lock in on transponder 14 and I can actually see 5 channels, but they are behind warning the receiver is not authorized, but it doesn't cover the whole screen. So an legacy LNB will get at least one transponder and a few channels. The antenna only is an old single Direct TV antenna. The Dish legacy LNB did fit the feed arm but it was rectangular. So, to get the DP LNB to fit I had to cut a small part of the top of the end of the rectangular feed arm thereby allowing the "D" shaped DP LNB to fit. It fits fine and aperture of the DP LNB ended up in the exact same place as the legacy LNB. Now, It occurred to me the 508 may not be dealing with the DP LNB properly, so I connected it to my DP44 switch in place of the 129 LNB and ran check switch on one of my 722k's. The strange thing is that after the check switch it showed satellites 119,129,110 in that order. Normally it will show 119, 110, 129 (I think this is the normal order, my Wife is recording and I cannot look at the switch without stopping the recording so to keep peace I'm just guessing). Anyway when I check switch it read the DP LNB supposedly aimed at 61.5. Would it me necessary to clear the memory when adding a new orbital location to the DP44 switch. I don't remember it is necessary. However, I'm going to connect the 508 to my home system and see if it will work with that ok, hopefully it won't work and I will know the problem is the 508. But if it does work then I'll continue to not understand what is going on.
Oh Krell, I think 61.5 carries the same channels as 129, I have read that people who have a 1000.2 have to cover the 129 LNB to get 61.7 to be recognized by the receiver. Additionally the people at the local Dish service center (not a retailer) told me that because I am disconnecting 129 that won't be an issue with me of course. I have been using the expertise of these people for some time and the manager and I have become friends. He would have warned me if I would lose programming by doing this. However, if you are correct and this whole thing is an exercise in futility then if I want my locals in HD off the Dish instead of only OTA it will have to either convert my 1000+ to eastern arc and go with that. I think I can do this with an EA triple LNB and the dual adapter for the rectangular feed arm.
Michael

 

[mmcl26554]

Actually Dish will discontinue the Super stations if you generate any work orders on your account such as having an antenna installed, a service call, a change to your programming. Do any of those and it's bye bye Super stations. This change occurred last September, the 19th I think.
Michael

 

[garys]

If you subscribe to HD (not your locals), then disconnecting 129 will remove all your HD feeds. If you need EA for your locals, I'd switch to the EA dish for 61.5 and 72.

 

[mmcl26554]

Garys,
Now I'm confused! (which isn't new, getting old only just beats the alternative) So you are saying that some of the HD content now on my 129 is not mirrored on 61.5 but is on the other 2 EA satellites. Ok, so I can leave 129 active and still get my locals in HD from 61.5. The software in my VIP receivers is supposed to handle this "stacking" of channels. So I'm wondering why some people who have a 1000.2 antenna will cover the 129 LNB with foil to stop reception and confusion of the receiver? Or are they doing something which is not necessary. I have recently found out I got some bad advice from a Dish CSR (what else is new) and I will NOT lose my "super stations" if I have a tech come out to change my antenna to EA. I would only lose them if I make change in programming..
Michael

 

[TheKrell]

Most of the HD nationals on 129 are mirrored on 72.7, not 61.5! At this time, I can't think of a single HD national on 61.5; it's all for locals. Your friend was just plain wrong on that. That said, you should be able to do what you want using your DPP44 with inputs from 61.5, 110, 119, and 129 DP LNBs. Don't worry about getting duplicate channels; your receivers will pick one and will not be confused. Or so I've read.

Why you can't get your DP LNB to work on your old dish, I don't know. I speculate that it's a bad DP LNB, or possibly a bad cable or bad input on your DPP44.

 

[garys]

For the most part there are two arc dishes used by Dish although wing setups can still be used. Adding a wing for 61.5 should only give you your locals in HD and only a few additional channels. Any channels that are repeated are usually not a problem for you, you would probably only get access to them from one of the sats not from both. Most times you would be setup with one of the two arcs depending on which has your locals and line of sight to the sats. The WA you have now consists of 110, 119 and 129. EA gives you 61.5 and 72 but could also have 77 if your locals on that sat (which you stated are on 61.5) and if you subscribe to international packages. Hope this clears things up for you.

 

[mmcl26554]

Thank you Krell and Garys, It does clear things up. My locals are on 61.5 in HD and that is what I want to add. The first 2 ports on my DP44 are taken up by 119, 110, 129 so I guess I will connect 61,5 to the #4 port, correct?
Michael

 

[TheKrell]

Correct, except you meant to type "the first 3 ports"...

 

[KazooGuy]

Well, depending on where you live you might want to call and ask if you are the migration list to be moved to the EA, I was and I was contacted that I would switched at no cost. The tech came out and my new dark gray dish is happily pointed at the EA, which seems to have 15 to 20 points less of signal strength over my WA, so I can't wait for the rainy season to begin. I tried to get the tech to tell me what's up with the need to get people in the east on the EA, but he did not or would not say, just that he was doing a bunch everyday and DISH was in a rush to get them done.

 

[mmcl26554]

I am on the list for free EA. When you switched did you have to clear the switch memory and do check switch on the receiver(s), then run without antenna connection and go through the 50 tests then connect up the new antenna with switch and run check switch again?
Michael

 

[mmcl26554]

Well good news! today I removed the legacy LNB and installed the DP LNB. Then I did a few cleanup items outside, went to my motorhome and got my 612. Then I went with it to my test bed. The 508 was still hooked up and on and low and behold it showed an connection to transponder 14 with a signal strength of 75, wow! So I went ahead and connected 61.5 to my DP44 port 4 and did a check switch. The 612 connected to all 4 satellites ( I only used one tuner because the antenna in the motorhome won't support a signal separator). The check switch was successful and all for satellites were connected. I rebooted and downloaded the guide and now I have my locals in both SD and HD. Seems to be working just fine, and I did it myself! With some guidance from you folks THANK YOU!!
Michael

 

[Jim5506]

There is a possible caveat for those who have the Hopper.

This worked fine as long as I had ViP receivers but when I went to the Hopper/Joey the trouble started.

I had a 61.5, 110, 119, 129 setup and everything worked good except PTAT.

If you have a Hopper/Joey system the mixed arc for SD and HD will confuse the dickens out of the Hopper.

My PTAT never worked right on either of my Hoppers until Dish (for free) replaced my WA D1000 for an EA 1000.2.

Now everything works as advertised.

 

[KazooGuy]

I am on the list for free EA. When you switched did you have to clear the switch memory and do check switch on the receiver(s), then run without antenna connection and go through the 50 tests then connect up the new antenna with switch and run check switch again?
Michael

The tech did it, I only have a 922 so it was far less than 50. He was only here about 30 minutes.

 

[mmcl26554]

My 612 just added the 4 satellite without having to clear the switch memory, I will be doing my 722k's in about 10 min hope they do the same.
Michael