Received letter from Dish about redirecting my dish

[Mo Fly]

it's good to hear from others who have received this letter. one thing i'm still unclear on. if i do nothing, will i at some point lose channels that i'm currently receiving?

i'm leaning toward not doing anything because 1.) the new channels don't look like anything i would watch. 2.) i hate to mess with something that works well

i just want to make an informed decision. thanks for your responses.

 

[JonBlack]

it's good to hear from others who have received this letter. one thing i'm still unclear on. if i do nothing, will i at some point lose channels that i'm currently receiving?

i'm leaning toward not doing anything because 1.) the new channels don't look like anything i would watch. 2.) i hate to mess with something that works well

i just want to make an informed decision. thanks for your responses.

You would be ok to leave things as is unless, 1) they started moving 61.5 HD onto the other satellites 72.7/77. I thought I read they were going to do that but I can't find the thread. 2) Add HD channels on the other satellites you want.

 

[JonBlack]

I got the letter on Saturday. I had two Dish 500's with one pointing to 61.5 and the other to 110/119. I've wondered why I wasn't getting FSC HD channel but at the time it wasn't important enough for me to look into. Obviously, the channel is on a bird I wasn't picking up (72.7? or 129)

Anyway, I talked to at E* through the online chat system. I had the repoint scheduled for the next morning. One thing is I thought I might have a LOS issue with 129 hence why I have 61.5 now. The online rep said not to worry and the technician will take care of it as it won't be an issue now. LOL

The technician came did his thing and left and as I suspected there was absolutely no LOS for the 61.5 dish to be repointed to 129 in its old location. He checked various places and found a spot on the roof where he could put the new 1000.2 dish and clear the patch of trees with room to spare. It appears he did a good job on the physical install but I haven't had a chance to check the signals to see how well he peaked the dish.

Can anyone tell me what is a good signal range with the new scale on 110/119/129 and which TPs to check?

One thing is I'm disappointed that E* put Charleston, SC locals on the western arc. I figured we'd be a better candidate for the eastern arc with better look angles (129 pretty low here). I'm sure the capacities, etc. at the time didn't warrant us going to the eastern arc. I'll have to deal with more rain fade probably on 129 but oh well.

 

[tinyhockey]

Dish is now putting HD on 72.7 and mirroring at 129 so you have a couple options

1. swing that 61.5 dish to 129
2. They will upgrade you to Eastern Arc which sees 61.5,72,77. Then you'll have only one dish

well I have eastern arc 61.5 and i get all those HD channels you had on that link and I did not need dish to come to my apt and change nothing

 

[tinyhockey]

Mo Fly,

If you do not have a Dish Pointed at 72.7 or 129 these are the channels in HD you are missing now;

BBC America HD
E HD
Fox Soccer HD
Hallmark HD
Showtime West HD
Sportsman HD
TruTV HD
IndiePlex HD (Included in the Platinum HD pack)
Retroplex HD (Included in the Platinum HD pack)


Starting Monday April 19th you will be missing another 8 HD channels;

Shorts HD
EPIX HD
Style HD
HLN HD
TCM HD
G4 HD
History Channel International HD
Nat Geo WILD! HD

John

I still have easten arc 61.5 and I still get all the New HD channels and also I get the news ones that just was add april 19, I looked and they are all there

I did not need to change or repoint my dish

 

[KHJ0728]

Letter

For those with the magic letter, is there a special phone number or special code that they gave you on the letter. Was wondering if anyone with the phone number could call them up or you had to have a special code to get this done. Thanks.

 

[jwolf]

I still have easten arc 61.5 and I still get all the New HD channels and also I get the news ones that just was add april 19, I looked and they are all there

I did not need to change or repoint my dish

You ALREADY HAVE THE EA WHICH IS WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE THE NEW HD. See post 7.

 

[TooConfused]

Hmm.. I have a two DISH setup - 110, 119 (DISH 300 I think) and another @ 61.5. I think this was called DISH 500 back in the day..lol

I was hoping I could just swing my 61.5 to 129, but I'll have to move it because of how it's mounted on the house. I can't get 129 with this Dish in it's current location.

I guess my question is...
Can I swing my DISH 300 instead and use it to pickup 72,77 and leave my 61.5 alone? I think I can get those locations without physically moving the DISH 300 (Currently @ 110,119). I can't do that with my current 61.5 setup.

Dish is now putting HD on 72.7 and mirroring at 129 so you have a couple options

1. swing that 61.5 dish to 129
2. They will upgrade you to Eastern Arc which sees 61.5,72,77. Then you'll have only one dish

 

[JonBlack]

Hmm.. I have a two DISH setup - 110, 119 (DISH 300 I think) and another @ 61.5. I think this was called DISH 500 back in the day..lol

I was hoping I could just swing my 61.5 to 129, but I'll have to move it because of how it's mounted on the house. I can't get 129 with this Dish in it's current location.

I guess my question is...
Can I swing my DISH 300 instead and use it to pickup 72,77 and leave my 61.5 alone? I think I can get those locations without physically moving the DISH 300 (Currently @ 110,119). I can't do that with my current 61.5 setup.

Well, are you sure you need a Eastern Arc setup? Especially for locals???

Anyway, I don't think a Dish 500 will work for 72.7 and 77 since the spacing is too tight. It might work 61.5 and 72.7 but not optimally and then use the second dish for 77.

 

[TooConfused]

It looks like I can get everything on 61.5 and 72.7. I may just point the DISH 300 @ 72.7 for now and wait for letter or call back in and pay.

Thanks for the info! I really appreciate it.

Well, are you sure you need a Eastern Arc setup? Especially for locals???

Anyway, I don't think a Dish 500 will work for 72.7 and 77 since the spacing is too tight. It might work 61.5 and 72.7 but not optimally and then use the second dish for 77.

 

[tkrandall]

For those with the magic letter, is there a special phone number or special code that they gave you on the letter. Was wondering if anyone with the phone number could call them up or you had to have a special code to get this done. Thanks.

I think it is a special phone number. Check this thread: http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=208638

 

[JonBlack]

It looks like I can get everything on 61.5 and 72.7. I may just point the DISH 300 @ 72.7 for now and wait for letter or call back in and pay.

Thanks for the info! I really appreciate it.

You're welcome!

BTW: I got mine for free and had two Dish 500's replaced/removed from a pole and a new 1000.2 added. I don't know what their criteria is for free repoints/new dish, etc. but I don't think I'd pay if you can wait them out. It appears they wanted $15 when they asked some folks to change over in February. That's not too bad but $100 for a new dish/repoint for their changes in satellites is a bit steep, IMHO

 

[KHJ0728]

Well i have yet to get this magic letter but i was able to get a copy of the magic number. So i called this magic phone number to see what i could get done. And the answer to that was nothing. The first guy told me he could get it done without the code and hung up in the middle of the call. The second dude told me that they were going to uplink the new channels to 61.5 at the end of the month which was contrary to what everyone in the world has said so i hung up on him. The third guy told me i didnt even need new equipment and that the missing channels was not related to this problem. I played along and let him "Troubleshoot". He then went on hold for about 5 minutes and come back realizing that i couldnt get the channels without a repoint. He told me that it would be 6 + 15 or just wait for the letter. When i asked him why people in my town were getting the letters and i wasnt he told me he didnt know. He told me those were my options and there was no way around it. SO i am still here baffled at why Dish made these changes in the first place, and now why they would offer some people these changes for free and not me. When they were first starting HD they installed my 61.5 dish for free but not this time. So im not sure as what to do.

 

[andrewj0781]

I got the same letter and had Dish come and reposition my 61.5 dish to point at 129. It said free but they want to charge $95.00 so they gave me $95.00 credit up front. in case they did charge. I did pick up a few extra HD channels that are totally worthless to me, but did pickup my HD locals, in the Pittsburgh Area. I already get my locals from an off air antenna, which are still better than Dishes. Now that the 61.5 dish is pointed at 129 Sat. every time We get a storm I lose the signal from 129 because the 129 Sat. is so low in the sky. I quess the moral of the story is if you dont want to lose what you got and gain a few more HD channels let them do it. But in some cases it may be better to have one Dish pointed at the Eastern Arc.

Yeah got the same problem here in Altoona HD goes out (doesn't even have to be that bad of a storm) switch over to sd they stay on 99.9% of the time.

 

[tinyhockey]

You ALREADY HAVE THE EA WHICH IS WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE THE NEW HD. See post 7.

well I did read post number 7 and I was tell you all i have eastern arc 61.5 and I get all the new HD Channels that have come out the other day and before

why should I have to repoint my dish when I get all the new HD Channels No problem

 

[TazmanianD]

I got the letter too and setup the appointment over chat (no magic numbers needed). I don't know if anyone else got this, but I think Dish is trying to use this as an opportunity to push people to subscribing to HBO and Showtime. I was asked three times:

(03mk) Joyce M.T8D: If I may suggest, to increase your TV viewing pleasure why not take advantage of HBO and Showtime?
TazmanianD: No thank you. I have already tried them.
(03mk) Joyce M.T8D: What's stopping you?
TazmanianD: If I'm going to watch a movie, I'd prefer the higher quality available on Blu-ray.
(03mk) Joyce M.T8D: HBO and Showtime combined package price is only for $22. This gives you savings of $6.98 with over 18 channels. In fact you can get new hit movies every Saturday night. This month for HBO you will get movies like A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism, Duplicity, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Showtime has Meet the Browns, Music From Another Room and Wolf.
TazmanianD: No thank you.
(03mk) Joyce M.T8D: Okay.

 

[JonBlack]

WOW, I didn't get a sales job when I set up my appointment through the online Dish chat.

 

[DobieLuvr]

I called yesterday to inquire about the EA antenna and upgrading my 622 to 722k (since I decided the 922 is not worth $200 without TV2 out).

I said I am not getting the new HD channels that are up, she asked which ones, I gave a couple examples, she asked me to hold. When she came back she said I indeed need a new 1000.4 set up and it would be free. $15 for the tech to come out. I also am getting the 722k upgrade free , and adding a 612 for only the extra DVR lease fee.

I'll post the results tomorrow when done. I want to get the tech to leave my 500 dish installed, just cause you never know what E* is gonna do next.

Oh yeah, I did have to agree to another 24 months, but I've been with them 13 years, where am I going?!

 

[DobieLuvr]

I just got a call from the migration team (due to asking An E* engineer about this last week) and Florida is WA! Miami was EA but they switched it over also. So I may do my 61.5 to 129 repoint myself.

 

[DobieLuvr]

So the tech comes out today, of course nothing on the WO states he needs to have a 722k WITH OTA mod. SO Dish has to expedite me one for free (different story/ topic), and he tells me North Fla is WA, CFL and below are EA. He installs 1000.4 but I get him to leave my 61.5/110/119 DPP44 set up seperate for my non-Dish Pro equip.

Now I have all the channels, I have a couple DPP34's laying around. Anyone know if there's a way I can combine all sats and repoint my old 61.5 to 129? the DPP44 only has 4 ins, I would need 6. Could the DPP34 help combine any sat feeds? I assume not.