Guys, dont take me wrong... i am a happy customer (sort of), but I am starting to get a little uneasy with some stuff I have been noticing. i will relay the facts and then give my suspicions.
1- fact one, I started to loose some of my channels on my old e-86. At first I tried re-aligning the dish with no success. Primarily a couple of transponders were affected (some fo the channels affected where sprout and tood disney... yup i got kids).
I was going to call a tech to correct the issue, but i figured since new dish and mpg4 receivers were coming, I would wait.
2-Fact two. Other family members started to loose channles as well. We all have old DTV boxes, and we all live in Miami.
I figured, its most likely a coincidence or a regional issue that would be solved in a couple of days... I was wrong
3-Fact 3. I got a new Mpg 4 dish and receiver installed today (mpg 4 stream will come around april). The installer was kind enough to leave both dishes up (3lnb one, and the new 35 pounder). So now I can compare 2 kinds of dishes and 2 generations of Hd receivers.
4- I hook up both receivers to the new dish. The HD20 works like a charm, get signal strength of over 75 on all transponders and birds. the e-86 looses some channels (more thajnh when hooked top the old 3 lnb dish), and over a couple of hours period, I looses even more channels. Hard reset does not solve it either (so mjuch for leak guide syndrome). I change plugs and cables on all posible combinations, adn even realign the new dish myself (yup all this today) and no luck. Even worse, a bit later, I cant even get the proigram guide to update, and I cant get any programing. My e-86 has jsut become useless!!!
At this point i start reading about the guide leak issues with old e-86 the statements that the e-86 heat build up fry them over time in a gradual manner. and figure, well.. mine just broke. I check signal meters and signal is abysmal (most below 50), yet ther other box has high signal. YET, I try something bold, lets hook the old e86 to the old dish again to see if it actually broke. The result, it works like before, some channels missing, but at least it works 90% much better than with the larger dish.
NOW THIS IS THE THEORY PART!!!
Theory one - old receivers are not very compatible with the new 35 pounder dish. If this is the case, some people will be in for a major upgrade if they try to upgrade to get the mpg4 stream. Since old boxes are not leased, you will need to buy new boxes and the old ones will become obsolete (now if this is not a strong selling point for the lease program, I dont know what is)
Theory two - I know this is a stretch, but since i am still loosing some channels using the old dish, yet no problems with the new hardware (large dish and hd20). And the fact that 2 other people are expiriencing the same thing I am, maybe direct tv is making their signal less compatible with older equipment. Again, this is a BIG stretch, but think about it, it would make sense. First new equipment purchases or leases (more revenue), and second, move people to the new lease structure (again more revenue and hardware control). I hope that f this is the case, people dont find proof, or else DTV will be in one consumer abuse lawsuit.
Theory three - I am full of it and just need to get better thigns to think about (hey, i said this is all speculation and theory)
Anyways, any feedback will be appreciated.
1- fact one, I started to loose some of my channels on my old e-86. At first I tried re-aligning the dish with no success. Primarily a couple of transponders were affected (some fo the channels affected where sprout and tood disney... yup i got kids).
I was going to call a tech to correct the issue, but i figured since new dish and mpg4 receivers were coming, I would wait.
2-Fact two. Other family members started to loose channles as well. We all have old DTV boxes, and we all live in Miami.
I figured, its most likely a coincidence or a regional issue that would be solved in a couple of days... I was wrong
3-Fact 3. I got a new Mpg 4 dish and receiver installed today (mpg 4 stream will come around april). The installer was kind enough to leave both dishes up (3lnb one, and the new 35 pounder). So now I can compare 2 kinds of dishes and 2 generations of Hd receivers.
4- I hook up both receivers to the new dish. The HD20 works like a charm, get signal strength of over 75 on all transponders and birds. the e-86 looses some channels (more thajnh when hooked top the old 3 lnb dish), and over a couple of hours period, I looses even more channels. Hard reset does not solve it either (so mjuch for leak guide syndrome). I change plugs and cables on all posible combinations, adn even realign the new dish myself (yup all this today) and no luck. Even worse, a bit later, I cant even get the proigram guide to update, and I cant get any programing. My e-86 has jsut become useless!!!
At this point i start reading about the guide leak issues with old e-86 the statements that the e-86 heat build up fry them over time in a gradual manner. and figure, well.. mine just broke. I check signal meters and signal is abysmal (most below 50), yet ther other box has high signal. YET, I try something bold, lets hook the old e86 to the old dish again to see if it actually broke. The result, it works like before, some channels missing, but at least it works 90% much better than with the larger dish.
NOW THIS IS THE THEORY PART!!!
Theory one - old receivers are not very compatible with the new 35 pounder dish. If this is the case, some people will be in for a major upgrade if they try to upgrade to get the mpg4 stream. Since old boxes are not leased, you will need to buy new boxes and the old ones will become obsolete (now if this is not a strong selling point for the lease program, I dont know what is)
Theory two - I know this is a stretch, but since i am still loosing some channels using the old dish, yet no problems with the new hardware (large dish and hd20). And the fact that 2 other people are expiriencing the same thing I am, maybe direct tv is making their signal less compatible with older equipment. Again, this is a BIG stretch, but think about it, it would make sense. First new equipment purchases or leases (more revenue), and second, move people to the new lease structure (again more revenue and hardware control). I hope that f this is the case, people dont find proof, or else DTV will be in one consumer abuse lawsuit.
Theory three - I am full of it and just need to get better thigns to think about (hey, i said this is all speculation and theory)
Anyways, any feedback will be appreciated.
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