take box to weekend cabin

[RJR]

Hi,
I have directv at home and want to occasionally bring a box to the lake cabin. I tried it for the first time, and reset the receiver settings to the dish at the cabin. I was able to get most channels, but was missing the locals.
Also, I have a hi def package, and am missing those channels. I'd be happy to get them in reg mode (not hi def).
What am I missing?
Thanks!

 

[raoul5788]

Hi,
I have directv at home and want to occasionally bring a box to the lake cabin. I tried it for the first time, and reset the receiver settings to the dish at the cabin. I was able to get most channels, but was missing the locals.
Also, I have a hi def package, and am missing those channels. I'd be happy to get them in reg mode (not hi def).
What am I missing?
Thanks!

You are likely too far from your home to get the locals, since they are on a spot beam. The hd channels require a Slimline or AT9 dish. Do you know what kind you have a the cabin? What are the zip codes of your home and cabin? We might be able to tell if the spot beam doesn't reach far enough for you to receive it.

 

[satcomm@live.com]

spot beams run about 300 mi radious

 

[raoul5788]

spot beams run about 300 mi radious

Some do, others are smaller. It depends upon your location. Also, the sd beams are generally larger than the hd ones.

 

[RJR]

It's a slimline 5. I had the same locals at both places when we had service at the cabin. Zip at home is 55044, cabin is 56473. Also, is there an advantage to buying a receiver, or should I add one to home and bring it to the cabin? If you buy a receiver, what about a card? This is all new to me, so excuse the dumb questions.
Thanks

 

[raoul5788]

It's a slimline 5. I had the same locals at both places when we had service at the cabin. Zip at home is 55044, cabin is 56473. Also, is there an advantage to buying a receiver, or should I add one to home and bring it to the cabin? If you buy a receiver, what about a card? This is all new to me, so excuse the dumb questions.
Thanks

You can't really buy a new receiver, they are virtually all leases now. You can add one to your home account, or just take one that you already have. I checked the Directv website and both zIp codes are in the Minneapolis dma, so you should get locals at both locations. I'm guessing the dish is out of alignment or you have a tree in the way of the 119 satellite. Are you getting hd locals?

 

[RJR]

I was able to get locals with the cabin receiver a week ago. Is there something in the setup menu I'm missing? I didnt have hi def service with the cabin package, but the receiver from home does.

 

[RJR]

Got it! Had to go in the display setup and show sd channels. Apparently my slimline 5 at the cabin isnt hi-def??? does that make sense, or should I get hi-def channels at both places with this box?

 

[wildbill129]

If you have a slimline, you should get HD. What receiver do you have? Do you have a SWiM dish at home and are you using a standard slimline at the cabin? If it is not a SWiM dish/lnb and you are not using an H/HR23 receiver you will need B-Band converters to get HD.

 

[RJR]

Its a hr21-100 with 18-slim-55 with swm switch at home. Cabin dish is slimline-5. do I need a b-band converter then if I use this box at the cabin?

 

[wildbill129]

Yep, a b-band converter will solve your HD issue. You may need to re-do Sat setup with the b-band converter installed. SWiM doesn't need b-band converters, non-swim installations do. (Unless it's an HR23 with built-in wide band tuners).

 

[wildbill129]

One more thing I forgot. If you do not have two lines running to the receiver at the cabin, you will only have one tuner available. You will need two lines and two b-band converters to have full functionality without SWiM.

 

[Mr Tony]

I know I'm late to the party but RJR the Minneapolis locals do reach your cabin. We've got a cabin on Mille Lacs and HD works fine (I'm about 1/2 hour from you here in the cities too)
The HD spotbeam for Minneapolis is pretty much the whole state. Confirmed it works in Bemidji and almost to the Canadian border (the Mpls DMA is HUGE..runs pretty much from Iowa to Canada)

 

[RJR]

Does this make sense?

 

[RJR]

Thanks guys! Disregard my previous post about making sense. i was confusing myself!

 

[raoul5788]

Well it confused me too!

 

[RJR]

Help!

I have a HR21/100 receiver with b band converters, and a slimline 5 dish. I cant pull in any HD cahnnels. What's missing???
Thanks

 

[jdspencer]

We need more information from you.
What are the signal strengths on the 99c and 103c satellites?
Please post all transponders.

Is the HR21 the only receiver?

Does the dish have an SWM LNB? If so, then remove the BBCs.

BTW, is this related to your cabin receiver problem?

 

[RJR]

99c and 103c are not responding. 101 is 96%, 110 is 99%, and 119 is 100%. It is the only receiver. There is no SWM, dual tuner with two inputs.
Yep, its my cabin, still dealing with it. Great picture and all channels, just would like the HD since I'm paying for it, and can get it at home.


Thanks

 

[charper1]

Kinda sounds like its not aimed 110% correctly.