Tempted to switch to Dish! (Canada)

[xrd]

Hi everyone, I'm new here, and apart from my 4 months working as a BEV CSR/level 2 tech at Nordia, I'm a complete newb as to satellite installations.

I need some advice, and probably some help too. I'm currently a Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU, 1 dish plugged for the whole building) Bell ExpressVu subscriber in Sherbrooke, Québec (30 mins from the Vermont border)

That's my exact location in more specific terms.
Latitude: 45.374°
Longitude: -71.903°

Here's the situation:

I will be moving into a different apartment in a couple months and will be transferring my Bell ExpressVu account to an SFU one (Single Family Unit) with my own dish installed on my apartment balcony (therefore easily within reach, HA!) thanks to Bell's free install policy when you move. Since I've never had a contract with BEV before, I imagine they will not require one to hook me up at my new place either.

The plan (and please tell me if it's at all doable, I believe all the equipment is cross-compatible for Dish Network except the receiver) is to cancel or temporarily suspend my BEV subscription not too long after I'm moved in, note where the BEV dish is pointed for future reference (maybe even mark it on the dish so I can re-adjust it myself later on if I want BEV again) re-point the BEV dish towards the Dish Network Satellites (I don't even know which ones to aim at or where, and yes, that's a problem) and grab a cheap used Dish Network receiver off of eBay, call Dish Network (I checked and I can dial the toll-free number from here, DirecTV's is blocked though), activate that receiver using my friend's U.S. address in New York and my U.S. bank account check card, deposit serious $$$ into it, then triumphally lay on my couch, remote control in hand, and watch CRTC-free American TV!

As far as I know, this is REALLY tempting. I've already tasted the joy of real, uncensored and unabridged media programming due to being a grey-market sub of XM Satellite Radio. I'm ready to take it to the next level, and that's TV. Yes, I will miss my French programming somewhat, but the pros far outweigh the cons and I can get that off the 'net anyway now...

Is this a good way to achieve this? Is there anything else I need to know?

Thanks for any help!

XRD

 

[xrd]

OH, hey, here's what I found:

Satellite Look Angles Satellite Heading Calculator Azimuth Elevation Skew Tilt LNBF Latitude and Longitude values

Is that actually reliable? Which EchoStar birds should I aim my dish at?

Thanks,

 

[Mr Tony]

Dish main 2 satellites are at 110 & 119. Your CompressVu dish & LNB's will work just fine on Dish.

What you want to do is just fine. As for the above link, use 114.5 as the satellite. That's 1/2 way between 110 & 119

 

[xrd]

Hey, thanks for the quick reply! I can't find the 114.5 Satellite however...

 

[Mr Tony]

just enter it manually. There is no satellite at 114.5 but the way the DIsh500 is set up, neither LNB is lines up exactly down the arm. So you split the difference between the two (119 & 110....1/2 way is 114.5). Just like when you set up an ExpressVu dish you use 86.5

 

[Mr Tony]

I checked sadoun's chart and yeesh they updated it (for the worst)

using the sat finder from thelist I get the following
110 I get 26 elevation and 245 azimuth
119 I get 20.5 elevation and 254 azimuth

so split the middle I get approx 23 elevation and 249 azimuth
skew is about 34...so on the dish it would be 124 (when behind the dish the left side of the LNB is higher than the right)

 

[xrd]

Thanks for all your answers, Iceberg. This looks even more doable than I thought!

I just found out there are 2 kinds of receivers for DN though, and these are DishPro and Legacy. How does that all work out with a BEV antenna/LNBF? Which one should I get? The 301-311 series (like Bell's 3100) look decent enough for what I want to do. I don't need DVR or HD or anything fancy. Windows Media Center does DVR with a TV tuner, which I've got.

Also, I DO need two LNBFs on my dish to get DN 110 and 119, right? What if Bell installs me a single-LNBF dish when I move?

Thanks again for all the help!

XRD

 

[TheKrell]

Dish receivers with a model number in the hundreds are all DP-capable.

Yes, you will typically mount a Dish "twin" LNB, which is two LNBs in a box integrated with a switch, and pointed to 110/119. Doesn't BEV use the same thing for two orbital locations?

On the BEV equivalent of DishMover, you might find that you do have to commit. Dish made me commit for a year @AT200 level, and @AT250 level for my 3-sat setup.

 

[Mr Tony]

IF you have a stock ExpressVu setup, you have Legacy LNB's and switches. ExpressVu still sells 2 LNB"s and a SW44 when you buy the 9200 receiver (the HD receiver) so any receiver will work

The 301/311 work really well. I used a few of those. No issues

 

[hockeyinsd]

Best of luck to you with this. I've had DISH for 5 years and have been very happy with it!

The funny thing to me is that I'm seriously considering getting star choice just so I can get TSN, CBC and Rogers Sportsnet in HD. I would love to have HNIC in HD instead of SD on Center Ice. Plus I'd actually get to watch some curling every now and again. If it wasn't for the pesky only 2 receivers w/o a connection to a phone line I'd be set (I need 4 receivers). The major drawback is the fact that it is $600 for a HD DVR.

 

[xrd]

Well, hockeyinsd, to each his own I guess...

I happen not to like hockey at all. I'm more of an NFL fan. I don't really care all that much about other sports. I really do not like curling either.

Yeah, I know, I'm not a very good Canadian... but I'll be moving south of the border anyway. It's just a question of years now...

XRD

P.S. I'm sure you can find a decent or brand new HD DVR SC receiver off of eBay for cheap. I was able to get two BEV 4100s (New in Box!) for a mere $140 shipped. Good luck to you too!

 

[hockeyinsd]

Thanks xrd! Looks like we're both in the wrong country. I'm a born and raised so-cal'er, but I eat, sleep and breathe hockey!