Total Newbie to Dish needing advice

[gobblerhuntr]

I have finally had it with Charter cable and am researching options for satellite tv. Years ago I had a two tv direct system but now I am looking at a 6-7 tv setup and need some help. I have read some threads that got me interested in asking a few questions. I have some experience in networking but am no guru by no means.

Let me describe my setup here at home: first of all i have a tv in 3 bedrooms, a living room, and a back porch, and sometime the wife's office (that one is not necessary). I also have a detached garage with a tv downstairs and one upstairs in the bonus room. Currently I have a cable going to my house and one going to my shop from the pole. When I built the shop I ran an ethernet line (cat 5e) from the house to the shop and have a router in the shop that provides wifi out there. Its distance is probably 70 feet from the main router in the house.

Dish has a deal right now of 4 receivers with HD and HDR with the 240+ channels for about $65. It is 7 more dollars per receiver with a $49 one time charge per box. I am trying to figure out my best way to hook this stuff up and also trying to figure a way out off the $49 charge per box.

Can I get the 4 or 5 in the house and then run over the cat5e to the shop and only have one satellite dish at the house or will I have to have a dish at the shop also?

I apologize for being new but it appears I have stumbled on a great site for some help.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[navychop]

You could get a Hopper 3 system with various Joeys, including at least one wireless one. Joeys cost less than Hoppers. But the H3 has 16 tuners. And if you really want, a two H3 system will likely be doable in January.

One dish, almost certainly.

Negotiate away that $49/box charge. Stupid they would try that. Use DIRT to resolve and get best deal.

Not sure about the total bill, as there are many variables.

BUT - If you NEED Sunday Ticket, regardless of cost, go with DirecTV.

Otherwise, I suspect Dish will be a bit cheaper, not cheap, but certainly with better equipment.

Does OTA matter to you? If so, after a few months you may wish to buy a separate OTA system if you are not happy with what Dish provides. Channel Master or TiVo. Dongles are not available for OTA right now, but should be available again "soon." Even once they are, don't expect to be able to add channels not brought in with a scan. Dish does not seem to accept the concept that sometimes weak stations may be received, or that you might rotate an antenna to get another station. Yes, I'm fed up with this lack.

Word of advice: If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy.

 

[gobblerhuntr]

Great advice, thank you. I will for sure try and negotiate down the 49 bucks.

One of my main interest is can I use the cat5e cable to run to my shop and hook the two tvs out there on the same dish. I do not know if a wireless Joey would work at that distance. I am just confused on how to connect those two tvs out there on the same dish as the house.

Just trying to find out all my options.

 

[Tampa8]

Great advice, thank you. I will for sure try and negotiate down the 49 bucks.

One of my main interest is can I use the cat5e cable to run to my shop and hook the two tvs out there on the same dish. I do not know if a wireless Joey would work at that distance. I am just confused on how to connect those two tvs out there on the same dish as the house.

Just trying to find out all my options.

I applaud you for taking the time find out everything you can first.

 

[navychop]

Connect a WAP for the wireless Joey(s) to the cat5e drop in the shop. No problem.

 

[gobblerhuntr]

Are you saying connect a dish WAP to the existing cat5e in my shop and then put 2 wireless joeys out there?

 

[kwindrem]

Connect a WAP for the wireless Joey(s) to the cat5e drop in the shop. No problem.

Remotely locating the WAP in your shop would put it on the main LAN which MAY work OK but Hopper has a second ethernet port that and the WAP that feeds the wireless Joeys is connected to this port so wireless Joey traffic runs on a separate network than other traffic. You could run a separate cable or set up routers and switches in your network to use VLANs to keep the traffic separated. It's still only one physical connection though so you should run 1Gb on that link. Others may have found that running wireless Joeys works OK on the main ethernet connection also.

It has been reported on this site that Joeys work fine when connected to ethernet rather than the MOCA coax but this configuration is not supported and Dish refuses to install that way. You'd need to move them after the installer leaves.

 

[ChadT41]

Can run a Coax to the shop, hook up a HIC, and connect the WAP to that. Similar to how I have my HIC installed, and my WJ.

 

[gobblerhuntr]

No I cannot run a coax to the shop it is surrounded by concrete and pool area. That's why I am thinking if it would work with cat5e I might could put it in with my existing wiring to the shop.

 

[Cypresstree]

Your joeys will run perfectly connected to Ethernet cat5e. Mine are set up that way after having to deal with either a poor installation or just weak mocha signal.

Just have to convince your installer to set up that way.

Perhaps run coax out to those locations temporarily just to achieve the set up. Then disconnect the coax???

 

[DishSubLA]

My I strongly suggest you ask for a CSR in the USA to get you set up, especially with an install as COMPLEX as yours. The offshore CSR's just aren't very good at complex installs. Asking for a USA CSR I think it will greatly reduce the chance of misunderstanding and disappointment that can occur if using Chat or overseas CSR's. As stated above, if you think you would want TWO Hopper 3's, then that won't be possible until January at the earliest.

One other point, the key is not only that the H3 has 16 tuners, but how many streams from the Hopper3 at one time would you need (meaning how many people may watch LIVE TV or DVR recordings all at the same time. There is a limit to what the tech can provide in that sense. I forget the max number of streams one H3 can handle, but someone on here will know and chime in. This relates to if ONE H3 is sufficient or if you might like TWO H3's.

As to using your LAN ("Ethernet" Cat cable) to stream to your Joey instead of the Hopper's MOCA network: that is NOT an officially supported method, and Dish can shut that down at any time. However, if you want to take that route for one of the Joeys and understand the risk, then go ahead. However, the wireless Joey is pretty robust and uses its own sub-network; that would be the preferable method

FWIW, since you have cat5 cable (access to your LAN) at you further location, you could use Dish Anywhere to access LIVETV (ALL channels) and DVR, but you would have to interface from either a mobile device or laptop/PC, but it will give you a separate full experience with a bit of delay on commands.

FWIW#2, (what I do on occasion) You could get a Slingbox and "Sling" your content using your LAN. The SlingPlayer app is free and while the app is available on Roku (at the mercy of your upstream and downstream), the best experience in HD is to use the Amazon Fire at the playback TV for full high quality HD and using your LAN exclusively fro best PQ.

The two FWIW above are solutions I use for access at odd places in the house were I do not want (or need) another Joey and the extra $7 per month, but good enough for my occasional use. Of course, both of those FWIW work OUTSIDE the home at remote locations for viewing anywhere you have access to the internet.

Good luck, and let us know what you finally get.

 

[Bobby]

My I strongly suggest you work with one of the DIRT reps here on this forum to get you set up. I think it well greatly reduce the chance of misunderstanding and disappointment that can occur if using Chat or even phone CSR, especially the overseas CSR's. DIRT has a very good reputation here and have high degree of understanding and strive to do what they can to make you happy with your new Dish experience.

Dirt does not do new installs....

 

[DishSubLA]

Dirt does not do new installs....

Oh, Sorry. I think I saw them reach out to some new people in the past. Thanks for the clarification. I've edited my post deleting mention of DIRT.