Wading into the gray market - help me find flaws before Shaw does

[compubit1]

I've used a broker - initially with ExpressVu, now StarChoice (I still prefer to call them by their original names when I started using them...). The shift was due to satellite coverage in deep south Manitoba.

With Bell, I wasn't provided any account info.

With SD, they gave me the account number and postal code so that I could login to the account on-line and make any programming changes. As a courtesy, I did e-mail them back the password I chose, so that if they needed to login, they could. I think part of it is that I've been with them for years (10-ish), as well as SD not being as anal about coverage outside of Canada.

I've been a happy subscriber.

Jim

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

If you have the money & can't wait until Kusat gets their HDPVR 630's in,Canada Satellite has them for C$399.00. The site also says free shipping,even to the states,at least on the shopping cart page. It may be a different story if you actually order it. They are also offering pre-orders for the the DSR 605HD receiver. You have to put down C$99.00 deposit until the price is released.
Canada Satellite | Shaw Direct | Receivers | Shaw Direct (Star Choice) HDPVR 630 High Definition PVR Satellite Receiver + Free Shipping! (Pre-Order) | Shaw Direct 630 HD PVR

 

[Jables]

Thanks for the info - I just saw today that KuSat has them in stock now, shipping next week. I shot them a note to see if my cottage address will pass muster with Shaw. Waiting on that.

I'm really looking forward to hockey season if this pans out.

 

[DJdish]

Thanks for the info - I just saw today that KuSat has them in stock now, shipping next week. I shot them a note to see if my cottage address will pass muster with Shaw. Waiting on that.

I'm really looking forward to hockey season if this pans out.

Did you see that on their website ? I checked it yesterday and it was not listed.

 

[joshuals]

I can confirm that the 630 shows on their webpage.

Be sure you are not entering their site via an old desktop shortcut. They have recently refurbished their website and I have had the experience that an old shortcut will still bring up a page that is no longer current.

Here's the link I used:

BellTV, Shaw Direct, iDirect, HughesNet, Promax, Unaohm, Free-to-air and more, since 1997!

 

[DJdish]

I can confirm that the 630 shows on their webpage.

Be sure you are not entering their site via an old desktop shortcut. They have recently refurbished their website and I have had the experience that an old shortcut will still bring up a page that is no longer current.

Here's the link I used:

BellTV, Shaw Direct, iDirect, HughesNet, Promax, Unaohm, Free-to-air and more, since 1997!

joshuals, thanks for the heads up and the link, will check it now.

 

[Jables]

As an FYI bumpage, I can verify that as of yesterday KuSat is shipping 630 series DVRs.

Hopefully I'll have a "Success!" post next week. And be ready for some hockey.

 

[DJdish]

How much are these guys chargin for it ? (w/o shipping of course)

 

[Jables]

^^^
1 x Shaw Direct DSR630HD PVR, Quad LNBF, 75cm Elliptical Dish - $411.76US

 

[Jables]

Update - watching CBC News Toronto!

So, to answer some of the question I asked earlier-

• The box came unactivated.
• My General Delivery address did not pass muster with Shaw. So I ended up getting a PO Box through the folks at KuSat.

Installation was easy, but I do have a question - I seem to have peaked F1, and it reads between 75 and 80 on the 630's meter, but F2 reads 95-100. So I know F2 has a stronger signal; is the signal on F1 just as good as I'm going to get at this latitude? That's fine, I just don't want to leave anything on the table. Otherwise I can see if I can tweak on it this weekend.

Also - the 630 crashed changing a channel already. I see the 'target' firmware as 0.13; do I just wait until overnight for it to update from 0.10 or can I force an update with some key combo?

Thanks again to all here who helped me get up and running. Looking forward to hockey this year

 

[mellaby]

Options 4-9-7-7. It will take about half hour. Try to leave it alone till you get the ver 13 in. Plus make sure your done peaking the dish before you start the d/l. Mine has run pretty good for the last week on that upgrade.

 

[joshuals]

So I know F2 has a stronger signal

I have read where, in general, the further south you go, the more the difference in signal level between F1R and F2, with F2 being the stronger.

is the signal on F1 just as good as I'm going to get at this latitude

Perhaps.....your levels that you report on F1R are 10 points higher than I get in Arizona.

I seem to have peaked F1, and it reads between 75 and 80

With this level of signal, you likely won't have any trouble with fade in moderate rain. The real test, though, at this point in your install, is the EcbNo value: Options 6-4-7, Line C (may take a few seconds to appear). This is the number you want to maximize with your tweakery of the dish, regardless of the signal strength value. A value of +8.0 on a SDef channel is considered "good", but at your latitude you may be able to do better. You should try to maximize the EcbNo on both satellites, but sooner or later you will find the increasing the EcbNo on one satellite will decrease it on the other. I lost patience, since it was 110 degrees the day I was doing this, and called it good when I had about +8.0 on both satellites.

Also - the 630 crashed changing a channel already

They say ignorance is bliss, so you can ignore this part of the post if you choose...... The Digital Home forum for Shaw Direct/Star Choice has a rant thread of all the issues that have surfaced with the 630. The number of posts is in the hundreds. The good news is that there is purportedly a rep of Shaw that is trying to answer the posters' questions/complaints. He's fallen 'way behind, but you might find some useful info there if you have further problems.

Sounds like you're home-free with your install....great! :up

 

[Jables]

6-4-7, Line C (may take a few seconds to appear). This is the number you want to maximize with your tweakery of the dish, regardless of the signal strength value. A value of +8.0 on a SDef channel is considered "good", but at your latitude you may be able to do better. You should try to maximize the EcbNo on both satellites, but sooner or later you will find the increasing the EcbNo on one satellite will decrease it on the other.

Good to know what the real metrics are. I'll see where I'm at and adjust if necessary.

They say ignorance is bliss, so you can ignore this part of the post if you choose...... The Digital Home forum for Shaw Direct/Star Choice has a rant thread of all the issues that have surfaced with the 630.

After mellaby's post above (and the firmware upgrade went without a hitch) I had googled that string (Options 4-9-7-7) and found the thread you're talking about. You're right, there are...issues...with this box. But that's all right, I've had DirecTV's HR series DVRs for a long time so I'm used to having to be patient with flaky software. I'll muddle through.

 

[Frenchophile]

Jables:

thanks for the update and glad to hear you got everything to work. how did you activate the box after install? did you call or did, wink wink, someone else have to do it for you?

 

[DJdish]

With this level of signal, you likely won't have any trouble with fade in moderate rain. The real test, though, at this point in your install, is the EcbNo value: Options 6-4-7, Line C (may take a few seconds to appear). This is the number you want to maximize with your tweakery of the dish, regardless of the signal strength value. A value of +8.0 on a SDef channel is considered "good", but at your latitude you may be able to do better. You should try to maximize the EcbNo on both satellites, but sooner or later you will find the increasing the EcbNo on one satellite will decrease it on the other. I lost patience, since it was 110 degrees the day I was doing this, and called it good when I had about +8.0 on both satellites.

!

If I understand correctly the EcbNo on HD channs. tends to be lower right ?
What would you say would be a "good" number on those ?

 

[mellaby]

If I understand correctly the EcbNo on HD channs. tends to be lower right ?
What would you say would be a "good" number on those ?

In Calgary I'm peaked at +7.3 db on HD channels but up to 9.0 on SD. This is with my 60 cm dish. Down in Arizona I get 4.2 & 6.0 on a 60 cm dish. I'm leaving for AR soon with a 75cm dish. This should really help with my rain fades on the HD channels. When I'm down there I'm going to peak the F1R mostly. Joshual is right there seams to be a larger spread in levels further south.

 

[DJdish]

In Calgary I'm peaked at +7.3 db on HD channels but up to 9.0 on SD. This is with my 60 cm dish. Down in Arizona I get 4.2 & 6.0 on a 60 cm dish. I'm leaving for AR soon with a 75cm dish. This should really help with my rain fades on the HD channels. When I'm down there I'm going to peak the F1R mostly. Joshual is right there seams to be a larger spread in levels further south.

It could be yep, now I have a different dish setup one dish for each sat, but I can see that HD numbers are lower than SDs

On F2 I get
SD S 97 Ecb 12.6
HD S 97 Ecb 9.6

F1 I have S 84 Ecb 10

I´ve noticed some differences between channels though.

 

[Jables]

Jables:

thanks for the update and glad to hear you got everything to work. how did you activate the box after install? did you call or did, wink wink, someone else have to do it for you?

KuSat took care of it all for me. Excellent folks. I've not had trouble getting through to them via email or on the phone.

 

[mellaby]

It could be yep, now I have a different dish setup one dish for each sat, but I can see that HD numbers are lower than SDs

On F2 I get
SD S 97 Ecb 12.6
HD S 97 Ecb 9.6

F1 I have S 84 Ecb 10

I´ve noticed some differences between channels though.

Those are great levels. Your not going to have any problems with rain fade.

 

[DJdish]

Those are great levels. Your not going to have any problems with rain fade.

Yes, I´m not to worried about that.

Good luck with your 75 in AR, let us know how it goes.