What Type Of Dish

[mtman6698]

Hi All,
Well, this being my first post, I am bound to screw up so bear with me. I have kind of a mishmash system. I have a 2 year old HDTV (a Mistu) and a DP811 as a receiver. I am using the little basic 18" Dish 300 for a dish and also have a small TV with a 311 also connected to the dish. I am on sat 119 only.

All was well until actual HD service started showing up. Now, I guess, I will have to upgrade some. I'm an old semi-retired guy so we are not talking unlimited funds.

I thought I would start with the dish. Seemed the cheapest but I can't find a lot of info on which one I should get. Dish Network is useless... they don't even mention dishes. I would guess the 1000.2 is the newest of the bunch but maybe not the best for my system. Anyway, what would be a good dish(not necessarily the top of the line)for me? I want to try to get sats 119, 110 & 129(I think).

Can't find much info on the 811 but it works great and I really don't want to change it unless I absolutely have to.

Thanks for any replies...
Wayne

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Well lets start with what state do you live in? Do you want HD?

 

[mtman6698]

Well lets start with what state do you live in? Do you want HD?

Told you I'd mess up. I'm in the Florida panhandle, out in sticks, north of Panama City. Yes, I'd like to get or, at least be able to get, HD. Some of it is free now and then. Trying to sort out the mpeg2 vs. mpeg4 thing as well. Not worried about local channels... I can't get them. Signal is not good enough.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Told you I'd mess up. I'm in the Florida panhandle, out in sticks, north of Panama City. Yes, I'd like to get or, at least be able to get, HD. Some of it is free now and then. Trying to sort out the mpeg2 vs. mpeg4 thing as well. Not worried about local channels... I can't get them. Signal is not good enough.

The Dish 1000.2 is the single dish solution for you.If you want to be able to pick up every HD channel, you would need a Vip receiver. 211,222, Non DVR or the 622 DVR or 722 DVR. You do have a dish option too. You can put up 2 dish 500's One for the 110 and 119,and one for the 61.5, Thats the one I would recommend.The single Dish 1000.2 Get the 110 119 and 129,I believe you can hook up another dish to this one as well. But I've heard more people complain about the 129 satellite IMO I wouldn't even bother with it.Living in Florida I would want the 61.5 Satellite for my HD programming.

 

[harshness]

Living in Florida I would want the 61.5 Satellite for my HD programming.

It doesn't really make any difference what you want or reason to be the case. It comes down to what DISH has set up each city for. By choosing the wrong wing, you can ace yourself out of an HD RSN and HD LIL programming (although HD LIL in Panama City is likely years off).

Given that Atlanta comes from 129W, it isn't a safe bet that 61.5W is the bird of choice.

 

[mtman6698]

The Dish 1000.2 is the single dish solution for you.If you want to be able to pick up every HD channel, you would need a Vip receiver. 211,222, Non DVR or the 622 DVR or 722 DVR. You do have a dish option too. You can put up 2 dish 500's One for the 110 and 119,and one for the 61.5, Thats the one I would recommend.The single Dish 1000.2 Get the 110 119 and 129,I believe you can hook up another dish to this one as well. But I've heard more people complain about the 129 satellite IMO I wouldn't even bother with it.Living in Florida I would want the 61.5 Satellite for my HD programming.

Thanks Hemi...

OK.. Let me do some research on the 500's. There also seemed to be some 500+, 1000+, Superdish and some others that I have already forgot. Is there somewhere on this site I can go to that explains the pluses(no pun intended) of each. Then there are some switches involved. May or may not be necessary.

I know this all sounds like I should really have a professional do all this but a couple comments on that. 1) I like to know how to do it, what was done and why and be able to repeat it when(not "if" anymore) the next hurricane blows away my setup... or I have other problems and 2) It costs an arm and a leg for anyone to come out this far(40 miles)and more than half don't have a clue what the are doing, especially if it is different.

 

[harshness]

1) I like to know how to do it, what was done and why and be able to repeat it when(not "if" anymore) the next hurricane blows away my setup.

Self-installing is considerably overrated. Aiming the dish is the easy part. The hard part is properly siting the dish(es) and doing all of the cabling. Proper cable termination and sealing are most critical in your area.

 

[mtman6698]

Hi harshness,

Siting is fairly easy where I live and running the cables isn't that hard. My worry was getting the right dishes for my current equipment and, maybe, look at the future a bit. I have satellite reception only where I am at, and I won't live long enough to see any change to that around here, so it is whatever Dishnet is doing or gonna do that effects me. I am trying to avoid the "shoulda, coulda, woulda" part of all this.

Am I making any sense?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

It doesn't really make any difference what you want or reason to be the case. It comes down to what DISH has set up each city for. By choosing the wrong wing, you can ace yourself out of an HD RSN and HD LIL programming (although HD LIL in Panama City is likely years off).

Given that Atlanta comes from 129W, it isn't a safe bet that 61.5W is the bird of choice.

Just so you know Fox Sports Florida is on the 61.5.

EKB: Dish Network Channels at 61.5°

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Where you live you are just outside the window where you MUST use the 61.5. So I really don't think its going to make any difference what setup you use. Here is the map of where you can use the 1000 dish,and the parts of the country where its not recommended.

http://ekb.dbstalk.com/pictures/Dish1000Exclusions.jpg

 

[mtman6698]

I have spent much of today reading about this and with y'alls input(which I greatly appreciate:up) I think I am going to try the 1000.2 dish. If it works, great! if it don't, it has an input connection that I can input another dish to and go with the 61.5.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I have spent much of today reading about this and with y'alls input(which I greatly appreciate:up) I think I am going to try the 1000.2 dish. If it works, great! if it don't, it has an input connection that I can input another dish to and go with the 61.5.

Thats a good idea. If I had that option thats what I would have picked. But I didn't so I have to look at 2 ugly dishes.

 

[mtman6698]

Once I get the dish all set up, I may look at another receiver. I do thank you guys for your help :.

 

[brentp]

mtman6698 - don't know your specifics, . . . but I can tell you that DISH came out and took care of a dish update for me a few years ago. Locals were moved around a bit and dish was REQUIRED to add a new sat dish - on their nickel - so that I could receive all the channels (they were channels I never watched, but went with the 'free' upgrade anyway). All I had to do was ask.

Next week, they will be doing the same as part of my HD upgrade to add 129 - though I really don't think it is going to add anything for me - but likely future proof the HD installation.

I'm with you - I like to know this stuff too, but figure it is cheaper for them to add the equipment, and then I can 'fix' it if needed.

Might save you some trouble if you call and ask if you are getting everything you are entitled to just to be sure. Might save you a few bucks too!

 

[BobaBird]

Is there somewhere ... I can go to that explains the pluses(no pun intended) of each.

The first step is to determine what programming you need. For HD that's usually 110/119/129 but due to your location you get 61.5 instead of 129. If you have HD locals on 118.75 you need the Plus Dish (500+, 1000+) instead.
EKB: Dish Types
EKB: HD Dishes