SuperDish delayed

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have just heard from a good source (but not confirmed) that the SuperDish has been delayed now until December 1st.

This is not good news.

I REALLY wish I knew if I was getting a type 1 or type 2 SuperDish so I could go put a pole in the ground before the ground freezes!!! Arggg!!

 

[rad]

You know, based on past experience with Dish meeting their own release dates, really doesn't surprise me at all. What really concerns me is if they can't get a dish and some LNB's to work what does that say about getting a 322, 522, 811 or 921 to work?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Don't forget Channel Master is going through bankruptcy at the moment and I believe they are the supplier of the type II SuperDish.

That could be a factor.

 

[Guest]

I REALLY wish I knew if I was getting a type 1 or type 2 SuperDish so I could go put a pole in the ground before the ground freezes!!! Arggg!!

Scott,
You should be able to dig the hole now, and put which ever pipe you need in the ground later. Alternately, you could go with an oversize pipe, and clamp the appropriate SuperDish mast to it.

Just a couple of suggestions.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

But wouldnt the concrete not set correctly because of the cold? And I really don't want a big open hole in front of my house for one of the kids to fall in (Its getting dark here early now)

 

[fv3]

All we need to find is a source for bandstacked Ku FSS LNBs and a source for an appropriate switch and we can roll our own....

 

[Guest]

But wouldnt the concrete not set correctly because of the cold?

Google string: Cold Weather Concreting

And I really don't want a big open hole in front of my house for one of the kids to fall in (Its getting dark here early now)

Understandable.

 

[Guest]

Scott if you check Channel Masters bankruptcy filing I think you will find one of the reasons listed was the loss of Echostar as a customer. Charlie apparently found a cheaper source in the Orient.

 

[Ken_F]

From Sonya Cartwright's office about an hour ago:

The latest information we have is that Superdish and the Model 811 should be available in early November to those customers.

I did not inquire with Dave.

 

[BCH]

I was initially very hesitant to participate in the 6000 receiver and 8VSB offer. Especially when you consider that superdish and new receivers had release dates that were just around the corner. I am now beginning to believe that those of us who participated in the 6000 promotion got a much better deal than we could have imagined. Is it possible that someone at Echostar was aware that there may be additional delays and saw the 6000 promotion as a way to rid them selves of excess inventory and retain customers who were desperate for HD even if it meant returning to, close your eyes this is a nasty word, CABLE?

I try not to be a pessimistic person but the equipment delays we are experiencing is quite remarkable. I could understand it if only one item was experiencing delays. With thirty years of government employment under my belt I thought I worked for the all time master of delay and false promises. I guess I was wrong.

 

[Jerry G]

I have just heard from a good source (but not confirmed) that the SuperDish has been delayed now until December 1st.

So this means that there will be no new HD channels on 105 on 12/1 as there would be no one capable of viewing them.

 

[fv3]

I wonder.....

http://www.satelliteguys.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7971#7971
indicates problems with Canadian satellite interference might be preventing Wisconsin market locals rollout.

[If true, the Canadian satellite in question should be Anik F1 (http://www.lyngsat.com/anikf1.shtml ) at 107.3, home of Star Choice, one of the 2 Canadian DBS services.]

If this is true (and other than this comment I have seen no more news about it) then I would think this indicates a huge problem with Dish's plan to make much use out of 105 in general.

If that is the case, then the great plans for the SuperDish 105 may just not be feasible at all.

That's enough speculation. Where are the hard facts?

 

[JohnH]

Nah, let's speculate some more and consider 121 with Galaxy 10R on one side Anik F1 moving to the other side to replace Anik E2, all 3 with different Transponder maps.

 

[Mike500]

Scott if you check Channel Masters bankruptcy filing I think you will find one of the reasons listed was the loss of Echostar as a customer. Charlie apparently found a cheaper source in the Orient.

Echostar had to pay to retrieve a large bad batch of Channel Master DishPro twin lnb's labeled Lot #CCS9601, because they did weird things or died in the summer heat.

 

[fv3]

What is the beam width of the SuperDish antenna for the 105° LNB? Is it possible Anik F1 at 107.3° is interfering with the reception of AMC-2 at 105° on the Ku FSS frequencies when using a SuperDish?

JohnH, I can't tell whether your comment/question is serious or tongue-in-cheek...

 

[AkShark]

I heard from a local installer they found out the superdish would not work for California and they would have to use a 1 meter dish to receive 105.

Perhaps they have to scrap the whole thing??

I got a email from dish tech, they said they were working on a solution for HD for us on the far left coasts. (Alaska, Hawaii)

I think they will use 121 or 157.

 

[bradleys]

If California needs a one meter dish, we're really in trouble up here in Seattle.

I have a Dish 500 and a 148 dish mounted on my boat. The boat can move around quite a bit and I still get my signals.

I seem to recall that larger dishes get better gain at the expense of a narrower reception width. That is, they need to be aimed more precisely. That may cause a serious problem for those of us who can't anchor our dishes in bedrock.

I think I'll look at some of the solutions in other posts to mount the 105 LNB on a separate dish, to avoid trying to aim three satellites at the same time. My boat is a tugboat, so I really don't care about weight, windage, or (within reason) appearance.

 

[DDRio]

Why they don't use 121W instead of 105W?

With 32 Ku transponders at 121W and a new satellite I don't see why they want to use that crappy thing at 105 W. I swear to God that the managers have a peanut for brains!!

 

[Ken_F]

I heard from a local installer they found out the superdish would not work for California and they would have to use a 1 meter dish to receive 105.

This is rubbish. The AMC-2 signal will be strongest for those in the eastern states, and Superdish installation northwest of Sacramento will definitely be more difficult, but I'm told it still shouldn't be a problem. The signal will be strong in LA and San Diego.

It sounds to me like the installer isn't happy with having to deal with the new dish. There have been a number of dealers bashing the new Superdish and equipment for a variety of reasons--its relatively high cost and low margins, larger size, increased complexity and time to install, etc.

We've heard of interference on some transponders in/around parts of Wisconsion -- due to inteference with Anik F1, but I'm told there are no problems in vast majority of northern test sites. And they do believe they can work around most of the issues for customers in those few areas that do have probs.

Why they don't use 121W instead of 105W?

With 32 Ku transponders at 121W and a new satellite I don't see why they want to use that crappy thing at 105 W. I swear to God that the managers have a peanut for brains!!

They'll ultimately be less interference at 105 with Galaxy 10R and Anik F1 at adjacent slots to 121, which will allow them to use lower FEC rates with AMC-15. Plus, they'll have Ka spots at 105 to use for internet service, or possibly some local/regional HDTV channels, once AMC-15 launches next year. It wouldn't make sense for them to have HDTV and some local markets at 121 when they will have Internet service and/or some local HDTV at 105 in 4Q 2004 or 1Q 2005.

 

[JohnH]

What is the beam width of the SuperDish antenna for the 105° LNB? Is it possible Anik F1 at 107.3° is interfering with the reception of AMC-2 at 105° on the Ku FSS frequencies when using a SuperDish?

JohnH, I can't tell whether your comment/question is serious or tongue-in-cheek...

There have been comments about a problem with interference from a Canadian satellite causing problems with reception of some Wisconsin stations on AMC 2. The immediately adjacent Canadian satellite is Anik F1.

The speculation part may be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the situation at 121 seems serious to me as well as the situation at 105.