118.7°W Question(s) [Greek Internationals?]

[Demetrax1]

Hi all,

Well, I did it. I bought a VIP211K from Amazon.com about 2 weeks ago and it's been working fabulously. When I initiate my service, I plan to use my DISH 500 and 300 as my primary and secondary receive antennas, respectively. My needs are as follows:

• SiriusXM music channel assortment
• Greek international channels

Now, I talked to a customer service representative at DISH a few weeks ago, and he told me that I can, in fact, set up a pay-as-you-go service plan. I told him about my reluctance to signing a two-year agreement and leasing kangaroo equipment, and he said that any channel package that DISH offers are eligible for pay-as-you-go. That was a relief to hear. He told me about the "Smart Pack" which I Googled and it came up as "Flex Pack." Ideally, that would be the pack I would go with, plus the SiriusXM add-on and Greek Elite. That's all I really need.

My HD locals can be received over-the-air (we have a ChannelMaster OTA antenna with motor on rooftop.) I understand you hook it up to the box, run an aerial scan, and they get integrated into the guide. As far as the Greek channels are concerned, I was informed a while back that they now reside on the 118.7 bird (Anik F3?) and need a special dish. Back in the day, they used to be on 61.5°W. and you needed a separate DISH 300 to see that satellite. (The good old days.)

Now, can I use my DISH 500 (110, 119) with a separate DISH 300 to look at 118.7? I have a spare single DishPro LNBF to use on my existing DISH 300, as well as a DP34 switch to conjoin my signals. I read online somewhere that the 118.7 bird uses a different signal technology that requires a DISH 1000(.?) with a new kind of LNBF. What's the deal with that? Do I have to go spend money on a whole new dish and LNBF? What's wrong with the DishPro ones I have? I got these dishes and LNBFs for a song. A whole new dish would be expensive.

Also, I have a clear view of both the eastern and western arcs. Is there any advantage over either from my location (24018?)

Thanks in advance.

-Demetri

 

[cmcgrail]

Hi Demetri,

I recently purchased a replacement LNB from Dish Depot and recall seeing one that mentioned 110, 119 and 118.7. Here is a link to it, others can confirm if that is all you need for a single dish solution. https://store.dishdepot.com/dish-dpp-500-lnbf-with-bracket

 

[Jim5506]

118.7 requites a special lnb, referred to as the plus lnb (the BIG eye below).

It comes with the Dish 500+ and the dish 1000+.

 

[Demetrax1]

Hi Demetri,

I recently purchased a replacement LNB from Dish Depot and recall seeing one that mentioned 110, 119 and 118.7. Here is a link to it, others can confirm if that is all you need for a single dish solution. https://store.dishdepot.com/dish-dpp-500-lnbf-with-bracket

Thanks, cmcgrail. I appreciate the link!

118.7 requites a special lnb, referred to as the plus lnb (the BIG eye below).

It comes with the Dish 500+ and the dish 1000+.

View attachment 133645

Jim5506, thank you for the clarification. So will a standard 500 reflector suffice to pick up just 110°, 118.7°, and 119°W? If so, all I need is the plus LNBF? Then, if I wanted to pick up 129° in the future, could I use a DISH 300 with DP LNBF to catch that bird? Would this be interfaced with a DP34 or does the plus LNBF have its own internal switch? And would this all be compatible with my VIP211K?

 

[HipKat]

Thanks, cmcgrail. I appreciate the link!



Jim5506, thank you for the clarification. So will a standard 500 reflector suffice to pick up just 110°, 118.7°, and 119°W? If so, all I need is the plus LNBF? Then, if I wanted to pick up 129° in the future, could I use a DISH 300 with DP LNBF to catch that bird? Would this be interfaced with a DP34 or does the plus LNBF have its own internal switch? And would this all be compatible with my VIP211K?

You need a 1000+ Dish with a DPP500+LNBF. That's the only thing that will work for American and International channels. Add in a DP Dual or Single if you want the 129 for HD

 

[JSheridan]

Thanks, cmcgrail. I appreciate the link!



Jim5506, thank you for the clarification. So will a standard 500 reflector suffice to pick up just 110°, 118.7°, and 119°W? If so, all I need is the plus LNBF? Then, if I wanted to pick up 129° in the future, could I use a DISH 300 with DP LNBF to catch that bird? Would this be interfaced with a DP34 or does the plus LNBF have its own internal switch? And would this all be compatible with my VIP211K?

A Dish 500 will not work for 118. You will need a Dish 500+ or a Dish 1000+ and the appropriate LNB's.

 

[JSheridan]

You need a 1000+ Dish with a DPP500+LNBF. That's the only thing that will work for American and International channels. Add in a DP Dual or Single if you want the 129 for HD

We posted at the same time and you even included a picture.

That's the new style LNB assembly that has the built in switch. I like them so much better than the old ones that also needed a switch.

 

[HipKat]

We posted at the same time and you even included a picture.

That's the new style LNB assembly that has the built in switch. I like them so much better than the old ones that also needed a switch.

Yeah, the switch mostly, but also the 2nd side car for the 110 and having to check each LNB separately? Ugh

 

[JSheridan]

Yeah, the switch mostly, but also the 2nd side car for the 110 and having to check each LNB separately? Ugh

They were a royal PITA. I still see that arrangement every once in a while but thankfully they're getting more and more rare.

 

[pattykay]

Jim5506, thank you for the clarification. So will a standard 500 reflector suffice to pick up just 110°, 118.7°, and 119°W? If so, all I need is the plus LNBF? Then, if I wanted to pick up 129° in the future, could I use a DISH 300 with DP LNBF to catch that bird? Would this be interfaced with a DP34 or does the plus LNBF have its own internal switch? And would this all be compatible with my VIP211K?

The 500+ and the 1000+ both use the same reflector, which is larger than a normal Dish. This is because a larger reflector is needed for 118.7 signals. The difference between the 500+ and the 1000+ is that the 1000+ has the additional LNB for 129. There are two different kind of "plus" LNBs. The newer style (with the switch built in) has an input to add 129, so no external switch is needed. The older style would need the DP34 (for 110, 118.7, 119) or a DPP44 for 110, 118.7, 119, 129. Any of those configurations would work with the ViP211k.

(I realize that others posted while I was typing this. Since I went into so much detail, I decided to post this anyway.)

 

[pattykay]

They were a royal PITA. I still see that arrangement every once in a while but thankfully they're getting more and more rare.

I still have my original-style Dish 1000+. The phrase "cold dead hands" comes to mind.

 

[Demetrax1]

Thanks everyone. So if I understand correctly,

I can't use this reflector? It was designed to pick up 110 and 119, why can't it pick up 118.7 too? It's between 110 and 119?

Using this LNBF, of course.

 

[JSheridan]

Thanks everyone. So if I understand correctly,

View attachment 133648

I can't use this reflector? It was designed to pick up 110 and 119, why can't it pick up 118.7 too? It's between 110 and 119?

Using this LNBF, of course.

View attachment 133649

Once again, a Dish500 won't work. Dish uses the Ku payload of a Canadian satellite at 118 called Anik F3. It's an FSS satellite and the rest of the fleet at 110, 119 and 129 are DBS satellites. The frequencies used for an FSS satellite are different and 118 needs a larger size dish. That's how they manage to have 118 and 119 so close together. Normally DBS satellites are at least 9 degrees apart.

 

[Demetrax1]

Once again, a Dish500 won't work. Dish uses the Ku payload of a Canadian satellite at 118 called Anik F3. It's an FSS satellite and the rest of the fleet at 110, 119 and 129 are DBS satellites. The frequencies used for an FSS satellite are different and 118 needs a larger size dish. That's how they manage to have 118 and 119 so close together. Normally DBS satellites are at least 9 degrees apart.

I understand. That makes sense. Would this work then?

DISH Network Dish1000.4 Reflector Feed Arm and LNBF Bracket (ES157088) from Solid Signal

 

[JSheridan]

I understand. That makes sense. Would this work then?

DISH Network Dish1000.4 Reflector Feed Arm and LNBF Bracket (ES157088) from Solid Signal

Nope. You need a Dish 500+ or a Dish 1000+.

I don't know if Solid Signal carries a 500+ but here's the link to their 1000+:

DISH Network Dish1000 Plus Local High-Definition Compatible Dish Antenna (DISH1000PLUS) from Solid Signal

 

[Demetrax1]

Nope. You need a Dish 500+ or a Dish 1000+.

I don't know if Solid Signal carries a 500+ but here's the link to their 1000+:

DISH Network Dish1000 Plus Local High-Definition Compatible Dish Antenna (DISH1000PLUS) from Solid Signal

So the 1000.4 reflector is smaller than the 1000+? The 1000.4 is too small for 118.7?

 

[JSheridan]

So the 1000.4 reflector is smaller than the 1000+? The 1000.4 is too small for 118.7?

Dishes are designed for specific orbital locations and specific LNB's.

I can't say it anymore. You know what you need. Good luck.

 

[Demetrax1]

Dishes are designed for specific orbital locations and specific LNB's.

I can't say it anymore. You know what you need. Good luck.

Thanks.

 

[HipKat]

Thanks everyone. So if I understand correctly,

View attachment 133648

I can't use this reflector? It was designed to pick up 110 and 119, why can't it pick up 118.7 too? It's between 110 and 119?

Using this LNBF, of course.

View attachment 133649

As Sheridan said, also the feed arm has to be long enough to catch the reflection from all the sats, hence the bigger reflector. Not to mention, there's no way to attach the International LNBF to that dish and no offense, but I always have shake my head when an installer tells someone something on here, and they question it over and over

 

[Demetrax1]

Being that I am not an installer, but rather a hobbyist, this is all a learning experience. I'm trying to learn here. It's hard to differentiate reflectors online, as some of them have a similar shape. I couldn't tell just from a picture that a DISH Turbo reflector is different size than a DISH 1000+ reflector. Once again, these new LNBFs and reflectors are new to me. We haven't had DISH for years, and I've been out of the loop. The last time we had DISH was with a DP500, so forgive me for not being able to immediately grasp new satellite technology. Up until recently, I was still under the impression that internationals were on a different satellite (61.5, in the 600s) that required a separate dish. The fact that 118.7 uses a different broadcast technology (FSS vs. DBS) that requires a special LNBF is an entirely new concept to me. I was also trying to save money and see what my options were, rather than go out and buy a whole new $200.00 dish kit. That's why I was asking about other reflectors that looked similar enough to use. To the everyday man, a dish is a dish. I appreciate everyone's help, though!