129 vs. 61.5

[mr_snerdly]

I currently have a Dish 500 and a wing pointed at 61.5. I will be upgrading to a ViP 622 this Saturday, and the installer wants to reposition the wing to see 129. He said that because we live in Utah, the 129 has a strogner signal strength and the SLC locals in HD are on 129. I have had no problems with the 61.5 to date, but I understand in my neck of the woods, the 129 signal would be stronger

Will I lose any programming by switching from 61.5 to 129 other than the HD Promo channel? I subscribe to the AT 180 and will want all of the HD channels except for the pay-movie-channels. I was under the impression that it didn't matter if you had a 129 or 61.5, you will still receive all of the desired programming. Is this the case? Is repostioning the wing to 129 an unnecessary hassle?

Any thoughts Scott, and everyone else?

 

[Mr Tony]

All the HD that is on 61.5 is on 129 (the exception is distand CBS HD)

The only thing that is on 61.5 and not on 129 is a couple PI channels

 

[teachsac]

I currently have a Dish 500 and a wing pointed at 61.5. I will be upgrading to a ViP 622 this Saturday, and the installer wants to reposition the wing to see 129. He said that because we live in Utah, the 129 has a strogner signal strength and the SLC locals in HD are on 129.

You should get an adequate signal repositioning your 61.5 to 129. Just count yourself lucky that he doesn't want to do a 1000 install. I live in CA and my 61.5 sat has a stronger signal than 129. 129 is a low powered sat. SLC HD locals are on 129. If you want them, then you will have to reposition your dish. If you don't want them, then you can leave your dish at 61.5. HD programming is mirroed between the 2 sats.


Scott

 

[mr_snerdly]

SLC HD locals are on 129. If you want them, then you will have to reposition your dish. QUOTE]

Thanks for the info. I assumed all promgramming, including HD locals are mirrored between 129 and 61.5. I will switch to 129 as I want the locals in HD. Thanks guys.

Ps, how is it that your signal strength at 129 is worse than 61.5? I thought the 129 was made for the West coast?

 

[teachsac]

Top signal strength on 129 is in the 70's. People in the midwest have reported some 80's. It is a low powered sat and has had some issues (it's old). Hopefully in 2008 there will be another sat added to 129.

People have had better luck with a dedicated dish for 129. If I didn't want CBS HD I would swing my 61.5 to 129 and disable my 129 LNB on my 1000. Oh well, Maybe when Sac gets added within the next month or 2.

Scott

 

[FantasyChannel]

The highest I've seen 129 on the west coast was 90 on t12 using a 500 dish. After watching the signal bar for a very long time there is a 30-point drop that happens, and creeps back up. Where the channels are, t11-23-30 and whatever else it usually in the 60s and 70s. those drop off constantly.

Since you are in SLC and have OTA coverage practically second to none because of the mountains I would stick an off-air antenna up and say screw 129. I would also leave 61.5 alone as you will regret getting 129.

 

[RandallA]

"I thought the 129 was made for the West coast?"

No, it wasn't. It was designed for 119 and it's old and tired and beat up and falling apart....You get my drift. Dish Network really needs to do something about this problem soon. I'm in the SF Bay Area, most TPs are in the mid 70s and some in the 80s with a D500 and I bracket. When it rains hard you can see it go down to the mid 40s.

 

[dishcomm]

I currently have a Dish 500 and a wing pointed at 61.5. I will be upgrading to a ViP 622 this Saturday, and the installer wants to reposition the wing to see 129. He said that because we live in Utah, the 129 has a strogner signal strength and the SLC locals in HD are on 129. I have had no problems with the 61.5 to date, but I understand in my neck of the woods, the 129 signal would be stronger

Will I lose any programming by switching from 61.5 to 129 other than the HD Promo channel? I subscribe to the AT 180 and will want all of the HD channels except for the pay-movie-channels. I was under the impression that it didn't matter if you had a 129 or 61.5, you will still receive all of the desired programming. Is this the case? Is repostioning the wing to 129 an unnecessary hassle?

Any thoughts Scott, and everyone else?

tell the tech to leave the dish array alone..129hd services are mirrored on 61.5..If the 61.5 is giving good to excellent(80's and higher) sig strength, why fix what is not broken..The only reason I would reposition the wing dish is anticipation of signal loss due to tree growth.....But if there's no issue there, just leave it as is..
IMO the 129 is a pain in the rear trying to get good sigs..I am real disappointed with the sig strength on the 129..Especially with all the tweaking required when lining up a D-1000.....

 

[mr_snerdly]

The highest I've seen 129 on the west coast was 90 on t12 using a 500 dish. After watching the signal bar for a very long time there is a 30-point drop that happens, and creeps back up. Where the channels are, t11-23-30 and whatever else it usually in the 60s and 70s. those drop off constantly.

Since you are in SLC and have OTA coverage practically second to none because of the mountains I would stick an off-air antenna up and say screw 129. I would also leave 61.5 alone as you will regret getting 129.

I had actually planned to do this. The HD locals are great on the OTA antenna. However, I can't pick up Fox. Therefore, I was excited to get Fox through the Dish. It looks as though if I want Fox in HD, I will have to switch to 129.

 

[abricko]

the 61.5 signal is a dream here in LA, BUT our HD LIL's are on 129 so either you lose your HD LIL and get super strength (and it's sooooo easy to aim) or you swing over to 129 and wait for bad weather (or random circumstance) to kill the signal, hopefully E10 being put into use will help this ailing bird dish should either remove all LILs off it or fix the bird (by replaceing it with another and put it into backup mode.... ) DISH we need help!