61.5 vs. 129 on a 622?

pabisc

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Jul 30, 2004
40
0
monroe, ga
Is there any way to get a 622 recv. to use the signal from 61.5 for the mirrored channels on 129. My receiver defaults to the 129 even though channels on 61.5 are stronger. If the 129 goes out in a rain storm it still does not switch to 61.5. Maybe this can be fixed via a software download. Should this be listed in the 622 running bug thread? Thanks.
 
gdarwin said:
Do what I did - disconnect it!
Change the order in which it connects to the switch and it will use the 61.5 first when the same channels exist and the 129 only when ther are not, e.g. your locals if carried there.
 
tnsprin said:
Change the order in which it connects to the switch and it will use the 61.5 first when the same channels exist and the 129 only when ther are not, e.g. your locals if carried there.

Didn't work for me. 622 always picked 129. Last setup was 61.5, 110, 119, 129.
 
61.5 vs 129 Signal Strength in SoCal

Pabisc,

I don't know the answer to your question, but I am also very interested in the answer. I am quite worried about the low signal strength on the HD channels on the 129 satellite and suspect I will have frequent drop outs during rainy weather in the winter.

I just had two DishNetwork HD receivers installed yesterday, a 622 dual tuner DVR and a 211 single tuner receiver. While the local installer in San Diego was to have installed a new Dish1000 antenna (110, 119, and 129 satellites) and keep my old 20 inch Voom antenna (61.5 satellite) in the system, the installer who arrived did not have the necessary switching equipment on his truck for the two antenna installation.

The installer was a rookie (naturally), who had never done a two antenna installation for DishNetwork. When he called the shop, he was told that the only solution for my installation was for me to purchase a $250 DP44 multi-switch "as an additional cost for the installation". That was on top of the fees I had already paid for the 622/211 leases (another $249). I passed on the DP44 for the moment, telling him that I already had another currently active installation with two 811 receivers which used two antennas and a much cheaper DP34 multi-switch. Perhaps the DVR or the three LNBs of the Dish1000 antenna requires different switching technology?

After performing many searches on this site and several other sites concerning the requirement for a DP44 versus the use of a DP34 multi-switch, there is much conflicting information on this subject. Some say a 34 will work, some say that a 44 is required. What is the real answer on this? Can anyone provide some working urls that show the required wiring connections?

I should note that running additional cables between the two antennas or from the antennas to the receiver locations is not a problem for my installation. I am just trying to obtain the best quality, fadeout-free picture possible for the VOOM channels that are on both the 129 and 61.5 satellites.

Since the local installer had failed to bring out the required equipment for my planned two antenna, I did have him first hookup a single dish setup, using the existing 20 inch VOOM dish that was pointed at the 61.5 satellite. With a VIP211 receiver, most transponders on this satellite had a signal quality of 97-99 in the San Diego area. The rookie was amazed at these readings... When he hooked up the single Dish1000 antenna and we looked at the signal strength for the mirrored HD channels on the 129 satellite, the signal strengths ranged between 62-65, quite a reduction in signal power.

The 61.5 picture quality looked a little better to me but it was not a side by side comparison between the satellites, so I let him finish the installation just using the single Dish1000 antenna to both of my receivers. I doubt my wife would notice any difference in the picture quality, even though she was a VOOM high definition fanatic.

Currently, my 61.5 dish is not part of the finished installation. The installer said that I had 30 days to look for signal quality and drop out problems with the Dish1000 installation. Of course, it almost never rains in San Diego during the summer, so the drop outs will likely be occurring long after the installation "satisfaction guaranteed" period.

I would appreciate any information about picture quality and signal strength from other west coast customers, particularly their experience during stormy weather with the 129 high definition channels. I would also really appreciate a definitive answer on whether a DP34 multi-switch could be used as part of my installation with a three LNB Dish1000 antenna on the three western satellites and a two LNB VOOM 20 inch dish on the easternmost satellite. Of course, the value in adding the separate 61.5 dish is nil, if the two receivers would always default to the weaker signals from the 129 satellite.

Thanks. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted all of my installation details available for the experts.
 
Just a thought (and probably not a very good one since I really don't know squat about this stuff) but does the zip code you input during installation affect the way the receiver looks for satellites.

You'd think the unit would be smart enough to select the stronger signal but apparently it's not, so therefore it must be defaulting to a particular sat for a reason. Maybe if defaults to West coast birds unless it's told to do other wise by zip code.
 
Found the solution. It only worked with the 61.5 on port 3 and 129 on port 4. Did check switch an voila! , everything on 61.5 and 129 were on 61.5 except for my hd locals still on 129. Great fix.
 
BigTVSteve - You have lots of questions, and you may want to start a separate thread! If you really want to have all four orbits covered, you're going to need the DPP44. (I've heard that many people have been able to get the cost of it covered in the basic install, but YMMV.) You may also want to convince yourself why you even need 129. Do you plan to subscribe to your local HDs, and are they on 129? If not, then just use a DPP Twin on a Dish 500 (110+119) and connect the 61.5 dish. Bingo.

Maybe more important: you want to have DPP switching of your dishes so that you only have to run a single cable to the 622.
 
who is big tv steve? Who is the last comment for? If it is for me I have a dp44, yes it is included in install and I need 129 for hd locals, is that good enough.
 
3 Satellites/3 LNBs/2 Receivers possible on a DP34 Switch?

Noremac,

Thanks for your reply to my questions. I was trying to keep the information in this thread, since I think my questions are on subject and it is useful not to have to chase through multiple threads for related issues concerning the signal strength of the 129 satellite.

My local HD channels for San Diego are all on the 110 satellite and are quite strong (77 plus for each transponder), so I really don't need the 129 satellite at all. It looks like I could receive all of my subscription channels from a total of three satellites (61.5, 110, and 119).

Since the 61.5 satellite is so much stronger at my location (high 90s vs low 60s for the 129 satellite), I think I would be better served by a three satellite system, dropping the 129 satellite and just looking at the 61.5, 110, and 119 satellites via two separate antennas and three separate LNBs.

Can this be accomplished with my existing two antennas (Dish 1000 and old VOOM dish), using the much cheaper and less complicated DP34 switch with my two receivers (VIP211 and 622 DVR) and two tv sets? Although I have a new Dish1000 antenna which also sees the low strength 129 satellite, I really don't need to see this satellite (for a total of 4 satellites) and I don't have any problems with multiple downleads to the receiver locations.

If so, I think I need to call the local installer and tell them that my 61.5 dish for the VOOM and other HD channels on this satellite needs to put on line, as I originally requested when I signed up two weeks ago. I suspect the 129 satellite's low signal strength (from 59-64 depending on transponder number) is going to give me problems when it rains next fall/winter. Do any west coasters have information on whether or not these signal levels were a problem for them last winter and spring?

Thanks for any comments/insights.
 
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