A few questions after a few weeks of Dish

[billybgame]

First off, can anyone clue me in on channels 5470 through 5490, or so. Doing this off memory, as I'm not able to check my HD/DVR right now. Last night, I was searching for a flick, and saw Ran on a channel called World, on, I believe 5478. Cool! Well, the channel worked, but it sure wasn't Ran. I checked other channels around that, and others also didn't match what was supposed to be on. I guess it's good that we're getting these channels....though I have no clue what they are, or what's on them, currently. Dish's online programming guide didn't even list the channels, last night.

Also, why are channels repeated up in the 5000's? Locals, FX, etc, etc.

Lastly, I just don't get the local channels and no HD. All my locals are in HD, on Comcast and Charter. DirectTV has the locals in HD, I'm told. Yet, being the 29th ranked area, Dish doesn't have them in HD? What is the hold up? Are they planning to add a lot more? Soon? Very soon? This is most annoying, coming from Comcast, and now watching a much inferior picture, for sports.

 

[Hall]

I don't have any channels listed in the 5470 through 5490 range. Did you mean 9470 through 9490 ? If so, 9470 through 9486 (not 9490) are the VOOM HD Network channels. The WORLD channel you mentioned is a VOOM channel. If the programming is missing from the guide or incorrect, is your guide being updated at 3am each night ? It should be (by default). If not, force an update. On your remote, press these keys:

MENU, 6, 1, 1, Check Switch, Test, Done, Done, 0 (repeat until it gets the "Acquiring satellite signal" screen)

Again, I don't have any channels in the 5000-range. Locals are repeated in the 7000 and 8000 though. This is for older receivers that are unable to "map down" to the channel's regular channel assignment.

Dish doesn't carry the HD locals for a lot of cities. The fact that Comcast, Charter, and DirecTV do means nothing. The DMA ranking helps, but doesn't guarantee anything either.

 

[ripnbigc]

Depending on your location you should be able to get your locals over the air in HD. For some reason, the guide for the Voom channels of which World is a member, is often out of sync with what is actually being shown.

 

[osu1991]

As documented in another thread, there is something going on with the VOOM channels right now as the guide and programming has been wrong for 3 or 4 days now.

 

[ripnbigc]

This has happened many times in the past.

 

[osu1991]

I normally don't watch voom, but have started watching the CFL games on Worldsport or I probably would not have noticed.

 

[billybgame]

Ok...thanks for the help on the Voom stuff. Yeah, I meant in the 9400s.

So, that's not a preview, and it's some newer HD? I sure think it's updating automatically. My wife, who runs TV 2, claims it is. With the other reports of the Voom channels being off, I guess that must be it.

So, is there any way to get an accurate listing of what's on? Why the heck doesn't Dish's online programming guides even list these channels?

These channels sure seem pretty good. Hell, better than HBO, last night, and when my 3 months are up, that's a goner, anyhow. Ran is an awesome flick, for the unitiated. The Kung Fu channel had some interesting ongoing show about a blind samurai. Woody Allen movies on a couple of others, too. At least they were listed. The Monster one... We had the Encore channels with Comcast, and I'm told DirectTV has those, too. So, these would make up for not having those, a bit. But, if you can't figure out what's on, and when, it's kind of useless.

As far as HD locals go, being that we pay extra for locals, and all our locals are in HD, I sure think we shouldn't have to be hassled, and be shelling out extra money, and labor, for some antennae. In this day and age, and all. What's the problem with Dish? What's the holdup, and why some areas, and not ohers?

 

[Jordan420]

Where are you located?


Also, when you signed up for Dish did you know your locals were not offered in HD?

 

[billybgame]

Where are you located?


Also, when you signed up for Dish did you know your locals were not offered in HD?

Grand Rapids area of Michigan. And, yeah, I did. But, I hoped the locals would have a better picture. And, I still held out hope they'd add our area to HD, soon. Wondering when and, if.

 

[ripnbigc]

Check AntennaWeb for OTA channels available in your area. It will help you pick an antenna. If your're close enough to the stations an indoor antenna will work. If you can pick them up, you will love the picture.

 

[GNASH]

Grand Rapids area of Michigan. And, yeah, I did. But, I hoped the locals would have a better picture. And, I still held out hope they'd add our area to HD, soon. Wondering when and, if.

We live just south of Grand Rapids. Don't know if (or when) they will add HD, but am also hoping to get it soon). As for someone else's suggestion, OTA works for us on everything except WWMT (CBS affiliate) as they have very low wattage for their digital output.

Geoff

 

[Hall]

Use the OTA as much as you can. Your CBS will increase their power eventually.

 

[billybgame]

We live just south of Grand Rapids. Don't know if (or when) they will add HD, but am also hoping to get it soon). As for someone else's suggestion, OTA works for us on everything except WWMT (CBS affiliate) as they have very low wattage for their digital output.

Geoff

Ah...a neighbor. I'm in Ada.....have eyed moving south...or maybe north. Wherefore art thou?

Anyhow...CBS....that stinks. Being they carry NFL and the NCAA tourney. They were the last holdout to sign with Comcast, as well.

 

[Andrewwski]

"Wherefore art thou?" means "Why are you?". Contrary to what most people think, Juliet was not actually asking Romeo where he was.

Anyway...sorry for not being on-topic.

 

[GNASH]

Ah...a neighbor. I'm in Ada.....have eyed moving south...or maybe north. Wherefore art thou?

Anyhow...CBS....that stinks. Being they carry NFL and the NCAA tourney. They were the last holdout to sign with Comcast, as well.

Martin. We live only about 10 miles from any of the towers. Our signal strength for WWMT is between 65 and 70 most of the time. We are hoping wWMT will increase their signal strength soon (the analog signal output is 100 watts, but the digital is only 6). As someone else mentioned, eventually they will increase the output.

Geoff

 

[billybgame]

Martin. We live only about 10 miles from any of the towers. Our signal strength for WWMT is between 65 and 70 most of the time. We are hoping wWMT will increase their signal strength soon (the analog signal output is 100 watts, but the digital is only 6). As someone else mentioned, eventually they will increase the output.

Geoff

Hmm....interesting. And, I assume you then save the local channel fees, as well? But, do you get one antennae, or need one for each TV? I saw someone mention one for each. That might not be good, with 7, and soon to be 8, TVs.

Andrewwski.........gee...the things I never knew. You are right there. Being that's the first time I've heard it doesn't mean "where are you". But, then, with the dummying up of America, half the people wouldn't even know what I was writing or saying. And, the vast majority of the young.

 

[GNASH]

Hmm....interesting. And, I assume you then save the local channel fees, as well? But, do you get one antennae, or need one for each TV? I saw someone mention one for each. That might not be good, with 7, and soon to be 8, TVs.

Andrewwski.........gee...the things I never knew. You are right there. Being that's the first time I've heard it doesn't mean "where are you". But, then, with the dummying up of America, half the people wouldn't even know what I was writing or saying. And, the vast majority of the young.

We only have 1 tv that has a digital tuner in it (the HD tv), so we have the antennas (we have three indoor antennas connected together so that we get a steady signal) connected together using splitters (reversed to become combiners. We then have it split so that we can have it feed directly to the tv and to the 722. We played with different combinations until we found something that gives a semi-reliable signal. While it is not perfect, it does the job when we have 3 shows we want to watch.

As for the local fee, we have had the locals for a long time. We never flinched at paying for locals, as we like having them. Plus, there are 2 benefits for having the locals. First, we get the guide data on the 722 (we wouldn't get the guide data - it would only say digital service if we didn't pay for it). Second, we can record 3 things at one time on network channels with the 722 (2 on the satellite and one from the antenna).

Geoff

 

[EricBskiVT]

We only have 1 tv that has a digital tuner in it (the HD tv), so we have the antennas (we have three indoor antennas connected together so that we get a steady signal) connected together using splitters (reversed to become combiners. We then have it split so that we can have it feed directly to the tv and to the 722. We played with different combinations until we found something that gives a semi-reliable signal. While it is not perfect, it does the job when we have 3 shows we want to watch.

As for the local fee, we have had the locals for a long time. We never flinched at paying for locals, as we like having them. Plus, there are 2 benefits for having the locals. First, we get the guide data on the 722 (we wouldn't get the guide data - it would only say digital service if we didn't pay for it). Second, we can record 3 things at one time on network channels with the 722 (2 on the satellite and one from the antenna).

Geoff

If you don't already have it, get Dish DVR Advantage. It comes with the locals included and was only $1.03/month versus about $6 for just the locals.

 

[KKlare]

After you combine you antennas (stable separation and equal cable lengths, I hope, to prevent interference) feed the signal to a distribution amp. I'm using a Rat Shack 10 dB with 4 outputs. Note that is a lot more signal than a 10dB amp and a 4-way splitter. I still need more spigots, but even split it will work well into RG-6 cable--avoid long runs of RG-59.

Actually I feed the antenna signal to a combiner with the 722's 2 UHF signals and, if I get a replacment, a 921. Then it is amped and sent to multiple DVRs, DVD+R, and TVs. In theory, the amped signal could feed back out the antenna but there are only 2 houses across a canyon close to the 49-mile line of sight of the stations.
-Ken