Buying Second Receiver, Need Advise

bcsman

SatelliteGuys Guru
Original poster
Jun 27, 2009
124
80
Michigan
I own all my Dish equipment and have purchased a second VIP-211K. I want to use it, unless my other 211K goes wonky, to use outdoors retuning my west arc antenna. It's been 5 years or more since installing and would like to see if I can get a better signal. I don't want to activate the second receiver just use outdoors to tweak things, maybe even see what the east arc looks like for me. When I turn it on outdoors am I going to be required to activate before I open the menus? Or can I go thru all the signal strength menus without having to? I don't plan on trying to watch any channels just get my best signal.....thanks
 
I own all my Dish equipment and have purchased a second VIP-211K. I want to use it, unless my other 211K goes wonky, to use outdoors retuning my west arc antenna. It's been 5 years or more since installing and would like to see if I can get a better signal. I don't want to activate the second receiver just use outdoors to tweak things, maybe even see what the east arc looks like for me. When I turn it on outdoors am I going to be required to activate before I open the menus? Or can I go thru all the signal strength menus without having to? I don't plan on trying to watch any channels just get my best signal.....thanks
Hit *#* and it will break out of the wizard, then hit 6, 1, 1 to get to the check switch screen
 
With this spare receiver I can do a number of things. Hopefully I can tweak my antenna to increase my signal as I'm getting more signal loss screens anymore. If not I have a Dish 500+ antenna I need to get the DPP 500+ LNB to check, maybe the larger dish will increase my signal. And last resort I can check the east arc sats to see what signal I get there. Have my work set out now when I get the other VIP.....
 
With this spare receiver I can do a number of things. Hopefully I can tweak my antenna to increase my signal as I'm getting more signal loss screens anymore. If not I have a Dish 500+ antenna I need to get the DPP 500+ LNB to check, maybe the larger dish will increase my signal. And last resort I can check the east arc sats to see what signal I get there. Have my work set out now when I get the other VIP.....
Keep in mind that the signal strength numbers on Eastern Arc will tend to be lower than the signal strength readings on Western Arc. This does not mean that the Eastern Arc is any less reliable. That is simply the way the signal strength scale works, taking into account the difference between MPEG 2 (used on Western Arc for SD channels) and MPEG 4 (used for all channels on Eastern Arc). The exact number reading (when comparing the two Arcs) is not what is important. What is important is that you have a green signal strength bar that is stable, with no sudden dropouts due to obstructions such as leaves, etc.
 
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With this spare receiver I can do a number of things. Hopefully I can tweak my antenna to increase my signal as I'm getting more signal loss screens anymore. If not I have a Dish 500+ antenna I need to get the DPP 500+ LNB to check, maybe the larger dish will increase my signal. And last resort I can check the east arc sats to see what signal I get there. Have my work set out now when I get the other VIP.....
The larger dish is definitely better at fine-tuning your reception, but mostly, it's slightly better at rain fade
 
Can I run my 2nd unactivated receiver outside doing tuning with my activated one inside turned on and running? Might be interesting for the wife to see how programming changes while I'm tweaking the dish....
 
Can I run my 2nd unactivated receiver outside doing tuning with my activated one inside turned on and running? Might be interesting for the wife to see how programming changes while I'm tweaking the dish....
Yes, although for the Wife Approval Factor, it may be best to wait until some time when she is not watching TV, just in case you interrupt the signal... :eeek
 
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