Can I set up my big dish to receive either DirectTV or the Dish Network?

[NotTy]

Hello everyone.
I'm new here & have been searching for a way, if it's possible, to convert my 7.5 foot c-band mesh dish to receive either Direct TV or The Dish Network?
I currently can't get cable, can pick up only 2 local channels since the switch from analog to digital, and as you know, the big dish is dying. I currently subscribe to Programming Center but they are eliminating everything except W-5, plus so many channels are already gone. I need W-1 to receive the Rocky Mountain 8. NPS is gone. Skyvision seems to be about the only ones with programming.
Now I could enter into a contract with the small dish & pay double the price of what I'm currently paying, & in this economy, I have good months & bad months & sometimes had to let things slide, but being locked into a contract could be troublesome. Both companies also require a hold on your account, a credit check, a credit card, and require money to get the free stuff. (Yeah, that's right, I thoroughly disgusted). I also have neighbors who are so frustrated with both small dishes due to signal loss when there's a storm of heavy fog.
I would think there would be a way to fix my dish to point towards the small dish satellite & subscribe, hopefully, without a contract & would prevent signal lost.
Anyway, sorry for the long question but I'm a little nervous about jumping into a 2 year contract right now.
Thanks.

 

[truckracer]

a while back you could have probably mounted a circular polarized ku lnbf on you big dish and did that. Now i know directv uses ka band and 5 satellites to deliver programming. when you flip channels on those systems you as the user have no way of knowing which satellite the channel is coming from..its not like the 4dtv system where you groups of channels were on each satellite and you knew that.

also guide data on directv comes from two sats at the same time i am pretty sure. the new small dish receivers have more advanced features that include error codes and self diagnosis that will be throwing all kinds of messages saying there is a problem.

You have several options here:

1. you can convert your 4dtv to w5 only receiver to get their programming.
2. you can buy a DSR-410 or good used spare 4dtv to slave to your system to get w5 programming.
3. get a free to air receiver such as an az box or pansat 9200 HD (with s2 tuners) so you can enjoy a world of
free to air programming on your big dish.
4. keep your big dish with a free to air receiver and sign up with directv or dish.

i think w5 has a nice variety of programming and plan to subscribe to w5. i like music and movies so w5 has what i want.

 

[NotTy]

Thanks for the info. I had a hunch the Dish Network had two satellites but I didn't know that Direct also had 2. I guess that cinches it pretty good. Do or Die. I do temporarily plan to subscribe to W-5 & they do have some good programming but I miss Spike, TBS, & the Science Channel & Animal Planet. But I can survive but would really like to get the Denver 8 since I can't get ABC,NBC,or CBS. I think I have exhausted all my options but one & that is to raise my areal antenna way high in the sky & see if I can get a couple more channels.
Thanks & maybe I'll try fta this spring.