Can't see HD satellite

[Car6635]

Hello,

I have been a Dish customer for 4 years. I recently decided to upgrade to HD programming, and scheduled an appointment today to have a second dish installed (as well as a new receiver).

The technician showed up and spent some time outside. He came to the conclusion that the trees on the right side of our property are in the line of sight to the satellite that carries HD programmimg. He mentioned that this is a common problem, and the only option for us is to wait for Dish to put HD programming on a satellite higher in the sky (apparently the HD satellite is much lower). Or, of course, switch companies.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Do I have any other options with Dish network for HD programming? I live in North Carolina, if that helps. Thanks!

 

[Dah-Henny]

GET A SECOND OPINION!!!!!!!

Your installer obviously wanted you to get the 129 sat. My set-up is with the 61.5 sat. The only HD channel I cannot get is sportsouthHD, which is on 129. The 61.5 sat in NC is way way up in the sky, and not too far from due south.

 

[Skibum]

Yeah, where are you at? Here in Montana, the 61.5 is at 20° elevation or so and the 129 is around 37°.

 

[BuddyBoy]

Yeah, where are you at? Here in Montana, the 61.5 is at 20° elevation or so and the 129 is around 37°.

He said he was in NC. Using the calculator at Satellite look-angle calculator, I get about 23 degrees elevation for 129 (dish will look like it's pointed at the ground), and about 45 degrees for 61.5. I punched in Raleigh, NC for location. dahenny was probably right about the installer.

 

[Car6635]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies! I am located in Charlotte, NC, and I know that the location (roughly) of the satellite the installer was trying to reach was low, and south/southwest.

After reading a bit on this forum, I'm wondering if I can assume the installer tried all the correct options, and also if the Dish 1000 is a viable option? Although I do have trees on my property, I've never had any problem whatsoever reaching the satellite with standard Dish programming.

I'd prefer to stay with Dish if possible, and can't stomach going back to our local cable provider!

Thanks, Caroline

 

[Dah-Henny]

If you can't see 129, you will need a 500+, which will give you 110/118/119. You will then need to use a separate 300 or 500 dish to dial in 61.5. In North Carolina, you just about have to have your dish in a cave to NOT receive 61.5.

 

[Dah-Henny]

One more thing...If you can get your Charlotte OTA's, you might not even want to pay E* for them via satellite, which would mean that you could get by with your current set-up, plus a wing dish for 61.5.

 

[Car6635]

If you can't see 129, you will need a 500+, which will give you 110/118/119. You will then need to use a separate 300 or 500 dish to dial in 61.5. In North Carolina, you just about have to have your dish in a cave to NOT receive 61.5.

We have a Dish 500 already on the house - I know the installer was planning to put on another dish to get the HD programming. My husband did mention that this person really had trouble simply operating the ladder in his truck, so we are sceptical about his opinions!

What is an OTA, and how does it tie in with what I am using now??

 

[garys]

What is an OTA, and how does it tie in with what I am using now??

OTA stands for over the air. It is actually an old style antenna used to get analog (what people used before the invent of cable) and digital signals from your local area with a separate coax run into your tv/HD receiver to pick up the off air signals via digital tuners. Dish HD receivers have the digital tuners built in, your tv may or may not have one. You can get info at AntennaWeb.

 

[Dah-Henny]

OTA is over the air...Getting your HD/digital locals via roof top antenna. If you can get your OTA's thru your roof top antenna, you might consider not paying dishnetwork for them, plus, you wouldn't need to upgrade your current dish. You would only need an extra dish to receive the 61.5 satellite. BTW, Charlotte HD locals are on the 118 satellite, which would require you to upgrade to a 500+ or a 1000+ dish.

 

[Car6635]

OTA is over the air...Getting your HD/digital locals via roof top antenna. If you can get your OTA's thru your roof top antenna, you might consider not paying dishnetwork for them, plus, you wouldn't need to upgrade your current dish. You would only need an extra dish to receive the 61.5 satellite. BTW, Charlotte HD locals are on the 118 satellite, which would require you to upgrade to a 500+ or a 1000+ dish.

Interesting. I just spoke to Dish tech suppoet, you confirmed what he just told me - our locals are on 118.7, and we may be able to use 61.5 with an additional dish. They actually are sending out a higher level installer today to double check what the person told us yesterday. I'm hoping today will be fare better than yesterday!

 

[Dah-Henny]

:upcool:up

Hopefully they will get you up and running.

 

[Ronald_Jeremy]

OTA is over the air...Getting your HD/digital locals via roof top antenna. If you can get your OTA's thru your roof top antenna, you might consider not paying dishnetwork for them, plus, you wouldn't need to upgrade your current dish. You would only need an extra dish to receive the 61.5 satellite. BTW, Charlotte HD locals are on the 118 satellite, which would require you to upgrade to a 500+ or a 1000+ dish.

If he doesn't pay for the locals through the dish, he won't be able to get the guide data for his OTA locals.

 

[Barry Erick]

Yeah, where are you at? Here in Montana, the 61.5 is at 20° elevation or so and the 129 is around 37°.

Well, here in PA the 65 is way up in the sky (and PA is a bunch north of NC and our elevaltion look angle is lower than NC). 129 is down on the horizon and not visible due to the height of the grass (not the trees).