Clueless

[Cabby]

I've had Dish for about 9 months now...

Among other things, I have a 921 DVR attached to my HDTV. I want as much HD as I can get and subscribe to the basic HD package.

I want Voom, but dont want another dish on my roof. There is a lot of posting on Voom, the general idea, they are moving it soon so you can use your existing dish to pick up the Voom channels?

I want locals, but that seems like it's never going to happen. I live in the suburbs of DC, but am apparently about 30-50 miles away and am not putting an antenna on my roof when I can get cable tomorrow and have locals in HD with no hassle.

So, can I get a straight answer on the Voom situation and what I need to do to get it, and the HD local situaiton?

And whats all this MPEG-4 talk about?

TIA!

 

[BrettTRay]

You can get a Dish 1000 that picks up 110/119/129 on one dish that will get all your channels including the voom channels. As far as I know they are only going to offer voom on 129/61.5. I am 60-75 miles from the OTA towers of the channels I get and they come in excellent. Being 30-50 miles your are not far at all to be able to get them very reliable. Dish is going to be launching there HD local channels in Feb (thats what they say). Washington D.C. is not far down the list so that you want have to have a OTA antenna!!! They will be telling us more come Jan 9th at the CES show.

 

[Cabby]

You can get a Dish 1000 that picks up 110/119/129 on one dish that will get all your channels including the voom channels. As far as I know they are only going to offer voom on 129/61.5. I am 60-75 miles from the OTA towers of the channels I get and they come in excellent. Being 30-50 miles your are not far at all to be able to get them very reliable. Dish is going to be launching there HD local channels in Feb (thats what they say). Washington D.C. is not far down the list so that you want have to have a OTA antenna!!! They will be telling us more come Jan 9th at the CES show.

Thanks for taking the time

A couple questions:

A Dish 1000 is the dish on the top of my house? What do I have now, or how can I tell?

What does 100/119/129 mean? Is that the channel numbers it can receive?

Do you still have to pay additional money for Voom at this point? Will they be including these with the other package soon? I thought I saw that somewhere...

What the hell is 61.5? I see people say that everywhere... and what is OTA?

Told you I was clueless

 

[RandallA]

"What does 100/119/129 mean?" "What the hell is 61.5?"

Those are satellite locations for Dish Network. Each of those satellites carries different channels. The dish 1000 can get programming from three locations 119, 110, and 129. 61.5 is another satellite location usually called a "wing location". 148 is another wing location.

"Do you still have to pay additional money for Voom at this point?"

Yes, the Voom package is $5.00 extra but that might change this week at CES.

"and what is OTA?"

OTA means Over The Air. You will need an interior or exterior antenna to get the digital channels in your area.

Hope that helps and I'm sure others will soon give you more information.

 

[langlin]

"What does 100/119/129 mean?" "What the hell is 61.5?"

Those are satellite locations for Dish Network. Each of those satellites carries different channels. The dish 1000 can get programming from three locations 119, 110, and 129. 61.5 is another satellite location usually called a "wing location". 148 is another wing location.


Also, the numbers are degrees in the orbital arc, with the smaller number being farther east. so 61.5 is more visible from the east coast and 148 is more visible from the west coast.

 

[Cabby]

Thanx guys!

Will an indoor antenna work to pick up channels from a tower up to 50 miles away?

 

[lakebum431]

No, probably not. Go to www.antennaweb.org and see what channels are available in your area.

 

[Cabby]

No, probably not. Go to www.antennaweb.org and see what channels are available in your area.

I did that, thats how I know the distance.

 

[lakebum431]

OK, what type of antenna did it say you need? There will be colors for each station and the colors are explained at the top of the page.

 

[Cabby]

OK, what type of antenna did it say you need? There will be colors for each station and the colors are explained at the top of the page.

Well for digital, it's purple... my zip is 20132

 

[JohnL]

Well for digital, it's purple... my zip is 20132

Cabby,


On the Antennaweb.org site a Purple Antenna is the Biggest Gain Directional antenna you can get, along with a pre-amp to gather enough signal to get those stations. Directional antenna means it is pointed within a very few degrees to the source it is trying to pickup. This is because it needs to maximize the signal from that distant source. Any off axis source will either not be received at all or at VERY reduce signal strength.

The other thing you don't mention is the actual angle for the channels you need to receive, if they are not within a few degrees of each other then you will also need a rotor to rotate the Antenna to the proper "azimuth" (degrees of the compass) to get the signal needed to drive your TV. Remember once you rotate the Antenna from one azimuth to another any other TV's in the home connection may NOT be able to get the required signal for the channel they are trying to select.

John

 

[arxaw]

for that zip, antennaweb only shows ONE digital station available OTA - WNVT-DT.

 

[Cold Irons]

Cabby,
I'm about the same distance from DC (south about 45-50 miles). Did the antennaweb.org site & used this to decide on a Channel Master 4228 outdoor antenna. Put it on a 10 foot mast at the top of my 2nd story. Also added a UHF amplifier (pre-amp on the mast near the antenna, with a power supply down near the TV/Sat receiver) - can't remember the brand right off.....

With this setup, I get excellent HD from all the DC locals. Great for football & network shows. Watched the Rose Parade this morning on WJLA (ABC) - great picture! Better picture quality than most of the Sat. channels. Go with an antenna & you won't be sorry.

 

[Cabby]

Cabby,
I'm about the same distance from DC (south about 45-50 miles). Did the antennaweb.org site & used this to decide on a Channel Master 4228 outdoor antenna. Put it on a 10 foot mast at the top of my 2nd story. Also added a UHF amplifier (pre-amp on the mast near the antenna, with a power supply down near the TV/Sat receiver) - can't remember the brand right off.....
With this setup, I get excellent HD from all the DC locals. Great for football & network shows. Watched the Rose Parade this morning on WJLA (ABC) - great picture! Better picture quality than most of the Sat. channels. Go with an antenna & you won't be sorry.

That's great information, but sounds like a whole hell of a lot of work. Is it on the top of your house or in the attic? Dont think I want a big ass antenna on my roof.... it was hard enough to get the dish through the HOA.

 

[tankerman]

Dude, go to Radio Shack and buy the biggest outdoor antenna that they sell.
That's what I have.
I live all the way up in northeastern Maryland.
I pick up Baltimore, DC, Philly, and Harrisburg, HD channels.

 

[Cabby]

Do you have it in your yard or what? No way I kill myself putting an antenna on the roof. Especially if they claim to add local channels in Feb... or is that all rumor?

 

[BrettTRay]

Antennas are not at all hard to put up. Its alot easier for someone that doesn't have any experience to put up a UHF/VHF antenna than a satellite dish. Dish is supposed to be launching there HD locals sometime at the beginning of this year but who nows what resolution they will be at. If you put up a antenna you will get your locals in TRUE HD (1920x1080i/uncompressed). Also if your WB, UPN, and PBS affiliates broadcast in HD then you will get them over antenna but I don't think dish will offer them at first when they launch your city's locals in HD. They will probably only put up the big four first and add the others at a later time.

 

[goaliebob99]

I would put it on the roof or higher an installer to come install one for you. If you put it in the attic it will kill 50% of your signal vs outside Try calling a local retalier in the area to see how much they charge to put one up. and also an HOA cant say no to an antenna on your roof

 

[hpman247]

It's really easy. And im sure you already know that a HOA cannot stop you from putting up an antenna.

But as for your problem. I am 70 miles away from the Raleigh NC stations. I have the Channel Master 4228 Antenna which I purchased from http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_dis...meth=directg&gclid=CKzNuM_RsIICFTEGIgodpkVFPg

The antenna is wonderful. I have it with a Radio Shack Pre Amp http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103094&cp=&kw=amplifier&parentPage=search and i get signal in the 80% range on most channels. I looked to see what the DC stations broadcasting power is and from what I see it is an average of 900 kw on all major stations (CBS, NBC, ABC, FoX). Many of my stations haven't reached that power yet and I get them in the 80 % range. However, I must note that without the pre amp from RS I cannot get signal on any channel. So that is going to be necessary. Also I have the antenna perched on my back patio. It is about 4 feet above the ground with lattice covering it up. Make sure you have it pointing in the right direction as that is key and you will be fine.

Also, this is just how it works where I live. I cannot guarantee you anything, but I feel you have a great chance. And if you mast mount 10 feet above your roof, then I am 100% sure you will get them no problem.