Conflicting Stories on 129 vs 61.5

[doug4772]

I know this has been covered in other threads but I am getting conflicting stories from DishNetwork and various installers.

I had HD installed back in January. When the installer came out he installed a dish to point towards 61.5 to compliment my current Dish 500 that points to 110 and 119. He said it was the only way I could get the HD programming. My uncle works for a local installer and they install Dish 1000's for people all the time. They claim they get better a better signal. DishNetwork claims anything PA and North is more prone to signal loss with a 1000.

I already lose my Dish more frequently than I ever have anywhere else I've lived. My signal strength for most transponders on 110 and 119 is between 78 - 95 on a clear day.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

 

[tsduke]

What you have been told is correct. Sounds like you need your dish peaked. Even if 129 would work for you a 2nd dish is better than the 1000.

 

[highdefjeff]

Sounds like you've got low signal.

What is the signal on the 61.5?

The 61.5 is probably the best option for you. The farther north you go, the lower in the sky the satellites will be. Also, the farther east doesn't help.

Do you also have trees or tall houses nearby? Where's the dish located?

Why doesn't your uncle check your line of sight and peak your 500?

 

[doug4772]

What you have been told is correct. Sounds like you need your dish peaked. Even if 129 would work for you a 2nd dish is better than the 1000.

What does peaking your dish mean? I know that's probably a newbie question and my uncle probably knows the answer. I'd just to have something to tell him before he comes out.

Sounds like I'm keeping the 61.5 dish. I never lose HD programming. It's always 110 or 119 programming that goes when the rain hits. Which seems a little odd to me since I would imagine the video stream is more complex. It does take an extra second to display HD programming until it decodes the signal. It probably all comes down to signal strength.

 

[doug4772]

I'm sure my uncle will fix it when he comes out. I think he wanted to install a 1000 but I'm going to tell him just to fix the signal on the 500 and let the 61.5 in place.

 

[doug4772]

The 61.5 I belive has 70 -80 signal strenght and does have to go between two tree tops. It's located on my my back porch roof. I live in a rural area, not tall buildings or houses near me.

 

[ahope577]

I'm in SW PA & switched from 129 to 61.5 & I will not go back. You can get 129 here but it is more prone to signal loss (speaking from my experience)

 

[mdonnelly]

Another thing to consider is what HD locals you want. Philly is on 61.5, and Pittsburgh is on 118.7. If you're happy with Philly, you want to keep the 61.5 dish. If you want Pittsburgh, you'll need a Dish 1000+ to get 129 and 118.7.

 

[ahope577]

Another thing to consider is what HD locals you want. Philly is on 61.5, and Pittsburgh is on 118.7. If you're happy with Philly, you want to keep the 61.5 dish. If you want Pittsburgh, you'll need a Dish 1000+ to get 129 and 118.7.

Or a 500+ and keep 61.5 (on separate dish), he may not qualify for Pit or Philly Locals locals unless he has "moved" based on stated central PA location

 

[doug4772]

My locals are Harrisburg/Lancaster/York. Unfortunately none of them are broadcasted in HD yet. I'm pretty sure I do not qualify for Philly locals.

 

[Voyager6]

My locals are Harrisburg/Lancaster/York. Unfortunately none of them are broadcasted in HD yet. I'm pretty sure I do not qualify for Philly locals.

Peaking means tuning in the signal strength to the highest level.

You just need to find an address in the Philly suburbs to "move" to. Go to the dish website and plug in some addresses until you get the Philly locals. Then call customer service and change your service address only. Keep the same billing address.

 

[bhelms]

You should be good to go !!

Doug - I am also in "Central PA, but in my case about 80 miles NW of you. I too have the D500 for 110 and 119 and an old (my original) D300 pointed to 61.5. My signals are very strong and it takes a substantial storm for any significant fade/channel loss. Most of the time I get just an occasional brief pixelation if anything when it rains or snows. Which is more solid (61.5 or 110/119) varies and gives me an idea of the relative direction of the storm!

In my case 129 is not even an option as my "neck" isn't in the 129 footprint. I believe that would be the same for you, or else it would be very marginal, so for us "Central PA'ers" 61.5 is the only option for most of the HD channels at this time.

Sounds like you need your system tweaked or some trees trimmed, or such.

Also - Have you considered using an OTA antenna for your local HD channels? I have the 622 receiver and with a decent outdoor setup I can get PBS HD very well all the time, and ABC and CBS well on occasions. I'm thinking that you would have better luck from your area. Check AntennaWeb to explore the possibilities based on your exact location. IIRC, WHTM and WHP are both HD. (I'm not familiar with the Phila stations.)

For giggles and grins, look at what I'm looking through for my 61.5. (I haven't actually taken measurements, but when I triangulate 22 deg. off-axis vertically it appears that I'm looking right at the tops of those trees!)

Welcome, BTW...!

 

[RockinHARD26]

Philly locals broadcast in HD, but only on the 61.5 satellite. As for the Dish 1000, check again to see if it works in your area. I'm in Delaware and it doesn't work in mine. I attempted over 15 installers no one in the Philly area will install it for me. It seems the 61.5 is not close enough for it to work. As for the 129, it could. I've been "told" from a few reps that 61.5 is the way to go, 129 satellite has no future. But again, its all talk and I don't believe it until I see it.

On a SIDE NOTE: If you don't qualify for the local market you want, get creative like I did with your address. Since I'm at the beach in Delaware, I'm what they call, in the "Salisbury, MD market". Well, for one, they do NOT have a "Salisbury, MD market" so no local channels for me! I got thinking one day, and I made an agreement with one of my nice doctors. Just changed my address to his office's in Milford that qualifies for the Phila market. Just up the street from me by the way. I kept the billing address to my correct one, just changed the physical address. Just alittle creative thinking on my part and I'm proud of it.

 

[bhelms]

Philly locals broadcast in HD, but only in 61.5. As for the Dish 1000, check again to see if it works in your area. I'm in Delaware and it doesn't work in mine and no one in the Philly area will install it for me to get signal on the 61.5. I've been "told" from a few reps that 61.5 is the way to go, 129 satellite has no future. But again, its all talk.

I'm not sure I understand your post, but the D1000 isn't intended to receive 61.5. If aimed correctly it will receive 110/119 and 129 IF you're in an area that's within the 129 footprint. In DE you just might be. The line starts somewhere near Buffalo NY and heads SE from there cutting off most of central and eastern PA and all states that are in that "shadow". The penninsula of FL is also not in the footprint for 129 for the most part, but the rest of the country can receive it, more or less. Re: the future of 129 - see Scott's Dish information post of today for a good bit of enlightenment...

 

[RockinHARD26]

I'm not sure I understand your post, but the D1000 isn't intended to receive 61.5. If aimed correctly it will receive 110/119 and 129 IF you're in an area that's within the 129 footprint. In DE you just might be. The line starts somewhere near Buffalo NY and heads SE from there cutting off most of central and eastern PA and all states that are in that "shadow". The penninsula of FL is also not in the footprint for 129 for the most part, but the rest of the country can receive it, more or less. Re: the future of 129 - see Scott's Dish information post of today for a good bit of enlightenment...

Oh okay, yeah I understand now. Well again, until you see it... don't believe it. I nick named the reps, total freaking idiots. They will tell ya anything, true or false. But you need 61.5 to receive Phila's locals though.

 

[bhelms]

What receiver do you have? Have you tried receiving the Phila. locals OTA? The quality would probably exceed what you can get via. sat anyway (at least at this time) and the added cost could be minimal...

 

[RockinHARD26]

Just got last week installed, two 622s and one 222.