Dish 500 with VIP-211K receiver ?

[Stu33]

I presently have a Dish 500 Twin feeding a 301 receiver, which has worked fine for many years but for SD only of course. The dish is pointed on 110 and 119 sats. Since the 301 is soon to be "retired" I'd like to go to a VIP-211k to be able to receive HD. I note that, according to Satellite Guys "The List", most if not all HD channels on Dish Top 120 are now on one or the other of these sats. Don't need locals as I have an OTA antenna which works well, and my Panasonic LCD HDTV has internal switching from OTA antenna to HDMI. I have 2 questions:

1) Is "The List" accurate in indicating that most HD channels in Top 120 are now available on 110 or 119, or am I misreading something?
2) Can I keep the Dish 500 and just change out the receiver? I get conflicting answers from Dish CSRs; some say yes, others no, that I need a new Dish 1000. Doesn't inspire much confidence.

Need some help getting accurate answers. Location here is in North Texas.

Thanks,
Stu33

 

[KAB]

Nearly all HD channels are on sat 129, and yes, you will need a 1000.2

 

[osu1991]

There are only a few on 110 and 119 for the continental US. There are many on spotbeams for Alaska and Hawaii only. You will need to see 129 for the majority of HD

 

[Stu33]

There are only a few on 110 and 119 for the continental US. There are many on spotbeams for Alaska and Hawaii only. You will need to see 129 for the majority of HD

Thanks KAB and osu1991 for your replies. I realize that sat 129 has been the longtime home for many HD channels, but can someone please explain why, then, does SatGuys "The List" show most of these same channels as available on 110 or 119 as well. Is this a recent addition? I'm confoosed !!

 

[osu1991]

Thanks KAB and osu1991 for your replies. I realize that sat 129 has been the longtime home for many HD channels, but can someone please explain why, then, does SatGuys "The List" show most of these same channels as available on 110 or 119 as well. Is this a recent addition? I'm confoosed !!

Look at The List and the column with BEAM it will show them as SPOTBEAM48/49 or CONUS (continental US). Spotbeam 48/49 is for Alaska and Hawaii as those beams can only be seen in those locations. They don't reach the Continental US, just as the CONUS beams are not receivable in Alaska and Hawaii

It looks like on 110 DIY, Cooking Channel, H2, ESPNU, Disney, ABCFamily, Hallmark Mysteries Movies, Esquire, Destination America, FXX, Velocity, C&I, Universal HD, HBOE, CinemaxE, ShowtimeE, TMCE, Encore, PIXL and Sportsman Channel are available in HD for CONUS.

119 will get you USA, POP, FYI, SYFY, HDNET, TNT, ESPN, CBS SN, AXS and WGN on CONUS

 

[KAB]

BTW, you should probably be able to upgrade receiver and you're dish, installed for free if you agree to a 2 yr agreement, maybe not even that. Contact DIRT.

 

[Stu33]

Look at The List and the column with BEAM it will show them as SPOTBEAM48/49 or CONUS (continental US). Spotbeam 48/49 is for Alaska and Hawaii as those beams can only be seen in those locations. They don't reach the Continental US, just as the CONUS beams are not receivable in Alaska and Hawaii

It looks like on 110 DIY, Cooking Channel, H2, ESPNU, Disney, ABCFamily, Hallmark Mysteries Movies, Esquire, Destination America, FXX, Velocity, C&I, Universal HD, HBOE, CinemaxE, ShowtimeE, TMCE, Encore, PIXL and Sportsman Channel are available in HD for CONUS.

119 will get you USA, POP, FYI, SYFY, HDNET, TNT, ESPN, CBS SN, AXS and WGN on CONUS

Aha -- Comes the dawn !! Many thanks osu1991; now I understand. Methinks "The List" is badly in need of explanatory notes for their tables. In no way is the Dish table intuitive. And you're right -- there are only a couple of dozen HD channelsavailable on 110 and 119 combined. Also, several of them are only on the largest or premium program packages.

An observation: Seems a strange way of slicing and dicing HD channels among the 110, 119, and 129 sats when one considering that the ratio of Conus subscribers to those in AK and HI combined is probably at least 100:1 or higher.

Here's an interesting question: Does anyone know if it's possible to re-aim a Dish 500 to get the just 119 and 129 sats? Not quite ready yet to mess with a new, much bigger dish.

Thanks again,
Stu33

 

[boba]

I presently have a Dish 500 Twin feeding a 301 receiver, which has worked fine for many years but for SD only of course. The dish is pointed on 110 and 119 sats. Since the 301 is soon to be "retired" I'd like to go to a VIP-211k to be able to receive HD. I note that, according to Satellite Guys "The List", most if not all HD channels on Dish Top 120 are now on one or the other of these sats. Don't need locals as I have an OTA antenna which works well, and my Panasonic LCD HDTV has internal switching from OTA antenna to HDMI. I have 2 questions:

1) Is "The List" accurate in indicating that most HD channels in Top 120 are now available on 110 or 119, or am I misreading something?
2) Can I keep the Dish 500 and just change out the receiver? I get conflicting answers from Dish CSRs; some say yes, others no, that I need a new Dish 1000. Doesn't inspire much confidence.

Need some help getting accurate answers. Location here is in North Texas.

Thanks,
Stu33

You should be eligible for a 311 as the free replacement for the 301. A 211 should be an upgrade for extra cost but that would include dish upgrade and installation usually free with a 2 year contract. $10 fee for HD is eliminated with auto pay.

 

[KAB]

Here's an interesting question: Does anyone know if it's possible to re-aim a Dish 500 to get the just 119 and 129 sats? Not quite ready yet to mess with a new, much bigger dish.

Thanks again,
Stu33

Much bigger? No way!!! Just a 3 or 4 inch oblong extension of a 500.

 

[osu1991]

Dish 500 20in and Dish 1000.2 24in I think. Yes you can hit 119 and 129 with a Dish 500. I've done it a few times by accident over the years

 

[Stu33]

Dish 500 20in and Dish 1000.2 24in I think. Yes you can hit 119 and 129 with a Dish 500. I've done it a few times by accident over the years

Cowboy from OSU, you're The Man. Thanks again for all the good info. This mandatory receiver "retirement" took me by surprise since I received notification from Dish only about 10 days ago. I'm having to scramble to consider and act upon all the options. Installed my present system myself many years ago: it has worked perfectly and I don't want just anybody messing with it.

My thanks and gratitude to others who responded as well. This is a great forum !!

Stu33

 

[Stu33]

Here's what I hope is one last question as I try to work my way, under pressure imposed by mandatory receiver replacement, through the various options available to me. Dish has advised me, both by mail and phone, that my 301 setup will drop dead on 15 March.

Has anyone here ever measured average received signal strengths of a Dish 500 vs. Dish 1000.2 ? This is not a huge issue, but it will affect fade margins during bad weather. I'm curious because it turns out that all the channels of interest to me in Top 120 package are covered in HD by 119 and 129 sats. Thus, I'm tempted initially at least to simply re-aim my present Dish 500. Don't know, however, if this would totally screw up program listings on a 211K receiver or create some other issue -- maybe someone has experience with that?

Again, my sincere thanks to everyone who has commented. BTW it seems that many members here are also Radio Amateurs. Call sign here is K5PB, licensed since 1952 and retired communications engineer.

Stu33

 

[KAB]

I thought the replacement deadline was May 31.

 

[boba]

May 31 is the target date but there may be regional deadlines people are resistant to change.

 

[mattv]

you could slightly modify the D500 to get 110/119/129 with an additional LNB, a chunk of wood, and some zipties (along with a DP34 or DP44 switch).

I'm not recommending it long term, but it can be made to work just fine.

 

[Voyager6]

Can the OP repoint to the EA? I don't know what his local channels are. If so, the D500 will work for 61.5 / 72. This would work if the OP gets a 211/211K.

 

[harshness]

Can the OP repoint to the EA? I don't know what his local channels are.

Texas is split on arcs. The TS would have to do better than "North Texas" to be sure.

The key is that the TS doesn't need to be in a blind panic about the transition. They simply need to call DISH and work through it.

 

[Stu33]

Greetings and thanks to posters since my last. Re deadline for receiver replacement, Dish has told me 15 March, both by mail and phone call. Don't know if there is any slack in that; maybe they are staggering dates for affected subscribers to smooth out their load.

AFIK I'm on western arc. All dishes around here are pointed west of due south. Located in Dallas area, actual coordinates 32.97N lat, 96.75W long. Don't need to worry about locals; I use a good outside VHF/UHF antenna for them. I also have perfectly clear LOS to 110, 119, and 129 sats, less so to east.

The reason I'm contemplating giving my present Dish 500 a try is partly curiosity but also to minimize wind load on my roof where its located. We get some pretty fierce winds here during spring storm seasons.

Still would like to know if anyone has data on comparative received signal strengths between Dish 500 and Dish 1000.2. Would not expect to see a large difference.

Best to all,
Stu33

 

[KAB]

Greetings and thanks to posters since my last. Re deadline for receiver replacement, Dish has told me 15 March, both by mail and phone call. Don't know if there is any slack in that; maybe they are staggering dates for affected subscribers to smooth out their load.


Stu33

That's it. "The Switch" won't be thrown until May 31.

 

[Stu33]

That's it. "The Switch" won't be thrown until May 31.

Thanks KAB, good to hear. Was sweating the 15 March date, since Dish informed me only about 10 days ago.

Stu