Dish Network for apartment complex?

[mecro]

I currently live in a 900 unit apartment complex, served by in house cable. Currently, we are served analog cable with a mixture of antenna, C-Band, and DISH network feeding the 65 channels that we get. Recently (currently) the complex announced that they would be offering 'digital' cable into the buildings, giving us a basic selection of AT 100, 200, and 250. On this memo, i saw that they were going to offer international packages as well.

Driving in today, I noticed that they added 30" dishes for 61.5 and 129, to compliment the 110 and 119 dishes they already had. Does anyone have an experience with this kind of system? Will they be issuing us Dish Network receivers, and still billing us privately, or will we be paying Dish Network directly? I've never heard of this kind of distributed system. All I know of is that we will all have to have digital boxes of some sort. Any insight? Thanks guys!

Scott

 

[rcdallas]

I'm not by far an expert in commercial setups, nor have I ever touched one but I think thats called smats, whereas each channel has its own dedicated reciever, everything being fed into modulators then distributed throughout the community, like a hotel setup.

 

[mecro]

RC, i think that's how its done now, with the 'analog' set up, but what could they mean when they offer us 'digital' service? They claim to be giving us access to pay-per-view and music channels, as well as programming packages offered by dish network? How would that work? With 900+ units, a string of DPP44's wouldn't really cut it.. ;0

 

[nsafreak]

It can be done with commercial equipment. I'm not familiar with what switches are used but basically it is now possible to hook up 322s/625s and I believe 211s and 622s to a QAM install which is how your complex will be hooked up. Basically you'll be given a Dish Network box (one of the above mentioned models, a 351 is another possibility) to access programming and it'll be hooked up the cable outlet that's currently installed. If they give you the option of a 322 or 625 then you'll need a pair of Q-Boxes in your apartment to get it working. This is a setup that's becoming more common in MDUs (multiple distribution units) ie apartments and condos.

 

[Kru83]

It can be done with commercial equipment. I'm not familiar with what switches are used but basically it is now possible to hook up 322s/625s and I believe 211s and 622s to a QAM install which is how your complex will be hooked up. Basically you'll be given a Dish Network box (one of the above mentioned models, a 351 is another possibility) to access programming and it'll be hooked up the cable outlet that's currently installed. If they give you the option of a 322 or 625 then you'll need a pair of Q-Boxes in your apartment to get it working. This is a setup that's becoming more common in MDUs (multiple distribution units) ie apartments and condos.

arent they working on getting 622 ?

 

[mecro]

Awesome. Well, here's hoping I can get DVR, or HDTV, or locals for that matter, in the abyss of the Lafayette DMA! Thanks guys

 

[nsafreak]

arent they working on getting 622 ?

I believe that they are. Not sure if its already out in the field and I'm just not aware of it or if its something that they're still working on. I would speculate that if its not already out in the field it won't be too long since I think that the 622 uses pretty much the same software that the 522 & 625 do.

 

[Smith P.]

The models have different software, and there is still testing beta on a few 622 to support Q-BOX.

 

[mecro]

Ok guys, the four days of cable outages are finally over. We've been given the choice of AT 100, 200, or 250 @ $45, $58, $68. Then, its $5 for the first receiver, and $10 for the second. My 'cable' bill is now $73 a month, and I get no DVR and no HDTV! This is bogus! I miss having Dish Network back home. Stupid college apartment!

 

[Van]

I'm not by far an expert in commercial setups, nor have I ever touched one but I think thats called smats, whereas each channel has its own dedicated reciever, everything being fed into modulators then distributed throughout the community, like a hotel setup.

I have forgotten some of the terms as well but I think thats close or it may be something along the lines of a set top box similiar to what Dish does now with hotels. Theres supposed to be another way of doing it that a FSM was working on for setting up a small town in norther Minnesota that was loosing its cable provider and ota was not an option due to some iron deposits that the town was sitting on.

 

[lakebum431]

Why don't you just get Dish Network installed yourself.

 

[Van]

I'd wait to see what the new set up will involve, you'll probably have to call dish to get the receivers under a lease or purchase but the dish's, cabling, switches and splitters will be the soul responsibility of the contactor that has set up the complex with Dish service and if it goes out then its on their dime to get those parts fixed not yours.

 

[mecro]

Hah. Big surprise here guys. First off, I'm on a north facing, 2nd floor apartment in a three story building. No Dish for me!

Here's the shocker. I come home from work today to find two....Dish 381's sitting on my kitchen table. The service is through my apartment complex's parent company, not Dish network, although these are clearly DISH branded receivers. They appear to be retrofitted to run in QAM mode, with that screen replacing the 'point dish' screen on the 811. UHF Pro remotes and all, I know have it hooked up to my Sony 46 with a DVI cable, at 720p, and it seems to be scanning for QAM frequencies right now.

I know I heard about the DISH 381 on satelliteguys a long time ago, but has anyone ever found out its purpose?

 

[Smith P.]

Purpose is get SD and HD Dish channels thru MDU [QAM] .

 

[rcdallas]

381 is a retrofitted 811, now that mpeg2 is toast they need to do something with them.

Only problem I see with your complex using the 381 is all the remotes are UHF, with all your neighbors right next to you... not good.

Unless maybe they gave you IR remotes?

If not, you can have fun with your neighbors

 

[mecro]

Yeah, I was sitting here thinking the same thing... Even though they've taken the time to reprogram the remotes for each receiver, isn't there only 8 channels? My building has 24 units. I wonder if they know what they're doing. Apparently not, as its not working right now.

 

[rcdallas]

Check this out;

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/19574-dish-remote-tip.html

 

[Claude Greiner]

Yea, I was just going to say it sounded like a QAM system.

I wonder who footed the bill to install it because the systems run about 15 grand for the headend!

 

[mecro]

Well, since I now pay $73 a month for AT200 plus locals, and two boxes, with NO HD and NO DVR....I'm sure the complex, with 900 units, will make a hefty profit on this is no time.

 

[BobaBird]

The 381 will not get any Dish HD channels but it does have an ATSC tuner.