Dish sattelite signal due to obstruction and Alternatives

[rgaur]

Hi All,

I wanted to view South Asian Hindi Channels through Dish Networks. I am living in condominiums and they have a law to install dishes only in front of your units and NOT anywhere on either wall or roof. My unit is north facing and Dish guys came out and said that I can not get a signal installing it front of my home as dish antenna will not be able to receive signal. I am not allowed to install dish in front of somebody else's unit. My questions are :
1. Since my unit is North facing and South West direction is diagonally behind my unit, won't I be able to get any kind of signal for South Asian Hindi channels ? Will any signal booster or any other equipment help to get any signal. My building itself is an obstruction right now . These are town houses, So no question of first floor unit or second floor unit.
2. Does Direct TV also require antenna to point in same South West direction ?
3. Cable providers broadcast only 4 or 5 channels which are nothing as compared to what we get in India. Is there any other alternative to get Hindi Channels apart from Cable TV and Antenna (Dish or Direct ) ? I know i can watch channels over internet using computer but that option is very cumbersome. I have to hook up TV with Computer which is not a good option.

Please suggest something over these.

Thanks a lot guys

 

[rdinkel]

Dish and DirecTV dishes need to point generally south--toward the equator, since the satellites are in orbit above the equator. No signal booster will solve your problem. You may have a legal case to mount your dish elsewhere, if you own your condo. FCC says you cannot be prevented from using a dish less than one meter in size as required to receive a signal. But that does not mean you can install it on property you do not own.

 

[boba]

Next time you move you might want to make a satellite view part of your search criteria.

 

[rgaur]

I own the condo but we do not have rights to install it on roof or on the walls as roof and walls are shared. essentially we own inside property. I am not sure how to ask for this kind of law in form of writing. So i have very limited options. I asked them permit me to install in common area of the unit behind me. I even got the consent from neighbor in writing but they denied the permission.
Unfortunately when i bought the condo, i did not realize the dish antenna's part.

 

[rgaur]

any other option guys ? any other direction from where i can get the signal ? I heard that dish guys are changing some frequency for these channels. Does that mean direction might be changing too ?

 

[KAB]

any other option guys ? any other direction from where i can get the signal ? I heard that dish guys are changing some frequency for these channels. Does that mean direction might be changing too ?

You heard wrong.

 

[Hermitman]

How about this? Get a long pole with the dish on top, long enough for the satellite signals to reach it above the roof. Cement the lower end in the ground and clamp the upper end to the roof eaves. Or if you have a window on the south side, make a custom mount that can clamp to your window sill. That way, technically, its not installed on the roof or walls. Depends how far the rules committee will let you stretch or waiver the rules. Good luck.

 

[Awohar]

i vaguely recall some service where you keep your satellite receiver with them and they sling it to you so you can use your computer to gain access to those channels

 

[Agonizing Fury]

i vaguely recall some service where you keep your satellite receiver with them and they sling it to you so you can use your computer to gain access to those channels

did you read the OP?

I know i can watch channels over internet using computer but that option is very cumbersome. I have to hook up TV with Computer which is not a good option.

Please suggest something over these.

Thanks a lot guys

Your best bet is to read your condo contract very carefully and determine which parts of the yard are considered "common space" and which are considered "exclusive use" The FCC has very specific rules on what your committee can and cannot disallow. If there is a roofing problem, are you responsible for the repairs? or does the committee cover them? If you are responsible, then more than likely the roof would be considered exclusive use. You can read more about the FCC rules at the FCC web site: FCC Fact Sheet on Placement of Antennas

Condos and apartments have the most difficults to understand exceptions, and if you are very serious about getting your signal you may want to see about getting a telcom lawyer involved.