H25-500 Tailgate Install Help

[kneeland24]

I am looking to use my DirecTV service at a tailgate this weekend (if possible) and wasn't sure what all I need to complete the job. I have a H25-500 HD receiver, the TV, generator, and an HDMI cable to connect the receiver to the TV. Now as for the dish....I am a complete newbie when it comes to DirecTV and understand that only certain dishes will work with my receiver. My question is this, what dish do I need (least expensive preferrably) to receive my normal HD channels while tailgating this weekend. We only are using it for one day and I was looking to possibly snag one off Craigslist and mount it to a tripod. Also, how difficult is it to align this dish so that it will receive a signal? Any help is appreciated.

* I am sure that this has been asked many, many times before but couldn't find it in time since I am at lunch at work.
Any help is much appreciated!!

Greg
Columbus, Ohio

 

[coinmaster32]

Your going to need at least a slimline 3 dish for HD programming. A new dish is $70. So I would think $20-$40 would be a fair price for a used one. But if your lucky you might find someone who switched to dish and might give you the dish.

The dish is moderately difficult to align, but it can be done. If you get one locally, as long as the pole on your tripod is level, and the mast the dish came off of was, then you should only have to mess with the azimuth (east/west movement of the dish).

Now keep in mind, your receiver will only work with SWM lnb's (the eye on the end of the dish arm).

These use a single output, and generally have a green sticker on them.

If you find a dish locally, and it isn't a SWM, your gonna have to spend about $30 to $45 and get the right Lnb for it. They are simple to change.

 

[raoul5788]

You will also need a power inserter.

 

[coinmaster32]

You will also need a power inserter.

Should be able to use the one he has if it's easy to get to.

 

[Jimbo]

Should be able to use the one he has if it's easy to get to.

But he definatly neds itg to work the 25.
Personally, id see if I had any other recvrs around.

Sent from my Samsung Epic using SatelliteGuys

 

[kneeland24]

Would using my DVR receiver be easier? It's model # HR24-500. I was hoping to be able to just buy a dish and inserter and just hook everything up and as long as I found the right dish alignment, get reception. If anyone lives in the Columbus, Ohio area and would mind me "renting" their dish, if it would work with either of my receivers, I would pay to rent it. We're only planning on using this once so I want to keep it as inexpensive as possible. Any ideas?

 

[coinmaster32]

The HR-24 would be easier to find a dish for, however you will need two lines from the dish if you want to watch a show while recording another. You won't need a SWM lnb, but you will need a BBC module on the end of each coax going into the back.


You might be able to go to a satellite installer in your area, and they might let you borrow a dish.

 

[raoul5788]

Would using my DVR receiver be easier? It's model # HR24-500. I was hoping to be able to just buy a dish and inserter and just hook everything up and as long as I found the right dish alignment, get reception. If anyone lives in the Columbus, Ohio area and would mind me "renting" their dish, if it would work with either of my receivers, I would pay to rent it. We're only planning on using this once so I want to keep it as inexpensive as possible. Any ideas?

Go with the HR24 and a standard 3 lnb. Hook only one cable and you will only need one bbc. Like coinmaster said, you will only be able to watch one channel at a time.

 

[kneeland24]

I plan on only watching live HD channels with no recording so I believe only one line will be necessary for what I need. Does anyone have a link to a setup guide and possibly a list of compatible dishes for my receivers? I am extremely new to satellite and pardon all my questions I just like knowing everything I can before trying something new! If anyone has a particular dish they think would be a common one I could likely find available locally that would be awesome. I wouldn't even mind chatting about this over the phone if someone has a few minutes to spare. My buddies are relying on me! Haha. Thanks so much for everone's help.

 

[coinmaster32]

These are the three only dishes that can be used for HD. The 3rd one is hard to find. The 1st one is the easiest to align.

 

[Jimbo]

I plan on only watching live HD channels with no recording so I believe only one line will be necessary for what I need. Does anyone have a link to a setup guide and possibly a list of compatible dishes for my receivers? I am extremely new to satellite and pardon all my questions I just like knowing everything I can before trying something new! If anyone has a particular dish they think would be a common one I could likely find available locally that would be awesome. I wouldn't even mind chatting about this over the phone if someone has a few minutes to spare. My buddies are relying on me! Haha. Thanks so much for everone's help.

I HOPE your gonna set all this up at HOME before you attempt to go tailgating with it. Like several days in advance,incase you find you need anything else.

Sent from my Samsung Epic using SatelliteGuys

 

[Jimbo]

These are the three only dishes that can be used for HD. The 3rd one is hard to find. The 1st one is the easiest to align.

The 3rd one I might have sitting in the garage.

Sent from my Samsung Epic using SatelliteGuys

 

[kneeland24]

Okay, so I found a someone who has a dish locally that is the first one listed in the pictures of the previous post. If I had that and a power inserter, would my H25 work as long as I could get the dish to be positioned correctly? And is a power inserter something I can get somewhere locally or something I would have to get online?

 

[coinmaster32]

Check the lnb on the dish to see if it has a green sticker on it, and one connector. If not, your gonna need a swm lnb.

A power inserter would be cheaper online, but contact your local satellite TV installer to see if they have one.

 

[kneeland24]

Last question....does anyone know who the Columbus area installer is or if there are multiple, where I find a list of them? Do I just contact Directv for that?

 

[Jimbo]

Last question....does anyone know who the Columbus area installer is or if there are multiple, where I find a list of them? Do I just contact Directv for that?

The installers that D* uses, or an of the Local Installers, there is sure to be local guys in the yellow pages.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Check the lnb on the dish to see if it has a green sticker on it, and one connector. If not, your gonna need a swm lnb.

A power inserter would be cheaper online, but contact your local satellite TV installer to see if they have one.

As far as the LNB goes,as long as it is SWM,it shouldn't matter if the label is green or not,that(the green label) has to do with running the internet through your coaxial cable. In that case,if the lnb label is not green,all you have to do is put a band stop filter between the lnb & DECA MRV compatible splitter,something I doubt you'll need since you are only hooking up your H25 to your dish. You should only need to put your power inserter between your SL3-SWM lnb & your H25. If the label on your SL3-SWM is green,great. If not,it should not be any big deal. I agree with Jimbo that you should set it up first at home to make sure everything is right.

 

[kneeland24]

Well this guy has this dish and power inserter available and I am going to look at it tomorrow. He said it does have the green sticker on it and is a SWM dish. Just by looking at the pics can anyone tell if this dish is compatible with the H25-500 receiver? ..........fingers crossed!

http://columbus.craigslist.org/ele/2637521552.html

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Well this guy has this dish and power inserter available and I am going to look at it tomorrow. He said it does have the green sticker on it and is a SWM dish. Just by looking at the pics can anyone tell if this dish is compatible with the H25-500 receiver? ..........fingers crossed!

DIRECTV dish including pole, power inserter, multisplitter, and wires

As long as it is swm. Maybe you could take your H25 with you & hook it up there to test it out before you buy it.

 

[kneeland24]

I would but I wouldn't want to sit there and mess with it since I obviously have no idea what I'm doing haha. I figured I'd go get it tomorrow and bring it home tomorrow night to mess with it. I wish i would have known earlier what dish I needed and hope I didn't wait too long to figure it all out by Saturday. I don't think there is much to figure out now other than dish alignment (as long as the dish is SWM as he says it is), and how I am going to mount it.