HD locals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA timeframe??

[sdschramm]

I can do it. Even with OTA channels through my ViP722.

I see you are in Williamsport. Outside the HD Scranton footprint perhaps? In that case, you will have trouble with those channels but it looks like you only get the Scranton SD channels.

One thing I find strange though, how do you get those Texas HD channels where you are? If you were an AAD sub, you would have Chicago and/or LA.

Yes, I'm in williamsport, and I get the Scranton locals. However, I am outside of the beam, so I only get the SD.

And why are Texas HD locals listed? I don't know, that's why I took a screenshot and asked! They only come up though the remote access online, not on my TV.

 

[btharner]

I was just visiting Dish Network's website and taking a look around and I filled out that form for the local channels which in the past have indicated that HD locals were not available here in Sunbury. Tonight it did display the HD channels along with the SD. Has some kind of adjustment been made to the coverage area that they are now available? Just inquiring because I was under the impression I had to wait until that new satellite was launched.

 

[Jim S.]

I strongly suspect that with the latest redesign of the website, somebody either reverted the channel database to an old version (it used to indicate that HD was available for the whole area automatically) or prematurely installed the next version.

A month or so ago, the signal strength started creeping up a little bit for some unknown reason, but it's not reliable. I get 12 during the day, which is barely usable, but right now it's only 5.

 

[cwkulp]

I am regularly able to pick up the HD locals out in Montoursville, at least for now. My HD signal began to fail around 11 last night, but before then, I was getting a good HD signal for the locals FOX and ABC. I am not usually home during the day, so I don't know what my signal strength is at that time, but at night, I am typically getting good reception.

 

[Jim S.]

Quick question: is anyone having color distortion problems on the Scranton SD channels? For the past few weeks, mine have been having random flashes of purple, especially on skin tones. I'm not having any such problem on national HD channels, and I haven't checked the national SD channels yet since I hardly ever watch them. I can't imagine what would be causing it, because it looks like an analog problem and all the channels are broadcasting digitally now.

(Yes, I know where to report problems, I just don't like reporting things til I'm sure they're not on my end.)

 

[czarqwerty]

I too have been seeing the weird color changes, mostly on ABC, but I think I've seen it on all the local SD channels.

 

[amoni]

OK, I tried to get through on The Tech Chat last night. I called and got right through. A woman inquires about my question. I tell her as simple and slowly as I possibly could. She says hold on. Another woman comes on and says all the studio phones are busy but they will put someone from the tech dept on to help.

Another picks up, I tell her the whole story and of how no one from Dish will even admit there is a problem to which she answers, the reason I don't have the locals in HD is because my locals aren't broadcasting in HD. Yes, they do I explain, only a certain area can receive the signal. Oh that's becauses the FCC hasn't approved it yet. Approve what, I ask, and then she says according to my zip code they don't carry my locals in HD in my area and they don't know when we will. So in other words, it's the local stations and the FCC's fault and I'm an just an idiot.

 

[czarqwerty]

Well... thanks for trying. Did you mention that Directv doesn't have a problem?
Maybe someday they'll actually admit the problem.
I'm currently still holding out hope that the new satelite will carry it like a previous poster said.

 

[Jim S.]

That is good news about Echostar 14. I called Dish again today to see if anything can be done. They said the were aware of the problem of us not getting local HD's and that they are working on correcting the problem. I guess they were talking about E-14. Or maybe that is just what they tell us so we don't continue to complain...

Now, in one of the new national HD threads, a subscriber from Lewisburg says that he was told by Dish that they're going to give him a Western Arc dish with a wing dish for 61.5 in case they fix the spotbeam problem on 61.5. So now it doesn't sound like they're going to put the HD locals on 119. It would be nice if they would put them on the satellite that's going to be moved to 61.5, so we could have Eastern Arc dishes. A Western Arc dish isn't going to work for some places because 129 will be too close to the horizon to be above trees or houses. I'm surprised that they proposed using it instead of using an Eastern Arc dish with a wing dish for 119 so that he still has the SD locals.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Quick question: is anyone having color distortion problems on the Scranton SD channels? For the past few weeks, mine have been having random flashes of purple, especially on skin tones. I'm not having any such problem on national HD channels, and I haven't checked the national SD channels yet since I hardly ever watch them. I can't imagine what would be causing it, because it looks like an analog problem and all the channels are broadcasting digitally now.

(Yes, I know where to report problems, I just don't like reporting things til I'm sure they're not on my end.)

I just switched to Eastern Arc on Friday, picture is OK here, But I no longer get SD locals Except for 38,44,53. They look fine. Maybe its a 119 issue.

 

[sdschramm]

As we all know, the HD locals are STILL not working.
However, has anyone been having problems with the SD locals?
The picture quality on ABC is worse then youtube, and at about 9pm today, FOX was having some terrible picture breakups and pixelation...Not even watchable.

However, this weekend was the "Home Builders Show" here in Williamsport PA and there was a booth from Hans CedarDale Satellites advertising Dish. I talked to one of the people there and they said that they install their customers with a "30 inch dish" and supposedly they can now get both the SD and HD here in Williamsport. I only have two dish 500's.

For a while, I was receiving $10 off credits on my HD package because of all of these issues. The credits expired this month. Looks likes its time to call and complain again, this time for a larger dish.

Just thought I'd post back and keep this thread alive!

-Scott

 

[Jim S.]

My cousin in Muncy has a 30" dish for 61.5 and she gets the HD locals most of the time.

What I'd like to know is what they're doing about the fact that Dish is now requiring people to switch from 119/110/61.5 to 61.5/72/77 in order to receive all the national HD channels. People without the spotbeam problem get those three satellites on one dish. But if you need a larger dish for 61.5, what do you do about 72 and 77? That's only 5 degrees instead of 9, so a Dish 500 probably wouldn't work.

Oh, I almost forgot, Fox isn't acting up for me right now, but holy cow does WNEP look overcompressed. It's back to the way it was last season, when Fox was one of the sharper channels and ABC was one of the worst. Then for a while it evened out.

 

[mad rex]

Is fox 56 wolf tv working on dish

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Fox 56 is not working on dish, and neither is MY network 53. One has a Yellow Screen and 53 has a pink screen.
I'm Pissed No Nascar!

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I'm checking my Directv Setup now.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Directv is out too on fox 56. Must be network issue.

 

[sdschramm]

As I previously said, I was told that "30 inch dish" would be allow me to finally receive my locals in HD. So I call Dish, and set up an appt for today from 12 - 5pm. Cool! I was out in the morning, and figures the installer comes around 10 or 11 when I was not there. Left a note with his phone number. I called him and he said there is nothing that can be done. He said there is no such thing as a 30" dish - only a Dish 1000 (EA) and he said that would provide no benefit. So I called up Dish, they called him, and now he is supposed to come back with "a little box" (as the CSR called it) that should somehow amplify my signal. Don't know how that's going to go.

I'll report back if the installer does call back and if this "magical box" does anything for us.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I don't think a 30" dish is going to help you.
If your out of the spotbeam an Extra couple inches isn't going to help you..
Not trying to sound mean , but I just don't want you to waste your time and cause you more stress.

Do you have Any reading on TP 7 on the 61.5?

 

[sdschramm]

Interesting, I just checked again today and I got 76 the first time, the second time 0 for a while and then it went to 51. And that's for T7 on 61.5 today.

If you want a list of all my signal strengths from a few months ago, look here:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/2056229-post358.html

 

[Jim S.]

As a rule, amplifiers only help if the signal is strong enough at the antenna, but not strong enough to make it through the cables/switches/connectors/etc. to the normal receiver location.

What size dish were you getting the 76 and 51 readings on? I never even get the national HD channels that high on 61.5 on an 18" dish.