I Want Upgrade to HD Locals w/o Contract - Tallahassee, FL Market

[lwvmobile]

Let me start of by saying my techno jargon may be incorrect, but please bare with me.

I currently have 2 Dish 500's, One with a Twin-LNB pointing at 110 and 119, and a second Dish 500 with a single LBN pointing at 61.5. These go into a DP34(system info h) dp34, twin 1, twin 2, dual 3).

I want to get local HD channels WITHOUT extending my contract, thus bypassing the 'free' upgrade. I understand I need something pointing to 129 for this and feeding into a switch, but I don't have anymore dish inputs available on my switch.

I am assuming I will need to purchase a new switch for this operation, and probably a new LNB for the Dish 500 that can point to 110, 119, and 129(does that even exist?).

With what equipment I have, what is your recommended upgrade path? If you require any other information about my setup please ask.

 

[TheKrell]

Just swing the dish around from 61.5 to 129 and you're done. Well, you'll need to buy (not lease) an HD receiver and subscribe to locals plus an HD package. Then you're done.

 

[digiblur]

Mark the pole so you know where you were before you started. Put the Point Dish screen on 61.5 TP 22. Make sure it shows locked signal. Find your pointing direction and angle using Dishpointer.com. Move the dish over until you find the 129 satellite. It will show wrong satellite but it is ok. Fine tune the signal. Tighten the bolts. Then run the Check Switch on the receiver and you're done.

 

[lwvmobile]

Already have the VIP722 receiver with national hd channels, if I swing the satellite from 61.5 to 129 will I lose the national HD channels?

I will try this regardless, since it is a quick thing to try out. Thanks a lot.

 

[TheKrell]

if I swing the satellite from 61.5 to 129 will I lose the national HD channels?

I believe all the nationals are mirrored on both satellite locations. So you should lose nothing, but you will gain your HD locals.

 

[lwvmobile]

Sweet, thanks, so this whole thing will be much easier than I thought.

 

[garys]

Depending on your dma, you may lose your RSN HD channels.

 

[lwvmobile]

What are the RSN HD channels?

 

[Trek2000]

If you have SUN sports and FSN Florida you will no longer get them in HD if you don't have 65.1. If you don't have them you want lose any HD.

 

[chainblu]

Not true. Those were uplinked on the 15th.

 

[digiblur]

You will lose nothing when you switch from 61.5 to 129. All national HD channels and RSN's for your area are on 129. Use TheList link in my signature to verify.

It's a very simple job... if you have line of sight to 129.

 

[lwvmobile]

Mark the pole so you know where you were before you started. Put the Point Dish screen on 61.5 TP 22. Make sure it shows locked signal. Find your pointing direction and angle using Dishpointer.com. Move the dish over until you find the 129 satellite. It will show wrong satellite but it is ok. Fine tune the signal. Tighten the bolts. Then run the Check Switch on the receiver and you're done.

Been working on it this morning. Haven't had any luck getting 129 in yet. One question I did have is do I need to adjust the elevation and skew on the dish as well or do I just turn it? Either way, I haven't found it yet, but am going to work at it some more. Thanks.

 

[TheKrell]

Yes on elevation, no on skew which should remain at 90. The skew setting is only needed if hitting more than one satellite location with a single dish.

 

[Voyager6]

Been working on it this morning. Haven't had any luck getting 129 in yet. One question I did have is do I need to adjust the elevation and skew on the dish as well or do I just turn it? Either way, I haven't found it yet, but am going to work at it some more. Thanks.

To follow up on what TheKrell said, you need to change the elevation on the dish. Go to the satellite angle calculator to find the proper azimuth and elevation for 129 at your location.

 

[digiblur]

Been working on it this morning. Haven't had any luck getting 129 in yet. One question I did have is do I need to adjust the elevation and skew on the dish as well or do I just turn it? Either way, I haven't found it yet, but am going to work at it some more. Thanks.

The skew should already be set at 0 or is it 90? I can't remember but basically the dish should be level with no skew.

The side offset LNB of the Dish500 will throw you off a bit so take your time. Basically what I do is set the elevation a bit higher than you think and slowly sweep back and forth, farther left and right than where you think 129 is. Did you use either Dishpointer.com to find a point in your yard for reference? Or do you have a compass? You can also use the 110/119 dish for a little help on point of reference. As you make each sweep do it very slowly...and I mean slowly... with each sweep lower the elevation a bit. Make sure your receiver was on 61.5 TP 22, as that's a decent transponder that is active in 8PSK mode on both birds. Remember...the key is very small and slow adjustments!

As long as you have line of sight to 129 you should be able to find it.