If a channel is on 2 different satellites..

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No. I haven't ever been able to tell how it chooses but it isn't the strongest signal for sure.
 
To add, as far as Dish is concerned my set-up is all the the WA including 118. That's how it shows on my account. But I have 110/119 and 61.5 and 72. (Set up this way for a reason, too much to explain here) Yet my receivers will always pick anything on the EA if there is a choice. If a channel is missing from the EA, it will get it from the WA. Recent example is when Dish had to temporarily discontinue some of the PPV channels on the EA when the 77 satellite had a problem and channels were migrated. I never knew they were gone because I still got them, from the WA. My locals are only in HD on the EA, so my system finds the SD ones on the WA. Signal is higher on WA, so like the others say it certainly has nothing to do with signal strength.
 
I am still under the impression, and remember getting some sort of confirmation "way back when", that the receiver starts with the "lowest" number satellite in its view that the channel appears on and builds the list of channels found on that satellite. It has been a while though. When it does not find the channel on a satellite, it systematically moves to the next highest. It is possible on switch installed setups (DPP44, etc) that it moves down the list of ports as well. The channel list is built when "resetting" the box (during the 5 bar progression, or on the old 015 message, right around progress 2 of 5) This confirms why you would see it on your EA sats first (being they are the lowest numbers). "At random" is not something I associate with software.

I have a setup here with the ability to run the same setup as you have Tampa8, and I am going to play with that this evening and see if in application, either possibility holds true. Cool thing about working at DISH is I can run into the next room and experiment with pretty much any setup.
 
I would be interested in what you find! I admit though, in the end I guess It doesn't really matter as long as the channel is there. :D
 
I remember if you had both 61.5 & 148 (when Dish had a satellite there) the channels would show twice in the guide and you could pick which satellite it was from ;)
This is back when there was only 6 slots
61.5
105 for locals
110
119
121 for locals
148
 
It has been discussed a few times in the past. My theory is that it depends on the order that they are in the table that Dish sends out. You can find the channel moves between satellites when Dish changes their uplink table. Dish essentially picks the satellite for you by how they build their table.
 
Well.. Its not the positions on the switch. When I initial came into the room, I had a 1000+ setup, with 118.7 being first on the switch. 110 was picking up USA HD (Law and Order: SVU). So of course, the first thing I did was disconnect all the inputs from the switch, and resorted them. I connected 110 to port 1 (channel was there at onset of test) then connected 72.7 to port 2, and 129 to port 3. I reset the switch and ran a check switch. The satellites listed in order on the matrix of the VIP922. Saved the results, cancelled out of the menu, and got to 015 (progress 2 of 5) and it hung there for about 5 minutes. Then moved to 3, hung for a couple minutes, and then ran 4 and 5 all kinds of quick. Program Guide download took FOREVER. LOL. At the end of it, USA HD was on 72.7, not 110. My test eliminates order on the switch. It also keeps the "lowest number" hypothesis alive, being that both 110/72.7 have USA HD. It also follows Mike123ABC's table thought as well, although the tables themselves are probably sent lowest satellite first.

Satellite number was 'verified' by pressing 'Info' twice.
 
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Trying to think of a method to really test from there... Any ideas? I mean, I guess I could disconnect 72.7, reset the receiver, and see if with no feed from 72.7 that it builds from 110, even with 72.7 in the matrix still... Hmm.

Checking that now. Not rerunning the CST, and with 72.7 disco'd, I just reset the receiver. We will see if it "rebuilds" the channel list off 110 due to no response from 72.7.
 
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Once upon a time when I upgraded a customer with HD on an original 1000 dish who had 61.5 for skyangel, as long as you went to a 61.5 channel then to a HD channel that was simulcast on 129 it would pick up 61.5. That has been quite a while ago and follows the lowest sat first but, is something to try.
 
TonyT@DISH Network said:
I mean, I guess I could disconnect 72.7, reset the receiver, and see if with no feed from 72.7 that it builds from 110, even with 72.7 in the matrix still... Hmm.
Click to expand...

I can just about guarantee that will work. If I were to disconnect 61.5 and or 72.7 I have no doubt whatever channels I am supposed to get will then come from 110/119.....

I will go one step further. I do not actually have 118, but in order to get EuroNews my profile shows I do. That's because of my mixed ARC, the system does not know (and apparently can not be programmed to know) I have 61.5. I then got it on 61.5. That tells me (at least it appears) once you are programmed to get a channel, you will get it from what ever Sat you see that has it, and from your preliminary tests, it will start with the lowest Sat number....
 
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Well, checking the hard reset at this time.. VIP922 takes a bit so we will see. So far, FPR did not do it for me, so I am assuming that if an HR does it, the tables are stored in a "power based" memory such as RAM or something similar, and not "flashed" to a chip for more permanent storage like ROM with a battery backup (translating to PC terms, I apologize). It would also indicate that at times of signal loss, the HR is best if signal loss is affecting one channel that is simulcast on your satellite setup. If it does not rebuild though, then I have an issue. It means its flashed to ROM with a battery backup, and nothing I do will get it to clear to 110 with no signal on 72.7. Wish it did not take so long to reboot... IRT should probably mention that to the engineers ;).
 
Well, looks like it is more stored ROM style..CMOS (in computer lingo) style I would guess. Hard reset did nothing, and the receiver is still looking to 72.7 (VIP922, mind you) for the missing channel's signal. Looks like CST is the only way to get it to clear the channel tables, at which point I would assume it goes back to lowest number first. Any other ideas?
 
I've played with this many times in the past and never figured it out. It seemed like it would always try to pull from the last satellite it was on first then look to other satellites if it wasn't on there but then it seems I debunked that theory at some point. I finally gave up.

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I have a 1000.2 WA with a winger at 61.5 (my original set-up was a 110/119/61.5) Both receivers will pick 61.5 over 129, almost every time, if the channel is on both birds. I like that it does that... my signal from 61.5 is better than 129. :)
 

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