Is Using a Community Dish Okay?

[cphil19]

Hi guys. So I'm finally able to get satellite back......the only stipulation is that I have to do it through my apartment's "community dish". Under no circumstances am I allowed to put my own up, so I have to use the single central/community dish. Since I have no other choice, I suppose I'll go for it.

My question is, is there any loss of quality due to the fact tons of people are piggy backing off the same shared dish? Or will I be fine?

Thanks.

 

[Slick Vic]

Depending on your market and apt complex MDU, you may be limited on channel availability and room capability. Other then that, you should be fine as long as their system is being properly maintained.

 

[hdtvtechno]

there shouldn't be any problems you can use any kind/ones dish antenna as long as your Receivers are registered under your name

 

[Jimbo]

Hi guys. So I'm finally able to get satellite back......the only stipulation is that I have to do it through my apartment's "community dish". Under no circumstances am I allowed to put my own up, so I have to use the single central/community dish. Since I have no other choice, I suppose I'll go for it.

My question is, is there any loss of quality due to the fact tons of people are piggy backing off the same shared dish? Or will I be fine?

Thanks.

See if your complex will upgrade to a dish you can get HD with, seeing they are limiting your options ....

 

[Lkr]

You will experience loss of PQ, because the line is being split maybe hundreds of times depending on how big your complex is.

 

[Joe Diamond]

If this is a community dish there should be a community multiswitch somewhere. The distance from that multiswitch to your receiver is an issue. Picture Quality PQ is an all or none thing and the line from the multiswitch to your receiver would not be split but rather run through a second multiswitch.

There should be some entity maintaining your system..........Find out who that is.

Joe

 

[Davedirectv]

There should be some entity maintaining your system..........Find out who that is.

Joe

Find out who it is and tip him $40 and enjoy the best set up in the whole complex....

 

[texasbrit]

There are all sorts of issues with "community dishes" but virtually none of them have anything to do with picture quality.

If the dish uses regular DirecTV technology then your problems are likely to be related to connectivity. Each TV needs a separate connection to a multiswitch somewhere.
More likely, if it's an older system, is that the system uses stacking to get the signals from multiple satellites on to a single cable, making it possible to connect multiple receivers. If it's this system, you may need to buy destackers for some of the receivers (some have built-in destacking, some don't) and you will not be able to get any HD channels anyway, only SD.
If it's a newer system (upgraded in the last year or so) , it probably uses the MFH2 system for MDUs (multi-dwelling units). This system uses SWM technology to give access to all the channels including HD and allows connection of multiple receivers to a single cable. You do need to have enough SWM "channels" allocated to you and so there is often a higher connect charge for this type of system than others.

To sort this out you will need to talk to the company (or, as posted, the individual) who is responsible for the system, to find out what the system is and how you can connect to it (and how much it will cost).

 

[Sauk Valley Sat]

Ask some of your neighbors! They might not be up to speed on all of your options but that is where you'll get the best read on reliability, service, etc.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Find out who it is and tip him $40 and enjoy the best set up in the whole complex....

+1

Unless he finds a community receiver rack with receivers set for each available channel.
Then $40.00 won't be enough.

Joe

 

[Slick Vic]

+1

Unless he finds a community receiver rack with receivers set for each available channel.
Then $40.00 won't be enough.

Joe

Better add another 40 on top of that then.