Losing HD permanently? Possible fix?

[kurtdh]

Ok so I got a letter in the mail a few weeks back saying that I would need to schedule Dish to come out and repoint my Dish, or else I would eventually lose all my HD channels.

I can see I'm getting channels off 61.5, so I'm assuming that's where my HD is coming from. The tech guy showed up today and said he couldn't repoint the Dish to (I think he said 129), due to big trees in the way. He told me that when I could no longer get HD off 61.5 (he said it could be years possibly before that would happen), than I would just have to cancel my HD package because I wouldn't be able to get HD anymore.

Can anybody help me with specifics on this? When will I lose HD if I'm getting HD off 61.5? And, when I do lose HD, is there any way I can get my HD back if trees are in the way of the 129 signal? I've had Dish for about 7 years, and I really don't want to have to cancel and get different service just because I can't get HD. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rangers484]

Ok so I got a letter in the mail a few weeks back saying that I would need to schedule Dish to come out and repoint my Dish, or else I would eventually lose all my HD channels.

I can see I'm getting channels off 61.5, so I'm assuming that's where my HD is coming from. The tech guy showed up today and said he couldn't repoint the Dish to (I think he said 129), due to big trees in the way. He told me that when I could no longer get HD off 61.5 (he said it could be years possibly before that would happen), than I would just have to cancel my HD package because I wouldn't be able to get HD anymore.

Can anybody help me with specifics on this? When will I lose HD if I'm getting HD off 61.5? And, when I do lose HD, is there any way I can get my HD back if trees are in the way of the 129 signal? I've had Dish for about 7 years, and I really don't want to have to cancel and get different service just because I can't get HD. Any help would be appreciated.

If you can get 61.5 they should be able to point you to the full eastern arc sats at 72, 77 and 61.5 instead of 110, 119 and 129.

 

[harshness]

We really can't help you efficiently without knowing at least what television DMA you are covered by.

 

[kurtdh]

I'm in Tallahassee FL. Please help with as much information as you can give. I can always call Dish back and have them come back out if they didn't try every option.

 

[kurtdh]

If you can get 61.5 they should be able to point you to the full eastern arc sats at 72, 77 and 61.5 instead of 110, 119 and 129.

Well the letter kind of indicated I needed to repoint my Dish or lose my HD channels. Doesn't this mean in a sense that if you're pointed at 61.5, you won't get HD channels some time in the future?

 

[Rangers484]

Well the letter kind of indicated I needed to repoint my Dish or lose my HD channels. Doesn't this mean in a sense that if you're pointed at 61.5, you won't get HD channels some time in the future?

They are moving some HD Nationals to 72 sat on eastern arc now or 129 on the western arc.

 

[kurtdh]

I'm on 119, 110, 61.5 if you're curious. But I really don't want to lose my HD and I really would like to have access to the 6 new HD channels released at Team Summit. Tech says 129 is blocked by trees. Not sure if he tried any other orbital locations. What are my other options?

 

[kurtdh]

They are moving some HD Nationals to 72 sat on eastern arc now or 129 on the western arc.

You'll need to speak to me like I'm a child. Not really technically savvy with Dish Network so I'm not even sure what an arc is or if I'm covered by it. I'm in Tallahassee FL.

And I need to know what to say to Dish when I call them back and ask them to fix my situation. Will 61.5 eventually stop broadcasting HD? Is 129 and 72 the only other orbital locations where I can have my dish pointed to for HD? Since the guy said trees were blocking 129 and didn't say anything else, am I to assume he didn't even try the other orbitals?

 

[Rangers484]

We really can't help you efficiently without knowing at least what television DMA you are covered by.

to the OP, this refers to your locals. They may be moving them off 61.5 or it could be the national HD moving off 61.5 in the future.

If you locals are on the western arc 110, 119, 129 then you will lose some locals. If they are on eastern arc they can turn your dish and point it the other direction to pick up 61.5, 72, 77.

EDIT. I am on western arc with 129 so someone who has 61.5 should be able to confirm that HD nationals (ESPN, A&E, type channels) are migrating to 72 exclusively in the future. There are some nationals now on 72 that are not on 61.5 but all HD nationals are on 129.

 

[kurtdh]

to the OP, this refers to your locals. They may be moving them off 61.5 or it could be the national HD moving off 61.5 in the future.

If you locals are on the western arc 110, 119, 129 then you will lose some locals. If they are on eastern arc they can turn your dish and point it the other direction to pick up 61.5, 72, 77.

EDIT. I am on western arc with 129 so someone who has 61.5 should be able to confirm that HD nationals (ESPN, A&E, type channels) are migrating to 72 exclusively in the future. There are some nationals now on 72 that are not on 61.5 but all HD nationals are on 129.

The letter I received indicated I would be losing HD programming..not locals. So I'm not sure locals are involved with this.

I just want to know if I'm going to be losing HD some time in the future, and how to get the 6 new HD channels if I can't get 129. That's it.

 

[digiblur]

Tallahassee HD locals are on 129 (there's no beam on 61.5 that covers that DMA before someone ask why it is on 129). So the tech was trying to install a Dish 1000.2. He probably doesn't have any 1000.4 dishes since they are not using those at his shop.

Since you didn't have your HD locals anyways you could request they install a 1000.4 eastern arc dish to get the newer HD channels that are going on 72 and 129.

The tech was kind of wrong that you couldn't get your HD channels, but in a way he was right going by the policy for your area.

I would talk to a supervisor at his shop and tell him you want a 1000.4 dish for eastern arc... since you didn't get your HD locals anyways right now.

 

[will53033]

If you can get 61.5 they should be able to point you to the full eastern arc sats at 72, 77 and 61.5 instead of 110, 119 and 129.

I get 61.5 but can not get eastern arc because I can not see the 77 sat (because a tree is blocking that sat)- I can see 61.5 and 72. My local SD channels are on 110/119 - not all of my locals are HD. I can not see 129 because of trees.

A Dish tech suggested that I switch to DirectTv.

 

[navychop]

I get 61.5 but can not get eastern arc because I can not see the 77 sat (because a tree is blocking that sat)- I can see 61.5 and 72. My local SD channels are on 110/119 - not all of my locals are HD. I can not see 129 because of trees.

A Dish tech suggested that I switch to DirectTv.

Not a good choice. Go with EA & use OTA for locals, if you want them. Call Dish & tell them you want EA and they should send a 1000.4 dish to the installer & tell them you can't get a LoS to 129. If they get reluctant, tell them the Dish installer suggested you move to DirecTV. If that does not work, say Goodbye, nothing more, and call a different local installer. Tell him what you want, wait for the 1000.4 dish to be delivered, and installed. Happy puppy, assuming you don't want (& don't want to pay for) locals from Dish.

77 is not important now, might never be. But 77 is almost directly overhead to you, so it seems strange if it's blocked. You don't want trees over your house, due to risk of roof damage. Perhaps your dish is mounted elsewhere.