Losing my HD channels end of the year?

[moonwolf22]

I recently received a phone call from a Dish rep saying that I needed to upgrade my equipment by the end of the year or I would lose my HD channels. I asked what needed to be upgraded, and was told my antennas and my 722. I was informed that the 61.5 satellite I currently point to would be changed to 72.7.

I own and installed all of my equipment. My set up for receiving my current satellites (110,119,61.5) include a 121 Super Dish to receive 119 and 110 (121 was disconnected when I switched to 61.5) and a Dish 500 for 61.5.

My questions are:

1. Can I just point the Dish 500 to 72.7? Can I do it now, or wait till the end of the year?

2. Will I need to buy a new receiver, or can the existing 722 be upgraded through nightly updates or a newer smart card?

3. Will all HD be switched to 72.7 or will I still need to be pointing at 61.5?

My zip code is 04863 if this will help anyone determine the answers.

Thanks.

 

[Jim S.]

Whoever said you need to replace the 722 is out of their head. The only receivers that would need to be replaced are old ones that don't do MPEG4.

But yes, they want to get rid of dual antenna setups and get everybody onto either 129/119/110 or 61.5/72/77. Yes, you'll need both 61.5 and 72. You could change right now if you want to set it up yourself -- in fact, national HD channels on 61.5 haven't duplicated the ones on 129 for quite a while, so you're already missing out on channels you're paying for! The only satellite of dubious value, depending on what channels you watch, right now, is 77, but there's no way of knowing whether that will change.

 

[moonwolf22]

Thanks Jim S.

If were to switch to 61.5/72/77, what new equipment would I need, if any. Also, are all my current channels mirrored on these other satellites so I wouldn't lose any programming? From my location it would be hard to get a line of site for the 129, if I remember correctly.

Currently have 250 package with locals, Starz, and HD platinum.

 

[papalittle]

Some of the older boxes do not work on the eastern arc. I take it you can not receive the 129 sat.

 

[SaltiDawg]

...

But yes, they want to get rid of dual antenna setups and get everybody onto either 129/119/110 or 61.5/72/77. ...

With his current 110/119/61.5 he is not able to receive all of the HD channels that he is paying for. (BBC America comes to mind.)

 

[Dah-Henny]

Thanks Jim S.

If were to switch to 61.5/72/77, what new equipment would I need, if any.

Assuming that your locals are on the 61.5/72/77, you only need a 1000.4 Eastern Arc dish, available on eBay for well under $100, and other places as well. The EA has everything Dish has to offer.

 

[kvnfl]

Assuming that your locals are on the 61.5/72/77, you only need a 1000.4 Eastern Arc dish, available on eBay for well under $100, and other places as well. The EA has everything Dish has to offer.

Dish upgraded my dish to WA for $15 with the service plan. Said it would have cost $95 or $99 without the service plan. Installation comes with a 6 month guarantee, which was needed due to a sever wind storm the day after installation. Like you, I am coastal. EA dish had to be installed on the roof in a tripod configuration to prevent wind damage. WA Dish mounted on the existing Dish500 mast.

You might need a new card to access mpeg4 channels. If you do not have one now, you need a card not a new receiver.

 

[R0ss]

Dish upgraded my dish to WA for $15 with the service plan. Said it would have cost $95 or $99 without the service plan. Installation comes with a 6 month guarantee, which was needed due to a sever wind storm the day after installation. Like you, I am coastal. EA dish had to be installed on the roof in a tripod configuration to prevent wind damage. WA Dish mounted on the existing Dish500 mast.

You might need a new card to access mpeg4 channels. If you do not have one now, you need a card not a new receiver.

EA setups require a "VIP" receiver, which will decode MPEG4 signals out of the box. If you do not already have a "VIP" receiver you will need to upgrade to one. It is the software and the electronics of the receiver that process the MPEG4 signal. I may be wrong but the "card" either hard or put in the slot is what "descrambles" the signal. MPEG4 is a type of compression, your receiver's electronics and software process the compression not the "card".

Ross

Ross

 

[3HaloODST]

Looks like for HD locals you will need a 1000.4 EA setup (61.5/72.7/77.) If you have any older receivers (non-ViP) then your best bet is to get a 1000.2 (or 1000.4 WA) pointed at 110/119/129 and a wing dish pointed at 61.5. Or DISH could replace the older receivers, I dunno.

I wonder if they'll move the locals from 61.5 as well? If so, the wing dish would be useless at the end of the year.

 

[3HaloODST]

Looks like for HD locals you will need a 1000.4 EA setup (61.5/72.7/77.) If you have any older receivers (non-ViP) then your best bet is to get a 1000.2 (or 1000.4 WA) pointed at 110/119/129 and a wing dish pointed at 61.5. Or DISH could replace the older receivers, I dunno.

I wonder if they'll move the locals from 61.5 as well? If so, the wing dish would be useless at the end of the year.

Correction: The wing dish would be useless until pointed at the 72.7.

 

[moonwolf22]

From what I'm gathering, I'll need to get a 1000.4 EA dish. Will I be able to remove the 500 dish now (61.5) and put this new dish into the same arm bracket? I do have a VIP 722. Not the "K" version. According to this site EKB: Dish Network Channels at 72.7° it seems that only "new subscribers" can utilize this satellite for now (72.7). I wanted to start here first to help get the basic information I'll need to make this change before calling Dish back. I've called them in the past and then had to come here because they gave me the wrong info. Go figure. Thanks to all who've helped so far.

 

[Dah-Henny]

The 722 works just fine on the EA. The 1k.4 is the only dish that you will need. I would not recommend using the 500 mast, because the 1k.4 mast assembly is longer, and comes with 2 struts to help support the weight. Pay no attention to what you posted about what EKB says.

 

[TheKrell]

My installer did in fact use my old mast, but added the struts and the 1000.4.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I installed the 1000.4 sat dish on the same pole the dish 500 /1000/1000.2 ( had all of them by now) was on. It works fine and I have no struts on it either. As usual you mileage may vary.

 

[Jhon69]

Dish upgraded my dish to WA for $15 with the service plan. Said it would have cost $95 or $99 without the service plan. Installation comes with a 6 month guarantee, which was needed due to a sever wind storm the day after installation. Like you, I am coastal. EA dish had to be installed on the roof in a tripod configuration to prevent wind damage. WA Dish mounted on the existing Dish500 mast.

You might need a new card to access mpeg4 channels. If you do not have one now, you need a card not a new receiver.

It would have cost you more than that if you had to buy the dish and had Dish Network come out and install it and align it.:yikes

 

[Charlym]

I installed the 1000.4 sat dish on the same pole the dish 500 /1000/1000.2 ( had all of them by now) was on. It works fine and I have no struts on it either. As usual you mileage may vary.

The installer used the same pole that the 500 was on that was pointing to 61.5, and didn't use struts.

He installed a 1000.4 dish, and it seems fine, but also used the other 500 that was pointed to 119 for my locals!

Is this correct, because I thought that my local would be on the 1000.4, and finally have only one dish. Grazy!

 

[MikeD-C05]

Maybe your locals are on the 77 sat which is the weakest. Another DISH pointed just to 77 sat would make it come in stronger on signal strength. Check you switch matrix and see what it shows, three sats or 4 .

 

[Jimmerinwi]

The 722 works just fine on the EA. The 1k.4 is the only dish that you will need. I would not recommend using the 500 mast, because the 1k.4 mast assembly is longer, and comes with 2 struts to help support the weight. Pay no attention to what you posted about what EKB says.

They now have a mast out for the k.4. Same size as a 500 mast, but it is a thicker gauge metal, has a "W4" on the base of it, don't need struts either. Can't use a regular 500 mast, although some installers do use the old ones. It's an instant fail if it gets checked by Dish QAS.

 

[Dah-Henny]

I'm not too crazy about the 1k.4 struts, because they're not adjustable, so I used the turnbuckle struts from my old starband dish. I guess it's nice that the newer 1k.4's don't need them.

 

[moonwolf22]

After thinking about this, can't I just try and aim the Dish 500 toward 129? I've checked the angles and to point to 129, the dish would only have an elevation of 12.5 degrees. I believe when I looked into this before, that elevation might be to low. But what the heck, I think I'll try it as I wouldn't have to buy any more equipment, and could leave my current cables/switch (dp34) combination alone. Anyone have any luck with this low of an elevation?