Need help choosing proper Satellite dish

[Don_S]

I am upgrading my E* equipment shortly and have a few questions:

1. I currently have a SuperDish + DPP44 switch combo feeding a 942 DVR and an 811 HD receiver. I am currently only getting the basic ($9.99) HD pack. The SuperDish gets the 110, 119 and 121 birds. To get the additional HD programming, I need to be able to see either the 61.5 or 129 bird.

2. I am planning on getting a ViP 622 and a Vip211 to replace my current DVR / Receiver combination.

3. What are my options as far as the satellite dishes? Will I have to replace the SuperDish with a Dish 1000.2 or can I add a dish 500 to the Superdish / DPP44 to get the 61.5 or the 129 bird? If I go the Dish 1000.2 route, will it be able to see all 4 oribital locations (110,119,121 AND 61.5 or 129)? Also, are the Dish 1000.2 LNBs compatible with the DPP44 or do they come with their own built-in switch?

 

[SmityWhity]

What are you using 121 for?
If international, which package(s)?

 

[webbydude]

To the OP....if you need the 121 for any of your programming, then your best bet is to get a separate D500 and point it the 61.5.

Simply run a DP dual or single into said dish, and feed that LNB into one of your open inputs on your DPP44 switch.

 

[Don_S]

What are you using 121 for?
If international, which package(s)?

I am not subscribing to any international programming...I am not quite sure what I am using the 121 for... all I know is that when I run checkswitch, the 121 is one of the birds that show up. I have my locals on 110, so that's not it.

 

[SmityWhity]

It is possible that your locals moved from 121 to 110.

Couple of more questions:
- Where are you getting your locals from
- Do you want a single dish solution if possible?

 

[Don_S]

It is possible that your locals moved from 121 to 110.

Couple of more questions:
- Where are you getting your locals from
- Do you want a single dish solution if possible?

As I stated above, I am currently getting my locals from 110, and Yes, I would like a single dish solution if possible, as long as I can get good signal strength on all orbital locations

 

[SmityWhity]

Provided you do not need your HD Locals from another satellite, such as 129 or 118.7, then it would be best to do as webbydude said.

- Get a Dish 500 with a DP Dual LNBF, point it to either 61.5 (or 129).
- You can either disconnect the 121 cable, or leave it to receive KBS World (Korean) for free.

For a 1 dish solution:

- Remove the SuperDish 121, and replace with a Dish 1000 using a DP Twin and a DP Dual; connected to your current DPP44; this will give you 119/110/129. The DPP44 will allow single cables to dual tuner receivers.

- Remove the SuperDish 121 and DPP44, and replace with a Dish 1000.2. It has a built in DPP switch and can feed 3 dual tuner receivers with single cables; it will pick up 119/110/129.

- Hopefully in the near future, the SuperDish Repoint Kit will be out, and then you can replace the SuperDish 121 cluster with the Repoint Kit cluster to get 110/119/118.7/129.

Good signal strength on all orbital locations could depend on what part of the country you are in.

EDIT:
If you later find your HD Locals are on 118.7, then you could keep the DPP44 and replace the SuperDish 121 with a Dish 1000+; this will give you 110/119/118.7/129.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/bfg/dish-hd.htm

61.5 has a few extra PI channels that are not on 129.

 

[lakebum431]

You don't need a DPP44 for a 1 line solution to the regular Dish 1000 either. You just need a DPP Twin and a DP dual. You will still be able to run 1 wire to any of the boxes and use a DPP separator.

 

[RandallA]

Better yet, get a Dish 1000.2. It's bigger and will get you better signals on 129.

 

[SmityWhity]

You don't need a DPP44 for a 1 line solution to the regular Dish 1000 either. You just need a DPP Twin and a DP dual. You will still be able to run 1 wire to any of the boxes and use a DPP separator.

Correct, but I said "with a DP Twin instead of the DPP Twin" since he already has a DPP44 in place. This will allow him to use 4 receivers if he decides to keep the other two, but mainly "some say the DPP Twin has problems."

Better yet, get a Dish 1000.2. It's bigger and will get you better signals on 129.

My second choice on 1 dish option, because someone said they are having to use DP Duals on the Dish 1000.2 since the clusters are in short supply. But then the DP Duals with the DPP44 would be good. Still a good choice.

All still depends on if he can get 129 in his location; and where his HD Locals are.

 

[Don_S]

Provided you do not need your HD Locals from another satellite, such as 129 or 118.7, then it would be best to do as webbydude said.

- Get a Dish 500 with a DP Dual LNBF, point it to either 61.5 (or 129).
- You can either disconnect the 121 cable, or leave it to receive KBS World (Korean) for free.

For a 1 dish solution:

- Remove the SuperDish 121, and replace with a Dish 1000 using a DP Twin and a DP Dual; connected to your current DPP44; this will give you 119/110/129. The DPP44 will allow single cables to dual tuner receivers.

- Remove the SuperDish 121 and DPP44, and replace with a Dish 1000.2. It has a built in DPP switch and can feed 3 dual tuner receivers with single cables; it will pick up 119/110/129.

- Hopefully in the near future, the SuperDish Repoint Kit will be out, and then you can replace the SuperDish 121 cluster with the Repoint Kit cluster to get 110/119/118.7/129.

Good signal strength on all orbital locations could depend on what part of the country you are in.

EDIT:
If you later find your HD Locals are on 118.7, then you could keep the DPP44 and replace the SuperDish 121 with a Dish 1000+; this will give you 110/119/118.7/129.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/bfg/dish-hd.htm

61.5 has a few extra PI channels that are not on 129.

Thank you for the detailed and very useful information. I am leaning towards the Dish 1000.2 option and getting rid of the SuperDish/DPP44 combo. If I understand you correctly, the only negative to this will be that I can only feed three dual-tuner receivers as opposed to 4 on the DPP44 switch...no?

 

[SmityWhity]

Correct:
- Disadvantages: 3 duals instead of 4; no Pentagon Channel.
- Advantages: If needed, you can always add a wing dish for a 4th location using the built-in DPP switch.

The SuperDish 121 & 105 uses the largest dish pan, and then the Dish 1000.2 is the second largest dish pan, followed by the Dish 500+/1000+, then the Dish 1000, and then the Dish 500; so it would be a good choice.

 

[RandallA]

But you can still use the 3 cable runs from the dish to feed the DPP44 switch. So you won't lose the option to feed 4 dual tuners.

Actually the dish 1000.2 has a new DP Plus LNB that looks like the Directv one. I'll post a picture in a moment.
And you can find it here:
http://www.dishstore.net/product_info.php?cPath=38&products_id=292

 

[SmityWhity]

Good point.

So it may be a good idea to keep the DPP44 for the future.

 

[Don_S]

Correct:
- Disadvantages: 3 duals instead of 4; no Pentagon Channel.
- Advantages: If needed, you can always add a wing dish for a 4th location using the built-in DPP switch.

The SuperDish 121 & 105 uses the largest dish pan, and then the Dish 1000.2 is the second largest dish pan, followed by the Dish 500+/1000+, then the Dish 1000, and then the Dish 500; so it would be a good choice.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what is the Pentagon channel?

 

[SmityWhity]

BYUTV, Classic Arts Showcase, Colours TV, Documentary Channel, FEC/PAEC, Free Speech TV, Good Samaritan Network, HITN, Health & Human Services Television, Link TV, Northern Arizona University/University House, Pentagon Channel, Research Channel, RFDTV, University of California, and University of Washington.

The above are Public Interest Channels that I believe Dish only transmits on 61.5 and 148. So if one or more of these channels are of interest to you, you should consider using 61.5 for HD reception instead of 129; or maybe in the future add a wing dish for either 61.5 or 148.

- The Pentagon Channel has information/news of interest to military personnel.
- RFDTV has information probably tailored more to rural America and Oklahoma D), but still has a lot of good programming, including tractor shows.
- HHS is currently running programming such as "History of Bioterrorism", "Pandemic Flu/Preparedness", and "USDA News: Avian Influenze."

 

[Don_S]

My thanks to all who responded with great information. One more question: I own the SuperDish and the DPP44 (years ago I participated in the "Free Dish" program to get the SuperDish and bought the DPP44 on ebay for over $100) If I do go the D1000.2 route, will the installer take away my SuperDish and the DPP44 or am I within my rights to ask that they be left behind?

 

[lakebum431]

If you do own them then they will not take them as long as you are sure to tell them that you own them. Don't let them take the 44 for sure. You can always sell that on Ebay or here if you don't want it.