Not receiving local channels - any hope?

[SusanVT]

Hi guys,

I'm loving your website and really hope you and your readers can help with this problem. I have DishNetwork in Vermont and am not receiving local channels. A quick check on the Dish website tells me I'm eligible but calls to the help line have not helped. Mind you, they did spend half an hour on the phone with me last week to try various things but to no avail. The best they can suggest is that I'm in a dead spot and that I need to get an OTA antenna! My landlord won't spring for that so I'm out of luck. Info I got from them: I'm accessing sats 61.5, 72 and 77; I'm out of range for 110 and 119. Does this make sense? Any ideas on what I might try would be very much appreciated!

Thank you!
Susan

 

[SusanVT]

More info and a question

So I checked the position of the satellites with dish positioning website - it is clear that my dish is pointing at 61.5, 72 and 77 and will not pick up 110 or 119 at the current position. Since I'm in an eligible area, will simply moving the dish a little do the trick? Or is there more to it than that? One thread suggested a second dish - what would that cost?

I appreciate that this topic has been covered before but I could use a little help from anyone who has experience fixing this problem! Thank you!!

 

[KAB]

Call and make sure your locals are turned on for your account. If you are getting any HD off 61.5, you should get locals (if indeed available for your location).

 

[busdriver72]

Yes, if you're in eastern arc, then you need to be pointed toward and getting the 77,72 & 61.5, and you should have an MPG4 receiver, one of the VIP series (222,722, etc.)
If local channels are available through DISH in your area then it is a programming/authorization issue. Contact DISH and speak to tech support and ask
1) Are locals available & active on you account?
2) What orbital location (satellite) they come from?

If they come from a western arc satellite (119,110,129) then you will need a "wing dish," which is a Dish500 dish with a DP dual LNB aimed at the right satellite. This wing dish LNB will then connect to an input on your 1000.4 dish LNB, thus allowing the receiver to "see" 4 orbital locations.

 

[Bobby]

You HD channels are at 61.5 and your SD channels are at 110. Are you trying to get SD channels? What receiver do you have?

 

[SusanVT]

Thanks guys for the additional info - it's very helpful. I'll have to double check my notes from my half hour call with the service people last week, but what I recall is that the locals are on the western arc but should be accessible on the eastern arc. I am definitely eligible for locals and have them in my service plan so that should not be a problem.

I'll have to check the technical specs you gave about the receiver and the LNB (which stands for what exactly??? Sorry! I'm a newbie). Also I'll have a look at the dish, although I'm not sure how I would tell if it's a wing dish or not! I presume it is shaped differently? Armed with this info I may try to get through to the tech support guys again and see if I can get someone to come out to check it out. I'll post an update when I have one. Thanks again.

 

[Bobby]

SusanVT, you haven't answered the question. Are you trying to get SD channels or HD channels? Your SD channels are on 110 so you will be unable to get them with your present configuration.

 

[SusanVT]

Sorry Bobby - missed your post earlier. I don't care which locals I get to be honest! I'm just tired of not having any! HD would be best as I have a good HD TV. Now that I'm home and had a look at everything, it looks like I'm not actually receiving sat 61.5 so this could be the main problem. The receiver is VIP222k but I can't see the dish in the dark - can I tell by just looking at it if it's a wing dish? Either way I'll be able to check it out in the morning. Not sure what to do about the 61.5 issue.

 

[flampher]

I am in Vt as well and get all locals in HD on 61.5 except pbs which is not available in hd yet. I also get all the locals in SD including several pbs's on 110. Unfortunately if you don't get either you will not receive the locals. But all is not lost, my daughter recently had Dish installed at her house in Cavendish VT and the crew left without leaving her 61.5 and told her she would have to cut some trees. I looked the job over and found a spot where 61.5 would work, she called Dish and they were back in a couple of days, installed a second dish (wing dish) did a little wiring and now has all the locals in HD

 

[SusanVT]

Thanks Flampher! If the trees are the problem then we can fix that! I think I need to get the dish guy out here to check the line of sight on 61.5 and we'll see if that is the problem.

 

[dishcomm]

Sorry Bobby - missed your post earlier. I don't care which locals I get to be honest! I'm just tired of not having any! HD would be best as I have a good HD TV. Now that I'm home and had a look at everything, it looks like I'm not actually receiving sat 61.5 so this could be the main problem. The receiver is VIP222k but I can't see the dish in the dark - can I tell by just looking at it if it's a wing dish? Either way I'll be able to check it out in the morning. Not sure what to do about the 61.5 issue.

Susan. First ..
NOw ggrab your remote. Hit menu, then 6.....1.....1.....this is the point dish screen.
hilight "check switch".
let the check switch run through.
this will verify whcih sats your dish sees.
it will also verify the type of dish/lnb( that's the device on the end of the "arm" of the dish)..if it is eastern arc it will show "1k.4" sats are 61.5 72 and 77
In your high latitude there is one satellite that is not visible. that is the 129. so you cannot get the western arc dish.
The only other available in your area is the dish 500 and that is ppointed at sats 110/119.
there are three DMA's in Vermont. ..If you live in Bennington County, you get locals from Albany, NY...if you live in Windham County locals are out of Boston.
All othere counties in VT come from Brulington/Plattsburgh

 

[SusanVT]

Great new info - thanks! Okay so check switch shows me two grids - one each for Satellite Input 1 and Satellite Input 2. Both show 4 ports, of which 1 and 2 are receiving satellites 77 and 72 on device 1K.4. Both also show port 3 with 'conn' in the satellite line and X in the transponder line. I assume this is where 61.5 should be? The Switch line says 'DPP 1K.4 w/Separator'. Also in the 'point dish' screen, it is showing the dish system as 500 - other options are 300 and Super.

 

[busdriver72]

You do have a 1000.4, and it sounds like you are missing the 61.5. Getting your installer out to check things over is a good idea. Sounds like they may possibly owe you a courtesy call.

 

[dishcomm]

Great new info - thanks! Okay so check switch shows me two grids - one each for Satellite Input 1 and Satellite Input 2. Both show 4 ports, of which 1 and 2 are receiving satellites 77 and 72 on device 1K.4. Both also show port 3 with 'conn' in the satellite line and X in the transponder line. I assume this is where 61.5 should be? The Switch line says 'DPP 1K.4 w/Separator'. Also in the 'point dish' screen, it is showing the dish system as 500 - other options are 300 and Super.

Ok...Time to get Dish on the phone and set up a service appointment.
Thge dish may be misaligned or the LNB has failed.
In any event, a technician visit is required.

 

[SusanVT]

update

I thought I'd give you an update on my situation. The short answer is: I won't be getting local channels via Dish. After one very frustrating call with them, during which they were very patronizing and ended up hanging up on me, I called back and spoke to someone else who was very helpful and actually listened to and tried to answer my questions. The bottom line re: locals is that I'm outside the spot beam from the local broadcasters - something they would have to fix apparently - nothing to do with Dish. Re: not showing 61.5, we did a few tests and it seems I am receiving all the channels I should be receiving so it's not an issue (so they tell me). I may check that out to be sure but otherwise I'm giving up this fight. The spot beam issue is one they can't fix so that is a losing battle. My landlord is probably not going to spring for an OTA so I think I'll check out the online streaming options and see if I can connect my laptop to my TV to take advantage of its HD capabilities. Thanks again all! Happy viewing.

 

[mikethedishguy]

RED FLAG 61.5 should be visible from any where in VT as a conis signal. I have customers in Middlebury no problem, so unless you live somewhere near Maine there should be no reason that your locals should not work. And unless you have a Line of site issue the dish should work. Additionally If a 1k4 doesn't receive 61.5 there may be a problem with software downloads and program guide issues. Get a tech out there.

 

[dishcomm]

I thought I'd give you an update on my situation. The short answer is: I won't be getting local channels via Dish. After one very frustrating call with them, during which they were very patronizing and ended up hanging up on me, I called back and spoke to someone else who was very helpful and actually listened to and tried to answer my questions. The bottom line re: locals is that I'm outside the spot beam from the local broadcasters - something they would have to fix apparently - nothing to do with Dish. Re: not showing 61.5, we did a few tests and it seems I am receiving all the channels I should be receiving so it's not an issue (so they tell me). I may check that out to be sure but otherwise I'm giving up this fight. The spot beam issue is one they can't fix so that is a losing battle. My landlord is probably not going to spring for an OTA so I think I'll check out the online streaming options and see if I can connect my laptop to my TV to take advantage of its HD capabilities. Thanks again all! Happy viewing.

Ok....That is total BS!!!!!
There is NOW WAY you are outside any spotbeam for any local DMA in Vermont.
What are the first three digits of your zip code?
I will try to help you get this fixed. This is a big fat dogpile. I cannot believe a Dish CSR fed you this crap.
If you care to PM me, feel free.
BTW I am a Dish tech and I have ways of getting around this nonsense.

 

[flampher]

Nonsense, Total BS ! 61.5 all over VT! My brother in Alburgh, son in Jeffersonville, Mom in Underhill, Daughter in Cavendish, St Johnsbury, Nephew in Williston just to name a few get 61.5 NO PROBLEM. Maybe they have been told to BS customers and to do no more 61.5 installs as the bird is sick?