Outside of Atlanta DMA, but still want ATL locals

[joebeenimble]

I live in south Georgia... well outside of the Atlanta DMA (where local channels are offered in HD). The DMA where I live does not have the local channels in HD. AND... I can't get a good HD signal over the air.


I have Dish now... but the locals aren't in HD

Hypothetical question... if I called Dish and told them I moved to Atlanta and did a self install... could they change my system so I could now get the Atlanta locals in HD? Will I need new equipment after my "move"?

I guess the best way to ask this is will I be able to pick up the Atlanta local broadcast from 300 miles south of Atlanta... if so, will they be in HD? Will this include NBC, CBS, Fox and ABC?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sbturner]

I am in the same situation. I have Tally locals but can only receive WCTV 6 in HD over the air and looks like maybe Fox will be coming up shortly but NBC and ABC looks like are still several months away. I was going to "move" to Atlanta but the problem is Atlanta locals are on the 129 satellite. I have a Dish pointed at 61.5 for HD but don't think that I can receive 129 this far south. I know that some people in Atlanta has had problems with it. If they would put those HD locals on 61.5 like they should have I would be set. No way they do that now.

 

[joebeenimble]

Follow-up

Sorry for my ignorance about the different satellites, but I thought that because the Atlanta locals weren't transmitted through a spot beam, anyone in the ContUS could get Atlanta locals. Is this correct?

If it is correct... why is it that we here in the good old back woods of S. Georgia can't get Atlanta locals through the Contus beam?

 

[stone phillips420]

last i heard atlanta sd locals are conus available throughout the lower 48
along with
la ny chicago and denver sd only though

 

[sbturner]

Atlanta SD locals used to be available as DNS but are no longer if you can get the spotbeam which if you live in South GA you probably can, I can. I still have WSB SD but the Atlanta HD locals are at the 129 sat location. You have to have a dish pointed at that location, which for us in SGA would be hard if not impossible to get.

 

[jself1982]

It's this simple,

***Be sure you have a Dish 1000 or a Dish aimed at 129 with an ok signal, and be sure you have an HD receiver***


1. Call Dish Network, 1-800-333-3474, enter your acct # or telephone #
2. Select the option #2 to add channels, then option #4--to speak to a rep....usually a good mexican so be patient as their english isn't up to par!
3. Find the address for the Westin Atlanta Peachtree Plaza and maybe add an apartment # (make up one), give them that address as your SERVICE address, but tell them to leave your BILLING address what it is now....so you can still get your bill. (And you can tell them that you did a self install) However when I move now all I do is just call, tell them new address, and hang up.
4. Tell them you would like to have the ATL locals, which will include the Standard Definition locals and NBC, CBS, FOX, and ABC in HD in the 6300 channel range I think, but those will only come thru if you have the Dish aimed at 129.
5. Tell the CSR thanks and hang up, check your guide and viola, you have ATL locals.

***And you may want to disconnect any phone lines for when it dials into Dish it may flag their system since it would be coming from another telephone # other than an Atlanta number.....


The ATL locals is NOT offered as distant networks anymore and you have to be in spotbeam #6 to receive them still if you had them as distant networks before to my understanding. I currently am in SC, but have an NC address, get Charlotte locals, Greenville SC locals OTA in HD, and all the distant networks (or at least for now), thanks to a good mexican at Dish Network. Hope this helps you out.

 

[joebeenimble]

Satellite 129 CONUS or not????

Thanks a ton for the great information you provided.

"Pepper" in this post (http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=65974) states that 129 is not a spot beam, rather it is CONUS. Is this true? He cites this map (http://www.ekb.dbstalk.com/297) as evidence. If it is a CONUS beam... I should be able to get it even though I am in s. ga.... right?

I live in the very southern part of Georgia... like 8 miles from the Florida line just north of Tallahassee. Do you (or anyone else) think I will be able get a good signal from 129 (whether it is a CONUS beam or spot beam).

Thanks a ton in advance for your help.


[BEGIN RANT]
All of these maps, spot beams, CONUS, etc. are totally foreign to me.... I just want HD locals with my dish. Thanks, FCC.
[END RANT]

 

[BobaBird]

Further evidence: 129 is occupied by E5 which has no spot beams.

 

[sbturner]

Joebeenimble, You live in Grady County? I am originally from there but live in Adel now. You should be able to receive NBC in HD (40) and I know you can get WCTV because I can here. WTXL and WTLH should be coming.

 

[joebeenimble]

I live about 5 miles south of Thomasville

I knew that I could get WCTV... I can almost see one of the towers from my house. ... didn't know about WALB... do you think that signal will reach to Thomasville?

My main concern is ABC in the fall... I'm a big college football fan and don't want to miss any ABC football matchups in HD.

Do you have any information on when Fox and ABC in this area will have a HD signal?

 

[sbturner]

ok, by the way I work in T'ville. Go Makers!! Do you have an antenna and digital tuner? I would be interested to know if you can get WTWC. Also WTXL just moved their antenna up in height and reworked it somehow so you might be able to get their digital signal but they are not HD yet it's my understanding. I haven't been able to get them in the past, but I am out town this week so I'll try Friday. WALB's antenna is down now as you know and because of that their digital signal will be delayed at least another six months. But when they go full power you should be able to get it. But where you live you should be able to receive WTWC remember their signal is Digital channel 2.

 

[joebeenimble]

Correction

Ouch... 'Makers... my Bulldogs have fallen off substancially since I graduated many moons ago.

To correct my original post... I presently have cable (it was easier to just say I had DN in the original post because I'm going to get DN if I can figure out a way to get locals in HD through DN).

To answer your question, I do have a digital tuner with my cable... I have some of the locals in HD through cable, but my cable provider doesn't provide a wide array of other HD programming (not nearly as extensive as DN). However, I do not have an antenna.

Is there any way to know for sure (without changing my address with DN) that I will be able to get a HD signal from 129.... the footprint map of 129 I saw makes it look like I am real close to the line.

 

[sbturner]

I would highly recommend Dish their HD offerings are great but not networks, you'll have to get an antenna. If they ever moved the Atlanta locals to 61.5 location we would be in business. If you put up a dish looking at 129 it could work let me know if you try it.

 

[OMEGAMIKE1]

i live in atlanta and i get all georgia locals... including thomasville and tallahassee, waycross etc....

you should be able to get the atlanta stations

 

[jself1982]

i live in atlanta and i get all georgia locals... including thomasville and tallahassee, waycross etc....

you should be able to get the atlanta stations

How?

 

[joebeenimble]

Omega... and others...

If Omega gets Thomasville locals, it would stand to reason that I would get Atlanta locals... correct? I live in Thomasville.

Also... Omega - do you get the Atlanta stations in HD?

 

[sbturner]

Omega, I don't see how you get all those channels. Where do you live? Do you have a dish pointed at 129? Do you get HD?

 

[Derwin0]

Waycross is in the Jacksonville market.
Thomasville & Tallahasse is in the Tallahasse market.
The only way to get both is to have DNS for Atlanta and Jacksonville with an address in the Tallahasse market.
But there would be no legit way to get any other Georgia markets (Macon, Chattanooga, Augusta) this way.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

last i heard atlanta sd locals are conus available throughout the lower 48
along with
la ny chicago and denver sd only though

Nope, I "live" in Atlanta from 500 to the south.

I get the 4 HD Channels and the 4 SD Channels that are conus, but the rest of the market is not conus.

And btw, there is talk that they will be removing Atlanta as a conus market, but they continue to flip flop on that (read the change in policy thread in this section )

 

[joebeenimble]

All right... this is guy I need to talk to....

...so, are you saying that I WILL be able to get NBC HD, ABC HD, CBS HD and FOX HD if I "live" in Atlanta (even though my house will be 250 miles to the south hypothetically speaking )

Oh... one other thing... what kind of dish/receiver do I need to order to be able to do this?

Thanks.