Satellite Help For Newbies

[Peto]

Hey everybody,

I never had satellite before, and I always look for ways to make utility bills cheaper, so I looked at those packaged deals with AT&T and was able to combine phone, internet, and tv for less than I was paying for phone and internet alone. I had been using broadcast television, and recently got the $40 converter cards from the government and bought the dtv converter box. Well, it doesn't really work for where I live. I am in an apartment building that is seven stories tall, and all I have is a view to the north sky and a partial view to the east, which is blocked by a brick wall. I know you need a view of the southern sky, and when I was shopping for this package and they were getting the satellite portion taken care of, I let them know this, but they didn't seem to care and are going to be sending out a tech to try to install it Sunday.

What are the chances of actually getting anything? Are they ever going to install satellites in the northern sky and if not, why not (seems ridiculous to limit your customer base to those who have a south view only)? The service plan we are getting through Dish Network is the Family Plan for $19.99 a month.

I do not know the lat/lon location of my residence, but live in the western suburbs of chicago, zip code 60563 (Naperville) Mill St & Ogden Ave.

Lets say that personally, I am putting no hope on getting satellite even though I want it. Also, I hear something about satellite online. What is this exactly? I don't see satellite providers also offering their service through the internet, to me, it sounds like peer-to-peer, hacking, illegal type ordeal. Sorry about the long winded post, but as I said, I am such a noob.

 

[Voyager6]

to SatGuys. You need a view of the southern sky because the satellites are in orbit over the equator which is, of course, south of North America. Unless you can get permission for a roof install, you have very little chance of a successful install. Have you contacted the property manager to see if a satellite service is already available?

 

[Pepper]

It's simple physics. Only over the equator can a satellite be orbited so that it appears stationary in relation to the ground.

 

[Peto]

Well, I tried getting permission for a roof installation, and of course they won't. They don't want any permanent fixtures for satellite installation, so it is either cement pots or railing clamps. I guess this is why they don't want it installed on the roof, it would have to become permanent otherwise high winds and bad storms could knock it down or something similar.

I am sure there are other physics that would explain this (but I am very bad on this subject), but why not set satellites not just on the equator, but on the Prime Meridian or whatever the N-S version of the equator is called?

Well, at any rate, the bottom line is that I am going to be as disappointed as I was expecting. Of course cable is not offered in this area, guess it means no TV (I know there is internet tv available, but they are usually random shows on random channels and horrible quality.

 

[John Anderson]

Hey, you are in luck my friend,

I recently heard from Dish Network about the same situation, and it sounds like in the near future that they actually have a new technology they are going to launch to allow more satellites, not just along the equator, but also in the northern hemisphere, so you should be able to get satellite, not by Sunday of course, but maybe in a few years. I can't remember exactly what it was called, but I think it was something like North Arc(h) or something like that. Try looking into this, until then, what Pepper said is true.

Just so you know, if you have heard that weather will knock out your signal, it is true, but it is overexaggerated. It doesn't have to be perfectly sunny and cloudless to get a signal, only really bad storms, and maybe very hard rain will do this. They make it seem like cable tv is better, but many people don't know this, but sun flairs can knock out cable.

 

[Peto]

Hey John,

Thank you for that information, I will try to find more about it. Probably not if it is so new. I didn't know that about cable and sun flairs, and yes, you are correct I have heard such negative things about satellite and bad signals. I just wish I could at least point a dish straight up in the air and get a signal but I guess it doesn't work that way. Oh well. I would appreciate anyone's opinion on the situation and alternatives for cable and satellite, especially since I can't get broadcast tv.

 

[oldford]

Wait until the installer shows up on Sunday and see if he can get a signal for you. If not, get basic cable. Forget about this northern arc(h) thing, unless the laws of physics get revised, no one is going to have a geosynchronous satellite anywhere except over the equator.

Regards, Eric

 

[Peto]

Eric (oldford),

Thanks for your input, I was planning on letting the install guiy come take a look at it and see what he could do. I think I already mentioned it, but the cable operators either do not service my area at all, or they are unauthorized on the property. Back when they were around, the apartment complex was an "AMERITECH ONLY!" building, but as you probably know, they are now AT&T. I have tried asking them, WOW, and even Comcast, which I hate with a passion as they are the worst company in the world (hopefully they will be better in the future). So until cable is available, I will have no TV, unless the satellite thing happens to work by some miracle (although I have been told that they can get creative in installing dishes).

 

[NoCenterIceNoDishNetwork]

Hey, you are in luck my friend,

I recently heard from Dish Network about the same situation, and it sounds like in the near future that they actually have a new technology they are going to launch to allow more satellites, not just along the equator, but also in the northern hemisphere, so you should be able to get satellite, not by Sunday of course, but maybe in a few years. I can't remember exactly what it was called, but I think it was something like North Arc(h) or something like that. Try looking into this, until then, what Pepper said is true.

Its called Eastern Arch and "from what I've heard" it should be coming out less than a couple of years. If you havent seen it yet E* 11 (Satellite) was just shipped for launch soon. Dont worry if not now but SOON-LOL you will eventually get E*

 

[costanzas_wallet]

would your picture come in backwards if your signal was reflected off of a mirror?



*sorry

 

[Pepper]

Lots of bad info here. Eastern Arc is 61.5/72.5/77 - all geosynchronous locations above the equator. None are north of any location in North America. They are farther east but still to the south.