Should I switch to Eastern Arc?

[bnewt]

I have been on the Western Arc for about 9 years. I presently obtain my local channels on this setup. Now for some reason, my HD locals are only obtainable via Eastern Arc. Will I have better/worse picture quality on EA? I feel since I am paying for the locals, I should be getting the HD version instead of SD.

 

[jlo]

EA is all mpeg 4, so anything that is not a vip wont work, but it looks like you are covered there.wing dish would suffice. picture quality is the same, but EA uses only mped 4 compression so you can technically record more hours

 

[MikeD-C05]

EA is all mpeg 4, so anything that is not a vip wont work, but it looks like you are covered there.wing dish would suffice. picture quality is the same, but EA uses only mped 4 compression so you can technically record more hours

You can record more hours. I have had both setups and like Eastern arc better . To ME the sd picture looks sharper than Mpeg 2 western arc . There is less pixelation in backgrounds. The bonus is more hard drive room due to mpeg 4 taking up less room on the hard drive.

 

[bnewt]

thanks, I guesss I need to call & see what they offer me.

 

[CowboyDren]

If you can just plug a wing dish in to pick up 61.5, you should probably do that. Though picture quality is a little better, the signal strength is probably lower, meaning you're more prone to rain fade. Odd that your locals aren't on 129W...

 

[viggen61]

When I had Dish installed almost 3 years ago, they installed two dishes. One for 110 & 129, and the second for 61.5. Is it or will it be possible to drop the 110/129 dish with the Eastern Arc? I subscribe to the HD Platinum package, if that matters.

Thanks!

 

[jlo]

eastern arc is 77 72.5 and 61.5 thats a 1k4 dish

 

[bnewt]

If you can just plug a wing dish in to pick up 61.5, you should probably do that. Though picture quality is a little better, the signal strength is probably lower, meaning you're more prone to rain fade. Odd that your locals aren't on 129W...

I think that my locals should be available on 129 also.

I don't want the 2nd dish, even though it may be the best way to go.

 

[catnap1972]

Is the EA dish available for upgrades or are they still holding them for new subs? I'd like to upgrade from a 625 receiver to the 722 but being my area (Harrisburg DMA) is outside the reach of 129, they're insisting that I'd need 3 dishes (my current 500 plus one each for 77 and 61.5). Definitely NOT an ideal solution from my perspective and I'd sooner avoid it.

 

[garys]

Should you go with the EA dish and you want your sd locals, you would still need a second dish pointed at 110.

 

[tfoss]

Is the Eastern Arc 110, 119 & 129? Thanks.

 

[catnap1972]

Is the Eastern Arc 110, 119 & 129? Thanks.

EA is 61.5, 72.5, and 77

 

[garys]

Is the Eastern Arc 110, 119 & 129? Thanks.

110, 119, 129 is being termed as the Western Arc (EA dishes point to the SE, WA to the SW.)

 

[lwvmobile]

Here is a stupid question from a under informed Dish Network guy.

I am in the Eastern US, North Florida more precisely slightly northwest of Gainesville. If the Eastern Arc is 61.5, 72, and 77, then why was I set up for 110, 119, and 61.5, and why are my locals only in HD on 129, which from why I understand, though I may be wrong, on the 129 satellite for the western arc?

I tried repointing my 61.5 dish to 129, but couldn't get any signal, even after mounting the dish on another mast higher on the roof. I think my problem the dish needs to point more 'horizontal' at a lower angle, but I think the treeline in the distance may block that range, although I can pick up 110 and 119 just fine, but maybe just because the elevation angle is somewhat higher for those.

Any ideas?

 

[chainblu]

Gainesville is a Western Arc DMA. HD locals were added just a few months ago, so it really depends on how long ago you were setup with HD. If it was prior to the launch of Gainesville HD locals (4-8-09), then you have the correct setup.

 

[digiblur]

Here is a stupid question from a under informed Dish Network guy.

I am in the Eastern US, North Florida more precisely slightly northwest of Gainesville. If the Eastern Arc is 61.5, 72, and 77, then why was I set up for 110, 119, and 61.5, and why are my locals only in HD on 129, which from why I understand, though I may be wrong, on the 129 satellite for the western arc?

I tried repointing my 61.5 dish to 129, but couldn't get any signal, even after mounting the dish on another mast higher on the roof. I think my problem the dish needs to point more 'horizontal' at a lower angle, but I think the treeline in the distance may block that range, although I can pick up 110 and 119 just fine, but maybe just because the elevation angle is somewhat higher for those.

Any ideas?

It doesn't go by location. If there was room on a spotbeam pointed at your area, then your locals were put on EA if you were on the east coast. If not, your locals were put on 129 since 129 had beams covering just about every market in the US.