Installing 3 LNB dish (in place of Dish Network dish)...help please (=

[aktick]

So I'm going to put up my grandpa's new dish for him today (high of 28 and 15-20 MPH winds...awesome :lol: ). We're just doing the 3 LNB, since he won't have HD, and we're swapping out an old Dish Network dish. So the good news is everything is wired, and I've set up and activated plenty of receivers. The bad news is it's cold as hell, I've never done a roof mount before (I did my old 3 LNB myself, but it was a simple pole mount, I've never swapped out an old Dish dish before, and it's cold as hell. :D

I searched, and either I'm blind (blame it on the cold), or I didn't see anything about doing an install with the above situation.

If you could point me to a thread that answers all of my questions, please do so. :)

1. The old Dish Network dish...I don't suppose the mounting brackets will be anything alike, or will line up at all?

2. Roof mounting the 3 LNB...is it pretty straightforward? We've got a clear view of the entire southern and southwestern sky.

Thanks a lot for any help. :o

[protrex]

You shouldn't have any problems. If the Dish Network dish is a Dish500 (or Dish300) , not a Superdish, all you should have to do is remove the Dish Network dish and replace it with the 3LNB on the same mount.

Be sure to preset the Elevation and Skew with the values provided by the reciever before heading up to the roof. When you remove the Dish be sure to check that the mast is plumbed. Then all you should need to do is point it in the general direction the old dish was pointed in and slowly sweep. You should get a signal pretty quick. Peak your azimuth, lock down the bolts, then peak your elevation. If 101 is higher/lower than 119, peak your skew.

Be sure to remove any Dish Network switches which are present on the coax. If you have 4 or fewer tuners (DVR = 2 Tuners, Regular Receiver = 1 Tuner) you can run the coax from the dish straight to the receivers.

Be sure to check the connectors on the Coax, make sure they are solid and sealed properly. Replace Hex crimps with Compression fittings if possible.

Overall - it should be a pretty easy install.

Good Luck,
Jamie

[veryoldschool]

So I'm going to put up my grandpa's new dish for him today (high of 28 and 15-20 MPH winds...awesome :lol: ). We're just doing the 3 LNB, since he won't have HD, and we're swapping out an old Dish Network dish. So the good news is everything is wired, and I've set up and activated plenty of receivers. The bad news is it's cold as hell, I've never done a roof mount before (I did my old 3 LNB myself, but it was a simple pole mount, I've never swapped out an old Dish dish before, and it's cold as hell. :D

I searched, and either I'm blind (blame it on the cold), or I didn't see anything about doing an install with the above situation.

If you could point me to a thread that answers all of my questions, please do so. :)

1. The old Dish Network dish...I don't suppose the mounting brackets will be anything alike, or will line up at all?

2. Roof mounting the 3 LNB...is it pretty straightforward? We've got a clear view of the entire southern and southwestern sky.

Thanks a lot for any help. :o
IIRC: the mast is the same size [1 5/8"] for dish and DirecTV phase III. "You should" be able to just swap the dish and use the same mast.
The Phase III is very straightforward and not as hard as the 5LNBs.
[Side note: Nothing is "cold as hell", since isn't hell hot?]

[aktick]

Thanks guys...there IS a Dish multiswitch, this has to be replaced (or removed)? He's just going to have 1 DVR and 1 regular receiver, so just the 3 wire runs, which are already in place, but they go through that switch.

And you are right, it can't be "cold as hell." :D But it IS cold (just not used to it yet after the mild fall we've had).

[veryoldschool]

Thanks guys...there IS a Dish multiswitch, this has to be replaced (or removed)? He's just going to have 1 DVR and 1 regular receiver, so just the 3 wire runs, which are already in place, but they go through that switch.

And you are right, it can't be "cold as hell." :D But it IS cold (just not used to it yet after the mild fall we've had).
"It's colder than hell here". :lol:
The phase III dish has the multi-switch in the dish. Remove the old dish switches [as they don't work with DirecTV] and connect the three coax to the dish... done.

[aktick]

Took about an hour and a half to get everything done...then of course I had to wait around another hour until DirecTV's systems were up and running so I could activate things. But we got it all setup, now he can watch the Packers tonight. :D

Pointing was surprisingly easy, just set the tilt and elevation inside, started due south and swung it west until we hit a signal. All transponders are in the 90s except 2 in the 50s, but I went through basically every channel and didn't notice any signal issues.

[litzdog911]

Took about an hour and a half to get everything done...then of course I had to wait around another hour until DirecTV's systems were up and running so I could activate things. But we got it all setup, now he can watch the Packers tonight. :D

Pointing was surprisingly easy, just set the tilt and elevation inside, started due south and swung it west until we hit a signal. All transponders are in the 90s except 2 in the 50s, but I went through basically every channel and didn't notice any signal issues.


Those low transponders are spot beams not aimed at your location. Nothing to worry about. Congrats on a successful install!

[jdspencer]

A little late to the game here. But, I hope you ran the fourth line to future proof the installation.