which zip code?

[richlee]

Yesterday I had an additional HD receiver installed.
During the set up I debated which zip code to input with the D*installer.
There is a post office no more than one quarter mile from the dish.That is the zip code that I have used previously.The installer insisted that I must use the one that's in my address even though it's FOUR miles from the dish.

Which zip is the correct one and why?

Thanks in advance.

[Stuart Sweet]

It doesn't matter, it's just used for aiming and the active weather forecast. If the installer doesn't give you the right answer, redo the satellite setup after he leaves with the correct zip code.

[Grentz]

Yup, really not a big deal. Most of the time you can just have the first few digits right and the rest can be bogus.

[cartrivision]

Isn't zipcode also used for the OTA setup? As I recall, you can enter one zipcode for the primary OTA market and another zipcode for a secondary market.

[Grentz]

Isn't zipcode also used for the OTA setup? As I recall, you can enter one zipcode for the primary OTA market and another zipcode for a secondary market.

Yup, with OTA you can enter two zip codes in the OTA Setup.

[CapeCodder]

Yup, with OTA you can enter two zip codes in the OTA Setup.

I can't speak for OTA, but as I understood the many, many previous threads on the zip code issue, you can put the zip code for Moscow Russia into your set up and it won't matter. The entry is not used for any purpose and is of no value. In my case, the D* installer used a zip code 200 miles west of my house when he did my original install, and it's still there in my HR21 set up. When I upgraded another receiver to an H21, I put my correct zip in its set up. Same antenna, same D* package - resulT? same service (sig levels, locals, etc.) - seems to confirm to me the zip in set up has no meaning.

[waynebtx]

When the installer hooked up my daughters H23 he used 00000. I went back after he left and but in the right one.

[cartrivision]

I can't speak for OTA, but [.....] seems to confirm to me the zip in set up has no meaning.

Except that is does have a meaning and is used for the OTA setup.

[Grentz]

I can't speak for OTA, but as I understood the many, many previous threads on the zip code issue, you can put the zip code for Moscow Russia into your set up and it won't matter. The entry is not used for any purpose and is of no value. In my case, the D* installer used a zip code 200 miles west of my house when he did my original install, and it's still there in my HR21 set up. When I upgraded another receiver to an H21, I put my correct zip in its set up. Same antenna, same D* package - resulT? same service (sig levels, locals, etc.) - seems to confirm to me the zip in set up has no meaning.

The only thing it does is give you the rough alignment settings for the dish, but most installers are local and will thus know them anyways and from there you use a signal meter so it is not that big of a deal.

With OTA it is important as the zip determines what DMA info it downloads to use in the guide with the OTA tuner. You can have 2 zip codes so up to 2 DMAs brought in via OTA.