Need info on locals and larger dish

[confused]

Hi,

I need some advice/info & just stumbled upon this forum so will see if anyone here can help me out. I am a Dish Network customer & recently tried to add my locals out of Sioux Falls. I have a Dish 500 but signal strength is low & the locals will not come in. When I contacted Dish Network they said they would suggest increasing to a 24" dish & would provide & install at no charge & that it would replace my existing 20" Dish 500 but still receive both 110 & 119 satellites. When the actual technician contacted me he said it would have to be IN ADDITION to my existing Dish500 equipment. He also said that my receiver may have to be upgraded to solve the problem. I have talked to 2 more Dish Network representatives & one said it would be an additional dish & the other said it would replace my existing dish.

I am so confused at this point that I have no idea who is telling me the correct information. Can anyone tell me for sure? The Dish Network reps did not specifically mention the Super Dish that I have seen mentioned in some of the posts here, but would that be what they are intending to use to replace my dish500? All of this is separate from the second dish they are supposed to install free of charge in order for me to receive all the Sioux Falls locals. I would rather not have 3 dishes if it is not necessary.

Sorry this post is so long. I appreciate any info/help you can provide.

[adkinsjm]

The 24" dish is in addition to your existing dish. I don't think it's free either since I used to work for Dish Network and to get the 24" dish was around $100 bucks I think.

[confused]

Thank you for the info. They did tell me they would supply & install the 24" dish at no charge in order to hopefully bring in my local channels. Just wish I could find out for sure if that would solve my problem or if I actually need a newer receiver to resolve this as the technician thinks...

[Bob Haller]

Whats your signal strength? Why would it be low for you? This post brings up LOTS of interesting questions.

[tampa8]

Originally posted by Bob Haller
Whats your signal strength? Why would it be low for you? This post brings up LOTS of interesting questions.

I agree. Can you give a little more information? When you say the signal is weak exactly what do you mean? And what do you see when the locals are not coming in? Did anyone give a reason you would need both dishes? Can you talk to someone in your area who has the locals from Dish and see what they have? Is there something in the way of the signal or is it a clear view from dish to satellite? I realize you are new to the forum, please do not be intimidated by the questions! It's just that you have raised some info that was given to you that needs more explaination.

[confused]

My signal strength is in the 80-95 range on most transponders; however, when the 110 satellite is selected on transponder 02 (which is where the locals are located) my signal strength bar turns red and goes from zero to a max of about 15 & then right back down to nothing. It never locks on the satellite at all. It does the same thing on 110 at transponder 06, I believe. All the rest seem to be at least 75 and most are higher. There are no obstructions to my dish & all my other subscribed channels come in very well. When I tune to the locals I get a black screen with just the banner on top. Then it often will bring up the message "Acquiring satellite signal" or the "Satellite signal lost" box. My receiver is a model 3000 & I have had no problems with it.

My mother lives only 3 miles away & she receives the locals just fine. Her receiver is a model "3900 updated". On transponder 02 at the 110 location her signal strength is about 75. On other transponders her signal strength is actually lower than mine.

Dish network seems to think the 24" dish will solve the problem, but the technician (who has not made a service call yet, only spoken to me on the phone) thinks I need a newer receiver to fix the problem. Of course Dish Network doesn't want to supply me a new receiver for free! They will install the 24" dish free of charge or will gladly SELL me a new receiver, but I would just like to determine first what is actually causing the problem (if that is possible).

Hope this additional info helps. If there is anything else I can explain further I would be happy to do so. Thanks very much.

[gjrhine]

Since the new dish is free and may solve the problem why don't you try it?

[tampa8]

It sure doesn't in any way sound like a receiver problem. Even though you are receiving other transponders ok from 110 perhaps a simple dish alignment would fix it. If not, take the free dish for sure, but I don't believe you would need it in addition to the dish you now have, but in its place. By the way, keep the dish you now have also if at all possible. Why give it back?

[scooper]

It sounds to me like your Dish got knocked out of alignment and needs a re-point. Any strong winds or other bad weather lately ? Any thing that could have banged the dish ?

In any event, THAT's where I would start (you should be seeing all transponders (except for spot beams outside of your spot) at 100+ - I'm seeing them there on my 4700 (upgraded) and my 2700 and I can't imagine that the Sioux Falls area should be any different.

[Bob Haller]

Well THE EASIEST thing to do is swap receivers with your mom for test purposes. If hers works with good signal strength at your home its a dud receiver. I kinda doubt that/

Leaves or other obstructions and even a wisker on a cable connector can selectively wipe out a transponder in rare cases.

If he has a 500 dish and they upgraded him to a 24 inch then he will need a second dish since there really isnt a oversized 500 dish.

I think its a bad cable or connector somewhere. In any case let them install the free oversized dish. When that doesnt fix it they will HAVE to fix whatever is really broke.

[BobaBird]

Miami locals are on a spot beam that appears to be focused on the southern part of the state and surrounding international waters. Are you able to get transponders 1 and 3 at all?
http://ekb.dbstalk.com/pictures/echo7.gif

[NEBUGEATER]

There is some effect of the receiver. I swiched from a 5000 to a PVR and my signal strenth went up about 10 points. Now while the signal strenth may very well be relative and a 85 on one unit may not be an 85 on another unit ( I am not sure) I do feel like I am getting a better picture with the only change being the receiver.

[Jacob S]

This is the time of year where leaves on the trees will start blocking the signals to the dish.

[confused]

A quick update...Over the weekend I finally got the chance to swap receivers with my mom to test things out. I first took mine to her house & it did exactly the same thing as it had here at my house. SF locals would not come in & could not lock on to 110 at transponder 2. So next I brought her receiver to my house, hooked it up, & it received the locals just great. In fact, when checking the signal strengths on various transponders my signal strength is higher than hers (including 110 transponder 2). So I guess it is a problem with my receiver after all & I will have to bite the bullet & buy a new one. Dish Network would not offer me any discount on a new receiver except for the PVR, which I don't really think I want or would use. I figure it just really isn't worth it if I don't actually use its additional features.

On a side note, although Dish Network had told me over the phone they would upgrade me to a 24" dish free of charge, they actually charged my account $59 for a dish. Of course the technician has not actually installed anything yet since we were unsure of the actual problem, so I will have to get that cancelled as well.

Thank you all very much for your help & input. It really helped me get to the bottom of this mess.

[Mike D-CO5]

Once you go pvr you'll never go back. You'll also wonder how you ever managed to go without one before . It will change your life.
Unless you are scared of technology,like my parents. They still have their vcr timer clock blinking . Dish's pvrs are a lot like a digital VCR. Less steps to set a timer than a vcr and you can set like 50 timers with a 508 pvr.

[confused]

OK, before I decide here are a few questions for you PVR owners. First, what is the difference between a 501 & 508? They didn't actually say which one I would get, just that it could record 60 hours of programming. Also, I read some reviews on the net that said the PVRs are very prone to overheating & breakdowns. Is that true or is that a problem they have since fixed? I don't want to get one & then have it break down right away....

Thanks.

[Jacob S]

The 501 records 30 hours and the 508 records 60 hours. If they are telling you that it will record 60 hours and send you a 501 you will be very dissapointed and should stand by their word. I thought they quit doing this crap where they would tell you 501 or 508 that they would be giving out all 508's by now.

[chris_h]

I have to echo the recommendation of getting a PVR. Imagine a TV channel that always has something good on to watch, that matches your mood when you sit down. That is the PVR-channel. Even with having to return my first 721 for a "starting to fail" hard drive, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

[boba]

Confused if you buy the extended warranty for $1.99 and wait the month for it to become effective you should be able to get your receiver replaced for shipping charges.

[Jacob S]

Great, now the 721 receivers are having hard drive failures as well just as the 501/508's were.

[confused]

So are the hard drive failures a common problem with the 501/508s then?

[Jacob S]

Yes, they were a common problem, dont know if they are still a common problem or not. I know they had two different types of hard drives for them.

[confused]

Wish I could find out for sure if it is still a problem. Dish Network quoted me a price of $149 for one with pricing good until the end of the month, or $99 for a 301. I wonder about finding a replacement receiver on eBay...Anyone had any luck doing that? Or would that be a bad idea?

[Jacob S]

I would buy it for $149 and if you start to experience problems then you could get it replaced by Dish Network and sell it and probably make your money back if not make a profit.