942 installation requirements

[Mud]

I'm trying to help my in-laws upgrade their 2 dish receivers to a 942. They have had dish for years but only have the 2 basic receivers with no recording capabilities. They also have one satellite dish on their roof currently. My questions:

1) Do they need to buy a second satellite dish to use the 942 and receive HD channels? I've heard of a device called a "switch". Can a switch be used instead of a second satellite dish? If not, then what is the purpose of a "switch"?

2) If they buy the unit stand alone as a current customer, will Dish come out to install it? Is it simple enough for me to try to install it for them assuming they don't need a second satellite dish?

Thanks for the help and the great info on these forums.

[Mark Lamutt]

Welcome, Mid! :hi:

There are 2 reasons your parents would need a second dish pointing at 61.5 or 148: if part of their local channel package is on one of the wing satellites, to get all of the local channels, they'd need the 2nd dish, or if they're in an area that qualifies for CBS-HD, it's on 61.5 and 148 only. All other HD channels are on 110, so if they have a Dish500, they're set.

A switch is a device that lets the receiver access multiple satellite locations. So, with a Dish500, the dish is looking at both the 119 and the 110 locations. When the receiver changes channels, a signal is sent up the line to the switch, determining which satellite is accessed for that channel. That's not exactly the way it works, but it's close enough.

It sounds like you'd want to have an installer do the install. The 942 requires either 2 coax lines running to its location, or it requires you use a special new LNB (on the satellite - a DPP Twin) or a DPP-44 switch if you can only run one coax line to the 942 location. Then you would use a DPP separator on the one line to connect to the 2 tuners in the 942.

Any of that make any sense?

[Dish in Montana]

Mud - it took me less than one hour to install my 942, and that included the time on the phone with Dish to change the receiver over. Make sure you buy the new Twin LNB (the retailer advised that I change to the new Dishpro Twin LNB and that was well worth it, as it saves you time in pointing the dish and testing your switch. It also eliminates lots of unsightly wires)

If you decide you want or need the 2nd dish (it only has the distant network HD feeds on it, but I assume that they will add more in the future) installing the 2nd dish is easy, too. Your retailer should be able to give you the compass reading for your area, or there are sites that give that info, too. Get from your retailer a Satellite Beeper, $20. You hook it inline when you aim your dish. It emits a tone that increases when it sees a signal, and allows you to tune it easily. It takes seconds to have it oriented right, then just tighten it up. To install the 2nd dish to your system, you just connect it to your first dish (on the new LNB) and that's it. You have to run through your point dish/check switch routine. No extra wires to run inside.

The 942 is amazing! Read the review that Mark Lamutt did...it is very thorough. We really like it...works like a charm!

[SimpleSimon]

Note that Montana means that if you want the input for the 2nd dish and/or the ability to use a single cable for the 942, you need the DishProPlus Twin LNB (as mark said), NOT a standard DP Twin.

Note that the Twins have a satellite feed switch built-in. You don't see it, but it's there.

[Mud]

Yes, most of it made sense Mark! Thanks for everybody's replies.

I was at my in-laws today and this is the equipment they have:

DP301 receiver
Echostar Model ID 3000 receiver (this thing is ancient)


When I brought up the system info I saw this:

Device: 500 Twin
Satellites: 119 and 110


Also, they are in the Sacramento, CA area. Does this area qualify for CBS-HD which would require the 61.5 and 148 satellite and hence a second dish?


So at the very least I would need:
DishProPlus Twin LNB
DPP-44 switch (they only have one line going to the current receiver)

Optionally, I would need a second dish for the network feeds if available in Sacramento.

If Dish came out to do the install, about what would they charge?

[Mark Lamutt]

If the 942 is replacing one of those receivers, they can just swap out the legacy Twin LNB with the DPP Twin LNB. Don't need the DPP44 switch in this case, as the DPP twin can be used with the DP separator.

I don't know if the Sacramento CBS station is a CBS Owned & Operated station or not - it needs to be to be elligible for CBS-HD off of 61.5 or 148.

[The_Wizard]

Can I use a Legacy LNB with the DPP Twin LNB for a third satelite or must I upgrade to a DP LNB? From the documentation that I have seen for the DPP Twin it says that a "compatible" LNB must be used. But, is the Legacy compatible?

Great forum Mark!

[Mark Lamutt]

You cannot mix legacy lnbs with Dishpro or DishProPlus lnbs. You can mix Dishpro lnbs with DishProPlus lnbs.

And, thanks! :)

[Wheaton]

My 942 install plan is to use my previously installed 110/119 dish with a DP Dual and 148 Dish with a DP Dual. The DP44 will then feed a single coax connected to my 942 with separator

Will this work as planned or do need to use DP Twin's as most posts specify?

[Pepper]

that should work fine, and gives you another input if you want 105, 121 or 61.5 in the future.

[Mark Lamutt]

Yup, that's work fine (assuming you mean DP Twin on your Dish500).

[SimpleSimon]

Yes, yet again, Dual vs. Twin. :(

Dual: ONE eye, two outputs, NO switching.
Twin: TWO eyes, two outputs, built-in switching.

The difference IS important.