Locals Upgrade -- How to handle with 4 satellites required?

[Mdknapp]

Does anyone know what the rules are when they are upgrading locals and the customer needs a 4 satellite setup?

I currently have 110, 119 and 61.5 (sky angel). I am adding 148 for my locals in the SF Bay Area and I think the only solution in this situation (four satellites) is to have my Dish 500 twin changed to a Dish 500 dual AND have a SW-64 cascaded with SW-21s.

My equipment is as follows:
-18" Dish
-1 Dish 500 Twin Dish
-1 4900 Receiver
-1 501 PVR Receiver

I have on order to be installed BEFORE the local install the $199 upgrade from the 4900 to the 501 (hopefully 508). My understanding is this is required because the 4900 will not support the 4 receiver setup described above.

My question to you all out there is what will they do when they go to install the locals (148)? Will they honor that I am subscribed to programming from 61.5? (They *should* because if you only subscribe to Sky Angel they count you as an "existing" customer... my dad found out the hard way)

Should I have my 501 "upgrade" occur before or after my locals upgrade? Does it matter? :shrug:

Desperately looking for any insight you may have!

Matthew :confused:

[Scott Greczkowski]

I know it CAN be done.

Claude Grainer has done it and now he enjoys both CBS HD East and West.

I will Ping Claude and see if he can post here how he did it. :)

[Claude Greiner]

It can be done, what you need to have is a reciever which displays all 5 satellite locations.....

61.5
110
119
129
148

From there, select the "129" option on the point Dish and signal screen, which will now force the reciever to do 50 switch Tests.

Hook your Sw64 up to 119/110/61.5 and then connect up 148 with an Sw21 switch. The switch summery screen will indicate either 61.5 or 148 is not connected, however all the programming will show up in the guide.

Hope this helps :)

Claude Greiner

[Scott Greczkowski]

Boy that was quick.

Thanks Claude!

[Mdknapp]

Originally posted by Claude Greiner
It can be done, what you need to have is a reciever which displays all 5 satellite locations.....

Hook your Sw64 up to 119/110/61.5 and then connect up 148 with an Sw21 switch.

So what your suggesting looks like this?:

148------------------------> |=====|
|SW-21|------->|RECEIVER #1|
119-------> |=====| -------> |=====|
110-------> |SW-64|
61.5------> |=====| -------> |=====|
|SW-21|------->|RECEIVER #2|
148------------------------> |=====|


If this IS correct will the installer give me a SW-64 switch for this setup when I upgrade to locals (it appears it is "required" so I keep all my programming!).

I ask because some time back there was discussion that they *can* give you a SW-64 but only in specific situations.... Would this qualify? If *not*, why?

Thanks again for your help!

Matthew

[TNGTony]

Can't help with the logistical part of this, but

To the diagram be sure that the SW21 does NOT get hooked up to output one of the SW64. This is the port that powers the whole switch.

See ya
Tony

[Mark Lamutt]

Matthew,

I suspect that the installer will try to repoint your 61.5 dish to 148 before anything else. Make sure you're there to stop him from doing that! After that, he'll probably set you up with dual lnbs and an SW-64. Hopefully you won't have to argue too much, because this is not a standard configuration. Just because it happens to work doesn't mean that it's officially supported.

[Mdknapp]

Originally posted by TNGTony

To the diagram be sure that the SW21 does NOT get hooked up to output one of the SW64. This is the port that powers the whole switch.


So is this (revised) diagram correct?


148------------------------> |=====|
|=====|------->|RECEIVER #1|
|=====|1| |SW-21|
119-------> |=====|2| -----> |=====|
110-------> |SW-64|3|
61.5------> |=====|4| -----> |=====|
|SW-21|------->|RECEIVER #2|
148------------------------> |=====|


Or should the SW-21s go on the *other* side of the SW-64?

Matthew

[n0qcu]

Originally posted by Mdknapp


So is this (revised) diagram correct?


148------------------------> |=====|
|=====|------->|RECEIVER #1|
|=====|1| |SW-21|
119-------> |=====|2| -----> |=====|
110-------> |SW-64|3|
61.5------> |=====|4| -----> |=====|
|SW-21|------->|RECEIVER #2|
148------------------------> |=====|


Matthew

yes, this would be correct. I also use this setup for CBS-HD east & west.

[Mdknapp]

Originally posted by n0qcu

yes, this would be correct. GREAT!

Now does anyone know much about the locals update proceedure?

Specifically:
- Will they do this (with the SW-64) for me? (Have not got a clear answer yet)
-Should I keep it so that the locals dish is installed AFTER the 501 upgrade? (Anyone see a problem with this)

Thanks, this board has been sooo incredibly helpful! :D

Matthew

[jeffwtux]

Am I hearing this correctly, does dish network give away 6x4 switches free if you want to get the locals on 61.5 or 148? So if somebody wants to go 3 or 4 receivers from 2, they could ask to get all the locals, then order a 3rd receiver and use the 6x4 switch for free? That could be a way to get take FreeForAll or FreeDish with 3 receivers. Will they always use a 6x4 switch, or will they go cheap and use SW21 switches?

[Mdknapp]

Originally posted by jeffwtux
Am I hearing this correctly, does dish network give away 6x4 switches free if you want to get the locals on 61.5 or 148? So if somebody wants to go 3 or 4 receivers from 2, they could ask to get all the locals, then order a 3rd receiver and use the 6x4 switch for free?

I don't think you heard it correctly. There are some conditions which require the SW-64 switch and in those conditions they will provide the SW-64. In other cases they will only give you what is required... it isn't that they are trying to "go cheap", it is just the equipment isn't needed.

In my case a SW-64 is needed but I want to make sure that they will cover the installation of it. Adding locals to my current setup (I would NEED both 61.5 and 148) requires a SW-64.

I appreciate they are doing this offer for everyone. Let's not try to take advantage of this. If you need it.. you need it...

Matthew

[abospaum]

I am in the Philly area and I need a second dish to receive all of my locals but E* will set up the dish and supply a SW-64 for free. I also have some older receivers (model 3700) which I am told will be upgraded to 301's free of charge.

The total set-up will include three receivers but if the cable is already run then there are no charges for a full installation of the system.

Don't rush out and buy anything without callind E* first and finding out if you qualify for free stuff.

[JohnH]

abospaum, actually you only need a different dish, not a second dish. It would be a bigger dish with 3 LNBFs. An SW 64 is required for this DMA. Also, the "129 install" option is required in the receivers to get the locals on 129(Telstar 7).

[Mue]

Where is the CBS E & W coming from 148?

[MarkA]

"Just because it happens to work doesn't mean that it's officially supported."

It HAS to be officially supported. The have to legally upgrade you to all the locals free, without removing any existing programming. Otherwise, they are putting the stations at 148 at a disadvantage (the customer has to choose between the extra stations and Sky Angel). They have no choice about this one. They have to do it unless they want the FCC and NAB after them.

[BobaBird]

Mue,

The only CBS on 148 is the LA HDTV station. NY HDTV is at 61.5. CBS E & W available as Distant Nets comes from 119.

[TNGTony]

Mark, I don't know about that. Sky Angel is NOT a Dish Network service. It is wholy (and Holy) independent. Nearly all the Dish Network services available at 61.5° are now available at 148°. So I'm wondering where the problem would be.

Now 61.5°, 110°, 119° and 129° MIGHT be a different story. But again, I don't see where making customers who have a service at 61.5° chose between the service at 61.5 and the additional locals is a prolbem. The option is there and the number of customers who fit in this nitch are VERY few.

See ya
Tony

[abospaum]

John,

For some cities (such as Philly) the local channels are being broadcast from another satellite on 119 as you know and I have heard two things about the dishes. One is that they install a Starband 3LNB dish another is that they actually install a second Dish and hook them up.

They are not scheduled to come out until 8/14 so I can't comment but they told me when I ordered it that they "will need to install a second dish". Either way I still get a free switch and receiver upgrades.

Do any other cities fall into this category?

[TNGTony]

Philly is the only city that has additional locals at 129° and thus the only city where a receiver upgrade may be needed or a Starband dish may be used.

Other cities with additional locals on side slots have them at 61.5° and 148° which is "normal" for dish receivers. These would require a second dish (no single dish can get the side slot and the two main slots) but all Dish recievers can handle any three locations no problem.

See ya
Tony

[othertommy]

you can be upgraded with an additional dish using a dp_plus twin,2- dpduals and a dishproplus44 switch

[TNGTony]

Thanks. This is true NOW. But if you look at the dates of the previous posts you will notice that this thread is from August 2002! At the time there was no DP44 :) There must have been a 4" layer of dust on this thread when it was revived!

See ya
Tony

[JohnH]

I still do the SW21 4-sat though. :D

No 129w sat. It just does Starband for the most part now.

[SimpleSimon]

Hmmm. Nick's thread in Admin (Archived threads revisited) needs to be revisited. They really DO need to lock up the moldy old threads.

Update: Just checked the other thread - looks like Chris is gonna git-r-done.

Oh - and othertommy - nothing personal about this, it's a common issue. Welcome aboard!

[alebowgm]

One problem with this, which when reading this thread even though it is 2+ years old, is that there are issues with some stations sometimes when the stations are mirrored on both 61.5 and 148, such as Al-Jazera, where the reciever is not sure to use the 61.5 or the 148...

I believe the fix is just to change the channel and eventually it will come in... not sure if any of the latest firmware will fix this...