Couple of questions from a new customer.

[germ79]

Hello to all! I currently have digital cable, but am switching over to Dish Network on Saturday. I'm really exctited about the channel offerings, especially the HD channels. I hope it is as nice as I hope. I've gotten used to the channel guide on my current box, so I hope I'm just as happy with the new box.

I have a couple of questions though.

1. Here is the list of equipment from my email receipt. Does this mean I'll have more than one dish?

Equipment: Dish 1000.2 KIT
DISH 1000.2 KIT
DISH 500
Leased VIP622 System

I will only have 1 box in my house, BTW.


2. I may need to put up an antenna to get local HD channels. I think a indoor powered unit will receive most everything except for CBS, so I have to decide whether I can live without it or not. If I do decide to put an antenna up, I'd like to put one in the attic. Is there anything I need to have the installer do so I can more easily add an antenna? If there is some way I can have him do something useful (as far as an antenna is concerned) while he is there, I want to be able to ask the right questions.

3. Does anyone else find it odd that the only way to get National Geographic HD is to bump up to the 250-pack? I'd LOVE to get that channel, but it seems wasteful to pay an extra $10/mo. to get it!

Thanks for your help! I hope this all makes sense!

Jeremy

[Ken Green]

1. One Dish
2. If he/she will, have an additional run of coax from your attic to the location of your 622.
3. Exactly why they do it this way.

Good Luck!:)

[boba]

www.antennaweb.org should be visited to see what you may need for OTA.

[bderouen]

Hello to all! I currently have digital cable, but am switching over to Dish Network on Saturday. I'm really exctited about the channel offerings, especially the HD channels. I hope it is as nice as I hope. I've gotten used to the channel guide on my current box, so I hope I'm just as happy with the new box.

I have a couple of questions though.

1. Here is the list of equipment from my email receipt. Does this mean I'll have more than one dish?

Equipment: Dish 1000.2 KIT
DISH 1000.2 KIT
DISH 500
Leased VIP622 System

I will only have 1 box in my house, BTW.


2. I may need to put up an antenna to get local HD channels. I think a indoor powered unit will receive most everything except for CBS, so I have to decide whether I can live without it or not. If I do decide to put an antenna up, I'd like to put one in the attic. Is there anything I need to have the installer do so I can more easily add an antenna? If there is some way I can have him do something useful (as far as an antenna is concerned) while he is there, I want to be able to ask the right questions.

3. Does anyone else find it odd that the only way to get National Geographic HD is to bump up to the 250-pack? I'd LOVE to get that channel, but it seems wasteful to pay an extra $10/mo. to get it!

Thanks for your help! I hope this all makes sense!

Jeremy


Hi Jeremy!
From what you posted, you will have 2 Dishes...the Dish 1000.2, probably pointed at satellite 110 and 119, and a Dish 500 pointed probably at 61.5, depending on what part of the country you're in. It all depends on location, etc. If you location is good, the installer may not need to put up 2 Dishes. I know for me, it was necessary, as the other HD sattelite for my area, Satellite 129, was difficult to pull in, so the "wing dish" as they call it, was necessary.

You could/should mention to the installer that you're probably going to put up an off-air antenna for the off-air HD signals. If he is a good installer, he hopefully would set it up for the next guy. I know mine ran an additional coax from where the dish are mounted up to a switch, so when my antenna installer came, all he had to do was mount the antenna, plug it into the switch and we configured my receivers. Of course, there is no guarantee he'll do anything "while he's there", cuz strictly speaking, it's not his problem. But hopefully he'll take that into consideration.

Good luck and welcome to Dish!
Bruce

[baudo219]

1. Here is the list of equipment from my email receipt. Does this mean I'll have more than one dish?

Equipment: Dish 1000.2 KIT
DISH 1000.2 KIT
DISH 500
Leased VIP622 System

I will only have 1 box in my house, BTW.


Jeremy

Jeremy,


I received the exact same confirmation email from DISH. The installer is here at this very moment and brought only a DISH 1000. The type(s) of dish(es) that you receive varies depending on your location and your channel subscription. If I am not mistaken, the DISH 1000 will receive all HD programming and locals (again, depending on your location). My guess is that they include both DISHes on there so that the installer will bring both in case your location needs more than one dish to receive all of the requested programming. I can't say with 100% certainty that is the case, but just a guess. Hope this helps!

[DoyleS]

If you are not into running the additional coax yourself, then give the installer a tip and you will most likely find him quite helpful. I have had installers leave me extra coax and replace connectors on older coax. Most want to do a good job.

..Doyle

[robertkoor]

I got the same message for mine but the installer brought out a 1000 instead of a 1000.2 (you can tell by the LNB's). Does anyone know if I'm missing anything, or not getting as much (except for the ability to connect to an additional receiver without a switch)? Will the 1000.2 provide a better signal reception? If I'm getting in the 90's to 105's would it increase it to 110's?

[baudo219]

If you are not into running the additional coax yourself, then give the installer a tip and you will most likely find him quite helpful. I have had installers leave me extra coax and replace connectors on older coax. Most want to do a good job.

..Doyle

I have to agree with you there. I wanted to post my experience with the installer from this morning and I have to say that he was great. He wasn't too happy about the where he was going to have to install the dish itself (due to the location the D* installer used), but he went ahead and used the old D* bracket and pole that was already on my roof (he said he preferred to use the eves and overhangs to prevent leaks). Anyway, I am all hooked up now and couldn't be happier with my choice. Time will tell though, I guess. Some of the HD channels that I have checked are unbelievable quality compared to my OTA channels that I was receiving.

I was a little worried having read some horror stories from installers on this site, but overall, everything went well. There is somewhat of a learning curve coming from D* though, so that will take some time.