Can't get 5LNB dish, have to leave DTV :(

4158 Views 42 Replies 25 Participants Last post by RobertE, Aug 12, 2008

OverThereTooMuch

Discussion Starter · Aug 10, 2008

Summary: DTV might not be perfect, but it's a LOT better than some of the other options.

3rd installer was out today. He was just as unprepared as the first 2. His opinion was that the HD dish install is impossible. Since I get the current sats fine, I didn't think it would be a big deal, but apparently I'm wrong. Since I can't get most of the HD on DTV, I'm thinking about just shutting it off entirely.

So I looked into the cable company's HD offering today. I'm stuck with Broadstripe. Outside of locals, they have 9 HD channels on digital cable, and only 4 more in their HD Tier ($10/month more). Holy crap!!! I couldn't believe there were so few channels.

Looks like their HD DVR might be $20/month (10 for the service, 10 for the box rental). Apparently it's some several year old Motorola box. Initial searches didn't reveal anyone that really liked the thing.

Oh...and apparently they had some sort of dispute with the NBC affiliate, so that local isn't even included in their digital cable package...you have to pay another $10/month to get it.

:crying_sa :crying_sa :crying_sa :crying_sa

1 - 20 of 43 Posts

JLucPicard

· #2 · Aug 10, 2008

Trees or something? What's the problem they're having?

Have you looked into a local home theater install company or anything like that?

OverThereTooMuch

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 10, 2008

JLucPicard said:
Trees or something? What's the problem they're having?

Have you looked into a local home theater install company or anything like that?

Actually, it's the roof of the building that's in the way. I'd need like an 8-10ft pole on the balcony. That's not gonna fly w/ the condo people (already asked), plus it would look awful.

Thought about upgrading the whole building with something like an SWMline, but based off the feedback I got in the MDU installers forum here, that doesn't seem realistic. Uh, moving isn't very realistic either, so I don't think I have any good options

litzdog911

· #4 · Aug 10, 2008

Which satellites can't you receive? You no longer need 110 and 119º for HD channels, and the new SlimLine3 dish just receives 99, 101 and 103º. Odds are good that if you receive 101º then you should receive 99 and 103º also.

Igor

· #5 · Aug 10, 2008

If it currently works your SD locals must come from 101 deg. The problem you are facing can be resolved with the Slimline 3, the installer may not know because this antenna was just introduced.

raoul5788

· #6 · Aug 10, 2008

OverThereTooMuch said:
Actually, it's the roof of the building that's in the way. I'd need like an 8-10ft pole on the balcony. That's not gonna fly w/ the condo people (already asked), plus it would look awful.

Thought about upgrading the whole building with something like an SWMline, but based off the feedback I got in the MDU installers forum here, that doesn't seem realistic. Uh, moving isn't very realistic either, so I don't think I have any good options

Can you post some pictures of the area, especially the roof in question?

igator99

· #7 · Aug 10, 2008

OverThereTooMuch said:
Summary: DTV might not be perfect, but it's a LOT better than some of the other options.

3rd installer was out today. He was just as unprepared as the first 2. His opinion was that the HD dish install is impossible. Since I get the current sats fine, I didn't think it would be a big deal, but apparently I'm wrong. Since I can't get most of the HD on DTV, I'm thinking about just shutting it off entirely.

So I looked into the cable company's HD offering today. I'm stuck with Broadstripe. Outside of locals, they have 9 HD channels on digital cable, and only 4 more in their HD Tier ($10/month more). Holy crap!!! I couldn't believe there were so few channels.

Looks like their HD DVR might be $20/month (10 for the service, 10 for the box rental). Apparently it's some several year old Motorola box. Initial searches didn't reveal anyone that really liked the thing.

Oh...and apparently they had some sort of dispute with the NBC affiliate, so that local isn't even included in their digital cable package...you have to pay another $10/month to get it.

:crying_sa :crying_sa :crying_sa :crying_sa

Don't let a lazy installer sink you. Call a local guy (It will cost you) or do it yourself like me. I bought the slimline and did it all myself. Five Brustier and Ass. people told me it was impossible.

texasbrit

· #8 · Aug 10, 2008

OverThereTooMuch said:
Actually, it's the roof of the building that's in the way. I'd need like an 8-10ft pole on the balcony. That's not gonna fly w/ the condo people (already asked), plus it would look awful.

Thought about upgrading the whole building with something like an SWMline, but based off the feedback I got in the MDU installers forum here, that doesn't seem realistic. Uh, moving isn't very realistic either, so I don't think I have any good options

read litzdog's post. As of the end of July, you only need line of sight to 99/101/103 to get all the channels, unless you have the Hispanic package. If you are receiving 101 OK right now, it would be very unusual for you not to see 99 and 101, they are very close in the sky. The installers were looking for a location where you could see 110 and 119 also.
To have an install with just 99/101/103, you need the new Slimline3 dish. Not the old slimline, that the installers were probably trying to install. The installers may not have known about the SL3 dish because it is new.
Call back to DirecTV, tell them that the install failed because of no line of sight to 119 and can they please re-arrange the install but using the Slimline 3 dish instead of the Slimline 5. Then after the install is scheduled call the installer and make sure that they are bringing the SL3, tell then an install with the SL5 will NOT work.

BattleZone

· #9 · Aug 10, 2008

igator99 said:
Don't let a lazy installer sink you. Call a local guy (It will cost you) or do it yourself like me. I bought the slimline and did it all myself. Five Brustier and Ass. people told me it was impossible.

Understand that HSP installers are *required* to get ALL sats, including 110 and 119, or they risk a chargeback. "Impossible" means "impossible to do it without risking doing all the work for free, which I'm unwilling to do." It isn't their fault; it's the system the HSPs have set up.

litzdog911

· #10 · Aug 10, 2008

IIP said:
Understand that HSP installers are *required* to get ALL sats, including 110 and 119, or they risk a chargeback. "Impossible" means "impossible to do it without risking doing all the work for free, which I'm unwilling to do." It isn't their fault; it's the system the HSPs have set up.

Hopefully that policy will change soon. The new SlimLine3 dish only requires reception from 99, 101 and 103º.

Grentz

· #11 · Aug 10, 2008

litzdog911 said:
Hopefully that policy will change soon. The new SlimLine3 dish only requires reception from 99, 101 and 103º.

That would be all the sats for that dish though, so it should be fine.

The policy I believe just means you have to get line of sight for all sats the dish can receive.

techrep

· #12 · Aug 10, 2008

I am 99.999% positive that the Slimline3 dish is your answer. If you end up doing it on your own, you can use a Slimline5 dish and just select the Slimline3 option during setup or repeat setup.

Selecting "Slimline3 during setup will set the interface for the SL3 even if you actually use a SL5.

evan_s

· #13 · Aug 10, 2008

OverThereTooMuch said:
Summary: DTV might not be perfect, but it's a LOT better than some of the other options.

3rd installer was out today. He was just as unprepared as the first 2. His opinion was that the HD dish install is impossible. Since I get the current sats fine, I didn't think it would be a big deal, but apparently I'm wrong. Since I can't get most of the HD on DTV, I'm thinking about just shutting it off entirely.

So I looked into the cable company's HD offering today. I'm stuck with Broadstripe. Outside of locals, they have 9 HD channels on digital cable, and only 4 more in their HD Tier ($10/month more). Holy crap!!! I couldn't believe there were so few channels.

Looks like their HD DVR might be $20/month (10 for the service, 10 for the box rental). Apparently it's some several year old Motorola box. Initial searches didn't reveal anyone that really liked the thing.

Oh...and apparently they had some sort of dispute with the NBC affiliate, so that local isn't even included in their digital cable package...you have to pay another $10/month to get it.

:crying_sa :crying_sa :crying_sa :crying_sa

What dish are you currently using or is currently the shared dish? It almost sound like you already have a 3lnb since it sounds like you get the mpeg2 hd channels. If that is the case there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to use a slimline in exactly the same spot. The only new sats are 99 and 103 which are both very close to 101 and rarely cause LOS issues.

As others have mentioned even if you only have a SD dish viewing 101 the SL3 only needs 99/101/103 and should fix LOS issues for most people since it's a much smaller window and a higher elevation for anyone back east.

Grentz

· #14 · Aug 10, 2008

techrep said:
I am 99.999% positive that the Slimline3 dish is your answer. If you end up doing it on your own, you can use a Slimline5 dish and just select the Slimline3 option during setup or repeat setup.

Selecting "Slimline3 during setup will set the interface for the SL3 even if you actually use a SL5.

Actually Tom and a few others have said you cannot do this. The SL3 is different inside so it does not work to just select SL3 on a SL5 dish to get just 99, 101, and 103.

newsposter

· #15 · Aug 10, 2008

litzdog911 said:
Odds are good that if you receive 101º then you should receive 99 and 103º also.

Ill go against those odds. When they came out to do the 5lnb, they said my issue not only was the 119 (didnt get it at all there) they said i wouldnt get one of the new birds at all. He found a better spot on the roof where everything was fantastic except i'm losing 119 in degrees now but that's irrelevant of course at this point

techrep

· #16 · Aug 10, 2008

Grentz said:
Actually Tom and a few others have said you cannot do this. The SL3 is different inside so it does not work to just select SL3 on a SL5 dish to get just 99, 101, and 103.

It will work but, guide data will not refresh nightly if tuner one is not on a sat 101 station. Two short manual recordings, each night, on a sat 101 station can take care of this.

Also, SWM will not have the guide data issue.

OverThereTooMuch

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 11, 2008

Thanks for the responses.

Wasn't one lazy installer, it was 3

At least the last guy offered a suggestion (8ft pole).

Slimline 3 doesn't help me. The problem is w/ 99/103, not 110/119.

Dishpointer shows a 10 degree azimuth difference. The LNB arm on the current dish is basically parallel to the deck railing, and right along the edge of the building. The 10 degree adjustment is towards the house.

It would be frustrating if a local installer could do this when multiple DTV installers could not. Even more frustrating would be paying for it

But I searched online for satellite installers in the Seattle area, and all I found so far were Dish Network installers. My websearch-fu is weak today apparently.

I currently have the old 3 LNB dish (Phase III?).

evan_s

· #18 · Aug 11, 2008

A Phase 3 points a different direction than a Slimline but there is only a slight difference in the location of the sats it is trying to pick up. A Phase 3 picks up 101, 110, 119. A slimline picks up 99,101,103,110,119. The direction is different because a Phase 3 is centered on 110 where a slimline is centered on 101. If you can pick up 101 the odds of you not being able to pick up 99 are slim but if you are just barely getting 101 that could actually be the case. 103 is a sure thing if your only concern is the building and you get 101 and 110 currently.

Check out www.dishpointer.com for an idea of what you need. It doesn't matter what direction the LNB arm is facing the key is where the sats are located. The fact that you already get 101 at current dishes location (which is exactly where the slimline LNB faces) tells me you may not actually have a LOS issue but if anyone was going to be able to get 101 and not 99 you'd be it. Remember the signal is actually coming in at a much higher angle than it would appear from looking at the LNB so your 101 and 99 shot could be making it over the roof instead of past the end of the building. In fact it would pretty much have to be that way if 110 is parallel to your wall. Normally they want some extra clearance for obstructions but buildings don't really need that.

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techrep

· #19 · Aug 11, 2008

OverThereTooMuch said:
Thanks for the responses.

Wasn't one lazy installer, it was 3 At least the last guy offered a suggestion (8ft pole).

Slimline 3 doesn't help me. The problem is w/ 99/103, not 110/119.

Dishpointer shows a 10 degree azimuth difference. The LNB arm on the current dish is basically parallel to the deck railing, and right along the edge of the building. The 10 degree adjustment is towards the house.

It would be frustrating if a local installer could do this when multiple DTV installers could not. Even more frustrating would be paying for it But I searched online for satellite installers in the Seattle area, and all I found so far were Dish Network installers. My websearch-fu is weak today apparently.

I currently have the old 3 LNB dish (Phase III?).

What evan_s says is spot on. If you get strong signal strength on sat 101, I think that you will be able to get sat 99c.

RobertE

· #20 · Aug 11, 2008

raoul asked back in post 6 for some pics. Can you take and post some of where your dish is and where it's looking?

1 - 20 of 43 Posts

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