[mraviator]

Due to a move to a rural area where cable does not exist, I'm making the move to satellite TV. I've never experienced satellite TV, so it's all new to me. Based on research and forum questions, I'm leaning to go with the Dish Network.

My question is, how many dishes will have to be installed on my house? I'm planning on getting their AT250 pack with the HD Gold package. From what I can tell, there's a satellite at 61.5 and another one 119 degrees.

Since I live in the Austin, TX area, I don't see how one dish can point at both satellites at the same time given their and my location. Do I need to point at both satellites for HD and SD channels or will one satellite give me everything I need?

Thanks in advance...

 

[boba]

There are a lot more satellites than you are aware of but if you go with what you have posted a DISH 1000.2 should get you 110/119 & 129. So 1 dish should do.

 

[snowcat]

One satellite dish can receive signals from multiple satellites at the same time. You should just need one dish to receive everything.

 

[bmuone]

Hey mraviator, like you I just recently switched to Dish. I had TW for years and just would not change...but I am really glad I did. What a difference! I was so worried about getting a bad install with wires and holes everywhere is the biggest reason I waited for so long. I got one dish and one wire into the house. I have the Vip 222 and the Vip 722. The only problem I had was that I did not understand (and still dont) anything about what I was supposed to get and the first installer brought the wrong dish and the wrong receivers. To make a long story short....after four installers I finally got everything the right way. Make sure you understand what you are supposed to get. My problem was that I ordered it through my telephone co (you know the bundle package) and they messed up the order. Anyway the TV is much better than TW ever was. Good luck...DT

 

[mraviator]

Hey mraviator, like you I just recently switched to Dish. I had TW for years and just would not change...but I am really glad I did. What a difference! I was so worried about getting a bad install with wires and holes everywhere is the biggest reason I waited for so long. I got one dish and one wire into the house. I have the Vip 222 and the Vip 722. The only problem I had was that I did not understand (and still dont) anything about what I was supposed to get and the first installer brought the wrong dish and the wrong receivers. To make a long story short....after four installers I finally got everything the right way. Make sure you understand what you are supposed to get. My problem was that I ordered it through my telephone co (you know the bundle package) and they messed up the order. Anyway the TV is much better than TW ever was. Good luck...DT

Thanks for relaying your experience. I'm still debating on whether to call Dish's 800 number (or go through their webpage), or contact a local authorized installed instead for my order. I don't take possession of the new house for four more weeks, so I have a little time left. I will be sure to do my best to research satellite TV to death before the install date so I know what to expect!

 

[levibluewa]

sent you a private message.

 

[BobaBird]

The dish configuration, especially in the case of HD, depends largely on which satellite carries your local channels. The HD locals for Austin come from 61.5°, so today that means 2 dishes with the other one pointed at 110°/119°.

In the near future, I would expect Austin to be added to the list of Eastern Arc markets which will be able to get all channels (except Latino and other intl) in MPEG4 from a single Dish 1000.4.

 

[BNUMM]

Thanks for relaying your experience. I'm still debating on whether to call Dish's 800 number (or go through their webpage), or contact a local authorized installed instead for my order. I don't take possession of the new house for four more weeks, so I have a little time left. I will be sure to do my best to research satellite TV to death before the install date so I know what to expect!

I install DishNetwork and I am curious as to how they did 2 dual tuner receivers with only 1 wire running into the house? As far as I know only DirecTv can do that, or did you mean 1 wire per receiver?

 

[bmuone]

Sorry if I confused you.... my house was wired with all the tv cables going to the W end of the house. Each tv with a seperate cable. And then from the dish they ran the cable to a box on the outside of the house that contained all the wires. Its taking me a long time to figure out how to talk about this cable business. I used to be able to wire stereos, cbs, and other stuff in a car but I am way out of my element now days....guess I'm showing my age...but then I wonder how many times things get messed up when a install is done because of a lack of knowledge on what the heck we're talking about.....DT