What To Do about DirecTV?

[Kevin L]

Hi, Mike.

I have the new 5-LNB dish in my new home and have only 4 coax cables from it. I new I was going to use the 5-LNB in the house so had the specs for the preferred cable as Sean and Steve pointed out. You will need a fifth cable for OTA, same as before. I also installed the dish myself without a meter (took a long time), but didn't want DirecTV to know I moved so I wouldn't lose the NY stations.

If you want HD from DirecTV, you're going to have to change the boxes. Your old HR10s will still record SD and HD OTA, but that will be it when the changeover is done. IMO, it's worth the swap. I like the new boxes better than the HR10s (I have three) and really like all the additional HD channels.

If you switch to the new boxes, check out [post="0"]DBS Talk[/post]. They have a lot of info on these boxes.

Good Luck,

Kevin
A former New Yorker, now a Floridian, but still a Yankees fan!

 

[upstatemike]

I started replying from my office when you first posted, but my remote connection got hosed. Anyway I was gonna say it used the same 4 runs but that was answered. It is BEST to have copper core swept to 2 Ghz min, but depending on the quality of the cable and length, it may work ok anyway. As for the boxes and DVR, there is no reason why everything but the HD moving to the new sat should not work, so your existing DVR's should still be able to work and record SD. And yes, the new 5 LNB is a bit trickier to align, a signal meter is really recommended. I would definitely let them do the dish swap out, they usually don't mess that up too bad. So I think the only thing you need to do is swap the dish and replace whatever HD receivers you need to and leave the SD stuff in place.

The biggest difference is that the ReplayTV can control the Sony Sat receivers via serial cable. I have never used IR to link a DVR to a source but I doubt if it is as fast or as reliable. Maybe I could upgrade 2 receivers for HD and leave 2 Sony receivers to feed the SD DVRs? I am also concerned about something called MAPP that I read will prevent DVR recording on selected programs? I really don't need that feature!

 

[upstatemike]

Hi, Mike.

I have the new 5-LNB dish in my new home and have only 4 coax cables from it. I new I was going to use the 5-LNB in the house so had the specs for the preferred cable as Sean and Steve pointed out. You will need a fifth cable for OTA, same as before. I also installed the dish myself without a meter (took a long time), but didn't want DirecTV to know I moved so I wouldn't lose the NY stations.

If you want HD from DirecTV, you're going to have to change the boxes. Your old HR10s will still record SD and HD OTA, but that will be it when the changeover is done. IMO, it's worth the swap. I like the new boxes better than the HR10s (I have three) and really like all the additional HD channels.

If you switch to the new boxes, check out [post="0"]DBS Talk[/post]. They have a lot of info on these boxes.

Good Luck,

Kevin
A former New Yorker, now a Floridian, but still a Yankees fan!

Actually I don't have HR10s, I have Sony HD300s (maybe the same thing?) I didn't know you could even buy a 5 LNB dish to install yourself! Where did you get it? And do they sell 5 LNB rain fade dishes? Fortunately I don't need to be concerned with OTA since I live in a geographic "bowl" where no TV signals, and darned few radio signals, manage to enter.

I also do not get local network feeds, opting instead for the East and Left coast national feeds. How are you going to explain your change of billing address? Or did you keep the NY residence in addition to the Florida home?

 

[Steve]

Hi, Mike.

I have the new 5-LNB dish in my new home and have only 4 coax cables from it. I new I was going to use the 5-LNB in the house so had the specs for the preferred cable as Sean and Steve pointed out. You will need a fifth cable for OTA, same as before. I also installed the dish myself without a meter (took a long time), but didn't want DirecTV to know I moved so I wouldn't lose the NY stations.

If you want HD from DirecTV, you're going to have to change the boxes. Your old HR10s will still record SD and HD OTA, but that will be it when the changeover is done. IMO, it's worth the swap. I like the new boxes better than the HR10s (I have three) and really like all the additional HD channels.

If you switch to the new boxes, check out [post="0"]DBS Talk[/post]. They have a lot of info on these boxes.

Good Luck,

Kevin
A former New Yorker, now a Floridian, but still a Yankees fan!

I didn't know you could even buy a 5 LNB dish to install yourself! Where did you get it? And do they sell 5 LNB rain fade dishes?

Sure, you could always buy a DirecTV dish. Here is the latest slimline 5LNB. But why would you go buy one when they give you one for FREE??? There is alot I would not let my local D* installer do, but they are certainly capable of installing the dish, even if you need to help them pick a location or whatever.

 

[Skibum]

I have the 5 lnb Directv dish and only a single co-ax.
The combiner is at the antenna.

 

[upstatemike]

Sure, you could always buy a DirecTV dish. Here is the latest slimline 5LNB. But why would you go buy one when they give you one for FREE??? There is alot I would not let my local D* installer do, but they are certainly capable of installing the dish, even if you need to help them pick a location or whatever.

I was just wondering if there was a larger rain-fade version of the 5 LNB dish. It doesn't look like there is.

 

[gatchel]

Sure, you could always buy a DirecTV dish. Here is the latest slimline 5LNB. But why would you go buy one when they give you one for FREE??? There is alot I would not let my local D* installer do, but they are certainly capable of installing the dish, even if you need to help them pick a location or whatever.

I was just wondering if there was a larger rain-fade version of the 5 LNB dish. It doesn't look like there is.

Now you're pushing it h34r:

 

[Steve]

There is a larger 5LNB and the slimline. I doubt there is much difference in rain fade. But thats another reason to have an installer with a very sensitive and accurate meter really tweak it out. Anyone can point a dish and get a picture, but realling tweaking it will get you the best rain fade protection.

 

[Kevin L]

Sure, you could always buy a DirecTV dish. Here is the latest slimline 5LNB. But why would you go buy one when they give you one for FREE??? There is alot I would not let my local D* installer do, but they are certainly capable of installing the dish, even if you need to help them pick a location or whatever.

Hi, Steve.

There's a couple of reasons to buy the antenna yourself. For starters, I wanted the antenna before I was ready to move so I could set things up in the new house ahead of time. Second, I didn't want DirecTV to know I moved from NY to FL, as it can affect some of the regional sports packages and I'm a NY sports fan. Plus I was getting the East Coast Nationals as my locals and still wanted NY local news while living in FL. I pick up the FL locals OTA, so I have both markets. Last, if you do the movers package with DirecTV, you start your commitment over again. That didn't make a difference to me, but it is a reason not to get the "free install".

BTW, DirecTV doesn't care if you have a different billing address from the service location address. Besides, I get electronic bills and am set up on autopay.

Mike, the number of cables you have is fine for the switch. It's more an issue of the type and quality of the cable. I don't remember all the specs, but the recommended cable is solid-copper with 2GHz sweep. Supposedly out-of-spec cable can work, but it's not recommended.

As far as rain fade, SW Florida has a great deal of torrential rain showers, especially in summer. Surprisingly, I've had very few rain fade issues. All my signal strengths are in the high 90's. I have the Slimline AU9-S from Solid Signal that cost $99. As Steve points out, a meter is highly recommended, but that doesn't mean you can't align it without. It was just a PITA and took a few hours of running back and forth between the antenna and the TV.

Good luck,

Kevin

 

[upstatemike]

As far as rain fade, SW Florida has a great deal of torrential rain showers, especially in summer. Surprisingly, I've had very few rain fade issues. All my signal strengths are in the high 90's. I have the Slimline AU9-S from Solid Signal that cost $99. As Steve points out, a meter is highly recommended, but that doesn't mean you can't align it without. It was just a PITA and took a few hours of running back and forth between the antenna and the TV.

Good luck,

Kevin

I think being in FL gives you an advantage with rain fade because of the azimuth for that lattitude. The signal travels through less atmosphere so there is less signal absorbtion and/or refraction.

Also 2 other questions on the new receivers:

1: Do they use telephone lines or the internet to update the guide?

2: Do you have a choice of colors for the case? (I hate black A/V equipment and currently don't own any)

 

[Kevin L]

I think being in FL gives you an advantage with rain fade because of the azimuth for that lattitude. The signal travels through less atmosphere so there is less signal absorbtion and/or refraction.

Also 2 other questions on the new receivers:

1: Do they use telephone lines or the internet to update the guide?

2: Do you have a choice of colors for the case? (I hate black A/V equipment and currently don't own any)

I don't know about the location being a factor. I know the rains here are the hardest I've ever seen. I'm amazed at the amount of rain that can fall in a short period time.

1. You don't need to have the new HD DVRs connected to phone or internet to get any updates.

2. My cases are silver, and I do know they have black ones, too. I'm not sure what's standard, as I didn't care what color I got since all my A/V equipment is in an air-conditioned closet out of sight. You can get much better info about this over at [post="0"]DBS Talk[/post] in the DirecTV HD DVR section. I've had the new DVRs for almost a year, and I'm impressed with the amount of updates they've made to the boxes. Far more than TiVo ever did.

Kevin

 

[CollinR]

I am suprised none of you guys are running multiple dishes, there should be no rule that says you cannot.

Hitting 5 birds with a single dish is why those are such a PITA to align, if you had 5 18" (or 36") dishes the whole system would operate better but be more obtrusive and costly.

In the city this option may not be available but if you live in a rural area I doubt it would be that hard to hide them.

EDIT:

I have also heard good things about the dish covers helping with rain fade.

 

[Kevin L]

Hi, Collin.

You hit the nail on the head: appearance. The one-time difficulty in aligning the 5-LNB dish is better than having the ugliness of five individual dishes.

Kevin

 

[speacock]

Also 2 other questions on the new receivers:

1: Do they use telephone lines or the internet to update the guide?

2: Do you have a choice of colors for the case? (I hate black A/V equipment and currently don't own any)

HR20 = silver DVR with onboard OTA HD tuner
HR21 = black DVR w/o onboard tuner

 

[speacock]

I am suprised none of you guys are running multiple dishes, there should be no rule that says you cannot.

One big issue is that DirecTV uses non-standard methods and frequencies to combine the orbital locations. You'd need custom diplexers and possibly LNBs to emulate the integrated LNB/switch unit.

The older AT9 dish uses an integrated LNB for 99/101/103 with a cabled sidecar for 110/119. You might be able to mount the primary LNB on a larger dish and use two single dishes to feed 110 & 119 into it.

Sean