Streaming TV

[alldodge]

I don't have the start-over feature with satellite either, just the Bell Fibe TV service in the city.
What diameter dish do you have? I moved up to a 24" and the problems with rain fade and other weather issues dropped dramatically.

I have the 24 inch dish and didn't have near the problem in Louisville that I have now. Installed the dish my self years ago and had Dish come out and check, said it was good. Have clear view pointing in the SE direction, others have it pointing more due S to SW, but don't know if they are any better. The direct dishes are pointing where mine is. Signal is a bit weak, just below 75 %

 

[bruceb58]

If the dish is a fraction of a degree off, you will lose signal.

 

[MTboatguy]

Depends on which are you are supposed to be on, now a days Dish has two different arcs for the US, you need to check to see if your location gets an optimized signal from the Eastern arc or the Western arc and those arcs don't mean you live in the east or the west, it depends on coverage numbers.

 

[alldodge]

Called Dish, they say anything above 25% is good and sorry about my reception. Heavy rain will normally knock it out.

 

[MTboatguy]

I have had Dish for over 15 years now, and over the years, I have had to replace the LNB 4 times due to it going bad, depending on your system, you can get a new LNB for about $15 off ebay, I have a meter and cable tools so I can check my system if I start getting rain fade, it helps a lot to have the meter, cost me about $10 bucks and has saved me hundreds of dollars in tech calls over the years, it allows me to fine tune the pointing of the dish itself, and they do move over the years for various reasons.

 

[bruceb58]

Called Dish, they say anything above 25% is good and sorry about my reception. Heavy rain will normally knock it out.

Which model Dish antenna do you own.

 

[alldodge]

Will look into it when it gets a bit warmer. Last time I checked it, I brought a tv up to the roof and adjusted by watching the strength meter on the screen. That said, it's always been lower signal here then in Louisville, but what's 150 miles when your talking synchronous orbit

 

[alldodge]

Which model Dish antenna do you own.

It's the 500 with the single triple LNB

 

[bruceb58]

It's the 500 with the single triple LNB

You have to aim using the 119 satellite first and then adjust the skew for the other 2. Some people put foil over the outer 2 receivers on the LNB while they do that to get only the 119 feed. If you don't do that, you get the power contribution of all 3 into your power meter. There are a lot of aiming procedures on the net and YouTube to help you. I have an Accutrac meter to aim my Directv. its a good meter and way better than those $10 meters. Those things aren't worth bothering to use if you really want to peak your antenna.

Most important thing to do is to make sure your mast is plumb. My parents DTV goes out with rain because the DTV guy was lazy and didn't plumb the mast.

 

[alldodge]

Dish uses 77, 72 and 61.5 but understand your point

IMO a meter can give more accurate reading, but even a cheap one will tell you if the level is going up or down.

 

[MTboatguy]

I paid about $200 for my good meter and it works great, but for the average guy, there is no need to pay that much for a meter, I bought mine to go along with my networking tools, telephone tools, I have a full blown kit for installing sat, networks and telephone systems, the average guy that might have to peak his sat once every couple of years, does not need the type of equipment that I have. The reason I put my kit together was because it is darn expensive to get a tech up here to even look at things, we don't have any dish or direct employee's in our area, so the independents charge an arm and a leg to even come look at something. We still have quite a few people in my area that are still using their C/Ku systems with the large dishes and the kit I have, I can aim and peak them as well.

I also carry my kit with me, when we are going camping, I have peaked and pointed quite a few systems over the years in campgrounds for others, which with the large mountains we have in the area, is not an easy job for the general layman.

But as I said, I have a couple of the $10 meters as well and I can set up a sat with them as well and a lot of the RV guys carry the $10 meters with them when they are traveling, it all depends on what works in your area, I live in the mountains which can be difficult.

 

[MTboatguy]

Dish uses 77, 72 and 61.5 but understand your point

IMO a meter can give more accurate reading, but even a cheap one will tell you if the level is going up or down.

You are on the eastern arc.

If you are having major rain fade problems it would suggest that perhaps your LNB is wearing out, has the white caps on the eyes started to yellow? Any cracks showing in them?

 

[alldodge]

You are on the eastern arc.

If you are having major rain fade problems it would suggest that perhaps your LNB is wearing out, has the white caps on the eyes started to yellow? Any cracks showing in them?

Don't know, would have to go up to the roof. The antennas installed at the dock slips are pointing the other direction. I think I still have another LNB from a previous install, could try to swap it out maybe

 

[MTboatguy]

Don't know, would have to go up to the roof. The antennas installed at the dock slips are pointing the other direction. I think I still have another LNB from a previous install, could try to swap it out maybe

Well the majority of dishes in a certain area normally point in the same direction, but if you had a good tech, he would check both arcs for your house location to see where the best signal comes in from, both arcs can be used in most areas of the country, but normally one or the other is better. If your old LNB is the same 3 eye model, it should be compatible, I do know they have upgraded the electronics in the new LNB's for better signal resolution.

 

[alldodge]

I think the dock uses the other arc because the hill side is higher to the east. Probably should also have mentioned, I don't see the large dishes installed on the uprights, dock folks may have an issue with it, don't know, never asked.

Guess I could just go buy the 1000 antenna and see if it helps a bit

 

[bruceb58]

Yeah...I was using one example depending on what set of satellites you are on. There are free apps for smart phones that let you aim your phone at the sky to see where the satellites are and use that to see if there are obstructions. I have a home in the mountains and my GF has a home in the mountains so it is necessary to use the app to make sure there is nothing in the way.

I might agree that going to a new antenna might be wise since you also get a new LNB with it.

 

[alldodge]

Had a look, this is the one I have and looks just like the 1000 other then a new style LNB

 

[MTboatguy]

A new dish is always a good option as they do update the LNB's on them all of the time, you are on a eastern arc, so you are going to want a 1000.4 dish, mine is on a western arc so I have a 1000.2 dish, they have not really changed much in the dish itself, but they continue to update the LNB's, like I said, I have had to replace my LNB 4 times over 15 years and each time I have, it has improve signal quality, a lot of people notice they are having problems because the HD signal starts dropping out more often and switches to the SD feed. What receiver are you using? Also take into mind the newer LNB's and the newer receivers have the switches built into them, do you still have a switch hanging on the side of the house? If so, if you update, you will probably not need that switch any longer.

 

[alldodge]

It's all built in, my receiver is the VIP612 DVR. Will look into another complete dish but also maybe just the LNB, the dish is the same from what I can visually see.

 

[bruceb58]

I would call them up and tell them you are cancelling and switching to Directv. Then tell them its because of the rain issue. My bet is they will come out to your house and give you a new dish if you request it.