# HD Locals - Raleigh, NC



## ccapps3428 (Jan 2, 2006)

I saw in a couple of threads related to HD Locals for the Raleigh, NC area being avaliable last July/August timeframe. Does anyone know why this hasn't happend (sorry if I missed this answer in another posting I might have missed). I'm fixing to upgrade to a HD 622 and the DISH 1000 (but would love to do the HD Local upgrade at the same time - DISH 1000+). Thanks


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Nobody really knows why Raleigh HD is not up yet. They have been intesting mode since late summer... but another market (Indy) was also in testing but eventually removed.

There could be contract negotiation problems, and if so then Dish is too involved with other legal things right now to pursue Raleigh HD locals as a priority... Could also be technical issues too.

Unfortunately we will find out whenever we find out. I was thinking the same thing, hoping to get one upgrade all at once... but finally jumped to the new stuff and quit waiting. In theory, Dish would provide (as they have in the past) free upgrades to your roof stuff as needed to get the Raleigh HD locals whenever they do launch them.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

WNCN and WTVD now showing available.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I saw that in the uplink thread... and wondered (posted already in that thread) what happened to the rest of Raleigh... and also when/if anyone in Raleigh will be able to get a 500+ or 1000+ dish to actually get those.

Local installers (including mine) were told by Dish that Raleigh locals would be on 129, so they have not been trying to install any + dishes here... so for any of us to actually see these locals, Dish will have to pay/send folks around to upgrade out roof stuff yet again.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

HDMe said:


> I saw that in the uplink thread... and wondered (posted already in that thread) what happened to the rest of Raleigh... and also when/if anyone in Raleigh will be able to get a 500+ or 1000+ dish to actually get those.
> 
> Local installers (including mine) were told by Dish that Raleigh locals would be on 129, so they have not been trying to install any + dishes here... so for any of us to actually see these locals, Dish will have to pay/send folks around to upgrade out roof stuff yet again.


WRAL is probably still in negotiations as with Direct


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

bhawley said:


> WRAL is probably still in negotiations as with Direct


My installer was told that I needed the 1000 + to get the Raleigh HD locals. So that's what I got. This is as of 2 weeks ago.

As for WRAL... I get their OTA OK, so I'm more excited about the 2 we got.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

Looke like they are coming to fix mine saturday. At least they didnt try to charge me.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

ClaytonD said:


> My installer was told that I needed the 1000 + to get the Raleigh HD locals. So that's what I got. This is as of 2 weeks ago.
> 
> As for WRAL... I get their OTA OK, so I'm more excited about the 2 we got.


I would think in Clayton you would get everything except PBS ota  
I know I do but of course the antenna farm lights are fairly bright


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

ClaytonD said:


> As for WRAL... I get their OTA OK, so I'm more excited about the 2 we got.


Being in Clayton... I am surprised you wouldn't get 5, 11, 17, 22, 28, and 50 all solid since they are all on the towers in that same area.

As another poster already mentioned, channel 4 is broadcast from Chapel Hill and lower powered than the others so that one is tricky for some folks to get.


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

HDMe said:


> Being in Clayton... I am surprised you wouldn't get 5, 11, 17, 22, 28, and 50 all solid since they are all on the towers in that same area.
> 
> As another poster already mentioned, channel 4 is broadcast from Chapel Hill and lower powered than the others so that one is tricky for some folks to get.


I do get them all OTA with just a silver satin indoor antenna. Obviously the signal strength goes and comes. I don't care to raise a big antenna and an extra attic antenna would require some tricky cabling to get it back to my TVs (only have on feed to each right now). So I like the idea of getting the locals via HD on the sat.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I understand... and I want the Raleigh HD locals on satellite for the same reason, to take advantage of the multiple tuners in the ViP622.

I was just wondering why you would get 5 well, but not 11 and 17 since you seemed most happy with those two channels being added.

I would think that you'd either get all of them equally well OR perhaps you would be too close to the tower and actually be under the signal unless you put up a tower of your own.

Just surprised that you would get 5 well and the others not as well since you are right there. I am about 30 miles or so away and get them all rock-solid from my location with an indoor antenna sitting atop my TV in a 1-story house.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

You guys do know that WRAL offers free antenna's right. You can email them and they will calculate what you need and send it to you. They send out channel masters too. I got a real nice attic antenna from them. Cabling was a pain but I get everything at %100 except PBS and I am out near brier creek in durham.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

Ohh and FYI. They told me that when you set up to have them install the new dish to get sat 118.7 that they have to cut your locals until then.. NP for me because I have an antenna but some may be pissed by that.


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

HDMe said:


> I understand... and I want the Raleigh HD locals on satellite for the same reason, to take advantage of the multiple tuners in the ViP622.
> 
> I was just wondering why you would get 5 well, but not 11 and 17 since you seemed most happy with those two channels being added.
> 
> ...


Per antenna web I'm about 18 miles from the tower that has all of them. For some reason though, 17 (NBC) seems to have a weaker signal at times. 5, 11, and 50 stay about the same. Obviously there are a lot of factors involved. I'm sure I'm getting some interference from time to time just using this simple indoor antenna. I might try to get the free antenna from WRAL for grins... although I'm not sure I could use it easily. Does anyone know if it's possible to "split" the signal from an antenna and the Dish sat over one cable? Meaning I send the signals down one cable and split it back out at the recvr.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

HDMe said:


> I was just wondering why you would get 5 well, but not 11 and 17 since you seemed most happy with those two channels being added.
> 
> I would think that you'd either get all of them equally well OR perhaps you would be too close to the tower and actually be under the signal unless you put up a tower of your own.
> 
> Just surprised that you would get 5 well and the others not as well since you are right there. I am about 30 miles or so away and get them all rock-solid from my location with an indoor antenna sitting atop my TV in a 1-story house.


Multipath. I have an outside uhf and can see the towers, but a storm moved the aim slightly and now both WNCN and FOX drop out but Ral and TVD are solid. Really strange considering ant. locations on the same tower


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

ClaytonD said:


> Does anyone know if it's possible to "split" the signal from an antenna and the Dish sat over one cable? Meaning I send the signals down one cable and split it back out at the recvr.


Sure. Just go to Lowes and get the RCA sat. diplexers, about $10 each. Don't get the splitter/combiners, they look almost indentical and are sometimes packaged wrong. You need 2 and some short cables.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Yeah, channel 17 around here usually is my lowest signal too. Still solid now, but about 10-12 points lower on my ViP622 than the others.


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

HDMe said:


> Yeah, channel 17 around here usually is my lowest signal too. Still solid now, but about 10-12 points lower on my ViP622 than the others.


Yep, that's exactly what I get too. Mostly solid, but tends to drop out more.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

ClaytonD said:


> Yep, that's exactly what I get too. Mostly solid, but tends to drop out more.


My HDTV is just a monitor (no tuner)... I used to have a 6000 Dish HD receiver, and 17 HD would breakup more often than the other channels. Similar results on an Accurian standalone HD receiver I had.

But, since getting my ViP622 a few weeks ago, everything improved, and I actually have had NO OTA breakups since install. I get 5, 11, 22, 28, 50 all at 95-100 on the signal bar and a solid lock... My channel 4 comes in clean at 70-75 and my 17 comes in solid at 88-90 most days.

So... if my results are any indication, you may experience similar better locking on the digital channels once you get your ViP622 upgrade. I was very happy, and it completely changed my plans to put up a larger in-attic antenna to get better signal. I'm not going to get better than what I have right now. Hopefully you will see similar results once you get your new receiver.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

HDMe said:


> But, since getting my ViP622 a few weeks ago


What kind of deal did you get?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

bhawley said:


> What kind of deal did you get?


Standard dish'n it up deal for me... $199 upgrade which covered the upfront for the lease of the ViP622 + upgrade of my roof stuff (they had to relocate one dish and install new LNBs on everything + some new connectors just for good measure).

Soon as I get my first bill with the new HD pack on it I can send off for the $10 per month for 10 months rebate offer so I'm looking forward to that as well.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

So they installed my 1000+. Good and bad. Bad is that 118.7 comes in bad. Like high 60's mid 70's. The really good is that now 129 comes in at high 90's to 115. I never thought 129 could come in that good.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

There is finally a notice on the WRAL Web site... but apparently early this afternoon there was a construction accident that cut power to some very important stuff!

Since then, both WRAL and WRAZ digital channels have been off-air (technically broadcasting an "empty" no-data signal). Analog is fine, and SD locals with Dish are fine... but no OTA digital.

The oddball in the mix... Time Warner Cable has WRAL digital (HD and newschannel) that we cannot currently get OTA, but they do not have WRAZ digital channels (HD or weather) either.

A big mess and they are scrambling to get the digital signal back on-air, looking to find a way around the power-outage and find a new path to get the signals to the towers.

Just in case anyone else was wondering what was going on today!


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

are locals sent on 118 available nationwide to anybody with a dish 1000? the opportunity to "move" to raleigh might be all the motivation i need to finally go out and get a HD television.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

psnarula said:


> are locals sent on 118 available nationwide to anybody with a dish 1000? the opportunity to "move" to raleigh might be all the motivation i need to finally go out and get a HD television.


I don't know if they are on spotbeam or conus, I haven't paid that close attention... but given that it requires one of the newer + dishes and Dish installers will not install a + Dish unless you are in the market where those locals exist... I don't know how you'd go about getting a + Dish physically at your house unless perhaps you are able to find one for sale and shell out all the money yourself for the hardware upgrade.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Plus dishes are not impossible to get via the web - but they are not cheap.


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## bhawley (Oct 27, 2002)

psnarula said:


> are locals sent on 118 available nationwide to anybody with a dish 1000? the opportunity to "move" to raleigh might be all the motivation i need to finally go out and get a HD television.


6465 - WTVD - AMC-16 118.7W TP 19 ConUS beam changed to Available
6467 - WNCN - AMC-16 118.7W TP 22 ConUS beam changed to Available


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

And the rest of 118.75 is also CONUS.


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

HDMe said:


> I don't know if they are on spotbeam or conus, I haven't paid that close attention... but given that it requires one of the newer + dishes and Dish installers will not install a + Dish unless you are in the market where those locals exist... I don't know how you'd go about getting a + Dish physically at your house unless perhaps you are able to find one for sale and shell out all the money yourself for the hardware upgrade.


i have a feeling that the baltimore hd locals are coming in 2007 and i'm hoping that they'll be on 118.75. else i'll be shopping for a dish1000+ on ebay.

an unrelated question: why aren't WRAL-HD and WRAZ-HD available?


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## bhenge (Mar 2, 2005)

psnarula said:


> an unrelated question: why aren't WRAL-HD and WRAZ-HD available?


Both are independently owned by Capital Broadcasting. My guess is they are still in contract negotiations. Hopefully they will become available soon.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

psnarula said:


> i have a feeling that the baltimore hd locals are coming in 2007 and i'm hoping that they'll be on 118.75. else i'll be shopping for a dish1000+ on ebay.
> 
> an unrelated question: why aren't WRAL-HD and WRAZ-HD available?


??? If Baltimore locals are on 118.75 Dish will provide you with a 1000+ after they are activated.


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## ccapps3428 (Jan 2, 2006)

I have just completed my upgrade to the DISH 1000+ and the 622 HD receiver. The new receiver is great, but I'm struggling with the 118 satelitte receiption (and the DISH installers). The set my outside DISH up targeted using 119. I have strong signal strength to 119, 110, 129 and sometimes 118. 118 seems to come and go with signal strength - sometimes I can get the two RALEIGH HD locals via 118, but most of the time not. Any thoughts or is anyone else having this issue with the RALEIGH area locals and 118?


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

ccapps3428 said:


> I have just completed my upgrade to the DISH 1000+ and the 622 HD receiver. The new receiver is great, but I'm struggling with the 118 satelitte receiption (and the DISH installers). The set my outside DISH up targeted using 119. I have strong signal strength to 119, 110, 129 and sometimes 118. 118 seems to come and go with signal strength - sometimes I can get the two RALEIGH HD locals via 118, but most of the time not. Any thoughts or is anyone else having this issue with the RALEIGH area locals and 118?


I am not sure why they put them on 118.7. Even the installer I had told me they struggle for a signal off of it. Its much worse than 129 is. Good thing I have my antenna too.


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## ccapps3428 (Jan 2, 2006)

No doubt about the antenna - me too! It just ashame that DISH can't find another place on 129 or something for these locals?


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

Jim5506 said:


> ??? If Baltimore locals are on 118.75 Dish will provide you with a 1000+ after they are activated.


yes, i am aware of this. that's why i hope baltimore HD locals come up 118.75. that way, i can sign up for service in baltimore and they'll bring me the 1000+ that i need in order to "move" to raleigh for HD locals.


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## virgilw (Dec 18, 2006)

ccapps3428 said:


> I have just completed my upgrade to the DISH 1000+ and the 622 HD receiver. The new receiver is great, but I'm struggling with the 118 satelitte receiption (and the DISH installers). The set my outside DISH up targeted using 119. I have strong signal strength to 119, 110, 129 and sometimes 118. 118 seems to come and go with signal strength - sometimes I can get the two RALEIGH HD locals via 118, but most of the time not. Any thoughts or is anyone else having this issue with the RALEIGH area locals and 118?


Yeah, my 118 strength is pretty bad. Transponder 5 is 50%. Others are lower (like 12%, 30%, etc.) All of the other sats have 90-99% strength.

Glad I just spent Saturday putting the OTA antenna up in the attic and running a RG6 line down through two floors.


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## virgilw (Dec 18, 2006)

virgilw said:


> Yeah, my 118 strength is pretty bad. Transponder 5 is 50%. Others are lower (like 12%, 30%, etc.) All of the other sats have 90-99% strength.
> 
> Glad I just spent Saturday putting the OTA antenna up in the attic and running a RG6 line down through two floors.


Last night I kept dropping locals. So I got fed up, and decided to recheck the dish aim. Sure enough, 110, 119, and 129 were all strong but 118 was very weak. Transponder 2 on 118 was so weak it would drop in and out (0 or 12%).

I went and tweaked the dish alignment and was able to increase my 118 signal strength to the 40-50 range on transponder 2. So I went and read the dish 1000+ installation guide and sure enough, the procedure is to peak 119 and 110, then go back and fine tune for 118. My install guy never went back and fine tuned the aim for 118 (even if I hadn't watched him aim the dish, the results of the install would speak for themselves).

So if you are in the Raleigh area, have a clear view, but keep getting drops on locals. Then check cables and check dish aim. You can get sufficient signal from 118. In my case the slightest increase in elevation angle was the cure.


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## ccapps3428 (Jan 2, 2006)

Yea, the 118 sat is very hard to deal with. I too had to go back to the 1000+ and adjust the aim to get 118. Even with that though, the receiption on 11 (ABC) leaves alot to be desired. It looks like OTA is the best option for Raleigh locals.


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## daninral (Dec 18, 2006)

I currently have a 1000, and because of the low elevation of 129 have to pick up my normal Dish HD stuff off 61.5. (two dishes on the roof because i have trees that get in the way of 129) But this is the first i have heard of 118. Can anyone point me to instructions on how to pick up 118 with a 1000?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

daninral said:


> Can anyone point me to instructions on how to pick up 118 with a 1000?


You can't. You need a 1000+ (or a 500+, but for your configuration a 1000+)... which has a slightly different size dish and a different kind of LNB for the 119 that also picks up the 118.7 signals.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

With 129 obstructed, daninral will be using the 500+ configuration. Same dish, just without the add-on LNB for 129 which will instead be on a separate dish pointed to 61.5.


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

what is the footprint for the satellite at 61.5 degrees?


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## nchdguy (Jul 26, 2006)

I am in Raleigh area too, and I have a 1000+. I check the system info and find that 119, 110, 129 are all green but 118 is a red cross. However, I can still receive the two HD local channels (ABC and NBC) okay. That puzzles me. Don't I need to pick up 118 to see the HD locals? I thought about adjusting the angles of the dish, but hesitated becasue I could watch the programming without a problem. Can someone explain it for me? Thanks!


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

if the red x is showing up in the system info screen (6-1-3) that is usually just an indication of low signal strength. you might still be able to pick up signals from those channels. i have a red x for the satellite at 105 degrees but i am able to tune to channel 7000 (the "you have a 105 superdish" screen).

the system info screen is just a quick test. for a more definitive test, use the check switch test on the point dish screen (menu 6-1-1) and you should get a green x on that one.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

virgilw said:


> Last night I kept dropping locals. So I got fed up, and decided to recheck the dish aim. Sure enough, 110, 119, and 129 were all strong but 118 was very weak. Transponder 2 on 118 was so weak it would drop in and out (0 or 12%).
> 
> I went and tweaked the dish alignment and was able to increase my 118 signal strength to the 40-50 range on transponder 2. So I went and read the dish 1000+ installation guide and sure enough, the procedure is to peak 119 and 110, then go back and fine tune for 118. My install guy never went back and fine tuned the aim for 118 (even if I hadn't watched him aim the dish, the results of the install would speak for themselves).
> 
> So if you are in the Raleigh area, have a clear view, but keep getting drops on locals. Then check cables and check dish aim. You can get sufficient signal from 118. In my case the slightest increase in elevation angle was the cure.


I had to have them come out and fine tune my 118. Took forever but they got it in the 70's


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## randy (May 18, 2003)

Dish 1000+ Install 

Well Dish sent a contractor to install the 1000+. No luck he said the only way was to plaace on roof or cut some trees down. I dont think he tried enough. Going to call Dish and ask to send one of there own installers.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

randy said:


> Dish 1000+ Install
> 
> Well Dish sent a contractor to install the 1000+. No luck he said the only way was to plaace on roof or cut some trees down. I dont think he tried enough. Going to call Dish and ask to send one of there own installers.


They will send out a contractor too. Its really the luck of the draw when calling dish.


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## randy (May 18, 2003)

cdub998 said:


> They will send out a contractor too. Its really the luck of the draw when calling dish.


Dish has promised me they are sending there own crew out next friday. 
Will see.


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## randy (May 18, 2003)

randy said:


> Dish has promised me they are sending there own crew out next friday.
> Will see.


Next Friday turned out to be 1/12/07, Dish did send out there own installer. At first he also throught he would have to roof mount the Dish 1000+. He called his supervisor , they found a spot that would pick up all 4 Sats , installed Dish on pole near side of House. They werent able to get 129sat , it was getting late so they are supposed to be back today. Still waiting.


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

randy said:


> Next Friday turned out to be 1/12/07, Dish did send out there own installer. At first he also throught he would have to roof mount the Dish 1000+. He called his supervisor , they found a spot that would pick up all 4 Sats , installed Dish on pole near side of House. They werent able to get 129sat , it was getting late so they are supposed to be back today. Still waiting.


The few in my area are all on the roof... like mine. So many sats to lock in on. It seems that even the smallest of trees will make it now work well. Remember too that Spring will be near and the trees will fill up with leaves. So there could be signal loss. I know I'll be monitoring mine... even though it's on the highest point of my roof.... some 40 feet off the ground.


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

last week i sent email to wral asking why wral and wraz aren't carried by dish network. today i got this reply:



> from "deCourt, Chuck" <[email protected]>
> date Jan 15, 2007 11:01 AM
> subject FW: WRAL.com Feedback
> 
> ...


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

psnarula said:


> last week i sent email to wral asking why wral and wraz aren't carried by dish network. today i got this reply:


Yeah, I've been in communication with Chuck too. But only to get the free antenna. Supposedly I'll have it NLT 06-Feb. But it would also be nice to get them on Dish. But I will agree that the OTA signals for the locals are better than what Dish is re-transmitting.


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## psnarula (Aug 13, 2005)

i live in maryland so my interest in raleigh HD locals is only for "moving". but i'm not going to go buy a dish1000+ until WRAL and WRAZ show up on dish.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

psnarula said:


> last week i sent email to wral asking why wral and wraz aren't carried by dish network. today i got this reply:


The OTA antena they send is a channel master too. The one I have works like a charm in my attic. I get between 85-100 on all channels except PBS B/C its in a different direction.


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## Big Hath (Jan 16, 2007)

how are you guys getting the wiring/signal from the antenna to the tv?


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## randy (May 18, 2003)

Dish finished the 1000+ upgrade , and for the time being I will have two dish solution. 110,118,and 119 on one dish and 129 on the old dish 1000. If the trees 
work against me in the spring I will have to have the 1000+ moved to the roof.


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## ItsMeJTO (Dec 22, 2006)

Big Hath said:


> how are you guys getting the wiring/signal from the antenna to the tv?


The 5 lnb dish doesn't lend itself to being diplexed into the feed coaxes to your IRD as it interfeers with the KA signals. You must run a seperate coax for OAT with this setup.


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## cdub998 (Aug 16, 2006)

Big Hath said:


> how are you guys getting the wiring/signal from the antenna to the tv?


I pulled coax from my attic to my living room. You can diplex it but it's not an ideal situation. Plus the OTA is worth it.


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## ClaytonD (Oct 26, 2006)

I got my Channel Master 3022 from WRAL yesterday. Not installed yet though. So they do send a decent antenna. Probably going to do an attic install. So I see some comments about DN 1000+ and diplexors. I sure hope this is going to work. I have not had a chance to check it yet, but I could have sworn that the DP+ splitter box under my house had an input for OTA. Can anyone remember if this is correct? If so, then I'd just need diplexors at each TV right?


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