# What to do????



## hackwriter (Dec 27, 2005)

I've been a Dish subscriber for a decade. We have been really happy with Dish, but we have a problem: For 5-6 months out of the year, our high-def is spotty at best. Yes, there is a tree.

I find it hard to believe that there is NO spot in my entire yard where they couldn't set up the dish on a pole to deal with the tree. I understand that the "free" HD installation was not going to include any kind of elaborate installation that might involve running a buried cable across the border beds, or even in the air. But is it worth paying someone to come out and re-evaluate?

I've been considering FIOS as well, but their DVR sucks and I don't really want to make a 2-year commitment to FIOS with a $350 cancellation penalty. Our cable provider is Cablevision, which is horrible. 

Dish has the best DVR, though who knows how long that'll last, with the TiVO decision. 

Any ideas? What would YOU do?


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

Have you considered that there is now the eastern arc sats that are more to the SE/SSE instead of SW? Might you have a line of sight to those?

Yes, call them out.


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## normang (Nov 14, 2002)

Can you trim the tree?


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

I had this problem on sat 129 which is very low in the east. I went to the eastern arc which is about 40 degrees in the sky and points in a different direction. I had to tell the installers about it because they had no idea what the eastern arc was. Solved my problem.


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

The question is, does he have two dishes or one currently? If the OP has a wing dish looking at 61.5 for HD, Eastern Arc is a no-go unless the tree is dealt with.


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## hackwriter (Dec 27, 2005)

Some more info:

I have 2 dishes...I have the Dish 500 in the front yard on a pole...it faces SW. The other dish is affixed to the back of the garage and points SE. How far it's skewed to the south I don't know. The dish IS looking at 61.5. 

No, the tree can't be trimmed. Topping off trees is a sure way to kill them. I have had to take down 3 old-growth oaks in the last few years and I am sure as heck not going to chop down trees for television.

I do get SOME HD during the summer months. I get the locals (NY), HBO-E, SHO-E, and that's about it. 

How can I be assured of getting a knowledgeable installer if I pay someone to come out? I'd like to have the situation re-evaluated, because my husband is pissed that for six months out of the year we get no HD, and our alternatives seem pretty lame. We love the Dish DVR (which may be a moot point anyway, depending on what happens with the TiVO decision) which has made me hesitate to switch to FIOS (well, that and the 2-year contract with $350 early cancellation fee), and Cablevision is horrible. And I assume DirectTV would have many of the same problems.


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

hackwriter said:


> Some more info:
> 
> I have 2 dishes...I have the Dish 500 in the front yard on a pole...it faces SW. The other dish is affixed to the back of the garage and points SE. How far it's skewed to the south I don't know. The dish IS looking at 61.5.
> 
> ...


DirecTv might not have the same problems. Their HD is on 99 and 103 satellites which are at a higher elevation. If you are not having problems with SD then DirecTv might be an option.


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## normang (Nov 14, 2002)

Direct's satellites are basically in the same directions if I Recall. So switching isn't going to gain anything. You have to find the best way to a clear line of sight in the direction that the dish needs to point. 

If you cannot trim the tree's because of height or they will die, then you have to go up over them in whatever stable manner will work for you. Whether that be a mast or tower of some sort, whatever will get the line of sight.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Because I can't see your situation, all I can tell you is what I did. We're in the Western Arc area in the redwoods with one dish for 110°/119° and a wing dish for 129°. Despite the best efforts of an installer, the movement of some trees impinged on the 129° dish. In my case, I moved the Dish about four feet to the east aiming it through a large enough hole that won't be a problem for at least 5 years.

They may be able to find a location that will just clear the trees for the EA or at least for 61.5°. But trees will do what they do - grow. So it is not a perfect long term solution.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

hackwriter said:


> I've been a Dish subscriber for a decade. We have been really happy with Dish, but we have a problem: For 5-6 months out of the year, our high-def is spotty at best. Yes, there is a tree.
> 
> I find it hard to believe that there is NO spot in my entire yard where they couldn't set up the dish on a pole to deal with the tree. I understand that the "free" HD installation was not going to include any kind of elaborate installation that might involve running a buried cable across the border beds, or even in the air. But is it worth paying someone to come out and re-evaluate?
> 
> ...


Wow! a $350.00 cancellation fee. That's really crazy!


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

normang said:


> Direct's satellites are basically in the same directions if I Recall. So switching isn't going to gain anything.


not exactly, if you do't need 110 and 119, then in the east US Direct has a smaller look angle to 99-101-103, plus a higher elevation than 110 and 119 that Dish uses. Plus there is the Dish eastern arc option


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## CABill (Mar 20, 2005)

Paul Secic said:


> Wow! a $350.00 cancellation fee. That's really crazy!


$350 is less than the DISH $420 fee. At least the DISH fee is prorated for months remaining.
http://www.dishnetwork.com/support/moving/default.aspx
Equipment upgrade: requires 24-month commitment to qualifying programming. If qualifying service is terminated prior to end of 24-month period, a cancellation fee of $17.50 per cancelled month of service will apply.
Same thing for a new sub in
http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/legal/DHA_Agreement.pdf


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

CABill said:


> $350 is less than the DISH $420 fee. At least the DISH fee is prorated for months remaining.


$350 is a 24 month DISH commitment canceled four months in. It gets lower as more of the commitment is honored. Prorating is good.


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

tkrandall said:


> not exactly, if you do't need 110 and 119, then in the east US Direct has a smaller look angle to 99-101-103, plus a higher elevation than 110 and 119 that Dish uses. Plus there is the Dish eastern arc option


EA is a nogo for the OP, since he's getting the issue on the 61.5 satellite LOS. Might be an option to see if a local tech can repoint the wing to 129, but it'd be iffy with the angle to the horizon.


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