# Which Satellites for HD?



## cicijay (Jan 6, 2003)

I currently have a 6000u and am ready to make the upgrade so I can see all of the channels I am paying for. I am picking up 119,110 and 61.5 currently.

Do I need to have my dishes replaced to make this upgrade. I know my locals are on 129 but I have no interest in getting those since I will use my antenna to get those. Originally I thought I needed to replace my dish 500 and pay for a switch to integrate in my 61.5 and this has caused me to drag my feet. (I need the 61.5 so I can keep Sky Angel)


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

Without locals, your current setup should be fine.


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## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

You are fine with just 119, 110 and 61.5. I have a ViP 622 and that is what I have. The HD channels are on both 129 and 61.5.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Look in EKB charts and check www.lyngsat.com


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## cicijay (Jan 6, 2003)

I tried to order the HD-DVR and I was told that if I ordered the HD receiver they will drop ship the receiver but if I order the HD-DVR then installation is required. I asked to speak to a supervisor because this was contradictory to the information on their web site.

He told me that installation was required because I needed the dish 1000 since the 129 satellite has HD programming only available on the 129 satellite. I asked him what channel was on 129 but not 61.5 and he told me "for example World Sport is only on 129".

At this point I explained I needed to keep my 61.5 for SkyAngel and he said they will throw in the required switch to integrate in the 61.5 dish. 

Will they really throw that switch in? When I bought my 501 the installer charged me $35 to upgrade my Dish 500 LNB so I could integrate my 61.5 dish. Isn't the required switch about $200? 

If they don't throw in the switch then I'm looking at about $400 to upgrade from my dish 6000u/501 system. I've been with dish for 7 years but I can't see why I would stay for that kind of money.

I didn't even bother to ask him why they would drop ship the non-DVR-HD receiver or what they do in areas that can't get 129! I'm not opposed to getting the Dish 1000 since it does look like Fox Sports HD are appearing on 129 only but need to maintain 61.5.


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## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

Yeah they've been including that switch.

Besides while you say you dont really need your Locals in HD because you get them OTA, once you have a DVR and start recording the HD channels, the HD Locals from the satellite can come in handy anyway when there's programming conflicts.


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## cicijay (Jan 6, 2003)

Well here is my response to my email asking if the facts I was told were true and if the switch would be included.

"Thank you for your email. For the new HD DVR, we have to change your dish500 to dish1000 for HD signal from satellite 129, that is why installation is required. Currently there are some HD channel left on sat.61.5 but we will migrate them later to sat.129. So from 02/2006, we do not support/sell any HD programming from 61.5 and any new HD programming will be broadcasted from sat. 129. Our installation will cover wiring, switch and will bring the HD DVR.

Your 61.5 satellite will be untouched since you still need SkyAngel."


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

cicijay said:


> Well here is my response to my email asking if the facts I was told were true and if the switch would be included.
> 
> "Thank you for your email. For the new HD DVR, we have to change your dish500 to dish1000 for HD signal from satellite 129, that is why installation is required. Currently there are some HD channel left on sat.61.5 but we will migrate them later to sat.129. So from 02/2006, we do not support/sell any HD programming from 61.5 and any new HD programming will be broadcasted from sat. 129. Our installation will cover wiring, switch and will bring the HD DVR.
> 
> Your 61.5 satellite will be untouched since you still need SkyAngel."


It is good that you will get the DPP44 switch. I have 1 due to having to have 4 sats from my location. What is ugly is the comment about the chs. migrating to 129. Anyone that get the national CBS HD feed out of NY has to have 61,5. Whidh they are saying indirectly that that ch will be moved. From what I understand most of the NE can't even get the 129 bird so it will screw all of New England.


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

> Currently there are some HD channel left on sat.61.5 but we will migrate them later to sat.129.


That is total BS.
61.5 actually has one more channel than 129. (The HD demo Channel)

Why on earth would they be migrating everything to 129 when most of the Northeast can't see 129?

Makes no sence to me.

129 list. http://ekb.dbstalk.com/129list.htm

61.5 List http://ekb.dbstalk.com/61-5list.htm


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## cicijay (Jan 6, 2003)

This is why I never wanted to call to upgrade in the first place!

Just called to order the HD-DVR and was told that since I will not be getting my locals that the installer will use the Dish 500 and my 61.5 dish since I don't need the 129 because all of the HD programming on 129 is on 61.5.

I read him the email and he said "that is incorrect".

They will be showing up on Monday to install the HD-DVR and will unplug my 2 existing receivers and plug in my 622 using the existing cables but will still not drop ship because I currently do not have a dual tunner receiver but 2 receivers instead.


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## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

Thats ridiculous.

It's not like you have to commit longterm to subbing to the Locals for the sake of doing this.

If it makes them feel better say you do want the Locals and then just cancel them after a month (although I still cant hardly believe you dont want them for recording flexibility anyway).

Now if your Locals werent even on 129 then it would be a diffrent matter.


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## cicijay (Jan 6, 2003)

DP1 said:


> Thats ridiculous.
> 
> It's not like you have to commit longterm to subbing to the Locals for the sake of doing this.
> 
> ...


Currently my rational is:
I don't watch locals other than sports and local news and I have an antenna that gets the signals. I would not want to record news or sports anyway.

The only advantage to getting the locals on dish for me is that our CBS affiliate (WSEE) doesn't even broadcast a digital signal (still only analog) but I am boycotting that channel until they provide a digital signal anyway. Irronically back in the begining of dbs systems, WSEE was the CBS affiliate that was carried.

Personally I've never understood the rational of placing locals on the satellites anyway. I've always thought every receiver should just have an off-air tuner in them. Perhaps that's because I can receive them with a roof-top antenna and I don't watch them that much anyway.


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

I guess diffrent strokes for diffrent folks.

90% of my TV viewing is the big 4 networks. (ABC CBS NBC FOX)

I do have OTA but I was under the impression that if you don't subscribe to locals but have OTA digitals you loose the EPG for those channels?


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## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

cicijay said:


> Currently my rational is:
> I don't watch locals other than sports and local news and I have an antenna that gets the signals. I would not want to record news or sports anyway.
> 
> The only advantage to getting the locals on dish for me is that our CBS affiliate (WSEE) doesn't even broadcast a digital signal (still only analog) but I am boycotting that channel until they provide a digital signal anyway. Irronically back in the begining of dbs systems, WSEE was the CBS affiliate that was carried.
> ...


Fair enough.. if you dont watch them, you dont watch them. I mean enough to where recording factors in at all.

Actually in some ways I understand where you're coming from. Back years ago before I had HD, I watched almost no Network programming either. Mostly just the movie channels and a few other cable channels sprinkled in.

But then when I got HD and it so happened that Network Primetime made up a large bit of the total HD available at the time, I started watching certain things.

Now I watch a lot of it. Both long running shows and feeling more compelled to give new ones a whirl.


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## speedy882001 (Dec 17, 2002)

ssmith10pn said:


> That is total BS.
> 61.5 actually has one more channel than 129. (The HD demo Channel)
> 
> Why on earth would they be migrating everything to 129 when most of the Northeast can't see 129?
> ...


I live near Houston, Tx and just got upgraded to the Vip-622 a few weeks ago and the installer used a 2 dish setup and I am pointing to 61.5. Did the installer screw up? Sounds like it if you listen to Dish.


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

speedy882001 said:


> I live near Houston, Tx and just got upgraded to the Vip-622 a few weeks ago and the installer used a 2 dish setup and I am pointing to 61.5. Did the installer screw up? Sounds like it if you listen to Dish.


Sounds like your installer "Did the right thing".

61.5 has much better signal than 129.

Only time I recomend 129 is if the HD locals are there.

Me personally,
I'm about to move to Atlanta where the HD locals are on 129. I will have 61.5, 110,119,129 into a DPP44.


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## quizzer (Aug 29, 2006)

i live in southern california..so where are my HD's coming from 61.5 or 129?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

quizzer said:


> i live in southern california..so where are my HD's coming from 61.5 or 129?


Where is your dish pointed?

If you have a second dish pointed to the east you are likely getting them from 61.5°.
Look in the 9900 range of channels ... do you have the 9901 "D1000" channel or the 9902 "D61.5" channel? Whichever you have would be the one you are getting content from. If you have both then you can get HD from both.

BTW: Some HD is also hosted on 110°.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

or use EKB


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## quizzer (Aug 29, 2006)

James Long said:


> Where is your dish pointed?
> 
> If you have a second dish pointed to the east you are likely getting them from 61.5°.
> Look in the 9900 range of channels ... do you have the 9901 "D1000" channel or the 9902 "D61.5" channel? Whichever you have would be the one you are getting content from. If you have both then you can get HD from both.
> ...


I currently dont have HDTV and HD programming. But am planning to get that in the near future.

As of now my patio is in EAST and so i just have the international satellite pointing at 61.5.

Iam unable to get access to 110/119 as they are more SOUTH and i cant access them.

So if i want to take HD programming..will my current setup of jus having 61.5 work???

If yes will it include all LA locals and other HD stations.

Ia appreciate people like u behind this wonderful forum. Iam gaining a lot about satellite world.

Thanks once again


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## DP1 (Sep 16, 2002)

You would get some HD channels like the Vooms and a few others.. but some of the HD channels are on 110.

It also wouldnt include the LA Locals although with an HD receiver and an over the air antenna you might be able to receive the LA H/DTV channels that way.

Heres a graph that shows which HD channels are on which satellite:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/bfg/dish-hd.htm


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I suppose it is possible that one day Dish could try to phase out 61.5 BUT 129 definately would not be the replacement if they want to cover the big markets in the NE!

So while I supposed there could be some truth in a CSR saying that 61.5 could be "on the way out"... 129 is not the definitive answer.

Bottom line, due to coverage problems with 129, they cannot get rid of 61.5 unless and until they put up something that would replace both 129 and 61.5 and cover the whole country similar to 110 or 119... and I've heard nothing in the works about something that would do that anytime soon.


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## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

I'm hoping they are going to load up 118.75 with HD.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I would bet we will see Dish will take 103W slot for HD before that.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

P Smith said:


> I would bet we will see Dish will take 103W slot for HD before that.


There's probably more room at at 118 as DirecTV is already doing Ka at 103 with the gigantic Spaceway 1 and AMC 1 has to be pretty near end-of-life (ten years, one month aloft).


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I mean Ku range at 103W.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

P Smith said:


> I mean Ku range at 103W.


I was under the impression that Spaceway 1 didn't have any DirecTV Ku bandwidth.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Why would E* be using DirecTV's bandwidth? (Hint: Not Spaceway 1)


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

James Long said:


> Why would E* be using DirecTV's bandwidth? (Hint: Not Spaceway 1)


I am obviously suffering some brand confusion. 103W would seem ripe. The question that remains is where is this bird coming from.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

harsh said:


> I am obviously suffering some brand confusion. 103W would seem ripe. The question that remains is where is this bird coming from.


AMC 1 is loaded w/ broadcast and commercial nets. It is FSS not DBS. C/KU hybrid bird. 
http://www.lyngsat.com/amc1.html


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Regardless of existing sats at 103W ( AMC-1 and SpaceWay 1), there is enough space on a orbit for something what will cover Ku DBS band, it's vacating now.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

Where sats are localed has to do with what has been approved by the World Satellites Standards Committee, & World Administrative Radio Conference. To get a sat in a spot a company has to go to them to get approval. This is a very long time to get a change in the Clark belt approved. Echostar would have to submit there reason then take to to the committee and get it approved to put 1 there. Then they will have to build the sat and station it in that location. We are talking here on the order of roughly 5 years and that's if there are no protest filed against the positioning of another sat owner claiming it will cause problems with the location it will be at plus the 2 on each side set at 2 degrees spacing on each side of it.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

If you will study FCC documents you'll find E* request for 103W.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

P Smith said:


> If you will study FCC documents you'll find E* request for 103W.


If you know of the document give us a link. Under those search criteria it gives 120093 results found, top 500 sorted by relevance.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

whatchel1 said:


> AMC 1 is loaded w/ broadcast and commercial nets. It is FSS not DBS. C/KU hybrid bird.
> http://www.lyngsat.com/amc1.html


That's why I suggested that this slot was ripe [for someone to install some Ku DBS bandwidth].

Doing an advanced search this morning of the FCC website returned a whole lot of listings that represent information no more current than 2002 (even where the change date was Friday).


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