# Confused about 61.5 vs. 129



## TFLeonard (Apr 6, 2005)

I got a letter in the mail from Dish saying I needed to switch my 61.5 dish to 129 in order to get HD channels I'm missing. After several calls to Dish, I'm as clueless as ever as to which Channels I'm missing.

I currently subscribe to Dish Absolute HD which I assume I get from 61.5 with my premium hbo/showtime/starz coming also from 110/119.

I'm concerned that in my south east location that 129 is very low on the horizon and may be blocked by other roofs etc.

Therefore before I tear apart my installation, I want to know what I getting for all the trouble.

Does anyone know what channels I'm missing by staying on 61.5? I don't really want to swap programming packages since Dish HD Absolute has pretty much everying I want, and I don't watch SDTV.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

You may want to scan through the thread Nine New HD channels, including, BBC America and FSC are now HD as a beginning point. The problem is that Dish uplinked those and other _*new*_ HD channels to 129° for the Western Arc and 72.7° for the Eastern Arc. However, these "dish change" notices are coming to some in error. In your case in The Bahamas, I can't quite figure how many customers are going to have a line-of-sight to 129°. But you are missing a few channels with only 110°/119°/61.5°.

There have been a number threads on this if you want to read more.


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

With Absolute, you'd be missing the four channels added to Platinum HD , IndiePlex and RetroPlex on 2/10/10 and Shorts HD/Epix HD on 4/19/10.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

I'm really confused about this as well. I received a similar notice from Dish and have several techs come out to adjust my 61.5 dish to point at 129 but all were unsuccessful. I live in Florida and 129 is very close to the horizon for me (lots of trees/roofs in the way, 119 is even shaky for me). I know that the new HD channels are only offered on 129 but I simply will not be able to get line of sight. Am I SOL? Do I need to see if DirecTV satellites would work better for me? Since they are transitioning to 129, how long before 61.5 goes away? Are there any other satellites that could work for me instead of 129?


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Your better option might be to switch to Eastern Arc (61.5, 72.7,77), with a wing dish for 110 locals if necessary.

The Eastern Arc will not be going away (although there are some upcoming issues on 61.5 in the short term, mostly due to E3 getting close to end-of-life).


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

scooper, thanks for taking the time to reply. It sounds like there are a set of satellites that could provide a much better signal for me. Should I simply be able to have a tech come out and ask them to use the "eastern arc" satellites as you mention or is the process of switching more involved? None of the techs that have been to my house seemed to be aware of this other set of satellites so I wonder if this is feasible or if these are just rarely used in my area? Also, do these eastern satellites (61.5, 72.7, and 77) provide the same channels as 110, 119, and 129?


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

DaCypher said:


> scooper, thanks for taking the time to reply. It sounds like there are a set of satellites that could provide a much better signal for me. Should I simply be able to have a tech come out and ask them to use the "eastern arc" satellites as you mention or is the process of switching more involved? None of the techs that have been to my house seemed to be aware of this other set of satellites so I wonder if this is feasible or if these are just rarely used in my area? Also, do these eastern satellites (61.5, 72.7, and 77) provide the same channels as 110, 119, and 129?


Well - it would help ALOT to know your general location....


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

I live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (south east Florida).


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

DaCypher said:


> I live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (south east Florida).


If, as I suspect, you are in the Miami DMA, then to get your locals and all the new HD right now you need 110°/119°/129° or 110°/119°/61.5°/72.7°.

Miami theoretically should be moved to the Eastern Arc - 61.5°/72.7°/77° - but for now those that can't see 129° (and they are going to be many) aren't going to get some of the new HD channels.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Ok - Assuming you get Miami locals - you're kind of screwed if you can't see 129 for HD.

Some of your Miami locals (in HD) are on 110 , all of your SD Miami locals are on 119.

If you get left on western Arc (what the techs have been saying) - all the "cable type channels" in HD (Discovery, CNN, etc.) are on 129, and you can get you locals as well.

If you get an Eastern arc install (61.5,72.7 and 77) - you could get all the cable channels in HD, but no Miami locals. If you add a 119 wing dish - you would get all the Miami SD locals, but none of the HD ones. If you have 110 on a wing dish - you could get the Big4 (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) plus CW, but no other Miami stations.

Echostar may not even let you do this - you may just have to go without the new HD channels until they can put Miami on the Eastern Arc.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

Yup, my locals are from Miami.

I currently get HD locals without a problem. I suspect I'm getting them either from 110 or 61.5 as 119 is slightly problematic for me with regards to reception. I can currently get all the channels (with the exception of some of the recent HD additions) with 61.5, 110, and 119. Does 72.7 have these new channels that 129 has? If so, I guess I should try to get Dish send a tech to receive from 72.7 in addition to my existing 61.5 instead of 129?

Man this is confusing...


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

You could see about them installing a 72.7 Dish and a DPP44 switch, and that should let you see as much as you can right now.
So in the end - that would give you
Dish#1 - Dish500 with 110 and 119
Dish #2 - dish at 61.5
Dish #3 - Dish at 72.7

Using a DPP44 switch to join all this together.

A tech who posts here has said that you "could" use another Dish500 for 61.5 and 72.7 - the spacing is a little off, but it could work. And then again, you would need a DPP44 switch to tie it all together again.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

Thanks for the info scooper. I have a feeling this is going to be a challenge to explain to Dish...


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

I spoke with Dish last night and they said 72.7 was not an option. Since proper signals could not be obtained from the necessary satellites they suggested that my only option was to cancel my account (!).

Other than this issue, I've really been quite happy with Dish. Is this really my only option?


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

DaCypher said:


> I spoke with Dish last night and they said 72.7 was not an option. Since proper signals could not be obtained from the necessary satellites they suggested that my only option was to cancel my account (!).
> 
> Other than this issue, I've really been quite happy with Dish. Is this really my only option?


The response was idiotic. Send a polite email to [email protected] describing your situation, what you requested, what the response was, and include both the phone number associated with your account and a daytime contact phone number. You likely will hear from someone within a week or so.


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

scooper said:


> You could see about them installing a 72.7 Dish and a DPP44 switch, and that should let you see as much as you can right now.
> So in the end - that would give you
> Dish#1 - Dish500 with 110 and 119
> Dish #2 - dish at 61.5
> ...





DaCypher said:


> I spoke with Dish last night and they said 72.7 was not an option. Since proper signals could not be obtained from the necessary satellites they suggested that my only option was to cancel my account (!).
> 
> Other than this issue, I've really been quite happy with Dish. Is this really my only option?


I was able to get "scoopers" suggested configuration with the 3rd dish and 72.7. Couldn't do EA because of no LOS to 77. Keep trying - ask for tech not CSR when calling.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to try to get a higher up tech support person on the phone that might have some more experience with this type of problem. If that doesn't work I'll try emailing as suggested.

patmurphey, did you have a Dish tech come out and setup that configuration? What do you mean by "EA"?


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

IIRC, there's no real, good option to add a third dish for 72.7 normally. You may be forced to go through a local installer.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

coldsteel,

I assume by that you mean that Dish doesn't formally advocate using 72.7 in this configuration? Would I somehow be violating their terms of service were I to get my own installer to add 72.7?

How would I go about finding a local installer to do this type of work? I assume I'd have to pay out of pocket for this as opposed to it being paid for by Dish? I don't understand why they wouldn't support doing the 72.7 configuration themselves...


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## coldsteel (Mar 29, 2007)

DaCypher said:


> coldsteel,
> 
> I assume by that you mean that Dish doesn't formally advocate using 72.7 in this configuration? Would I somehow be violating their terms of service were I to get my own installer to add 72.7?
> 
> How would I go about finding a local installer to do this type of work? I assume I'd have to pay out of pocket for this as opposed to it being paid for by Dish? I don't understand why they wouldn't support doing the 72.7 configuration themselves...


No violation, there's just not that option in their system. No clue as to why not, unfortunately. There's a retailer lookup on the Dish main site.


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

DaCypher said:


> Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to try to get a higher up tech support person on the phone that might have some more experience with this type of problem. If that doesn't work I'll try emailing as suggested.
> 
> patmurphey, did you have a Dish tech come out and setup that configuration? What do you mean by "EA"?





coldsteel said:


> IIRC, there's no real, good option to add a third dish for 72.7 normally. You may be forced to go through a local installer.


I did it entirely with Dish techs. EA is the new one dish setup using 61.5, 72.7 and 77. I couldn't switch because I Have no view of 77 without cutting down a tree. The techs at Dish were very helpful in getting me all of my channels with three dishes and a DP44. I am an Americas Everything HD customer with 3 receivers. A supervisor came out several days later and took pictures of my setup - 110/119 dish on the side porch and two dishes (61.5 and 72.7) in separate locations on the roof my 2 story garage 70 feet from my house. I have always relied on Dish techs for all installations, the $15 tech visit charge is the only one ever.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

Ok, maybe I just need to keep trying to get Dish to send out techs until one shows up that is willing to try 72.7?

So 61.5, 72.7, and 77 could be used instead of 110, 119, and 129? That seems like a much better option for me since I have much more open sky to the east (not to mention that those longitudes are much less close to the horizon than the western ones for me)...


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## Dicx (Sep 17, 2007)

That is what I am finally having done. Got the letter and 3 techs confirmed I could not get 110,119,129 without cutting 5 trees down for LOS. Said a polite no, and they are getting me on the Eastern Arc. I am losing my locals (only on 129 HD, 119 SD) but I will make due by other means.

They are coming the 16th.


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

Ok, I guess I need to try this brute force method of getting the eastern arc satellites. I wonder why Dish doesn't more formally advocate this configuration?

On a side note, is there a way to find out which satellites carry my locals (I get the Miami locals if anyone has a way of looking them up)?


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

http://www.dishuser.org/

Look on the channel charts.

Or - you can go to www.dishnetwork.com and look it up there


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## sepaperson (Jan 17, 2010)

Those channel/satellite charts are WAY out of date... the PDF of them is dated 11/18/*2006*!!!!!!!!!!!


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## DaCypher (Sep 25, 2007)

dishuser.org shows the Miami locals on 110 which might be why Dish isn't formally advocating the eastern arc for my area. It still seems like they could offer a configuration that gets signals from four satellites: 61.5, 72.7, 77, and 110. This would obviously require at least two dishes but I already have two with my current 110, 119, 61.5 configuration...

Still working on getting a tech to hook me up with the EA that should hopefully resolve my issues. I'll update this thread if I get anywhere to hopefully help out someone else in a similar situation...


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

sepaperson said:


> Those channel/satellite charts are WAY out of date... the PDF of them is dated 11/18/*2006*!!!!!!!!!!!


Look here.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/thelist/index.php?page=subdish&sub=true


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