Dish/DirecTV HD reception (1 Viewer)

[RyanDinan]

Hello everyone,

I'll be moving into our first house in about 22 days - I'd like to get either Dish or DirecTV - whichever offers the most HD programming, and whichever I can actually use in my location.

So far, from what I can gather, both services require a clear line of sight to the south, which may be a problem.
My house faces east, but only has a clear open view to the west, with a bit open to the southwest and northwest, since I am surrounded by trees on the other sides....

I know DISH uses two satelites - one for regular programming, and another for HD stuff....
Which direction is this HD sat located, and if it's in the west, could I only subscribe to HD programming (do I need to have a basic package as well)?

Also, those of you that have DISH - it mentions that the 6000 receiver requires a HD decoder to be built into the TV, or externally....? If I have a HD-Ready Sony HS10, am I okay? I was under the assumption that the 6000 receiver received, and decoded the signal so it could be sent via its component/RGBHV connections to the TV? Do they really mean to say, "a TV that can accept 720p/1080i scanrates"?

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

-Ryan Dinan

 

[Steve Schaffer]

The Dish 6000 will send a 1080i or 720p (user selectable) signal via component video cables to an HD-ready set like your HS-10. The set does not need a decoder. The Dish 6000 requires an optional module to receive local OTA HD signals. Dishnetwork offers HBOHD, Showtime HD, and Discovery HD Theater, but yet another module will be necessary for Discovery HD soon as it's moving to another satellite. You must buy the HBO and/or Showtime packages to get the HD versions, and Discovery HD is going to be $8 a month as a separate option. CBS' HD feed is also available if you can wangle a waiver from your local CBS affilliate.

DirecTV HD capable receivers require only one oval dish with three LNBs. They will tune local OTA HD channels without any additional modules. HD channels offered over the DirecTV satellite are HBOHD, Showtime HD, and HDNet. HDNet is 16 hours a day of true 16/9 1080i, mostly travel, documentarys, and sports including live Major League Baseball and Arena Football, with an occasional movie. Most of HDNet's programming is HD video rather than film sourced and is consistently demo quality High Definition.

On DirecTV, HDNet is included with any basic package though you must tell them specifically that you want it. HBO and Showtime HD require you to order the HBO and Showtime packages just as on DishNetwork.

I have the Toshiba DST-3000 HD-capable Directv receiver and oval dish and am quite happy with them.

 

[Robert_J]

another module will be necessary for Discovery HD soon as it's moving to another satellite

It's actually changing compression schemes. Dish will be able to squeeze three HD channels per transponder with the new scheme as opposed to two HD channels per transponder now. It will still be on the 61.5 satellite (and hopefully soon the 148 sat for the west coasters).

-Robert

 

[carl_lunenfeld]

Are you saying I can get my local OTA HD channels with either DirectTV or Dish network? I thought I needed a separate antenna for the HD channels. I just got my HDTV and went with my local cabel companies HD option. Only HBO and two locals, not nearly enough.

Could I have gotten more with a sattalite company?

Thanks for the info.

Carl

 

[Danny R]

I know DISH uses two satelites - one for regular programming, and another for HD stuff....
Which direction is this HD sat located,

Actually Dish has 2 satellite locations used for HD content. Since you are in Missouri, you may have your pick of either of Dish's HD satellites. One is located at 148 degrees (just east of Hawaii on the equator), the other at 61.5 (east of Puerto Rico). However I would bet that 61.5 is your best bet.

Are you saying I can get my local OTA HD channels with either DirectTV or Dish network?

Neither company offers this at this time. You are correct, an external antenae is needed. What he is saying is the the satellite HD decoder also doubles as an over the air decoder (special hardware may be needed). Your antenae is connected to the HD decoder, which then adds the local digital stations to the programming lineup in your guide.

Could I have gotten more with a sattalite company?

Depends on what you want. Dish offers 4 HDTV channels (Showtime, HBO, Discover, CBS), DTV offers 3 (Showtime, HBO, HDNet). Of these, only HDNet is free. All the others require subscriptions or special wavers in the case of CBS.

It's actually changing compression schemes.

Close but not quite. Its not a compression scheme exactly, as the data isn't being shrunk or anything. Rather its a way of putting more data on the uplink.

 

[Robert_J]

Danny R,
You're correct. It's not a compression change, it's a modulation change. Here's a good tech paper on it *.
-Robert

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Yes, the DirecTV boxes will also tune local OTA Digital as well as analog tv channels, but you'll need an antenna. The boxes will integrate the guides for these channels into the guides for satellite channels.

If you live too far from local transmitters to use an indoor antenna, and can't put up a roof or attic antenna, cable would be the only way to get local HD content.

 

[RyanDinan]

Im curious -
When you say the satellite is located at "61.5 degrees" - is that longitude/latitude? Obviously, it can't be a compass direction, since it would be different for everyone, right?

Since Im in Missouri, I'd think the 148 satellite would be far too low in the sky for me to be able to get it.
I talked with one of the local DISH dealers here, and he said I needed a clear line of sight to the SSW - But he didn't say if that was for the "regular programming" satellite, or the HD satellite....
I know I'll need two dishes - But which directions will I need open? I have clear line of sight west, and I think I can manage SSW as well...
Can anyone set me straight here?

Thanks!

-Ryan Dinan

 

[RyanDinan]

Okay, here's a graphic of the satellite locations for both DISH and DirecTV.
Link Removed
I moved the DirecTV satellites above the equator a bit, so they wouldn't overlap the DISH satellite. It looks like I'd have a better shot with DirecTV, as all their dishes are ssw, and separated by 9 degrees (101, 110, and 119). -BTW - Which satellite(s) are the HD ones for DirecTV?
For DISH, Id have to try for the 148 sat as the 61.5 would be blocked by trees - but I think the elevation would be too low in the sky for me...
I know DISH offers Discovery HD (which I'd love to get) - but DirecTV offers HDNet, which I hear is really great. Will DirecTV offer Discovery HD? (I would think they would?)
What do you all think I should do?
Thanks!
-Ryan Dinan

 

[RyanDinan]

..........Also, reguarding this merger between DirecTV and DISH (which I *just* read about)...
Does anyone know if hardware will still be usable? if I go out and buy a DirecTV HD receiver today (like the RCA, Sony, Toshiba, etc), will it work with the combined Dish/DirecTV system(s)??? I'd think it would have to be...otherwise, a bunch of DirecTV people would be PISSED that their expensive receivers would have to be replaced by something else...
Also - Does this mean that one could now get ALL the HD programming out there under one provider, AND have their pick of satellites (there will be quite a few now...)? Any idea when this whole thing will take place? I'd kinda like to avoid diving into this if things are going to change dramatically....
-Ryan Dinan

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

IF the merger is approved (that's a mighty big if), Dish/DirecTV plans to replace receivers. It won't be a smooth ride getting approval from the FCC and the DOJ.

Obviously they would have to replace old HD receivers with new HD receivers. There is the risk that the new boxes won't have the same quality components or features... I guess that's why we have class actions. I've got a DirecTiVo and I wouldn't accept Dish's POS PVR as a substitute.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Actually, DirecTV has satellites in more places than that. They have to

I know fora fact they carried a Japanese concert that I have a DVD of to Africa, France, China and Japan (They specifically say hello to everyone watching on DirecTV)

 

[Robert_J]

Actually, DirecTV has satellites in more places than that. They have to

We're just talking about North America here. For a list of nearly all TV satellites go to Lyngsat.
-Robert

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Ryan,
HBO and HDNet are currently on DirecTv's 119 satellite, Showtime HD is on the 110.

I went with DirecTV because I've had their ntsc service since 96, and the HD upgrade only involved swapping out an oval dish for the old round one and hooking up a new receiver. Having installed the DirecTV system myself originally, it wasn't difficult at all to do the swap myself.

I seriously considered switching to Dish in order to take advantage of new customer discounts but didn't want to do a self install involving 2 separate dishes aimed at 2 different satellites and couldn't find an installer in my area that even knew what a Dish 6000 was or what an 8VSB tuner was.



I sorta prefer the simplicity of DirecTV's approach--1 dish, and the receiver gets standard and HD satellite as well as standard and HD OTA with no optional modules or other plug-ins. Dish requires 2 separate dishes and 2 separate optional modules for their reciever in order to do the same thing.