Do satellite receivers HAVE TO HAVE a phone line connection?

[yoda313]

Hello,

I'm kicking around the idea of maybe getting satellite some day (not firm just in the research stage).

I don't have a phone jack in any of the rooms the receivers would go into. Do I HAVE to have a phone line connection to keep the receiver working????? What is the connection used for?????

Kevin


PS - would a wireless RF transmitter work to send the phone line without cables?? You know those things you hook up to the actual phone jack and then plug in to a wall socket at the receiving end????

[canadateck]

When I had satelite,the Phone line was used to order PPV Movies,And to get caller ID on the TV,It didnt "Need" to be pluged in.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Cool!!

That would be great if it can be standalone.

How does the installation go from the dish???? Is it a coax like cable???? How does each receiver get hooked up to the dish phyically?????

Thanks.

Kevin

[canadateck]

Yeah Just Coax from the LMB "I think that what its called" on the Dish to the receiver,You will need 2 or more receivers for eveyroom,I had a remote extender to use the Sat in a room without a receiver.

[lordsmurf]

No.

Not even for PPV. Your system will just "fill up" and refuse more PPV purchases until you plug it in so it transfers. Just be aware that buying lots of PPV and then plugging it in months later could make for a nasty $100 bill (or more! yikes!).

[yoda313]

Hello,

Thanks guys. As I said this is just "research". Basics that I don't know about. I don't forsee much PPV action if any

If I do it at all it would be with SBC as they are my phone and DSL service.

Thanks again.

Kevin


EDIT -

I had a remote extender to use the Sat in a room without a receiver

So you could use it to dvr with a capture card on a pc in another room without a dedicated receiver once in awhile???? (of course I could just record to video tape and dub later....)

[lumis]

No.

Not even for PPV. Your system will just "fill up" and refuse more PPV purchases until you plug it in so it transfers. Just be aware that buying lots of PPV and then plugging it in months later could make for a nasty $100 bill (or more! yikes!).

wrong.

it depends on who your provider is. some providers do require a phoneline to be hooked up in order to view PPV if you're ordering through the dish/reciever itself.

some also offer purchasing on the internet or by placing the order over the telephone through an automated system or operator, but that can cost extra sometimes.

[gcutler]

The phone line connection is also used to "prevent" what is known as account stacking, so if two recievers on the account dial in from a different phone # they know that there is a violation of the account, but the lack of dialin can also cost you money as a new customer agreement is in force...

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/aboutus/RCA/index.shtml

F. Additional Receivers. To independently tune additional televisions within your home...DISH Network will charge you a reduced monthly fee (Additional Receiver Authorization Fee) for each additional receiver added to your account. This option is only available if your initial DISH Network receiver and all additional receiver(s) are located at the same residence and are continuously connected to the same telephone line.


So if you have a 2nd reciever you will be charged more money for that 2nd reciever if it dosen't call in periodically... I believe there is a $5 leasing fee (they pretty much push leasing now) and a $5 mirror fee for the additional reciever to get the same programming, but they forget the mirror fee if the reciever dials in. Thats $60/year extra you are paying if you don't have a dialin ability.

DirectTV used to require a call by the recievers or else the recievers would start complaining until a call was made but they no longer enforce the issue.

I think you should visit

www.dbsforums.com or www.dbstalk.com as they are where the satellite experts post about satellite the most. dbsforums is more heavy on the DirectTV side and dbstalk is heavier on the dishnetwork side but either will give you the most up to date information...

[lordsmurf]

wrong.

it depends on who your provider is. some providers do require a phoneline to be hooked up in order to view PPV if you're ordering through the dish/reciever itself.

Bullshit. That's what some of them may tell you. But it's not true at all. PPV will just stack on the system until your next connection. That's why it has a limit. Some limits are $0, so you have to know what you got.

The DISH Multi-Reciever thing has always been in the fine print, but it has not always been an actual practiced thing. Something to watch for, but you never hear about it actually happening. Not with any frequency.

[Shadow57]

Hello,

Kevin

PS - would a wireless RF transmitter work to send the phone line without cables??

When I had DirecTV I was told that the phone connection works
on a different 'frequency', for lack of a better term.

That's why you can talk on the phone while the satellite is also
connected to the phone line. Maybe like DSL.

Maybe somebody else would know for sure.

Is this what you meant...

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-6608673-1444945?asin=B00006J05Y&AFID=Froogle&...t_adv_XSG10001

[gcutler]

The DISH Multi-Reciever thing has always been in the fine print, but it has not always been an actual practiced thing. Something to watch for, but you never hear about it actually happening. Not with any frequency.

Well perhaps he should check with the people at dbsforums or dbstalk as to get a better gauge of what "Not with any frequency" means. As they are the ones who deal with satellite every day. If he is possibly going to be locked into a 1 year agreement, that potential extra $60/year/reciever is IMHO worth a little bit of extra investigation.

[richdvd]

wrong.

it depends on who your provider is. some providers do require a phoneline to be hooked up in order to view PPV if you're ordering through the dish/reciever itself.

Bullshit. That's what some of them may tell you. But it's not true at all. PPV will just stack on the system until your next connection. That's why it has a limit. Some limits are $0, so you have to know what you got.

The DISH Multi-Reciever thing has always been in the fine print, but it has not always been an actual practiced thing. Something to watch for, but you never hear about it actually happening. Not with any frequency.

Lordsmurf is right.
They want you to have it plugged in....but it is NOT necessary.

[MOVIEGEEK]

If a phoneline is required you could buy a device that transmits the data through the power lines,GE makes them and they sell for $50US at Lowes,Walmart,etc:
www.twacomm.com/Catalog/Model_GE-TL96596.htm

[gcutler]

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/products/accessories/index.shtml

Not that you would want to buy the ones they sell, but it seems Dish felt a need to offer the powerline phone line connectors on their web site. So that at least implies they consider them an acceptable option??? In the past they used to not officially "support" them...

[lumis]

wrong.

it depends on who your provider is. some providers do require a phoneline to be hooked up in order to view PPV if you're ordering through the dish/reciever itself.

Bullshit. That's what some of them may tell you. But it's not true at all. PPV will just stack on the system until your next connection. That's why it has a limit. Some limits are $0, so you have to know what you got.

The DISH Multi-Reciever thing has always been in the fine print, but it has not always been an actual practiced thing. Something to watch for, but you never hear about it actually happening. Not with any frequency.

not bullshit, you're wrong. my provider (mwcc) requires that you either dial with the dish, call them (automated or operator), or place an order on the internet. they will not allow you to purchase a ppv without them knowing (getting their money asap). its either that, and everyone else i know that uses the same provider as i have a pre-set limit of $0..

[lordsmurf]

What is MWCC....
We're talking DISH Network and DirecTV ....

[Sabro]

Back when I had DISH (few years ago) they stated it was required to have all the receivers connected to the phone lines.

I only connected the phone line once, after a few PPV movies had been stacked (as Lord Smurf) mentioned, but that was the only time it complained (when money was owed to them for services).

However, two friends down the road (one with DISH but a newer receiver) and a DirectTV user was unable to do this as their receivers were set with the $0.00 credit allotment and they were both required to have their receivers plugged in during the setup, but unplugged them afterwards and never had any problems.

Sabro

[yoda313]

Hello,

Is this what you meant...

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/60 ... v_XSG10001

Yep thats the one.

Gee didn't think this would turn into a heated debate. I was just looking for some basic info on satellites.

Thanks guys.

Kevin

[bhbuckeye]

Next time you find yourself in a big time NCAA or NFL town check out the tailgate parties in the parking lots...Bring a 6 pack or so of Bud Light...
Listen for a 5HP Honda generator...head that way...
As you get closer to the sound look for a DirectV dish, perhaps mounted on a modified tripod, or on a 6' pole stuck in a bucket of Quickrete...
You will find it connected to a 25" or so portable TV and a DirectV receiver...
I do not believe you will find it is connected to a phone line...(anybody know how to connect a cell phone to an RJ-11? phone jack? )
You will find that some of the folks--usually under a tent--are watching the pre-game show on ESPN or Fox or similar...
Have a beer, introduce yourself to somebody as a friend of "Jim", throw some in the cooler...offer one the the chef...make some small talk..."Go Bucks" works well in Columbus, Ohio...
Go ahead, have a brat...
It does work without the connection...at least for a while...
After the game invite yourself back to to watch the highlights...
P.S. never drink the last beer...

[richdvd]

Gee didn't think this would turn into a heated debate.

Are you surprised??

[yoda313]

Gee didn't think this would turn into a heated debate.

Are you surprised??

Hello,

Well I was just asking about the phone line



Kevin

[EvilWizardGlick]

No you do not need the phone line connected.
Pay per view can be activated over the internet.
One of the big scams is people run up pay per view and disconnect the phone line. The information can not be sent over the line and stays on the receiver.
The receiver is then sold and the new buyer becomes responsible for the charges as soon as the phone is plugged in.
Always be careful buying a used system.

And beware the dreaded rain/snow fade. During a big rain/snow storm the signal will be lost until the sky clears enough to be received again.
And that could be five minutes or five hours.

[TBoneit]

Well FWIW I have Dishnetwork AKA Echostar and it won't PPV using the remote unless I plug in the phone line. It has been this way since several S/W upgrades ago. I suspect that they did this since for many it was easier to get a cheap receiver max the PPVs and junk it than pay for the PPVs or wait for the phone line to get hooked up. I'm speculating now but I'll bet their are plenty of receivers with lots of unpaid PPVs from before they changed the S/W.

I can either plug in the phone line and PPV via the remote or order over the internet for $1 more, That way it'll be on all of the receivers on the account.

It's been that way for a while even with my older receiver in use (Dishplayer 7100 w/Hdd upgrade).

Back years ago when I had DirecTV and went to add another unit I had to plug in all the phone lines. They may have slacked off that requirement since then of course.

My Dish rec. are never plugged in to the phone line unless I need to PPV. Save the modem from surges that way. Likewise for my Tivo Standalone, I plug it in once a week to download the guide data and then unplug it.

Cheers