New to Satellite

[zakman]

Hi all,

I am considering switching from cable to satellite and I know absolutely nothing about it. Where can I get an introduction? I tried reading the posts to this forum and don't really understand it all. The reason I am thinking of switching is because I just saw a sale by a local satellite company that offers Dish Network for $20/month for the first year (for 60 channels -- 100% digital). I don't want to talk to them about it yet because I hate talking to sales people when I don't know what is going on. Here are some of my issues:
1) Will it be any easier for me to transfer files to my computer (since it is digital)?
2) What am I really paying for -- the hardware or the service? If I had the hardware, would I be able to receive the digital signal for free? Is it encrypted?
3) I saw some people talking about skystar2. What is that all about?

BTW, I live in the U.S.

[gcutler]

www.dbsforums.com or www.dbstalk.com are good places to start

[Sabro]

I used to have DishNET before I moved to a different location and absolutely loved it. However, as with everything else there are some pitfalls.

First, depending on the deal, you must buy the equipment so try to find out the newest receiver models etc so the company doesn't try to sell you older or outdated devices (some do / some dont).

Be ready to pay approx $5.00US for each receiver you have operational. Some of those 4 room 'deals' sound great till you find out your paying $20.00+ a month just in receiver fees.

Install it yourself if you know what your doing, or wait till they have a free install along with the package if you don't have a clue...Otherwise tack on anywhere up to 100 bucks for the install.

Line of sight and azumuth on the dish is very important to signal reception, so preplan the disc location so no trees (which blossum during the warmer months <-alot of people forget this when installing in colder months). Also be prepaired for Rain Fade / Sun Spot interruption, actually lightly coating the dish (NOT THE LNB!) with a quick spray of PAM cooking spray will help during the rainy/snowy seasons.

Honestly, I dunno if I would trust sat for internet at this point and time, due to the rain fade issues, the cost is outta this world (600+ just starting off), and
as with all sat transmissions you have the uplink and downlink delay (sig to and from the bird itself).

Each receiver requires a SMART CARD that is programmed via the sat signal, so having just the equipment will not get you a free signal.

Skystar2 is prolly just another one of their sats in the geo sync orbit such as their EchoStar fleet.

As I stated before, been awhile since I've had DishNET, but when I did, the service was GREAT, the support was top notch as well as the equipment and I was 1000% more pleased with their service then what we get from Time Warner/Bright House now.



Sabro

[zakman]

Thanks for the info.
A question for Sabro: if you liked it so much better than cable, why not switch back to dishnet?
BTW, the deal I am looking at comes with free installation (actually, you have to pay $50, but they refund the $50 with your first bill), and the equipment is part of the deal. We live in a pretty snowy area (snows every other day all winter) so do you think the snow will be a problem?

[Sabro]

Oh, *I* plan to as soon as I can get the *other half* fully convinced.. I've been told there are a few channels that are not apart of dishNET that she can't live without...but I'm working on that

Actually snow didn't cause as much 'problems' as the rain fade did (which honestly wasn't bad), and the PAM trick worked for both exp the snow just slid right off...but there may be some problems every now and then, but you have outtages with cable even.

Another trick is to get it set up and call dishNET and have them boost the signal from the bird's transponders, which (at least back then) they would gladly do for free and really helped with the minor problems.

Sabro

[Heff]

How many TVs are you wanting to set up? For getting transmissions to your PC you might think of a PC satellite card for as low as $80.

[zakman]

How many TVs are you wanting to set up? For getting transmissions to your PC you might think of a PC satellite card for as low as $80.

I plan on setting up one TV and one PC. I have never heard of a PC satallite card. Can you tell me more about this (or give me a link)? The receiver box I will be getting has two receivers in it. I was thinking of connecting the second reciever to the PC via RF cable (from the installers point of view, it would just be a second TV). What is the advantage of using a PC satellite card over hooking up the satellite receiver to my TV tuner capture card?

[EvilWizardGlick]

I went from cable to big dish to Dishnetwork back to cable.
DBS is fine when you first sign up. But all the perks go to NEW subscribers.
When technology changes they charge you through the nose for it.
Cable gave me affordable HD. Dish wanted something like $700 for the receiver. Cable gives me a dvr in nearly every room. When I left Dish did not have their HD PVR yet. And the cable modem was another perk.
Consider that half the installers have no idea what they are doing. When I upgraded to locals the installer used the wrong size bolts. Six
months later the dish was falling off the wall. And the joys of signal loss due to rain fade or snow fade ( which has very little relationship to snow on the dish, but everything with cloud cover). I missed the final episode of Third Rock because of that.
When my cable was installed I did a side by side comparison of Dish and cable, no difference. So pq isn't the issue.
For a first time subscriber you should get a good deal. Then ditch them, because they will screw with you when you are a long term customer.
And once you have been a subscriber no deals to return.
And with cable adding phone service you can save even more by ditching your telco.