Satellite TV signal reliability

[localmoco]

I am considering switching from cable to satellite TV in order to get regional sports programming that is not carried on Oceanic. Before I make the switch, I have some questions for those of you with satellite dishes. The first question is about the reliability of the satellite signal. I have read that the signal can fade or drop out entirely during rainstorms. This would be a big problem for me because I live in Manoa and we get very frequent mauka showers (almost every day). From your experience, how often should I expect to have problems?

[timkona]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Showers dont matter. In fact, when the clouds are REAL heavy, the signal goes out. But when the rain starts, the signal comes back on.

Been a DISH customer for nearly 10 years. Price is right.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

If you're worried about passing showers like the Manoa Mist, as Tim said, that's not going to have any impact on your reception. But whenever the cloud cover gets heavy enough, then you'll have problems. Sometimes, the picture fades out for just a few minutes and then everything's all right again. But on occasions when we have monsoon weather lasting for several days, the outages will be longer. It can be very frustrating and it is one of the reasons why some former Dish Network/Direct TV subscribers have reluctantly gone back to cable.

Ultimately, it comes down whether you think the value of the satellite packages (as compared to cable) outweigh the occasional inconvenience of weather-induced outages.

[localmoco]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I am trying to decide whether the additional programming options with satellite are worth the inconvenience of occasional outages. So the typical mauka showers have no effect on the signal but heavy rains and clouds do.

How often, on average, do you experience outages? Once a week, once a month, once every few months? I would say that we get fairly heavy evening rainfall averaging once a week in the mauka areas of Manoa. It would get really annoying if the TV went out that often.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

I'm switching from Dish to DirecTV only because of Dish's inability to fix their broken satellite. If you choose go with satellite, opt for a larger dish as the small 24-inch dishes tend to drop signal very frequently. And yes the SuperBowl was a very frustrating experience for me and Dish Network.

Before you even consider getting satellite, check to see if you have an unobstucted view of the southern sky as you'll need a line of sight shot from your home to the satellite in space. A few coconut trees a block away won't matter but one across the street from you can pose a problem.

If you go with DirecTV, they only use HD dishes and boxes. If you opt for HD reception you'll need their twin 4-foot diameter dishes. Yeah kinda big if you have a small yard and they mount it on a ground gimble set up x2. But they have I think eight satellites up there to handle transmissions as opposed to Dish's single operational satellite.

Me if I could get cable where I live, I'd drop satellite in a heartbeat.

[GregLee]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Couldn't say about Manoa, but I've only noticed 2 outages since October on DirecTV from here in Waimanalo. Both during very heavy rain storms. I subscribed to cable for over 25 years and had quite a few cable outages.

[localmoco]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Thanks for the feedback Greg. Once every month or two doesn't seem too bad. I think it would probably be less frequent during the summertime too.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Well I finally got my DirecTV installed last week and boy is it a hell of a lot better than Dish Network. Absolutely no drop outs. It's nice to watch TV and not see that digital pixelization or that stupid Error message flash across your HD TV set.

Now here's the funny part. My elderly mother who lives with us just cannot seem to get used to the HD DVR I put in her bedroom, so she has her VCR hooked up to the DVR and records via the old fashioned way

[localmoco]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Craig, do you know which specific satellites are used for Dish Network and DirecTV in HI? Another issue I have is "seeing" over Waahila ridge in Manoa. I looked on dishpointer.com and the elevation angle ranges from 22 degrees to 63 degrees depending on which DirecTV or Echostar satellite I pick. An angle of 40 degrees would allow me to clear the mountain but at 20 degrees I would be blocked.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Craig, do you know which specific satellites are used for Dish Network and DirecTV in HI? Another issue I have is "seeing" over Waahila ridge in Manoa. I looked on dishpointer.com and the elevation angle ranges from 22 degrees to 63 degrees depending on which DirecTV or Echostar satellite I pick. An angle of 40 degrees would allow me to clear the mountain but at 20 degrees I would be blocked.

Dish network uses a standard NON-HD 24inch antenna but I hear you can upgrade to their 4-ft for better reception.

DirecTV here in Hawaii ONLY uses HD boxes so the standard antenna are two 4-ft diameter dishes. Both are similar with the exception for the LNB's. One dish uses a standard dual LNB horn and the other is an HD LNB horn. Both are angled a bit differently.

In the pictures below the dual 4-foot dish set up is the DirecTV while the single rafter mounted is the single 24-inch Dish Network dish.

Note the orange Home Depot 5-gallon in the picture for size reference?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

As for satellites, Dish Network uses Satellite 110 and 119. I know for a fact that DirecTV uses satellite 119 for part of their broadcasts as well but uses another to complete their HD broadcast, hence the difference in alignment.

Today UPS dropped off the shipping boxes to send the Dish Network receivers/remotes back. The UPS driver told me they see a lot of these return shipment Dish Network boxes, so that tells me DirecTV is superior. And so far the HD broadcasts have been spectacular especially the History Channel's WWII dogfight episodes with the graphics.

[GregLee]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Craig, do you know which specific satellites are used for Dish Network and DirecTV in HI?

For DirecTV there are 5 satellite locations: by longitude, 99degW (Spaceways 2 and the about to launch DirecTV 11), 101degW (DirecTV 4S, 8, 9S), 103degW (Spaceways 1, DirecTV 10), 110degW (DirecTV 5), 119degW (DirecTV 7S). The elevation from here for Spaceways 2 (at 99.2degW) doesn't seem to be given at dishpointer.com, but I guess it's a little over 20deg.

A reference for the D* satellites is on dbstalk.com here.

[localmoco]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

In the pictures below the dual 4-foot dish set up is the DirecTV while the single rafter mounted is the single 24-inch Dish Network dish.

It's interesting that you had reception problems with Dish Network but not with DirecTV. I would imagine that two 4-foot dishes would get better reception than a single 2-foot dish. Do you think that is the only difference in the reception signal quality or are there other factors?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

I'm sure dish size made a difference and Dish Network does allow for a 4-foot dish to compensate for diminished signal.

What sold me on DirecTV was that they use a lot more satellites as opposed to Dish Network's one operational bird (the other one seems dead in space it seems).

We've been having some pretty rainy conditions lately and with Dish we'd be seeing an error signal. Tonight it's been pouring pretty good and we're watching the History Chanel in HD with absolutely no glitches AT ALL.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite TV signal reliability

Whoo hooo! it's almost 9pm and it's raining, thundering, and lightning and our DirecTV reception is still razor sharp in HD!!! Dish Network would have crapped out hours ago.

I am one truly satisfied DirecTV customer. It passed the litmus test!