Texans with Winegard Trav'ler and Dish network

[TravelTiger]

All, We have a specific question for those in our region Texas with a Winegard Trav'ler and Dish network. We discovered upon install that we ca't get the local channels in HD here where we are, because the Trav'ler won't automatically aim to the Satellite they are on. It points to 3 Sats, to work with our Hopper/Joey system, it's just that our locals are standard def. here in Cisco. Our tripod mounted satellite is aimed correctly to get locals in HD.

Is there a remedy?

Erika

 

[pegmikef]

All, We have a specific question for those in our region Texas with a Winegard Trav'ler and Dish network. We discovered upon install that we ca't get the local channels in HD here where we are, because the Trav'ler won't automatically aim to the Satellite they are on. It points to 3 Sats, to work with our Hopper/Joey system, it's just that our locals are standard def. here in Cisco. Our tripod mounted satellite is aimed correctly to get locals in HD.

Is there a remedy?

Erika

I always get 'em with the tailgater, but you have a completely different setup so I can't really help you. How about OTA?

 

[Noofear]

Have you contacted dish to change your service address

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[danemayer]

Erika, here's my guess.

Sounds like the tripod mounted dish points one way and the Trav'ler points another way. If that's right, the thing controlling where the Trav'ler points is the culprit.

I'd guess the Trav'ler uses GPS to identify it's position, and then uses the GPS coordinates to look up the satellites in an internal database. If that's right, you'll probably need to ask Winegard to update the database for your location.

It's possible it may not use GPS; perhaps satellite triangulation or some other scheme. But I think it would still be a Winegard programming update.

Or maybe I'm completely wrong.

 

[dlw930]

We have the Traveler with Dish and the Hopper. Sometimes (usually) we get locals in HD wherever we are. Sometimes we don't. We were at Bay Landing near Bridgeport for 3 weeks in December and got the DFW locals in HD. Sometimes we lose HD on certain channels, not just locals, but a reset of the Hopper usually solves this. I once asked Dish Technical Support why locals only came in as SD at times and they said because the were on a different satellite.


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[TravelTiger]

Erika, here's my guess.

Sounds like the tripod mounted dish points one way and the Trav'ler points another way. If that's right, the thing controlling where the Trav'ler points is the culprit.

I'd guess the Trav'ler uses GPS to identify it's position, and then uses the GPS coordinates to look up the satellites in an internal database. If that's right, you'll probably need to ask Winegard to update the database for your location.

It's possible it may not use GPS; perhaps satellite triangulation or some other scheme. But I think it would still be a Winegard programming update.

Or maybe I'm completely wrong.

Well, with some more explanation from Tony, he says the Winegard points to 110, the locals in HD are on 61.5 for our area (Abilene, TX). Winegard Trav'ler does not point to 61.5.

We can watch HD channels OTA, but that defeats the purpose of having the Hopper/Joey system to record and playback multiple shows anytime we want.

 

[Terry H]

Most of Dish locals are on Sat. 110 using a spotbeam. Sometimes if you are located near the edge of the spotbeam you will only receive locals in SD instead of HD. See attached pdf file. This happened to me while traveling this fall. Are you receiving DFW stations by Satellite?

 

[Terry H]

Erika, you replied while I was replying, I forgot about the Eastern Arc satellites, you are correct 61.5 has locals on it. Do you have a Dish OTA tuner connected to the Hopper? It allows you to watch and record OTA stations though the Hopper.

 

[TravelTiger]

Erika, you replied while I was replying, I forgot about the Eastern Arc satellites, you are correct 61.5 has locals on it. Do you have a Dish OTA tuner connected to the Hopper? It allows you to watch and record OTA stations though the Hopper.

Terry,

We get Abilene locals, that are broadcast in HD only on the 61.5 satellite, which I just discovered while googling/searching.

The Dish OTA tuner is also no longer available, and I have read due to a software update on the Hopper, may or may not work properly.

Maybe I can contact Dish and request to get the Dallas locals in HD?

 

[Terry H]

Sorry, I did not see that the OTA Tuner was discontinued. I will not hurt to talk to Dish about getting DFW locals. Sometimes if you call during normal business hours you will be able to talk to a more experienced tech.

 

[TravelTiger]

Yes upon further research, there is a way to manually search for the 61 satellite. But not sure what other stations suffer for it? Will have to experiment.


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[Terry H]

A few years ago I tried a manual search the Trav'ler for one of the eastern arc Sats and I did not have any success. The Traveler comes with Western Arc LNB's and not an Eastern Arc LNB's so I think you might only receive one Eastern Arc Satellite. I wish you luck on it. Let me know your results.

 

[TravelTiger]

A few years ago I tried a manual search the Trav'ler for one of the eastern arc Sats and I did not have any success. The Traveler comes with Western Arc LNB's and not an Eastern Arc LNB's so I think you might only receive one Eastern Arc Satellite. I wish you luck on it. Let me know your results.

Will do. I'm will not be happy paying for HD and the Hopper, only to get locals in Standard def. if we can't manually aim for the 61, I will call and ask for Dallas locals.

Right now we still have the tripod and traditional dish pointed at the 61 at RV site, so we are using it instead of the Winegard at the moment.


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[MikeR]

Erika, when you get stuck in special conditions when attempting to locate certain satellites a tripod mounted antenna is a saviour. With equipment like the Winegard Traveler, as you found out, you are limited to locating the western arc satellites. The three western arc satellites are 110, 119, 129. The locals in standard definition for Abilene are on the 129 satellite. As you found out the HD Abilene locals are on the eastern arc 61.5 satellite.

The solution for your situation is 2 satellite dishes. One with your western arc LNBs to receive 110, 119, and 129. There is a fourth coax connector on the western arc LNB. You would use this fourth coax connector to run a cable from your second dish, that you have used to fix on the 61.5 satellite. This would then give you the locals in HD.

I know it sounds like a lot of effort to get local HD stations, but it is the only way in Abilene to get all stations in HD.

Just in case you aren't aware of it, there is a coax connector on the back of you're Hopper receiver, that you can connect a coax from you're roof mounted OTA antenna for local stations.

I also subscribe to Dish and use a Hopper with one Joey. I use a tripod mounted dish. I carry an LNB for both eastern and western arcs, for use depending on where we are located.

After all this, I just had a thought. Why not buy an eastern arc LNB for your tripod setup, this will get the 61.5, 72.7, and 77 satellites. The LNBs are readily available on eBay.

I could have saved a lot of typing and saved you from reading all of this, except the last paragraph.

If you have any questions just PM me.

 

[TravelTiger]

Erika, when you get stuck in special conditions when attempting to locate certain satellites a tripod mounted antenna is a saviour. With equipment like the Winegard Traveler, as you found out, you are limited to locating the western arc satellites. The three western arc satellites are 110, 119, 129. The locals in standard definition for Abilene are on the 129 satellite. As you found out the HD Abilene locals are on the eastern arc 61.5 satellite.

The solution for your situation is 2 satellite dishes. One with your western arc LNBs to receive 110, 119, and 129. There is a fourth coax connector on the western arc LNB. You would use this fourth coax connector to run a cable from your second dish, that you have used to fix on the 61.5 satellite. This would then give you the locals in HD.

I know it sounds like a lot of effort to get local HD stations, but it is the only way in Abilene to get all stations in HD.

Just in case you aren't aware of it, there is a coax connector on the back of you're Hopper receiver, that you can connect a coax from you're roof mounted OTA antenna for local stations.

I also subscribe to Dish and use a Hopper with one Joey. I use a tripod mounted dish. I carry an LNB for both eastern and western arcs, for use depending on where we are located.

After all this, I just had a thought. Why not buy an eastern arc LNB for your tripod setup, this will get the 61.5, 72.7, and 77 satellites. The LNBs are readily available on eBay.

I could have saved a lot of typing and saved you from reading all of this, except the last paragraph.

If you have any questions just PM me.

Thanks Mike, the whole point of buying the Travler was to not have to deal with setting up a dish on a tripod as we travel. However, it looks like we will leave our tripod set up here at this park near Abilene so we can get our locals in hi-def, since we are here 75% of the year.


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[MikeR]

Sounds like a good plan to me Erika. I'm assuming that Dish came out and set up your dish on the tripod. They must use eastern arc LNBs when doing installs in Abilene, so customers get HD locals. Enjoy your Traveler when travlin'.

 

[TravelTiger]

Sounds like a good plan to me Erika. I'm assuming that Dish came out and set up your dish on the tripod. They must use eastern arc LNBs when doing installs in Abilene, so customers get HD locals. Enjoy your Traveler when travlin'.

Yes they did, Mike. We set up at one location, moved about 9 mo later and we called for them to move the dish, which they did for free (a one time, courtesy move, within a calendar year.) That park closed just 6 mo later and we had to move again, but had to pay Dish to move it that time! I don't want to mess with it, now!!

Have Trav'ler, will travel.


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[MikeR]

Erika, check out the LNB mounted on the post. Their will be three eyes pointing toward the reflector (dish). If it is a western arc LNB, the eyes will be equally spaced from each other. If the LNB has one eye spaced away from the other 2, it is an eastern arc LNB. Eastern arc = HD local stations in Abilene.

Mike

 

[TravelTiger]

This is the one on the ground. Not sure about the Winegard. It's retracted at the moment.


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[MikeR]

Erika, that is the new Hybrid Pro eastern arc LNB. It locks onto the 72.7 & 61.5 satellites.