Dish Network Troubles

[PitbullMidwest]

We have had Dish Network for about 7 years and recently started having reception troubles. We can receive about 45 out of the 60+ channels available to us, on the rest we get pexilation and interupted reception or an error message that the signal has been lost. I have checked all connections and cables and all is fine.

Dish Network ran us through the routine of run this, check that all with no improvement. In the end they decided that it must be the receiver, cable or LNB (which pretty much captures it all). I pointed out that the receiver was working on most channels and that they "upgraded" us to a Dish 500 last year and I felt that while possible, I didn't believe it to be an equipment problem. When she found out that the receiver and LNBs were out of warrenty, she offered to send a tech out to check our equipment for $90 or we can replace the receiver for an additional $5.99/month.

Signal strength: 93
Weather: crystal clear

All of this to ask:
1. Is anyone else experiencing reception problems with Dish Network
2. Would you upgrade
-or-
3. Switch to Direct TV and get the equipment "free" as a new customer


Curt

 

[slowrev]

Just drop service for a month if you have fulfilled your prior requirements and then sign up as a new customer. You will get new equipment and it will be in warranty. Amazing how they treat existing cuatomers. Maybe you want to go to direct TV ?
Ben

 

[ducati996]

Dish has a retention department which will basically waive the install fee or service fee as long as you dont leave them /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The dish either has to be re-pointed, the lines have to be re-check especially those little grounding straps that are placed in line. Maybe one of your LNB's are failing if this problem is on both receivers...any way its a easy fix with an on-site visit..
Remember to look at all the transponder levels as well. Depending on the channel, some transponders will come in stronger than others. The oval shape 3 LNB dishes tend to lock in good on all 3 LNB's (one for each satellite location) but not excellent on all 3...trade off of signal levels happen...
Have someone stop by from Dish after you get the retention dept to credit you...

Ducati

 

[reb]

Dish programs come from 2 or 3 satellites. Did you verify the alignment of your dish(es)?

I might be inclined to change providers. Dish Network has become a bit more difficult to deal with since we started with them, about 3-4 years ago. My neighbor just looked into signing up and was told she would have an extra $5/mo charge if she did not keep her phone line connected to her receiver.

 

[jwstewar]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( she would have an extra $5/mo charge if she did not keep her phone line connected to her receiver )</font>

When we were with Pegasucks (DirecTV service) we were told that then as well. We were also told that when we went with Dish. Every now and then the TV in our Daughter's bedroom will say that to "avoid an additional $4.99 charge it must stay connected" but this is the same receiver (dual tuner) that is in our living room and is always connected but I've never seen that message in there. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Now one thing, she usually doesn't turn her "receiver" off - just the TV. In the living room I have the remote programmed to turn off the receiver as well.

 

[btolle]

Try moving the dish slightly while someone watches the signal strength meter. It could be a little out of alignment.

If you have a Dish 500 it should have 2 wires coming out of the LNB. If it does and one is not in use try switching to the other wire. If there is only 1 wire coming out take the LNB off and switch the wire to the other connection on the LNB. I had 1/2 of my original LNB go bad and that fixed it for me.

We carry it in the motorhome and I suspect a pothole killed the one side. Now I have a foam rubber sponge that the LNB rides on.

I don't know how many trees you have around your place but I have a LOT of trees and suspect I may have to do some tree cutting eventually or will lose my signal.

Bill Tolle

 

[Glenn9643]

I might need to check over my bills. I've got two dish network receivers and neither has EVER been attached to a telephone line. We just don't have any desire to watch the pay-per-view channels. It's amazing what you can learn here!

 

[Phils]

I've had Dish for 9 years. This same problem happened to me last year. I cut off some trees that I thought might have grown into the signal path. No luck. I checked connections. I "rebooted" the receiver a few times. I finally called Dish, they diagnosed it as a bad receiver (we have the DVR model). I pay $2.99 a month extra for warranty on any piece/part branded 'Dish'. They shipped a new receiver 'next-day' and it cost me $14.99 (that's the terms of the extended warranty). It solved the problem.

An option for these receivers (provided you have Caller ID) is to have incoming callers identified on your TV screen when the phone rings. A month ago, that quit happening. Further checks indicate the modem has failed. That also happened to our very first receiver 13 months after we got it (but before we started buying the extended warranty). We lived with no modem for at least 6 years, and just couldn't buy pay-per-view without calling or going online ($1 more than if you select it through the receiver). One of these days I'll get another receiver coming, but since we rarely watch pay-per-view anyway it's not a pressing issue right now. I've never gotten a message nor been told about $5/mo for not having a phone line hooked up to the receiver. I have a second [non-DVR receiver] not hooked to a phone line and there's never been a message on it nor any message from Dish about that charge.

I DO miss the caller ID popping up on the TV screen when the phone rings, but I lived without it for years and can do so again for awhile. There's things on the Digital Video Recorder that I've recorded for DW to watch (she took a vacation with her mother, I opted to stay home and do work with my tractor?). Once all those have been watched, I guess I'll call Dish and spend another $14.99 for a new receiver.

Phil

 

[rozett]

Curt, We've had Dish for about three years. Within the last few months, we started having the exact same symptoms that you have. We see the same behavior on both receivers, so that tells me that it is not the receiver nor the LNB, unless they are both bad (not likely). We got little satisaction from Dish since we bought the Dish 500 receivers when we signed up. On 119 West, we get between 90 and 120 signal strength. I do not believe it has anything to do with equipment on our property. We've talked about switching to DirecTV.

 

[rlw]

It seems to me that I recall a lawsuit several years ago regarding requiring a phone line attached to the reciever and the satellite providers lost due to the fact that they couldn't force you to have a telephone. The only real purpose of the phone line is so they can download your pay-per-view activity. I was told by Dish that if I chose not to have a phone line attached they would just disable my ability to get a pay-per-view movie without calling in to order (of course there is an additional fee when calling to order).

I had Directv (billed thru Pegasus) before Dish. At that time Pegasus charged about $5 more a month for the exact same packages as Directv. If you're on Pegasus, I suggest you check the pricing on Pegasus website versus Directv's site. If there is a price difference, call Pegasus and threaten to leave due to the price difference - they should adjust your prices. When I called to quit to switch to Dish they offered the discount to me. I told them it was a little too late for them to say they'd stop screwing me when I never wanted screwed in the first place.

Regarding bad reception on Dish, I haven't been experiencing any. Tell them you are going to leave for Directv and they'll likely get someone out there - none of the satellite providers want to lose a customer.