Dish network questions for tailgating

[CysRage]

I just bought a Honda generator so the last thing I need is a dish network dish to complete my new tailgate! I have a few questions for those with dish network.

I think we are using the HD DVR Joey receiver. Does any Dish network HD dish work with the Joey receiver? And all I should have to do it plug a coax between the dish and receiver, plug the receiver into the TV, point the dish using the on screen tuner, and we should be good, right?

Finally, does someone in the Des Moines/Ames area have an extra dish they are willing to sell? Or any suggestions where I can find an extra dish to buy? Thanks for the help!

 

[Me State]

I just bought a Honda generator so the last thing I need is a dish network dish to complete my new tailgate! I have a few questions for those with dish network.

I think we are using the HD DVR Joey receiver. Does any Dish network HD dish work with the Joey receiver? And all I should have to do it plug a coax between the dish and receiver, plug the receiver into the TV, point the dish using the on screen tuner, and we should be good, right?

Finally, does someone in the Des Moines/Ames area have an extra dish they are willing to sell? Or any suggestions where I can find an extra dish to buy? Thanks for the help!

It won't work if you just take the joey. The joey needs the hopper.

You might want to try the tailgater.
http://www.dish.com/technology/tv-outdoors/

 

[blizzisu]

Don't underestimate how hard it is to align a dish. You'll be able to get it 90% aligned without much trouble, but getting it to 95+% can be very difficult. I recommend practicing alignment at home first. If you live close enough to Ames, you won't have to adjust it much at all when you get there.

 

[2020cy]

The tailgater looks pretty nice. A little spendy maybe.

 

[CysRage]

Yeah I've considered the tailgater already but I already spent a lot to get that generator. I'm hoping just to get by with a normal dish for this season. It's not my dish receiver we'll be using so I'm trying to find out for sure what model it is. I know they only have 1 receiver for the entire house so it's most likely the Hopper they have and not the Joey. I know directv has a part called the "swim". Does Dish need that in between the dish and the receiver? Thanks for all of the replies!

 

[mustangcy]

My cousin and I do Dish (I have a honda generator as well) and we stayed with just a regular dish instead of the tailgater because the tailgater is not HD. Just seemed dumb spending that money on something that you can't even get in HD. Aligning the the dish is a pain but my cousin gets it done in a few minutes.

A couple times last year we just did bunny ears instead of hooking up the dish. Really you can get the ABC, CBS and Fox games and really that is all you need unless you are just dying to see a game that ESPN has on. I think moving forward we'll just do bunny ears, which is HD obviously. Less effort, more beer time and always multiple good options for games.

 

[CycloneBax]

My cousin and I do Dish (I have a honda generator as well) and we stayed with just a regular dish instead of the tailgater because the tailgater is not HD. Just seemed dumb spending that money on something that you can't even get in HD. Aligning the the dish is a pain but my cousin gets it done in a few minutes.

A couple times last year we just did bunny ears instead of hooking up the dish. Really you can get the ABC, CBS and Fox games and really that is all you need unless you are just dying to see a game that ESPN has on. I think moving forward we'll just do bunny ears, which is HD obviously. Less effort, more beer time and always multiple good options for games.

Tailgater for Dish Network is HD. However, you have to have the 211k receiver. I previously used a dish and had set it up at home on a level surface and dialed it in. It was easy then to set up in the paved lots as they are fairly level. After the dish blew over a couple of times and then trying to find a place to put it, I converted to a tailgater. While I love the tailgater, I'm on my 2nd one in 5 years.

 

[ajk4st8]

Dont under estimate the wind near jack trice. You better be ready to hold down your dish.

 

[d4nim4l]

First, buy something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/valley-ent-co...&keywords=satellite+signal+meter+dish+network

It's invaluable and we have one hooked up to our dish set up. Ours gives a higher pitched tune when you reach a strong signal, and after doing this for the past three seasons we can dial it in pretty quickly but it's still a must have.

Second, depending where you're at, you need to anchor your dish. Wind and drunk people are hard to predict and we've had our dish knocked over because of both. Right now we use a piece of plywood with three hooks in it and use bungees to strap the dish down. All of it sits in the back of my brother's truck during travel and use.

Do those two things and you'll save yourself a lot of time and headache.

 

[CysRage]

First, buy something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/valley-ent-co...&keywords=satellite+signal+meter+dish+network

It's invaluable and we have one hooked up to our dish set up. Ours gives a higher pitched tune when you reach a strong signal, and after doing this for the past three seasons we can dial it in pretty quickly but it's still a must have.

Second, depending where you're at, you need to anchor your dish. Wind and drunk people are hard to predict and we've had our dish knocked over because of both. Right now we use a piece of plywood with three hooks in it and use bungees to strap the dish down. All of it sits in the back of my brother's truck during travel and use.

Do those two things and you'll save yourself a lot of time and headache.

Thanks for the suggestions! Have you ever tried to use the signal meter that is on the receiver menu? I've read that it does practically the same thing as the meter you linked. I haven't quite found out how I want to mount the dish. First I need to find a dish. I'm hoping to get one from someone who doesn't have Dish anymore. At worst case I found a brand new one on Ebay for $60 shipped.

 

[CysRage]

Tailgater for Dish Network is HD. However, you have to have the 211k receiver. I previously used a dish and had set it up at home on a level surface and dialed it in. It was easy then to set up in the paved lots as they are fairly level. After the dish blew over a couple of times and then trying to find a place to put it, I converted to a tailgater. While I love the tailgater, I'm on my 2nd one in 5 years.

I have considered the tailgater but they are pretty pricey and another issue is that we only have the 722K receiver and I don't think it is compatible with that receiver. The plan is to find a Dish Network 1000.2 dish and hope one of us can get it to work or find someone from another tailgate to get it pointed right!

 

[EJ4CY]

Good luck if you're using an HD receiver. We sent one out last year and it took us 30 minutes to get it figured out. After we got it close we had to hit 30 of 36 transponders. We got odd stations no even stations, then even stations no odd stations. Then the wind Gusts would move the dish losing signal for a minute. Unless you got a really sturdy place for an HD receiver stick with regular, it sucks but very easy to set up

 

[NorthCyd]

I bought the following kit last week and just got it sighted in yesterday:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051J9FGU?cache=db078c70c9cfc6cc68711a216165dd5c&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1408297345&sr=8-3#ref=mp_s_a_1_3

It seems the kit has jumped $20 in price since I bought it.
I have a Hopper. FYI, if thats what you are using you will need a node as well. I would highly recommend getting a satellite signal meter (which comes with this kit). Just from my brief experience with sighting the dish in it is much more sensitive than the onscreen display with the receiver. I got mine sighted in and it appears I was getting all the channels. I didn't go through each one, but didn't find any that didn't work.

 

[d4nim4l]

I bought the following kit last week and just got it sighted in yesterday:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051...200_QL40&qid=1408297345&sr=8-3#ref=mp_s_a_1_3

It seems the kit has jumped $20 in price since I bought it.
I have a Hopper. FYI, if thats what you are using you will need a node as well. I would highly recommend getting a satellite signal meter (which comes with this kit). Just from my brief experience with sighting the dish in it is much more sensitive than the onscreen display with the receiver. I got mine sighted in and it appears I was getting all the channels. I didn't go through each one, but didn't find any that didn't work.

Yep, this is definitely the case. Buying the signal meter gets you not only in the ballpark, but in the infield as far as your signal goes.

To answer the OP's question to me, we seldom use the on screen signal guide because it's not accurate. If we can get an 8+ on our signal meter we usually get as close to full signal on the on screen guide. It's just much more precise to sight the satellite with the meter.

 

[CysRage]

I think I found a Dish to purchase but I have one stupid but very important question.. When you point your dish network dish in Ames, do you point it southeast or southwest? I guess Ames is right on the boundary between which satellite arc you point at and they use different LNBs. Thanks all! You have been great help!