Dish in a rain storm?

Used to be a dish customer, and liked it, but had to get rid of it due to low signal strength. It was installed over the winter, but when the trees got their leaves in the spring, my signal went low. Rain would knock it out every time. I'm just wondering how it does with storms if you have a good signal? I also remember having to have 2 cables ran to each box. Is this still the case? I might have a tough time doing so in the house I am in now. I have to HDTV's and 2 standard TV's. I would need one HDTV to be a DVR box.
My cable company 1 year special pricing is coming to an end soon, so I just wanted to start checking into some alternatives.

Only one cable with my dish, but it's fine when we get storms here, and the storm aren't pretty in the desert, very windy and heavy rain at times, but I don't lose signal or anything, they should put your dish higher if trees are a concern.

Do you have DVR, and are you able to record 2 things at once?
If I remember correctly, that was why I needed 2 cables in my old home. My new home, I have no trees in the way, so I should get a great signal. Just trying to decide between Dish or DTV.
Is there a site where you can go and see a demo of the on screen guides and stuff. One thing that I hate about cable is the menu's are really slow, and don't include things like searches, and you can't remove channels that you don't watch from the guide. I had DTV, and dish at one time, and I know that I was able to do those things with DTV, but don't remember dish features.

I only lose my signal when there are "huge" storms to the southwest. The kind that are all red on a radar. It happens about 2 or 3 times a year and it never lasts more than half an hour.

Also, I have a VIP 722 HD DVR and it can record two things at a time.

You would need a dual tuner dvr, then yes you can record two programs at once. If you are looking at an HD receiver (since you have an HD tv) and hook up an OTA antenna, you can record three programs at once, two from sat and one from OTA with Dish's 622 or 722.

I can record 3 things at once, 2 with the 722 DVR, and one with the OTA antenna I have which connects to the DVR, it's only for local channels but it helps.
And while recording all 3 at once you can watch something you recorded previously, DVR is awesome (622 or 722)

Takes a frog strangler for me to lose picture. Dish placement can't be emphasized enough. If you can mount in brick on the side of your house under an eve, that is optimum. If installed in a wooden roof, water will eventually seep in and swell the wood and loosen the security of the mounting, allowing the signal to weaken. Weak signal + rain = no picture.

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2575

My DTV HD is uninterrupted line of sight to the Southern Sky and I have great reception. Had a few issues at first due to rookie installers but now solid as a rock. The storms are there but don't affect when you have signal strength in the high nineties across the board.

Well, I live in central Florida, so I get alot of mid afternoon thunderstorms, but I can remember when hurricane Charlie and Wilma came through here and the only thing that kept my sat off for a long period of time was power outages....during a typical tstorm here it can get very heavy and I only lose signal for maybe 10 minutes at the most, then it locks back on and I am watching TV again. My dishes are mounted to the side of my mobile home and have been for nearly 6 years.

I'll lose signal in a big storm. Perhaps not every time, but I seem to remember a few times in the range 30-60 minutes. Roof mounted.

We get a few big storms in Texas.

Do you have DVR, and are you able to record 2 things at once?
If I remember correctly, that was why I needed 2 cables in my old home.

They can do the dual tuner with one cable from the dish coming into the receiver area then they split it with a fancy splitter(diplexer?) thing. I already had the 2 lengths of RG-6 coming in from my Dish 300 to 2 receivers when I switched to a Dish 1000 and a 622. So I just used the 2 cables to the 2 tuner inputs of the receiver from the LNB on the dish. When I originally self installed in 1999, they said NO splices and less than 100 feet of RG-6 only from the Dish to the receivers, that $hit was expensive back then. Now the newer gear can do more with less.

Acer

I will lose my HD channels in a HEAVY rain but the SD are still there.
The only problem I have is, if I am watching an HD channel when I lose the signal the "lost satellite signal" screen comes up and I can't change the channel to the SD one. Is there a way to make the "Lost satellite signal" screen go away and get back to the menu? After about five minutes the 722 will eventually let me change the channel. It just sucks to be sitting there looking at the lost HD channel knowing the SD is there but I can't get to it. Any ideas?

You would need a dual tuner dvr, then yes you can record two programs at once. If you are looking at an HD receiver (since you have an HD tv) and hook up an OTA antenna, you can record three programs at once, two from sat and one from OTA with Dish's 622 or 722.

Do you need 2 cables running to the dual tuner, or will it work with just one? I seem to remember the installer having to run a second cable. Was hoping that this isn't the case anymore, as I might have a tough time running a second cable. No basement or attic access.

I believe that depends on the # of dishes you have. My duel tuner uses one, but I only have one dish. If you have a second TV connected to that receiver, you'll need a line out to it.

I will lose my HD channels in a HEAVY rain but the SD are still there.
The only problem I have is, if I am watching an HD channel when I lose the signal the "lost satellite signal" screen comes up and I can't change the channel to the SD one. Is there a way to make the "Lost satellite signal" screen go away and get back to the menu? After about five minutes the 722 will eventually let me change the channel. It just sucks to be sitting there looking at the lost HD channel knowing the SD is there but I can't get to it. Any ideas?

You can loose the "lost satt signal" screen by just hitting the menu button. That will take you to the Main Menu screen where you can choose
"Program Guide". Which you will see is #1.

"I will lose my HD channels in a HEAVY rain but the SD are still there."

Me too, every time.

Thanks for all of your info. One of the other reasons, other than price, that I want to switch from cablevision, is their menu system is painfully slow, and lacks a few features that I had with DTV. It doesn't have a search feature, and doesn't let you edit your channel guide, to get rid of the channels that you don't watch. From what little bit I have read, Dish sounds like it has good features, but I would love to hear any opinions that you guys have about some of the features.
I have 2 HD tv's, and 2 standard tv's to hook up. One DVR on one of the HD sets.

Thanks for all of your info. One of the other reasons, other than price, that I want to switch from cablevision, is their menu system is painfully slow, and lacks a few features that I had with DTV. It doesn't have a search feature, and doesn't let you edit your channel guide, to get rid of the channels that you don't watch. From what little bit I have read, Dish sounds like it has good features, but I would love to hear any opinions that you guys have about some of the features.
I have 2 HD tv's, and 2 standard tv's to hook up. One DVR on one of the HD sets.

Just so you are clear, the dual tuner DVR has an SD output for the second TV. You will need another HD tuner for your second HDTV.
As for features and usability, Dish equipment and software is the best. It is the only reason that I haven't switched back to DTV.

Just so you are clear, the dual tuner DVR has an SD output for the second TV. You will need another HD tuner for your second HDTV.
As for features and usability, Dish equipment and software is the best. It is the only reason that I haven't switched back to DTV.

The room I want the HD DVR in, will be hard to run a cable from that BOX to a standard T.V. that is downstairs on the other side of the house. Would I be able to get 2 HD boxes, one with DVR, and 2 standard def boxes?
I will have to really look at my home though, and see if there is a way that I can get a dual tuner to work. I had one in my older home and thought that they were great. This is going back about 5 years. If I remember, the 2nd TV has no box, and works off of a small antenna sticking out of the back of the DVR box?
I didn't realze how much would miss some of the features of DTV, until I got cablevision, when we moved into our new home about a year ago. My parents have Time Warner cable, and their system is much better than mine. Cablevision seems like they are 10 years behind. The channel guide and menu system are so slow, we don't even use them.

The room I want the HD DVR in, will be hard to run a cable from that BOX to a standard T.V. that is downstairs on the other side of the house. Would I be able to get 2 HD boxes, one with DVR, and 2 standard def boxes?
I will have to really look at my home though, and see if there is a way that I can get a dual tuner to work. I had one in my older home and thought that they were great. This is going back about 5 years. If I remember, the 2nd TV has no box, and works off of a small antenna sticking out of the back of the DVR box?
I didn't realze how much would miss some of the features of DTV, until I got cablevision, when we moved into our new home about a year ago. My parents have Time Warner cable, and their system is much better than mine. Cablevision seems like they are 10 years behind. The channel guide and menu system are so slow, we don't even use them.

On the dual tuner DVR the second output (SD) is controlled by UHF remote from anywhere in the home. You can always get a wireless transmitter/receiver (radio shack sells them) to get the signal to an SD TV.
As far as I know, Dish will only allow 1 HD DVR per customer, but you can have several SD & HD tuners.

k .. u need only 1 RG6 line to ur dual tuner HD DVR. The tech will backfeed out to ur TV2 for SD.

don't know wat market ur in, but I rarely lose channels in the STL. Now, I believe in full disclosure, I own my own satellite company so I better not lose signal 'cept in big storms! Now that is something considering the STL has had 3 feet of rain this year. My system is rarely out.

I have OTA attached to my 722 so I can record 3 HD programs at the same time. I never thought I would need this feature (and wouldn't 'cept for my wife), but it is very cool to record simultaneously! The USB port is also very cool (also never thought I would need additional space 'cept for my wife).

Long story short .. if ur system (E* or D*) is installed properly you should have few outages even in excessive rain areas.

Personally (and we carry both), E* is much better than D* as far as technology, pricing, and flexibility goes. D* is currently offer $23 off p/m for a reason .. 'cause they are about $23 more p/m the E*. Plus, with E* we can connect 3 HDTV's for no cost to the customer with one being the HD DVR. This would cost new D* customers $300 up front.

Both will have all the HD, just depends on when. Unless u need Sunday Tix, etc. E* is the choice.

You can loose the "lost satt signal" screen by just hitting the menu button. That will take you to the Main Menu screen where you can choose
"Program Guide". Which you will see is #1.

I have lost signal only a couple of times since my install in February. I couldn't figure out how to get back to the guide to watch the OTA signals when I lose the satellite signal. Now I can do that. :yippee:

k .. u need only 1 RG6 line to ur dual tuner HD DVR. The tech will backfeed out to ur TV2 for SD.

don't know wat market ur in, but I rarely lose channels in the STL. Now, I believe in full disclosure, I own my own satellite company so I better not lose signal 'cept in big storms! Now that is something considering the STL has had 3 feet of rain this year. My system is rarely out.

I have OTA attached to my 722 so I can record 3 HD programs at the same time. I never thought I would need this feature (and wouldn't 'cept for my wife), but it is very cool to record simultaneously! The USB port is also very cool (also never thought I would need additional space 'cept for my wife).

Long story short .. if ur system (E* or D*) is installed properly you should have few outages even in excessive rain areas.

Personally (and we carry both), E* is much better than D* as far as technology, pricing, and flexibility goes. D* is currently offer $23 off p/m for a reason .. 'cause they are about $23 more p/m the E*. Plus, with E* we can connect 3 HDTV's for no cost to the customer with one being the HD DVR. This would cost new D* customers $300 up front.

Both will have all the HD, just depends on when. Unless u need Sunday Tix, etc. E* is the choice.

But, D* doesn't have a DVR with a UHF remote...a must for my home set up.

The recent summer storms in the Boston area cause my signal to lose HD a few times especially during the Olympics. SD was fine though.