Which Birds will be handling MPEG4

[tgr131]

Greetings,

I'm in a quandry here -- currently I'm running D* with DTivos, and TWC's SA8300 for HD. I can't continue to do both.

I'm trying to figure out which to ditch. I'd prefer to stay with D*, with an HDTivo, and later their MPEG4 box if needed.

My dilemma is, I have a "tough yard". I can see the 2 main satellites, but to get HD now, I'm going to have to get at least one tree significantly trimmed.

Where will the MPEG4 sats be located? Can anyone tell me, or refer me to a thread so I can plan?

Thanks,

David

[DVDKingdom]

Right now MPEG4 is handled by 99 and 103 birds.

[tgr131]

Excuse the "newbie" type question --

I would assume that 99 would be a bit to the left of the 101 bird, and that the 103 would be between 101 and 119, so if i could see 119, i could probably see 103?

Any resources online I could use to help me survey my yard, and get an idea if I am "future proof" or if I need to make some landscaping decisions?

Thanks!

David

[DVDKingdom]

Excuse the "newbie" type question --

I would assume that 99 would be a bit to the left of the 101 bird, and that the 103 would be between 101 and 119, so if i could see 119, i could probably see 103?

Any resources online I could use to help me survey my yard, and get an idea if I am "future proof" or if I need to make some landscaping decisions?

Thanks!

David
AFAIK when the AT9 dish (MPEG4) is installed it is aimed on center at 110 so the dish sees all birds. 110 carries the national HD.

[tgr131]

Thanks for all your helpful info! Which one will carry my HD locals when they are available? (Columbia, SC...)

Thanks!

David

[DVDKingdom]

Thanks for all your helpful info! Which one will carry my HD locals when they are available? (Columbia, SC...)

Thanks!

David
It could be either bird at DirecTV's discretion.

[WinstonSmith]

AFAIK when the AT9 dish (MPEG4) is installed it is aimed on center at 110 so the dish sees all birds. 110 carries the national HD.

110 doesn't carry ALL the national HD channels.

For example, I can get 110, but not 119. Thus, I can get ESPN but not ESPN2. (The Deuce is on the 119 sat.)

[litzdog911]

AFAIK when the AT9 dish (MPEG4) is installed it is aimed on center at 110 so the dish sees all birds. 110 carries the national HD.

The AT9 Ka/Ku 5-LNB dish is actually aimed at the 101-deg satellite. When properly adjusted its geometry aligns the various LNBs to their correct satellites.

Right now DirecTV beams MPEG2 HD channels from 101, 110 and 119-deg. Check out this web site to see which channels come from which satellites ....

http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/america.html

[Phantom Gremlin]

I think the only rational future for DirecTV is to have all services on 99, 101, and 103.

DirecTV will doubtlessly try to hold on to 110 and 119 to annoy Dish, but once everything goes MPEG4 they won't need them.

[Adam1115]

MPEG4 could be (and probably will be) delivered from ANY of their satellites.

Their HD-LIL is only delivered by the KA birds, at 99 and 103.

(Just clerifying, the H20 and HR20 should be able to receive any new HD MPEG4 national channels without a dish pointed at 99 or 103, if you get your locals OTA...)

[Phantom Gremlin]

MPEG4 could be (and probably will be) delivered from ANY of their satellites.

But why?

Next year DirecTV will have many many times the bandwidth at 99, 101, and 103 as they now have at 110 and 119. Why bother with those latter two at all, especially since they make the dish and the aiming a lot more complicated?

[Adam1115]

But why?

Next year DirecTV will have many many times the bandwidth at 99, 101, and 103 as they now have at 110 and 119. Why bother with those latter two at all, especially since they make the dish and the aiming a lot more complicated?

Because every current direcTV customer has line of site to 101. MOST have 110 and 119, if they have HD.

Having Line of Site to five satellites is not possible for everyone, and may require multiple dish's for some. I agree that, so what, as far as 110 and 119, but 101 could have mpeg4 HD content.

[WinstonSmith]

I sure wish they'd ditch 119.

[ayrton911]

I wish we didn't have to get these 5 LNB dishes. I'm tired of having my dish replaced, and the 5 LNB I can't even do myself. :(

[gb33]

If you diplex antenna into the AT9 (5lnb) dish, it GREATLY diminishes the signal on the 99* and 103*. I currently have 45 and 72. Nice. Thanks again DTV. A P.O.S HR20 and this too. Oh well, can't use the OTA tuners anyways!

[DVDKingdom]

If you diplex antenna into the AT9 (5lnb) dish, it GREATLY diminishes the signal on the 99* and 103*. I currently have 45 and 72. Nice. Thanks again DTV. A P.O.S HR20 and this too. Oh well, can't use the OTA tuners anyways!

That's why DirecTV and their hired installers are supposed to tell customers the OTA needs to have a dedicated line. The OTA and 99/103 SATs frequency is very close if not the same.

[WinstonSmith]

I have heard of various other forums (my local AVS HDTV for example) that diplexing was pretty much impossible w/ MPEG4.

Now I guess I know why.

[gb33]

I do remember this now. He did tell me after I asked a couple times about diplexing the AT9. I will remove this weekend and see.

[WinstonSmith]

Let us know how it turns out.

[classicsat]

To be clear here, MPEG4 and the Spaceway sats at 99 and 103 are technically separate subjects.

MPEG4 is the video encoding method, and will work on all satellites, regarless of frequency.

Spaceway Ka sats are a relates but different issue. The transmit on higher frequencies, and are downconverted on the coax to a fequency below the normal satellite coax frequency, hence won't diplex well, or at all. They could carry other than MPEG4 video, but don't.