HR10-250 and International (Filipino) Channels

[FourDoor]

OK. I am planning on adding TFC (The Filipino Channel) to my subscription. I have the standard HD 5LNBdish from a couple of years ago routing to the multiswitch (I believe it is a 5xwhatever switch). Each room has 2 coax lines running to them from the main hallway closet where the multiswitch lives, with the exception of the master bedroom and living room which has an extra line connected to the OTA antenna for HD locals.

Anyways, I called DTV and they said a new dish is needed for international channels but the new dish will not be compatible with DTV’s HD signals that my HR10-250 is getting right now (channel 70s). I asked if their new HD-DVR would be able to get both the TFC channels and HD and she said no as well. Is she smoking crack or am I missing something here? Why can’t I get international channels and HD channels at the same time? Isn’t there a multiswitch that can combine the SD international signals with the HD signals?

So my question to you is, in order for me to keep HD sat feeds going and be able to watch TFC/International channels, do I need to have 2 DTV dishes on my roof now? If so, how many lines does the International dish need? And from there, what needs to be done so I can get both HD and International channels on the HR10-250?

Currently I have:
1 – HR10-250
2 – HDDVR2
1 – Plain set top box

Thanks,

[litzdog911]

Well, she's probably not "smoking crack", but she is wrong ....

You can receive the International Channels with either the HR10-250 or HR20 HD DVRs, but you'll need to have a new dish and multiswitch added to your current equipment. Check your current multiswitch .... if it's a Zinwell WB68 then you're all set, because that's the one you need. DirecTV's installers should install a second satellite dish aimed at their 95-deg W satellite, which beams the Internation Channels. This second dish will connect to the "Flexport" input on the Zinwell WB68 multiswitch. It won't affect any of the channels you currently receive with your 5-LNB AT9 dish, including the HiDef channels. You'll just need to re-do the DVR's Satellite Setup so that it sees the new dish and those new channels.

[FourDoor]

Sorry if I sounded a bit harsh on her but I asked her several times if this was correct and she answered me every time saying that I would not be able to get HD channels anymore if I upgraded to the international channels. I was ready to order but I said I'd hold off until I could figure out what to do. She went as far as telling me that I should get another receiver just to watch the international channels... DOH!

Anyways, thanks for the help. That answered just about everything I needed perfectly. Now I'm armed with info when I call back to order. I'll also check the multiswitch that is in the closet now to see if it is the Zinwell WB68.

Last question, how many lines does the new international channel satelite dish need ran to the multiswitch? I am assuming since the regular 5LNB does not work, they will get me another 5LNB dish pointed at the right satelite or will it be one of the older 2lnb dishes?

[litzdog911]

They'll install a regular 18" round single LNB dish aimed at the 95-deg W satellite. It has one coax cable that will connect to "Flexport" input on your Zinwell WB68 multiswitch. No changes required for your current 5-LNB dish.

But let me doublecheck something ....
You said you "have the standard HD 5LNBdish from a couple of years ago". The 5-LNB dish was not available a couple of years ago. Perhaps you actually have the Phase III 3-LNB dish? Even if your current dish is the 3-LNB version, adding the 95-deg satellite with an additional 18" dish will be the same. But the 3-LNB dish cannot receive the new local HDTV channels beamed from the 99 and 103-deg satellites. And your HR10-250 can't receive those anyway.

You can see photos and descriptions of the various DirecTV dishes here ....
http://www.solidsignal.com/satellite/directv_dish_antenna_types.asp

[FourDoor]

Sorry, I think I was mistaken then. I got the new dish almost 2 years ago. Defenitely at least 1 year old. Looking at the link you sent, I believe my dish is the Phase III one below and not the new 5LNB dish:

http://www.solidsignal.com/satellite/images/p3.gifp

[FourDoor]

litzdog911: Thanks for the help once again. Your info defenitely paid off. This ordeal was 10x harder than ordering an HR10-250 from the retention center.

I called back tonight and got CSR#1 who was really helpful. He confirmed that all of my recievers were going to be compatible with the new international channels including the HR10-250. He also confirmed that I needed a new dish running one line and that the installer was going to bring an extra multiswitch just in case the one I have now was not compatible. Unfortunately in the middle of my order, we got disconnected.

So I call back and get CSR#2 who probably was "smoking crack". She must have had the same training as the first lady I called from a couple of days ago. First she could not find my account info. I told her my #, my name and she still could not find it. Then she asked me to read off some # off the front of my DVR. I told her there is nothing there except for the model #. I told her I can read her my access card #. She insisted to tell me to look for the other # until i told her firmly that it is the HR10-250 and there is nothing there. So I read her my access # 3x as the first 2x she got it wrong. She finally then found my account info. So after already being agrevated by her, I tell her all I want to do was order the TFCDirect service and that I had just been disconnected with another CSR who had confirmed that I would need a second dish and a mulitswitch that is part of the standard install. She said fine and that there was going to be a $20 s/h charge. I was not happy about the $20 but said fine. So I asked her about the multiswitch and asked her to confirm if it was part of the standard install like the previous CSR had said. She then proceed to tell me NO it was not. And why do I need a multiswitch for? I told her it was to help ensure that I get both HD and international channels on my HD receiver. She said that what I was ordering was only for the standard install and the multiswitch was not included for the international install. She could give me the # to the installer after and said I can talk to them and negotiate with them about the install including the multiswitch. She proceeded to tell me that the standard install was for connecting the dish directly to the receiver and that fishing through walls was something I would have to pay for. I then got more frustrated and said that I am not talking about custom wiring, I am asking you about the equipment needed to ensure that I can view all of the channels that I will be paying for (ie the multiswitch.) She still persisted that I would have to negotiate with the installer and have to pay for whatever additional equipment I needed including the multiswitch. So at this point I was frustrated as hell and said I'm sorry, I'm just going to have to call back later and find a CSR who actually knows what they are talking about and then hung up.

So I call back and get CSR#3 who was very pleasant after I gave her a quick 10second overview of what just happened. At that point she apologized for the other CSR and said yes, the multiswitch is part of the standard install and that she was sorry that I was given the wrong information. She quickly checked if all of my receivers were international channel compliant and said that we're good to go and that I needed a new dish with the $20 s/h charge. Very pleasant and confirmed everything like CSR#1 had said when I asked about the HD and international channels working on the same receiver. Took all of about 7-10mins at most to get a date and time of the install.

Sorry for venting but that just frustrated me when they give out false information. I was this close to not ordering anymore but I needed to order the channels for my housemate who is renting out one of my rooms.

Install is scheduled for Monday afternoon so thanks again litzdog911 for the info. It helped me make sure that I got the right CSR at the end of the day to process my order.

[litzdog911]

We call that "CSR Roulette" .... just keep calling until you get someone knowledgable.

Let us know how the install goes!