Shaw Direct Dish Upgrades for New Ku Band

I had an installer over at the house NOB yesterday to set up a new dish (move installation). He wouldn't give me a 75E like I asked for and instead put up one he called the 65E.It actually has an LNB that gets signals from all 3 satellites. I was surprised to find out that Shaw is already sending signals off the new Ku bird. There is a TON of new HD channels in the 5xx and 6xx range (on the 600 series receivers). Sadly they are almost all duplicates of the HD channels in the 300 range.

The installer mentioned something that has me a bit worried about the HD channels we are able to receive Lakeside. He said they are really busy converting subscribers dishes here in Canada before Shaw shuts them down. Does that mean they are planning on moving all of the HD programming over to the new Ku band satellite?

Whew, thought for a second you were talking about a local installer.

We will not get channels from the new satellite; its footprint is just over the southern edge of Canada. They have turned off the HOME AWAY FROM HOME program, and replaced it with a "second home" program for an extra 50% of your monthly bill, but they are not "turning off" anything.

At this time, they are not planning to move all the HD channels over.

If the 65E is the size of the older 2 lnb 65 dish. I would not want it. Too hard
to adjust and clouds bother it too much. Agree with Helperguy if they follow
the profile for the new bird it ain't gonna work down here.

Also understand if you have a two LNB and switch to a three LNB you need
to talk to Shaw and they have to change something at the Shaw end. Best
to leave best alone at this point in time til we see what all this means.

Z

Yes, they would change your "V code" to work with the it, and the new xKu LNB won't help down here anyway.

Don't you mean the 60E which measures about 32 by 18 inches versus the 75E which measures 36.5 by 26.5 inches?

I have both. Oh and when it comes to new programming on the new bird, the new programs that are scheduled on the new bird are shown on the "Shaw Direct Combined Channel lineup. The link I used to get there is CLICK ON here

I hope that this link works. If it does you will see all programming to include the new channels, most of which I'm not interested in. As you may know they are activating the different transponders as we speak. How do I know which of the channels are from the new satellite?

It has been suggested that the new programs from the new satellite will be in Mpeg4. This schedule shows which channels are in the new MPEG4 programming many of which are the NFL and Ice Hockey programming package.

I hope that the above information is correct. Because it is, I won't be missing much if I can't get the signals from AniK G-1 when I'm down south

So Pete could the 65 be a new 3 sat LNB Dish?

Z

It's possible Zed. But I was told that I could get the new LNB for my 60E dish last January.

I shall check out some websites to see what I learn.

The new satellite is at the same location as the other. The only difference is that it is sending us a signal at a slightly different frequency.

Nope its 60E and 75E. The only difference is that you need a new LNB that picks up a larger bandwidth (low Ku and high Ku) and a 600 or higher receiver that can decode MPEG4 signals.

Sadly preliminary signal strength tests in the SF bay area are showing that the signals from Anik G1 are very weak, so weak that the 75E dish with the new LNB will not get a signal.

Here is a quote made by a well known supplier on the subject. It comes from the satellite guys forum


So it's established that a 75E antenna will not work for G1 in the Bay Area. But a larger offset might.
There is hope for northern California, Lake Tahoe, Reno and Salt Lake City.
Anyone with a 1.2, 1.5 or 1.8 meter antenna so equipped, please take some readings. (You will need a 600 series receiver with the dish parked on 107.3 West, and one of our special 107-only Extended Ku LNBFs).

If you have a spectrum analyzer and a Universal Ku LNBF, try to estimate carrier to noise C/N in dB for
Anik G1. If you are getting at least +5.0 dB, there's a good chance you can make this work, at least in good weather conditions. But a measurement like this would be very helpful to encourage others, and those getting enough signal with such a test can then get one of the special Ku LNBFs to do a real test with a Shaw receiver.

Just trying to make this simple and minimal expense for serious signal watchers. But someone has to make the first move. Results on my 85E antenna in SW Wisconsin showed the Anik G1 signals between 1.5 and 2.0 dB lower than Anik F1R in same location, which is actually slightly better than a map will tell you.
What is needed is a large enough dish so that Anik G1 comes up to a usable level, and F1R falls in place; much stronger than G1, the further south that you go.

Mike


Mike Kohl / Global Communications
Plain, Wisconsin
EMail globalcm@mhtc.net

See one of the oldest continually updated Free-To-Air info sites at www.global-cm.net/MPEGlistKuBandUS.html


Posts on the various forums only refer to 60E and 75E. And that is the same as I was told when I last checked in January this year. So no, the 65E doesn't exist.

Sorry, that is just what the installer was calling it. I'll have to get a ladder out and go measure it!!

Thanks Pete for the info how interesting.

Z

Ezzie wrote:Sorry, that is just what the installer was calling it. I'll have to get a ladder out and go measure it!!

Hey Ezzie, while you are up there look and see if the elliptical satellite dish and LNB have the name written thereon. Both my older 75E and 60E LNBs for example, have the name 75E or 60E are stamped into the appropriate LNB And 60E is also stamped into the back of the smaller dish.

And as I recollect the 75E Dish also is so marked. I can't check though, as I'm up north right now.

And I'm told that to upgrade so that you can pick up signals from G-1, all you need to do is upgrade LNBs and be using a 600 series receiver.

OK, will do. I have my old 75E here as well so I can check them both and post it here.

Please do check Ezzie. I sure hope I'm not wrong. I don't want to have to buy another satellite dish up here in the rainy north.

Here is the information that is on the new dish/LNBF that I just had installed at the house in Ontario, Canada.

The dish is still the 60E. The installer must have been on something (he said it was a 65E - NOT!).

The label on the LNB as follows:

Triple Satellite Quad Output Switchable xKu LNBF
Model Name: Shaw 60E - SKW 3112 298 04422
Input Frequency: 11.023 - 12.223 GHz
Output Frequency: 950-2150 MHz (Non-stacked)
Linear Polarization: Vertical 10.5 - 14.2V
: Horizontal 15.2 - 21.0V

For Use with 60E Dish Only

So it looks like Shaw is just retrofitting the new LNBF's on existing dish installations.

You had me worried they. Glad the dealer was wrong. Thanks for posting

Pete