I believe that codes suggest that a pole mount or similar dish installation requires either an 8ft deep ground conductor bonded to your service ground or a 10 gauge wire running to the service ground. I think it is also acceptable to use the carrier wire outside of the coax if available.

Maybe that's what the second Ethernet port is on the hopper. Of course hopper with sling could act as a wifi hotspot.

Be careful if switching between 1/2 off and free 3 months. I did not want Showtime for 6 months, so was happy to take free 3 months to save money. However, it was offered less than 30 days after adding 1/2 off, so the system charged a $5 change programming fee. I complained on chat. They did not...

I have gotten 1/2 off HBO twice in a row. It was renewed last week, so this may be a new development as stated above.

The grounding block should be as close to the entry of the building as possible for lightning/fire protection. If you want the solo node in the closet, it is best to install a separate ground block outside and leave the solo node ungrounded.

1080p/24 is no different than 1080i60 as long as the TV does the proper pull-down conversion. Google for details.

I had a very similar problem with a Dish Mover upgrade I was doing. Because the csr talked me into changing programming before the equipment order, I lost $100 on the price for a Hopper. I almost dropped my service since I did not find out until the installer was there. In the end, I am back...

I do not think that the csrs can adjust your rating. I eas working with retention and they seemed to think that I should be able to get a hopper for free sure to my account rating. However, she could not get it to go through. Her supervisor told her that the best they could do was $99 since I...

I had AT200, the Starz 3-month and Platinum 3-month. After a service call to discuss getting Encore, I added the Cinemax 1-month and upgraded to AT250. Now, my account shows AT250, Starz 3-month, Platinum 3-month, Cinemax 1-month, and Encore 12-month. Did they give me the 1 year premium early...

I did not lose my timers. The schedule lost all scheduled recordings, but the timers were all still intact. I was going to try to rush it by recreating the timers, but I had nothing recording that day, so just waited an hour and looked again. The timers automatically refreshed and populated the...

This happened to me yesterday. One CSR seemed clueless, but said he sent a hit and I should get everything back. He also had me do a reset. He closed the chat before it was fixed. 20 minutes later, I still had no HD, so I started another chat. This CSR was better and worked with me to actually...

Merry Christmas everyone!

Go green....turn off your lights and TV...or maybe just the lights.

Depending on the receiver model, you may be able to connect them to the internet instead of a phone line.

I think there is a 7 day trial period, but I have also heard that you can cancel within 21 or 30 days. You are better off calling DirecTV and asking a CSR.

Elmhurst, IL US

Release notes and Discussion

A tree blocks my view of 110, so E* was not really an option.

I sent the form in near the end of October. The $10 credit (for 6 months) showed up on my December bill. It sounds like some of you got a better deal, but I'm happy to not have to call customer service.

The recent contract terms state that hardware has a 90-day warranty. Beyond that, you pay a fee (~$40?) for shipping and handling. The lease gives you the advantage of not having to pay $400 for replacement hardware. However, I do agree that the whole system is fishy when you have to pay...

You can buy an antenna on eBay for <$10. The Dish Network antennas work for DirecTV receivers. Otherwise, you could try making your own out of a piece of RG58 or RG6 coax. Just cut a 6-8" length and strip it down to the copper wire. I'm not an antenna engineer, so do that at your own risk. I...

From what I understand, R15-100 is the newest version of the R15. It comes from a different supplier than the -300 and -500. There is usually a refurbished or reconditioned sticker on the bottom of the unit if it is a refurb. However, I work in the electronics industry and can say that refurb...

The 30 second skip on HR 20/R15 is more like a 30sec FF. It does not skip 30sec, it makes you watch while it fast forwards through at roughly 10x. So, it helps that 30sec is reduced to ~3sec, but I'd prefer a real skip that was instantaneous. Automatically eating commercials would be even...

Trick or Treat!

Does the DVR encrypt it before sending to Pocketdish? From the dishrip forums on Yahoo, it sounds like the DVR recordings on the hard drive are unencrypted.