Dish Programming?? - Montana Owners Club

timandsusan · 08-13-2015, 01:27 AM

I have a Winegard Pathway X2 antenna and 2 VIP211Z receivers. The set up is simple and the first receiver gets the programming package that we have ordered. When I connect the second receiver, it also downloads a program package--BUT--it is not the package in our subscription--it is missing several key channels like ESPN. Dish has not been much help--anyone in the MOC have the same setup and gets better results--let me know.

**DQDick** · 08-13-2015, 04:07 AM

I would call Winegard first. They are hard to get ahold of, I think I waited a day for a call back once, but very helpful when you get them. If it's something with the antenna, I'd call Dish back. When you call Dish ask for a service technician who's an RV specialist. They have them and they have been very helpful with us their other technicians not so much. It sounds to me like they don't have the their systems programed correctly for the second receiver, but then I know next to nothing about fixing those things.

brenkco · 08-13-2015, 06:57 AM

Tim & Susan,

Not sure if this is your issue, but...although the x2 may have two coax ports, it can't view all 3 dish satellites at once. Therefore, your 2nd TV will only see the satellite that the 1st TV is locked on to. All programming on the 2nd TV is therefore restricted. This is the limitation of your x2.

The solution if you want full programming on both receivers is a full size dish, tripod mounted or the traveler roof mounted.

Ken

timandsusan · 08-14-2015, 02:05 AM

I actually have at home a 3 lnb antenna with the switch that I used last year. Hoped the X2 would be simpler. Yes, I do understand the 2 satellite vs 3 satellite reception. I will check with Winegard and Dish to seek remedy--if there is one! Pays to be a retired antenna engineer-not satellite antennas. I also agree that I don't think Dish has our account set up for a 2nd receiver.

brenkco · 08-14-2015, 05:57 AM

Tim,
Some how I don't think it's the receiver. When my 211 looses it's programming, I get nothing (except 101 and PPV) along with a message: Programming not authorized. I then need Dish to send a signal to reauthorize and I'm good to go. Just out of curiosity, have you swapped the receivers to see if the problem follows the receivers or the coax ports on you X2?

Ken

davidaf · 08-14-2015, 07:30 AM

I also believe what you are seeing is by design. This is the reason i have two little domes. I finally got tired of trying to explain why DW couldn't watch some channels in the BR unless I changed LR to a channel on the same bird. Was easier and cheaper than installing a real dish on top of the rig. Though not nearly as cheap as a ground mount dish but I didn't want to fiddle with that every time we moved. I do use the second connection on dome 1 for the basement. Normally it will be on the same channel as the LR TV so haven't had much of an issue with that yet.

Check this site it has all channels and what Sat they are on to confirm if your primary TV may simply be pointed to a different bird than the second tv is trying to watch: http://uplink.jameslong.name/channels.html

Hogfan · 08-14-2015, 08:53 AM

We have the pathway 2 and get all the same channels on each tv. Can watch whatever program you want on each tv. Means I can watch HGTV in the bedroom and DH can watch whatever he wants on the other. We do have to scan the main tv each time we turn the service on then scan the bedroom tv after scanning the main tv. We also now turn our service off when we get back home then have it turned back on when we need it. Got tired of trying to explain to customer service that we were rv pay as go program. Since you own all of your equipment you can do that. We do get all the channels that we pay for on each tv. Agree with above, you need to talk with an rv specialist at Dish.

timandsusan · 08-14-2015, 03:50 PM

Windgard called today. Yes, the antenna cannot see all 3 sats at the same time. So the second rcvr must be reprogrammed to the main rcvr to get consistent programming. One issue is the set up, if I select 2 receivers, then both get the same programming. If I select 1 rcvr then I have to download the program guide to the second rcvr when I use the same sat. Winegard does have a good product but it maybe a little tricky to get everything to work correctly. So--all good to go--thanks again for info!

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