Satellite TV Setup question

[DREDD]

Right now we have a RCA Satellite system that is first generation. We want to upgrade to a newer dish that supports multiple DtrecTV Satellites with up to 4 receivers. My question is will our current receivers work with another brand of dish? We have 2 RCA receivers that we'd like to keep and simply change the dish and add 2 more receivers to. The one we are looking at is a Hughes but will the RCA Receivers work with the Hughes Dish or do we need the same brand receiver as the dish?

[M_A_C]

Hmm, thats a pretty tough question. I'd just call 1-800-DIRECTV and go the the "Ask a techinal question about my system" option. They'd probably be able to tell you easily.

[LPMiller]

Originally posted by DREDD
Right now we have a RCA Satellite system that is first generation. We want to upgrade to a newer dish that supports multiple DtrecTV Satellites with up to 4 receivers. My question is will our current receivers work with another brand of dish? We have 2 RCA receivers that we'd like to keep and simply change the dish and add 2 more receivers to. The one we are looking at is a Hughes but will the RCA Receivers work with the Hughes Dish or do we need the same brand receiver as the dish?

I believe that you can, but check the website. I currently run an RCA and a Sony off of one dish, but they are both a year or more old. I thought the new dishes were just a larger area and more space for the LNB's so you could have 4 - mostly so you could use the Tivo boxes, which need 2 inputs.

[DREDD]

Well, as it turns out you can run any brand receiver from any dish. Just to receive HDTV etc you need special receivers. For regular TV you can use just about any brand.

Now to find a place that sells the multisatellite dish for a reasonable price.

[penguin_hash]

eBay's probably your best bet. I got a triple-LNB dish ~120 (it's probably cheaper now). The third LNB does nothing, but I wanted the *enclosed* multiswitch. This means the LNBs are directly connected to the multiswitch and the multiswitch is enclosed inside the arm bar. Probably doesn't make much of a difference, but I'd rather have as much things covered from the elements as possible.

Installing this was the WORST. And I had a satellite finder to play with. It was just painful.

Your other option would be to hook up a second single dish, point that at the second satellite and then combine both signals into one switch, and then output to your receivers the same.