Directv DNS stations from Livingston

[SWharton]

We are getting ready to full time and will be changing our Directv account to Livingston. We always use the DNS station in the RV and were wondering if we are assigned East or West coast feeds with a Livingston address. We may just leave our service address so we get east coast but are curious about Livingston.

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

I believe that DirecTV uses the Billing Address for DNS location.

[SWharton]

Rats!!! If Livingston is West I may need to be creative.

[Ronbo]

I have a Livingston address and have the east coast feed. I believe my service address was back east at the time. I like it because I can record my shows early and watch them before they are telecast when I am on the west coast. I don't have to stay up late to them. 

[LindaH]

Livingston is in Central Time Zone, so shouldn't you be able to get East Coast DNS?  It was always my understanding that Pacific and Mountain time zones got West Coast feeds, while Central and Eastern time zones got East Coast feeds.  No?

[SWharton]

Thanks Ronbo, we'll make sure we switch before we leave home.

Linda: Who knows where the break. Normally the Mississippi River is the break between getting OTA east or west. I had no idea nor read anything how Directv would determine east vs. west.

[297550]

I have a Texas address (HONDO) and we get the East Coast Feed out of NY.

[docj]

On 9/6/2017 at 4:39 PM, LindaH said:

 It was always my understanding that Pacific and Mountain time zones got West Coast feeds, while Central and Eastern time zones got East Coast feeds.  No?

That's what I have been told.  We have a domicile address in eastern SD and have the eastern DNS.  I know  people with addresses in western SD who have the western feed.

On 9/6/2017 at 6:07 PM, SWharton said:

Who knows where the break. Normally the Mississippi River is the break between getting OTA east or west. I had no idea nor read anything how Directv would determine east vs. west.

It's not difficult for DirecTV to know the time zone for addresses in its database.  

BTW I know of nothing in broadcasting that uses the Mississippi River as a demarcation other than the fact that stations east of the Mississippi have call signs that begin with W while those west of the river have call signs beginning with K.

[LindaH]

3 hours ago, docj said:

That's what I have been told.  We have a domicile address in eastern SD and have the eastern DNS.  I know  people with addresses in western SD who have the western feed.

That makes sense since Eastern SD is in the Central time zone, and Western SD is in Mountain.

[Biker56]

No problem for me. I get both coast for DNS. Only $22.29 a month tax included.

And you can set your receiver to get the guide for any time zone you are in.

[docj]

1 minute ago, Biker56 said:

No problem for me. I get both coast for DNS. Only $22.29 a month tax included.

 

We DVR virtually everything we watch, so having the Eastern feed is all we need.  I can always record a show and watch it later, but I sure can't watch it before it was broadcast to me!   Having the Western feed in addition to the Eastern would be of no benefit to us.

[Biker56]

13 minutes ago, docj said:

We DVR virtually everything we watch, so having the Eastern feed is all we need.  I can always record a show and watch it later, but I sure can't watch it before it was broadcast to me!   Having the Western feed in addition to the Eastern would be of no benefit to us.

I record almost every thing also with my Genie.
They are times a sports show on east feed that runs over time into the program I had set to record.
That has happened a lot too the 60 minuets show. I set the recorder to the west feed and don't miss it all.

Also at times there is more then 5 programs set to record at the same time span and I can set 1-2 for the West.

That is a benefit for me. And comes in handy starting today with this weekend FREE HBO & Cinamax

[cpalmer2k]

4 hours ago, Biker56 said:

I record almost every thing also with my Genie.
They are times a sports show on east feed that runs over time into the program I had set to record.
That has happened a lot too the 60 minuets show. I set the recorder to the west feed and don't miss it all.

Also at times there is more then 5 programs set to record at the same time span and I can set 1-2 for the West.

That is a benefit for me. And comes in handy starting today with this weekend FREE HBO & Cinamax

I wish they still allowed newer accounts to get both DNS coasts. I'd love to be able to record my Sunday night shows from the west and not have to worry about padding them all. I imagine having the East Coast DNS is great for those of you in the west too. You can enjoy prime time shows while eating supper. 

[docj]

4 hours ago, Biker56 said:

 

Also at times there is more then 5 programs set to record at the same time span and I can set 1-2 for the West.

 

I think the new Genie 2 has 8 tuners available!

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

But I think the Genie uses tuners to replay too.  I stick with the 16 tuners plus 2 OTA tuners for the Hopper 3, none of which are used for playtback.

[docj]

3 hours ago, Mark and Dale Bruss said:

But I think the Genie uses tuners to replay too.  I stick with the 16 tuners plus 2 OTA tuners for the Hopper 3, none of which are used for playtback.

With all due respect, I don't think the Genie uses a tuner when it is playing material recorded on its DVR.  I've been able to record 5 different channels without limiting my ability to watch recorded material.  

The subject is discussed here: https://www.dbstalk.com/community/index.php?threads/does-genie-mini-always-use-tuner.213596/

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

So the Genie has 8 tuners, 5 for receiving and 3 for Whole Home DVR devices and two more feeds.  probably enough.

The Hopper 3's 16 tuners are for tuning off of the satellite.  Add two more for OTA receiver functions.  The Hopper 3 can drive up to 6 remote devices, none of which use and tuners unless watching live stream.  Then there is PTAT (Prime Time Any Time) which uses one tuner for the four broadcast channel on one transponder stream,.  Feasibly you could have 21 ( 16 + 3 more PTAT + 2 OTA) active input channel streams into the Hopper 3.

This is all technology jumps.  Dish started with Dish Pro Plus which multiplexed two satellite streams on one coax.  A couple years and then DirecTV came out with SIM an 8 multiplexed streams on one coax.  A couple more years and now Dish jumped up to 32 channel multiplexing.  For all intents and purposes, both vendors have exceeded the general needs of the viewers.

 

[Biker56]

17 hours ago, docj said:

I think the new Genie 2 has 8 tuners available!

Do you think DirecTV would give me a FREE Genie2 with no contract?
And a SWM16 switch? Too replace my SWM8. I have on my old Trav'ler 3005

Or would they want around $400 for it.

Come to think about it. The Genie2 has no output other then wireless.

I have a HDMI switch from mine that goes to 3 TV's plus a H25 in the bedroom.
The outside TV can change what is watched on it with a RF controller.
Knowing DTV they probably would want to charge me a monthly $$ for their 1 or 2 4K programs also.

I think I will stay with both coast of DNS with my old Genie HR34 and save some $$.

 

[docj]

1 hour ago, Biker56 said:

Come to think about it. The Genie2 has no output other then wireless.

 

Just to clarify one thing, even though it doesn't have any direct outputs it can connect to wired "clients"  through the SWM coax network in your installation.  

However, one significant limitation of the Genie 2 for an installation such as yours is that the Genie 2 doesn't support the use of any other receivers, only miniGenie clients.  So, for example, you would have to replace your H25 with a wired client (C41, 51 or 61).  This, therefore, limits installations to the Genie 2's 7 tuners (I was wrong when I said "8") which seems odd once you understand that the new "reverse band LNB's" can support 13 or more tuners.

From what I have read, it appears that the HS17 (known as the Genie 2 or Genie Server) is a quick and easy install for most standard residential applications.  No power inserter or video bridge is needed; all wired clients are automatically recognized and added to the network.  Therefore, with the new reverse band LNB, the entire installation consists of a single coax from the dish to the receiver.  Not too bad if you're an installer!  But for people who like to have multiple DVRs in the house it's a non-starter.