Shaw Direct Satellite settings in the USA

I'll give you the numbers but I need to know where you are.

Dishpointer tells you the skew to set for each of the 2 sat's. Put it in the middle of those 2 numbers. I adjust it until I get the highest reading on the receiver setting for tuning in the satellite. It is pretty forgiving and generally makes only a slightly higher reading and very little picture difference. What exactly are you trying to 'calculate' beyond the dishpointer setting and why?

That's interesting. When I put in Starchoice (Shaw Direct), I only get one skew number.

You only need the one skew number that is indicated for dual satellites
http://www.global-cm.net/CAN/SC/point/USAangskew.html

However you have to make sure that your tripod is perfectly level if you want ease in finding the satellites.

One other hint: if you have a dual tuner receiver, tune it to a channel on F1 then onto a channel on F2. That way when you look at maxing signal strength, you see both sats.

When you have a dual tuner receiver like the 600 series, both sats (T1 and T2) strength are shown in the tune satellite screen. If you have signal strength on only one satellite then you are likely pointed to 111 and should try moving slightly east to 107 or visa-versa. The older 500 series receivers only showed the strength on the channel you had set and if you found that several channels did not come in then you were likely aimed at the wrong satellite. This is with the quad LNB of course, the most common one for several years. I don't believe there would be much difference with the newest lnb that will also pick up the 3rd dish for additional HD channels. I use a motorized roof mounted Motosat dish that doesn't work automatically anymore. I have modified it so that I control the motors to aim at the satellites. I spend most of my winters in Arizona and summers in BC and Alberta. I use Dishpointer.com at times to know where I should be looking and then the receiver to fine tune the signal. FYI, skew is the last thing I adjust if I think I need a better signal. It all depends on your longitude as to how much skew would be desirable.

Sorry for being so long winded and I hope I have helped clarify a few things.