Forum Discussion

Harry_Havasu's avatar
Harry_Havasu
Explorer
Apr 05, 2014

Can Dish receiver #922 accept Signal out of original zip?

For years have used a Dish receiver #625 from home into the trailer for temporary usage. Now trying to upgrade to the Dish receiver #922, which is all high def.

However, I am told this very sophisticated digital item will operate only in the specific zip code used in the set up at home.

Tried it several miles away and get an on screen message that receiver cannot read the signal from the satellite dish.

Is this a coincidence or fact?

If anyone has any experiences with the #922 receiver please help me out.
  • Wow.. if Dish has that kind of technolgy going, it's news to me.
  • It will work, but if you get very far from home you won't get the locals as they are spot beamed.
  • As long as your antenna is aimed properly for your current location with a clear view of the sky, the receiver will work. As mentioned, if you travel outside of your local station spot beam, you will lose those stations. You can contact Dish and change your service address though, to get the locals for your current location.
  • If you are using a different kind of antenna than you have in your home you will need to go through the required Check Switch routine to get the receiver setup for that particular antenna. If you are not using the same LNB setup that you have at home you may not get all of the your channels either.
    A few more details might help get you some better guidance.
  • The simple answer is NO, the inputed Zip Code has no bearing on receiving the signal. The Zip is to aid in aligning a home type dish. The receiver will tell you the Azimuth and Elevation for the Zip code you are in. As another stated, IF you are in a specific area, some of the channels may be "spot Beamed" and will only hit the small geographic area you are in. Once you leave that Spot beamed area, you lose those channels. Doug
  • on dish I always just called dish and told them where I was and then I had that local area.

    I had the Duo ViPĀ® 222k ....worked fine.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Two comments and answers here..

    First; The ZIP code is used in the receiver for only one or two uses. First it is is used in conjunction with a look up table to suggest initial angles for setting up the antenna.. If it has any other effect on the receiver (I am not sure) it is the time zone.. You need not set the zip code at all.

    HOWEVER: Local Network Stations, the ones you can pick up over the air that broadcast ABC NBC, CBS and so on, Those are "Spot Beamed" A single spot beam can easily cover a hundred zip codes even several hundred zip codes however but it does not cover all of the USA. Thus if, like me, you like watching "Person of Interest" or CSI____, You will be out of luck if you drive too far.
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Don't let the LOCAL STATIONs away from your assigned ZIP CODE SPOT BEAM be a show stopper for you.

    I get excellent HDTV reception from the NATL BROADCAST TV stations using the OTA BATWING Antenna here to pick up the digital full high def TV signals from the local towns where we camp here on the East side of the US...

    We used to bring our DIRECTV SAt TV stuff with us all the time from the house but after the NATL BROADCAST changed over to the new digital format we just started watching those channels from the camp grounds. Don't bring along the SAT RCVR stuff anymore...

    Roy Ken

About RV Must Haves

Have a product you cannot live without? Share it with the community!8,793 PostsLatest Activity: Aug 22, 2023