Can't Get VueCube Flex to Work in Canada

[hhornig]

I have the VueCube Flex automatic dish, but it will not work in Canada. The scanner locks on Satellites, but the reciever says it can't find signal. It worked OK in the states and when we were only a few miles in Canada, but now it won't work. Is this a short coming of the system or am I doing something wrong??

[Bill_Satellite]

That could be done! Shaw could require the receiver to "see" a signal from one particular satellite and if it does not the receiver would shut down. Both DirecTV and Dish receivers do that today. If you have a receiver which remains turned off or not receiving a signal for one reason or another, after approx. 30 days the receiver will no longer receive programming. One call does it all and they resend the activation signal but if Shaw used the same requirement you would have to ship the receiver back to someone in Canada every 30 days to keep the receiver alive. They could also simply adjust the beam just as they did with their 3rd satellite making the signal non-existent in the US just like Bell did a few years back.

[joebedford]

Joel: I agree with you - enforcement is lax...

... but the world is becoming stranger all the time. For example, when we cross the border we get grilled on not staying in the US too long and I have to file a form with the IRS to prove that I have closer ties to another country. It may not be long before someone decides that there's revenue to be had from snowbirds.

But back on topic, I was with Bell TV and they dropped service to USA. Now I'm with Shaw Direct. If they do the same thing, you may see one of those DirecTV dishes on my house (with the name painted over) 🙂

[docj]

joebedford wrote:


As to Canadian laws not applying to foreign RVers - dream on.

Joe:

Considering that I've seen quite a few DirecTV dishes on houses I've driven past, I suspect enforcement isn't all that vigilant.

As for them coming after a foreign tourist spending money in Canada, I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but I would think that wouldn't be a popular political position.

Joel

[joebedford]

There was all kinds of speculation that when Shaw Direct launched a third sat. with little footprint in USA that they would program the receivers to shut off if there was signal from the other two and not the new one. Hasn't happened yet touch wood.

[Bill_Satellite]

joebedford wrote:
Don't these cube receivers know where you are so they can find the sats more easily? It would be easy to program them to block signal if you're in a forbidden area.

No, they don't know where you are and even if they did, they would not care. They are not provided by DirecTV or Dish, the are built by King Dome and Winegard and others so they would have no reason to attempt to block usage, even if they could.

[joebedford]

A lot of the places mentioned in this thread are really really close to the US border and south of much of the USA. OTOH, Jasper, AB isn't. I can see getting signal in southern Ontario but not up north. If I were to use my Canadian sat in USA (but I don't of course ;)) I would use my 75cm dish as opposed to my stick house 60cm dish which is quite adequate "up here" because the sat transponders are pointed "up here".

As to Canadian laws not applying to foreign RVers - dream on.

Don't these cube receivers know where you are so they can find the sats more easily? It would be easy to program them to block signal if you're in a forbidden area.

[hhornig]

Well after starting this thread we traveled to just outside Vancouver and all is well with our VueQube Flex. It was probably what was surmised that a week signal and small dish. Thanks for the input.

[Ivylog]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
You don't need a Trav'ler but you need more than a dome. A regular full sized dome should get DirecTV programming to at least the line along which Lake Louise is located. The smaller VueCube antenna will not make it that far. If you move to an 18" antenna you should be able to make Jasper at least for the DirecTV SD programming from 101. If you want to get all of the DTV programming you are likely going to need one of the oval 18x24"(?) dishes either roof mounted or on a tripod plus a clear view to the satellite(s).

This is what I found last week when I was in Baniff and Jasper. My dome dish (about half the area of a 18" dish) worked in Baniff/Lake Louise and did not in Jasper on 101. In Jasper I used my 36" dish which gave me 85-90+
So, a 18" dish should give you SD in the lower half of Canada on Directv 101.

[Bill_Satellite]

SWEET!:C

[docj]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Yep, just be glad you are getting any signal from there!

Believe me, I'm not complaining. I'm at a CG with excellent wifi (this morning it was running >15Mbps), I can receive DTV and the temps are in the 70's everyday with low humidity. What's to complain about? :B

[Bill_Satellite]

Yep, just be glad you are getting any signal from there!

[docj]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
If you are currently in Canada, that would not surprise me. The KA band (HD) broadcast is weaker and "flaker" than that KU band (SD) so the closer to get to the edge of the footprint the lower the chances are of receiving a strong enough signal. This also varies by transponder so channels on one transponder (multiple channels per transponder) will be good and channels on another will not despite being at the same location.

We're in the extreme SE corner of PEI which is only ~46.3N but it's at ~63W which puts us pretty far east of the 99/101/103 cluster.

[Bill_Satellite]

If you are currently in Canada, that would not surprise me. The KA band (HD) broadcast is weaker and "flaker" than that KU band (SD) so the closer to get to the edge of the footprint the lower the chances are of receiving a strong enough signal. This also varies by transponder so channels on one transponder (multiple channels per transponder) will be good and channels on another will not despite being at the same location.

[docj]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
You don't need a Trav'ler but you need more than a dome. A regular full sized dome should get DirecTV programming to at least the line along which Lake Louise is located. The smaller VueCube antenna will not make it that far. If you move to an 18" antenna you should be able to make Jasper at least for the DirecTV SD programming from 101. If you want to get all of the DTV programming you are likely going to need one of the oval 18x24"(?) dishes either roof mounted or on a tripod plus a clear view to the satellite(s).

I just discovered that my Trav'ler isn't perfect for this location either. Of the channels my DW and I watch, three (HBO, Showtime and HGTV) can't be received in HD. So those we will watch in SD.