Satellite Internet Sucks...

[McPhreak]

For anyone who knows what I'm talking about, there's an ad for Time Warner Cable in NYC that has some cable guy singing and dancing to "I'm Singing in the Rain" while all the satellite folks are pissed because the rain is ruining their satellite reception. Anyway, I never really understood the effects of rain on a satellite dish until I came to visit my folks in California. It's been raining here quite a bit, but even in a little drizzle, my DirecWay satellite internet disconnects and an error message pops up on my screen every 5 minutes or so telling me that the dish can't find the satellite. I can't imagine what people who have satellite internet and live in locations with more extreme weather than California (

) must be going through. At times, I'd almost prefer a 56k modem...

 

[bozo1]

When I had DirecTV, I would lose signal only for a minute or two when we had VERY heavy storms. Normal thunderstorms didn't cause a problem. Didn't bother me much.

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: bozo1
When I had DirecTV, I would lose signal only for a minute or two when we had VERY heavy storms. Normal thunderstorms didn't cause a problem. Didn't bother me much.

hmmm...any way to optimize settings that you know of bozo1?

Signal-strength-o-meter is showing 58%...

 

[shopbruin]

hrm its raining right now and the satellite connection is fine.

WAIT! no still good.

 

[ROTC1983]

Originally posted by: bozo1
When I had DirecTV, I would lose signal only for a minute or two when we had VERY heavy storms. Normal thunderstorms didn't cause a problem. Didn't bother me much.

Yeah, the only time we lost signal was during very severe storms, but the signal went back up after about 10 minutes...

 

[arod]

Originally posted by: ROTC1983

Originally posted by: bozo1
When I had DirecTV, I would lose signal only for a minute or two when we had VERY heavy storms. Normal thunderstorms didn't cause a problem. Didn't bother me much.

Yeah, the only time we lost signal was during very severe storms, but the signal went back up after about 10 minutes...

Same here, your parents sat dish isnt pointed in the exact right direction is your problem... If its off by 2 or 3 degrees it becomes spotty.

 

[Adul]

align the dish until the signal is stronger

 

[bozo1]

Yea, I usually had my signal strength in the low to mid 90's.

 

[dakata24]

weather has been terrible here in CA recently.. really windy at times. so maybe it does need re-aligning.

 

[MojoJojo]

Originally posted by: Adul
align the dish until the signal is stronger

At least 85-90% +

I live in So. Cal. and have only lost the signal on very rare occasions

 

[CFster]

100% signal strength here. Very rarely lose signal.

 

[dman]

Check out these forums, pretty good info on sat. DirectPC Uncensored

That's all I know because after reading there I decided against Sat Service. Just not cost effective. Fair Access Policy = CRAP.

BTW, censorship sucks too-Banning of underlined letters because of abuse and an alternate connotation that's really no worse than other words allowed here. Whatever.

 

[dbzwukan]

dude... satellite is for TV... no for internet...(Unless all you're doing is downloading..)

 

[NetworkDad]

Originally posted by: dbzwukan
dude... satellite is for TV... no for internet...(Unless all you're doing is downloading..)

Dude - if you live in the sticks & hills where there is no cable or DSL, satellite is LIFE.

 

[mrCide]

my directv satellite has 100 signal strength

 

[Murphyrulez]

Originally posted by: mrCide
my directv satellite has 100 signal strength

Do you live on the moon?

I could never get over 92%.

 

[mrCide]

Originally posted by: Murphyrulez

Originally posted by: mrCide
my directv satellite has 100 signal strength

Do you live on the moon?

I could never get over 92%.

i had ~90~ but switched transponders.. then boom 100.. i was surprised but , works for me

 

[jfall]

I dont think it is even possible to have 100% signal strength

 

[Codewiz]

I had a somewhat blocked view and I had a signal strength of 96

I wish I could go back to Directv but my apartment complex requires a $150 deposit.

Switching transponders is irrelevant because different transponders are used for different channels so you want a good signal strength on all of them but if you have above 90 on any of them then you should have good strength on all the others.

In two years of Directv I lost tv like two times for a total of 15 minutes.

Here in NC during the ice storm I lost cable for 3 days. So much for the reliability of cable..........

 

[n0cmonkey]

Hughes Electronics sucks. DirecPC sucks. DirecWay sucks. DirecTV sucks.

alt.satellite.direcpc

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Hughes Electronics sucks. DirecPC sucks. DirecWay sucks. DirecTV sucks.

alt.satellite.direcpc

BTW: Aim the dish for better strength. I've had one signal loss in 2.5 years of having DirecTV.

 

[vtqanh]

I've never had signal loss from DirecTV (I'm in Virginia) for a year! Maybe there was signal loss couple times while i was sleeping!

 

[Amused]

The only time I've lost the signal is during snow storms, and very heavy rain.

They sell a device that detects moisture, turns on, and warms the dish to melt snow or dry water. It runs around $99 last time I saw. My brother has one for his dish at his ski house in Deer Valley, UT. It works good, but can't keep up if the snow comes down really heavy.

 

[faZZter]

Even if you don't lose the signal the 1000+ milliseconds of latency ruin it for gamers!

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Hughes Electronics sucks. DirecPC sucks. DirecWay sucks. DirecTV sucks.

alt.satellite.direcpc

BTW: Aim the dish for better strength. I've had one signal loss in 2.5 years of having DirecTV.

Hughes Electronics is a perfect example of a corporation that does not care about its customers. Between raising rates on an almost steady expense system, to the Fair access Policy, to the crappy customer service that most people get when calling for assistance the company should not be supported. Give those customer service reps in GA a call, and see how much they know. Especially the DirecPC ones.