Satellite dish installation

[shane_c]

I will be getting Bell to install a dish this Saturday. It was supposed to be last Friday but that's a story for another day. @$%%& Bell. Do they also supply the cables to run from the receiver to the TV or do they only install it as far as the receiver? Also, what exactly are HDMI and RGB cables. Do I need one of these?

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by shane_c

Do they also supply the cables to run from the receiver to the TV or do they only install it as far as the receiver? Also, what exactly are HDMI and RGB cables. Do I need one of these?

Generally they will supply you with standard cables for between the receiver & TV, but not specialized cables (like HDMI or optical).

And whether or not you need the specialized cables depends upon your TV and what type of connections will it accept (coax, svideo, composite, component, DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI). I think GRB is another name for component, but even in there there are a couple options. HDMI is only found in newer TVs (esp. LCD, DLP or plasma). Look at the back of your TV.

You should probably be fine with what is included, and then you can figure out what you want to get if you want to get a 'better' picture.

[shane_c]

The TV is a plasma and it has all kinds of places on the back to plug stuff in, including HDMI and RGB. Would I still be able to watch stuff in HDTV if I don't use either of these inputs?

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Generally they will supply you with standard cables for between the receiver & TV, but not specialized cables (like HDMI or optical).

And whether or not you need the specialized cables depends upon your TV and what type of connections will it accept (coax, svideo, composite, component, DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI). I think GRB is another name for component, but even in there there are a couple options. HDMI is only found in newer TVs (esp. LCD, DLP or plasma). Look at the back of your TV.

You should probably be fine with what is included, and then you can figure out what you want to get if you want to get a 'better' picture.

[ken0042]

No.

You spent $2000 on a TV, $600 on a receiver- spend $25 on the cables. Or on second thought, didn't your receiver come with a component cable?

Don't buy the Mon$ster stuff, go into Rona or Home Depot and buy their less expensive stuff.

[Bobblehead]

LOL, I was going to say, "Wait for Ken, I think he has a similar setup"

[shane_c]

I didn't get the receiver yet so I'm not sure what comes with it. I'm renting the HD receiver from Bell so they'll bring it with them when they show up. For the RGB connections can I just use RCA cables?

Originally Posted by ken0042

No.

You spent $2000 on a TV, $600 on a receiver- spend $25 on the cables. Or on second thought, didn't your receiver come with a component cable?

Don't buy the Mon$ster stuff, go into Rona or Home Depot and buy their less expensive stuff.

[Vulcan]

With my 6100 they supplied component cables which are fine for HD. I had to buy an DVI [receiver] to HDMI [TV] cable. I think a S-Video is also included. Make sure you are getting 80% reception on both satellites.

[shane_c]

How much was the DVI to HDMI cable? Where did you get it?

Originally Posted by Vulcan

With my 6100 they supplied component cables which are fine for HD. I had to buy an DVI [receiver] to HDMI [TV] cable. I think a S-Video is also included. Make sure you are getting 80% reception on both satellites.

[shane_c]

Originally Posted by fotze

Haha, good luck with them showing up. And just wait until your bills start arriving. Double what you were told the bill would say.

Guess I'll tell my story now and not save it for another day. I initially set up my appt for April 22 but after I realized they could have come out on Good Friday I called back and rescheduled. I called back the next day to ask about programming and they confirmed my appt for Good Friday. 2 days before the installation date I had another question so called and they confirmed for me that I was scheduled for installation Good Friday from 8-12. Good Friday comes along and it's almost noon and nobody has shown up. Call them and they try to tell me that I called and cancelled my appt for Good Friday. I told them this was absolute BS and where was the logic in me sitting home all morning when I had better things to do and that I was just talking to them 2 days ago and confirmed my appt. He told me this was impossible and I would have had to call and cancel for it to be cancelled. Couldn't bother arguing with him anymore so I rescheduled. But they couldn't use the rental kit I bought from Future Shop because the workorder # on the kit was void from when I apparently called and cancelled. So Bell billed me directly and I had to bring my kit back to Future Shop, and had to talk to about 10 people to get my money back because they don't take them back but could give me an exhange on another kit.... which I told them several times I didn't need because Bell billed me directly. So finally got my $$$ back from Futureshop and also had to give my $20 gift card back that I got when I bought the kit. Grrrr. If they don't show up this Saturday I'll go with Starchoice.

[Bobblehead]

You can get most cabling from ACC for a fair price. They are located in the NE (29th ST)
What is it with places selling HDMI for for huge prices? Memory Express has a "2 M HDMI Digital A/V Cable" for $109.00!!
From ACC a 2 M HDMI costs $18.98.


And I don't think you can do component to DVI since one is an analogue signal and the other is a digital signal.


Edit: BTW, I'm happy with Starchoice. Centre Ice would be nice, but that is the only thing I miss.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by shane_c

For the RGB connections can I just use RCA cables?

No. Your DVD player can be used with just regular RCA's because the signal is still analog. With the Bell receiver you will be sending a digital signal up to the TV. Even thought the cables used look just like RCA, and they may work for a period of time; I have found them to be problematic.

But as you say if you haven't got the receiver yet, then yes the 9200 and the 6100 both come with a decent set of component cables (what you are calling RGB.)

Myself, I'd get an HDMI cable; just for the better bitrate that the cable can handle. Odds are you will likely not notice much of a difference; but I always say it's better to use the right cable for the job when it comes to digital.

[ken0042]

But it's good to see you're not bitter Fotze!

Seriously though; any time you talk to anybody at Bell; get the name, date and time of the conversation. Bell's programming is the best (because of NHL-CI) but their service.......... well sucks doesn't even begin to describe it.

[CRXguy]

Originally Posted by ken0042

But it's good to see you're not bitter Fotze!

Seriously though; any time you talk to anybody at Bell; get the name, date and time of the conversation. Bell's programming is the best (because of NHL-CI) but their service.......... well sucks doesn't even begin to describe it.

x2!!

Got my Bell ExpressVu bill after my wife talked to them for over-charging us. They still haven't fixed anything.

shane_c: I got my DVI -> HDMI cable at Memory express for $30. With the rental, they'll supply you with component cable.

[Tooz]

Another thing to consider is how you are running sound. Is it going through the TV or an audio receiver? If it is going through the TV, use the HDMI because it carries the audio signal as well as the video. As far as the component cables are concerned I believe the Bell receiver only outputs 480P over the components so you would be down converting the HD signal at the Bell rec'r to 480P and the reconverting it to an HD signal back at the TV set (780P and higher) which is an extra step you definetely don't want when you can get a 780P or 1080i signal directly out of the Bell rec'r via the HDMI cable (this is of course assuming the rec'r you got has an HDMI connection). The HDMI cable will also give a superior picture because of the higher bandwidth capability (as previously mentioned).

Tooz

[Tron_fdc]

I ran my own a few months ago, and one thing I noticed is that the picture isn't all that sharp, but is amazing when I watch a DVD. Is that a product of my po ass installation, or is nomal satellite picture kinda sh*te?

[ken0042]

Tron, what model of receiver are you using, and how is it connected to the TV? Also, what's the make and model of the TV?

Depending on your setup there's a couple of tweaks we can do.