I just moved into my new apartment and bought an RCA satellite so that I can order the NFL Sunday Ticket and watch all the Texans' games while I'm up here in Dallas (and possibly NBA league pass). When the guys came out to install it, they said they couldn't get the dish to face South, so I'm left with no satellite for right now. Anyone else have this problem, and if so, what did you do to correct it. Also, there doesn't seem to be a card in the card slot, shouldn't there be a card? Any help is appreciated.
#1 most important thing is your satellite MUST face south. If you don't have any view of the southern sky, forget it. If your apartment faces the other way, you're kinda screwed. I highly doubt your apartment mgmnt will allow you to mount that satellite anywhere on the property other than your balcony, etc... You would have to mount it facing south and run a cable all the way to your apartment. Yeah... you're kinda screwed. Did you buy this satellite system used? If so the seller must've kept the card. There is supposed to be a card supplied. If not in the unit, check the packaging, also some units have a fold down door that the access card hides behind. Good luck. Any chances of moving to the other side of the building, facing south??
then shut up! quit padding your post count! hehe.... j/k No... if a system is purchased NEW it should come with a card. You need the card in order to access the satellite, programming paid for or not... If you haven't paid for programming you will at least get access to the "free" channel which is basically a big 'ol commercial for the service.
No, the cards come with the new receivers. I've never heard of having to obtain a card...unless it is an illegal card. To get programming, all you should have to do is call once everything is set up. That's weird that he wouldn't have a card unless he bought it used and someone took it like rockHEAD said. Then, he may have gotten screwed on the deal. Unless they changed the way it works, the card should be with the receiver at all times.
Can you get local programming without having the receiver continously connected to a phone line? I wanted to get a dish setup in Houston so I could get Houston local programming and the FSN Houston feed. Then I was gonna transport the dish and set it up on my balcony in Austin. Of course in Austin it would not be connected to a phone line cause I don't have a landbased phone here and they'd probably figure out its a different area code. Then I realized my balcony faces north so I scrapped the whole idea.
yes, if the phone line is not connected you will still have access to all your channels. the phone line must be hooked up for pay per view movies and if the satellite company needs to dial in to your receiver. I AM THE DIRECTV ANSWER MAN! LOL... not really
Thanks for the help guys, especially rockHEAD, there is a card, it's hidden behind a panel. The empty slot I was looking at was the Smart Card slot. The guys who were here to install my dish should call me back tonight and I can see if there is anything I can do. I just moved in, so I don't want to pack up and move again just to get reception on the dish. I was really just looking forward to watching the Texans play... but maybe something will work out. Thanks again.
many places sell systems without the cards, Walmart was selling the systems at $50 bucks a pop people with programers would buy the system, toss the reciever and keep the cards, which were going for 300 bucks a pop Direct TV didn't have a license to operate in Canada, so it was legal to make and sell these programers but that is no longer the case, the legal shops were closed you can still get the parts, but DirectTV's ECM's seem to work very effectively it is more trouble than it is worth these days and I'm wondering when they will resume shipping the cards with the recievers
