<p>I thought maybe some of the brainiacs lurking around might tell me how I could proceed on this issue.</p>
<p>I know this sounds crazy, but I was not even able to watch the Super Bowl from my house. The local affiliate’s signal is not strong enough, but they block the dish waivers that would allow us to add FOX. So they don’t provide it, yet they don’t allow anyone else too, either.</p>
<p>We have an antenna hooked onto the dish that used to barely bring it in, but now that a “tube” has blown we can’t get it at all. And the new tower is going up in the opposite direction of our house.</p>
<p>I have called the company that owns that affiliate–they won’t return phone calls. I’ve also contacted FOX Broadcasting in CA and they haven’t had much luck either.</p>
<p>So…any ideas on how I can get the FOX network? Short of wearing tinfoil on my head and standing on the roof that is. ;)</p>
<p>When you’re on the roof, don’t forget to hold your arms out with a slight upward angle… a little more… a little more… turn left slowly… a little more… WAIT. That’s IT!! Don’t move until the game is over!</p>
<p>Digm - appreciative audience here. (It’s late and in case everyone else is snoring, don’t want you left hanging. Oh. No, it’s texastaximom who’s hanging, isn’t it?)</p>
<p>Seriously, I have one idea, but it’s based on a not-full understanding of how the Dish network operates. I don’t really know if it will work or not. Maybe someone will let us know. </p>
<p>In your receiver you should have a Smart Card or Programming Card that tells the network who you are (and thus where your are). This (in conjunction with your account) lets the receiver know what channels you are allowed to get. If your are in a local service area with a FOX affiliate, then the FOX channels will be blocked by the receiver. </p>
<p>But how does it know WHERE you live? The satellite transmission doesn’t care, it’s transmitting ALL channels. And your receiver doesn’t know where it is. It uses your account info (and the Smart Card) to determine those things. So, the solution (I think): Change your billing address! Like maybe use an address of a willing relative who would forward the bills to you for payment. Just make sure that this address is in an area where the FOX channel is NOT blocked.</p>
<p>When I worked in the Caribbean, I knew several people that subscribed to satellite TV service with a US address. The service wasn’t supposed to be “available” in the Islands, but with their US Smart Card and the dish and receiver, things worked just fine. And the network got full payment for the service. They probably would have argued that it wasn’t “right,” but it seems to me everyone was happy.</p>
<p>This isn’t illegal - why not have your billing address wherever you want it? It shouldn’t be unethical, because you don’t get the local affiliate signal anyway. After all, you’re paying the full rate for the service, so you’re not really cheating or stealing signals (in my way of thinking).</p>
<p>So maybe all you need to do is let the satellite company know that you’re “moving” to _____ and need a new Smart Card for when you get there.</p>
<p>But, perhaps there’s someone on this board that knows more about how these things work.</p>
<p>OH digi I so needed a smile after today. Yes, a few people on our block get their dish bills sent elsewhere. We may also need to go that route. </p>
<p>I am really frustrated after today. I went all the way up to FOX in California, and they are not happy to be losing our area, but there is nothing they can do thanks to the re-enactment of the SHIVA law that protects local affiliates. </p>
<p>Funny–we are 19 miles from ABC which comes in better, and 11 from FOX which is just awful. Of course according to our local affliate we are “within the ten mile radius of the Grade A signal.” Acutally no, and if that is Grade A egads! </p>
<p>The parent company says it is within it’s rights to “protect” its interests. Where are my rights to view FOX? I can pay to show them the signal doesn’t work. Or I can hassle my Dish company to pick them up–which they will never do. We are way too small and most of the people in the concentrated area of the city are cable subscribers. Just us bumpkins and cows on the Dish.</p>