I currently have a 3 LNB Dish and have called multiple times to DirecTV asking about HD local channels. I currently only receive ABC and NBC East Coast, even though the Raleigh, NC locals are available according to online and local advertising. FOX and CBS have refused to give me East coast feeds, though I have once again requested it. I figure that since I have the 3 LNB dish the HD locals must be on one of the satellites that are being used with the 5 LNB dishes, so I asked if I upgraded to a 5 LNB dish would I get the Raleigh locals (these are my local stations though I live in Raeford, NC). Evidently my zipcode states that locals aren't available to my, but the Fayetteville, NC zipcode does show that locals are available. I only have to drive about 4 miles to get to the Fayetteville zipcode that they say the locals are available. This just doesn't seem right to me, but I couldn't convince the DirecTv customer support person any differently. I see 5 LNB dishes in a neighborhood that is a mile down the road, so that even makes it more confusing. Does it sound reasonable to anyone out there that I couldn't hit the satellites provided by the 5 LNB dish, based strictly off my zipcode when the next zipcode over evidently can get to them?

Second question is concerning installation lines coming into the house. My multiswitch is located inside my house in a closet. How many coax cables have to be run into the house to connect to my multiswitch from the 5 LNB dish?

Thanks for any help provided.
Tony

Four cables are required from dish to multiswitch.

Thanks, luckily I initially had 4 cables installed when I had the house built.

Just some information in case anyone else has received the same information from DirecTV Customer Support or their website. Multiple calls to the Customer Support center resulted in responses stating that I could not receive HD Locals, even though the zipcode next to me (very close) could receive them. The website also stated it wasn't available to my zipcode. I finally decided to just get the H21-200 and have it installed to see what happened. Worse case was I still didin't recieve HD Locals, but would still receive all of the new HD channels that I wasn't receiving with my original H10 HD receiver. Wouldn't you know, I did receive HD locals. I have been complaining for about a year now and I could have been receiving my HD locals all along, well at least since they started with the 5 LNB dish. Bottomline, it may be useful to just get the new reciever and 5 LNB dish if your neighboring zipcodes do state that they receive local HD channels and your zipcode states they aren't available.

All HD locals require the new 5 LNB dish no matter where you live. The 3 LNB dish doesn't receive the HD local sats at 99 and 103. The 3 LNB only receives the sats at 101, 110 and 119 where the 5 LNB dish receives 99, 101, 103, 110 and 119. H10 does NOT receive the HD locals via the sats only with an outside antenna. It has no provision for the new MPEG4 scheme the 99 and 103 sats use. That is where all of the new HD local and national channels are now located, 99 and 103.

And yes, DirecTV bases what market you are in by your Zipcode. This is how the rating service Nielsen bases its markets on, by Zipcode.