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Questions & Answers

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Questions
Answers
What's the warranty on my system? All new systems sold comes with a 1 year parts & labor warranty from Bell.
What about 3D TV?

3D TV is a term for a video technology that lets viewers experience TV programs, movies, games, and other video content in a 3D effect. It adds the illusion of depth to HDTV programs, which are typically limited to only height and width (2 Dimensions).

How is the new 3D TV technology different from older 3D? Older 3D technology uses a pair of 3D glasses with two color lenses, usually one red and one cyan (light blue) to separate the images to your two eyes. The result seen by the viewer is 3D, but the 3D effect with anaglyph is lower quality than can be experienced without equipment specifically designed for viewing 3D content.

Newer 3D HD technology, used to broadcast the Masters in 3D uses HD resolution and full color images with superior depth effects. New 3D TVs require 3D glasses specific to the type of 3D television (polarized lenses or active shutter glasses), which work with the TV to create the illusion of 3D on the screen.

Does everyone watching a 3D TV need to wear the glasses? Everyone that wishes to view the 3D broadcast must have 3D glasses that work with their particular television. Viewers with prescription glasses should wear the 3D glasses over top of their prescription pair - check with the electronics retailer to see where to purchase additional glasses and pricing information.

Information posted April, 2010.

I need to distribute my signal to more than one receiver. How can I do this? If you are only catching Nimiq 91 (non-HD programming for model 3100, 4100, 5100, 5900, 5200 receivers), you can use a 4-way or an 8-way Multiswitch. These switches require 2 lines coming from the standard Dual LNBF already installed on your dish.

A passive multiswitch is recommended if the switch is less than 80ft from the antenna and if each receiver is less than 60ft from the switch. An active Multiswitch is recommended if the switch is more than 80ft from the antenna and if some receivers are more than 60ft from the switch.

If you are catching Nimiq 91 and Nimiq 82 for HD and non-HD programming (model 6000, 6100 and 9200 receivers) or if you are catching international channels, you will need to use SW44 switches.

My HD channel Pixelates If you are having problems with HD channels, to determine if your antenna is miss-aligned, your cable or switch are faulty or if your receiver is faulty, do the following:

Go to Menu 6-1-1 in your receiver and check the signal level from Odd and Even transponders on both the 91W and 82W satellites. If both satellites show signal above 80% on both Odd and Even transponders, your signal levels coming from the dish should be fine.

Run a Check Switch test on your receiver (also from Menu 6-1-1) and see if you are still experiencing signal problems.

Forewarning: Always remove power from your satellite receiver and your switch(es) before disconnecting and connecting coaxial cables to avoid shorting one or both units. Every time you change the configuration of your setup, you must run a Check Switch test in Menu 6-1-1 of your receiver (even if the setup change is temporary for testing purposes). Check switch tests can take time, especially when your receiver is connected to an SW44 switch, so be patient.

To determine if your SW44 switch is faulty, while testing an HD channel (800-890 channel range), disconnect a cable coming from the 82W satellite feed going into your SW44 switch (usually inputs 2A & 2B) and connect it directly to your 6141 receiver using a union F-81 style connector. If you are testing a 9242/9241 dual tuner PVR receiver, you will need to feed both lines coming from 82W into both tuner inputs of your receiver.

Power your satellite receiver, run a check switch test (Menu 6-1-1) and check your signal level on the 82W satellite to confirm you are receiving a solid signal from 82W. Test an Odd and an Even transponder. If you are not receiving signal from 82W but you are receiving signal from 91W, you connected the wrong cable to your receiver. Disconnect your receiver from its power source and try connecting another line from your satellite dish directly to the receiver.

Once you have confirmed that you are receiving a strong signal from both Odd and Even transponders on 82W, if your image still pixelates on an HD channel (channels in the 800-890 range), your receiver could be faulty. In some instances, despite a strong signal, the problem might also have to do with a poorly crimped cable-connector at the dish or inside the house, a damaged coaxial cable between your dish and your receiver, a bad ground connection or a faulty LNBF at the dish. To rule out these possibilities before attempting to return your receiver, you may want to test your receiver at a friend's house. If your receiver still pixelates, the problem is most likely your receiver. If it does not, it could be any of the previously mentioned issues.

What's vacation mode? You may put your account on "vacation mode" from six weeks to six months. Contact Bell for the cost of Vacation mode.
How can I prevent unauthorized users from using PPV? To lock your PPV channels, please do the following as soon as possible (even prior to activation, as long as your receiver is on channel 198):
  1. Hit Menu and select "5 - Locks".
  2. Select "6 - Lock PPV". The system will now return to the previous menu.
  3. Hit "5 - Locks" to return to the Locks menu
  4. Select "3 - Lock System". The system will ask you for a 4 digit password. Enter the password and repeat it a second time.
  5. Press OK once you have entered the password twice. The system will now return to the previous menu.
  6. Exit the menu by pressing Cancel. Anytime you go on a PPV channel (i.e. 149-165 or 700-800) it will ask you for a password.
  7. Do not enter the password, simply skip to the next channel or hit "Guide" to select a valid channel.
  8. You may also create a customized guide which does not contain the PPV channels by going to Menu and selecting "4 - Favorites".
  9. Once you have created your guide, hit "Guide" when you are within the guide to select your "Theme" browsing.
Can I sell my old receiver? Transferring your equipment to a new owner will result in an administrative fee of $35.00 to the new owner. You must contact Bell TV to initiate a transfer of receiver ownership.
What about multi channel viewing and slave receivers? If you would like to watch more than one channel at a time on multiple TVs, you will have to add more satellite receivers to your installation.

There are no monthly fees to add slave receivers to your account, but these receivers must be connected to your phone line at all times.

Do I have to hookup my satellite receiver to the phone line? It is a condition that any additional IRD/Smart Card combination(s) purchased and activated to receive the same Programming as your initial IRD/Smart Card must be located at your residence and must be continuously connected to the same telephone number. We may, at our sole discretion, disconnect the Programming of any subscriber that activated additional IRD's in breach of this section.

No exceptions are made for customers using the Bell TV service at a secondary location, vacation property or mobile unit, such as camper, boat or recreational vehicle. Under no circumstances, including vacation properties, are customers permitted to maintain multiple IRD'S on one account that are active at different locations simultaneously. If an IRD is installed in a mobile unit such as a camper, boat or other recreational vehicle, you are only permitted to have one IRD active on that account.

For example, a customer can bring their receiver back and forth from a primary location to a secondary location within the same province. However, it is not permitted to maintain an active service on more than one receiver at multiple locations (i.e. cottage and home at the same time).

Why do I have to wait for my system to be installed in order to order the programming? This is because when your system is "activated", a signal is sent to your receiver, through the satellite. If your system is not installed, you will not receive the signal and your receiver will miss the "hit".
I want to activate my receiver but it's stuck in a "self activation" screen If your receiver ends up on channel 191 or 192 by mistake, it will enter the "Self Activation" menu. If you do not want to use this feature, please do the following:
  1. Turn off the receiver using the front panel POWER button (located near the green LED).
  2. When the receiver goes off, wait 5 seconds and turn it back on using the same button.
  3. Look at the "Acquiring satellite signal, Thank you for your patience" info-box.
  4. As soon as the info box disappears and you see the channel banner (top part of the screen), hit channel UP on the front panel of the receiver to change the channel to 198.
  5. When the receiver is on channel 198, you will be able to watch local news from various locations in Canada.
  6. At this point, hit the "Sysinfo" button on your remote control (located to the left of the red "Rec" button) and fill in the activation form.
What kind of music stations are available on Bell TV? The Galaxie music service is available through Bell TV.
I have a DirecTV or Dish Network satellite dish & LNBF (no receiver). Can I use these to receive Bell TV with an Bell TV receiver? Yes, a DSS or EchoStar dish & LNBF will work to receive Bell TV's Nimiq satellite. Slim Line dishes from DirecTV will not work on Bell TV. Dish 500 or Dish Pro Plus equipment will work with Dish Pro Plus compliant Bell TV receivers.
I have a DirecTV or Dish Network system (dish and receiver). Can I use it to receive Bell TV? It is impossible to use a DirecTV or a Dish Network receiver to receive Bell TV.
Can I receive internet services via satellite? Please visit our V-Sat sections for Internet via Satellite. You may not use the same antenna to receive television and internet via satellite.
I live in a very remote location (Nunavut, Ungava Bay, etc.) and I have been a Bell TV customer for years. I would like to upgrade to HD reception. What do I have to do?

To get HD, you will need to catch both of Bell TV's 91°W and 82°W satellites. If you are already using a 90cm or 120cm dish for 91°W reception, you will need a similar, separate dish for 82°W reception.

As existing Bell TV clients, you would not be eligible for receiver rebates given to new subscribers. Please contact us with your Bell TV account number (8455...) and we can check your eligibility for a subsidized 90cm or 120cm dish. Freight on the dish would be extra. If you require a 90cm dish, we will quote you a shipping rate via Canada Post. If you require a 120cm dish, please give us the name and contact information of the freight forwarder you use for your region as these dishes are oversized for Canada Post delivery. Once both dishes are setup, you would in use a regular SW44 to combine to signal from both satellites onto your new HD receiver (with one dish pointed at 91°W and the other one pointed at 82°W).

If reception on 91°W is very strong where you are (reported on 51cm dishes for example) and you have a 120cm dish for 91°W reception, you could also re-point your 1.20m dish to 82°W for HD reception and use an offset LNBF bracket to catch the 91°W satellite using a second LNBF on the same dish. This solution is known to work in Kuujjuak, QC among other places.