Ever wonder what the difference is between a Slimline-3 and Slimline-5 DIRECTV Dish besides the obvious differences between the LNB’s? What benefits are there to having a SL3 over a SL5 and vice versa?
Often times I am asked “If I get the SL3 dish, will I miss out on something that the SL5 dish has?” The answer is yes, but it is very minimal. It also depends on your location in some cases. It’s difficult to say which exact channels will be missed out on using the SL3 since it varies per location for some programming, plus, what programming is carried on which of the 5 DIRECTV orbital satellites is also something that is difficult to confirm. With that being said, let’s review the basics.
DIRECTV has a total of 5 orbital satellites: 99, 101, 103, 110, and 119. Each one carries different programming and that varies depending on location. The SL3 dish is able to talk to 3 of the 5 orbital satellites: 99, 101 and 103. The SL5 Dish (you guessed it) talks to all 5 orbital satellites. What will you miss out on getting a SL3 instead of a SL5? It’s actually very minimal.
Besides not missing out on any possible programming, the SL5 dish has one additional upper hand: It is easier to align using a meter like our SATLOOKLITE than it is a SL3. Why you ask? With an SL5 dish, you can read the 119 signal and that will help you get totally in line. With the SL3, you only have the 99, 101 and 103 satellites and they are fairly close. If you have a SWM-enabled dish, the SATLOOKLITE will only read 101 and 119.
You may also ask “why does that matter?”. Well if you are a camper using a tri-pod dish set up, aligning your dish is the key to getting you the service. Seeing how we know not all of our customers are at installer level knowledge, we try to advise the easiest and least frustrating solution available. Therefore, all of our HD dish solutions for DIRECTV in a tripod camping kit are all SL5’s, because in the end it is easier for you. Plus, having the SL5 when traveling ensures you are getting all the programming you are paying for while on the go and not break your budget to do so.
If you are a residential customer, same thing goes. If you dish gets knocked out of alignment, you can easily fix it yourself. With some patience or a satellite meter along with the your on screen receiver guide, there are many ways for you to fix it yourself and never have to call a tech! It will also be handy if you add a dish to a vacation home, which will save you money in the long run!
So… what’s really missing with a Slimline-3 dish? Here’s the list of English-Language and sports national programming on the 119 satellite. There are also some international channels, not listed, and several additional music channels.
- NOW Network
- Hope Channel
- MegaTV
- mun2
- Regional Music TV
- FOX Life
- FOX Deportes
- beIN SPORTS en Espanol
- TyC Sports
- ESPN Deportes
Click here to see the up-to-date list of markets with SD locals from the 119 satellite.