# Moving to Belize-Costa Rica will it work?



## wparente (Oct 3, 2004)

I am considering moving to Belize or Costa Rica. If I take the TiVo with will I be able to receive programming. If I upgrade to DirectTvs package that you get internet access with, will that work. As I understand it you use a dish that needs a more exact aiming. Any first hand information would be appreciated.


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## Guindalf (Jun 13, 2001)

I don't think you can legally receive D* programming there. That means it cannot be discussed on this board.

I'm not trying to be a TCF cop here, just explaining why you may not get any replies.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

There's nothing I can think of that would physically prevent it from working as long as you could see the satellites and were within the beam. That close to the equator, you might have some difficulty seeing more than one satellite with a standard dish, though unless you're using HDTV, just the 101 sat should do. I assume, though, that DirecTV aims the beam towards North America and thus there may not be a signal in Central America.

The issue of whether or not DirecTV allows you to receive service is something we can't answer here.


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## bhorstkotte (Jan 24, 2002)

Old post I know, but for the record, DirecTV is available in CostaRica - see http://www.directvla.com/ or http://www.directv.co.cr/ :

"DIRECTV is a leading direct-to-home satellite television service in Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, the service reaches approximately 1.5 million customers in the region, in a total of 27 markets. DIRECTV is currently available in: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela and several Caribbean island nations. "


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

bhorstkotte said:


> Old post I know, but for the record, DirecTV is available in CostaRica - see http://www.directvla.com/ or http://www.directv.co.cr/ :
> 
> "DIRECTV is a leading direct-to-home satellite television service in Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, the service reaches approximately 1.5 million customers in the region, in a total of 27 markets. DIRECTV is currently available in: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela and several Caribbean island nations. "


True, but it's not the SAME DirecTV service beamed to the US and requires different receiving equipment.


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## jasch (Jun 8, 2001)

That's DirecTV GLA, it's a latin american version of DirecTV that's sold from Mexico through Argentina. Think about DirecTV 8 years ago... yeah. The satellite is really old (only 1 bird), and you get all latin-american versions of most channels. HBO, Showtime, Discovery, etc. 

Altough it's a good service (compared to local cable offerings, which offer the same channels), it tends to be on the expensive side compared to those. DirecTV is very popular here in Costa Rica in all those places where there is no cable at all (beaches, mountains, certain parts of the city, etc). You tend to see a lot of dishes also in the main cities, perhaps people like the digital TV over cable, but if you have a big screen TV you tend to see the compression they use a lot. (imagine about 200 channels on only 1 satellite).

Since DirecTV GLA is separate beast from DirecTV USA. Sharing the same name is as fas as you get (they're actually owned by totally different companies, and as far as I know they have no relation to each other). The equipment used is totally different, the lnb's have different frequencies, etc. So a DirecTV US-equipment will not work with DirecTV GLA.

If you have a stand-alone TiVo, you can use that with local DTV. If you enter a Puerto Rico code I believe, you get the option to use DirecTV GLA as a channel lineup, and still this is legal AFAIK.

Now, on to your original question. DirecTV US satellite footprint does reach Costa Rica (mostly), and you can receive programming. You need a "big dish" (2.4m), and rain fade is your worst enemy (slight to moderate rain = no tv), and as you know Costa Rica has a 10-month winter season...

It's not that bad when you get accustomed to it. I've had DirecTV US for 4+ years and I loose about 10% of the things I schedule to record due to rain (I have over 60 season passes). Over the last year, I created a separate account on DTV, and now I have both LA and NY locals, so the things I 'miss' on the first pass because of rain, I can record 3 hours later.

Now this is an expensive setup. Each dish goes for about $1400 (I have two, one for even transponders, another for odd... at this distance it makes a difference having one aligned 1mm different from the other). I have about 5 DirecTivos around the house (one in each room). I even have a HR10-250, but I only get one HD channel (CBS) from the bird at 101. The satellites at 110 an 119 have no footprint here at the moment.

Another popular option here (for the people that can afford such a big dish) is Dish Network. They do seem to have a stronger signal, but you're still affected by rain fade. But Dish now has a bird at 6x.x, that you can get signal from with a much smaller dish (1.8m). It's cheaper, and you get a very strong signal (because it's closer).

Now, for the 'warnings'. As for Internet Access, I doubt you will get signal in Costa Rica. And if you do, it would be illegal (currently communications are a monopoly of the state). Receiving US programming outside of the US is obviously also illegal (in the US, not in Costa Rica) and you might get your account closed o deactivated. If you drive around for a while, you can see lots and lots of these big dishes, specially in the roofs of call centers, casinos and bars.

ADSL Internet Access is pretty common in Costa Rica, as well as cable modem. But ADSL is more widespread, and you can get it in almost every mayor city.

I hope this answers many of the questions you had...


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## Billy Bob Boy (Jul 25, 2004)

wparente said:


> I am considering moving to Belize or Costa Rica. If I take the TiVo with will I be able to receive programming. If I upgrade to DirectTvs package that you get internet access with, will that work. As I understand it you use a dish that needs a more exact aiming. Any first hand information would be appreciated.


Someone I know could not pick up dish networks sats in belize. Perhaps d* sats are different. And why cant it be discussed here? Its not theft if the Op pays his bill, whats the difference where he gets his service. I doubt if it would work anyway.


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## jasch (Jun 8, 2001)

Belize in Costa Rica are pretty far away. In fact, signal strenght in Costa Rica is not the same as Honduras for example which is closer. It all depends on how the birds are aligned. In some parts of Mexico you can event get DTV at all...

I can only describe my own experience, and both DTV and Dish have good signals here. I am also aware that Sirius and XM can be picked up here too.


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## serenstarlight (Aug 17, 2003)

Billy Bob Boy said:


> Someone I know could not pick up dish networks sats in belize. Perhaps d* sats are different. And why cant it be discussed here? Its not theft if the Op pays his bill, whats the difference where he gets his service. I doubt if it would work anyway.


DTV is legally prohibitted from transmitting their signal outside of the US. Which means DTV would be sued if they were knowingly providing services to people who lived anywhere other than the US.


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## Billy Bob Boy (Jul 25, 2004)

serenstarlight said:


> DTV is legally prohibitted from transmitting their signal outside of the US. Which means DTV would be sued if they were knowingly providing services to people who lived anywhere other than the US.


Than they are in BIG trouble. I bet right now there are thousands in canada and mexico using the service. Call the lawyers! Not condoneing it but i guarantee it is happening. Oh you said knowingly.


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## jasch (Jun 8, 2001)

Altough it's legally prohibitted, there are thousands of subscribers in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. And I believe they are aware of this, but they turn a blind eye, unless at some point you have like 10 receivers on your account or your account exibits some strange behavior.

For example, I have been told that Dish knows, and they only allow 2 max receivers for these type of subscribers, and when you call they don't let you add a 3rd one.


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## serenstarlight (Aug 17, 2003)

jasch said:


> Altough it's legally prohibitted, there are thousands of subscribers in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. And I believe they are aware of this, but they turn a blind eye, unless at some point you have like 10 receivers on your account or your account exibits some strange behavior.
> 
> For example, I have been told that Dish knows, and they only allow 2 max receivers for these type of subscribers, and when you call they don't let you add a 3rd one.


If it means a million dollar lawsuit I doubt DTV would turn a blind eye. And as far as Dish is concerned they wouldn't understand a law even if the definition was tattooed to their forehead so it wouldn't surprise me if they did look away. To maintain a successful company DTV has to try to maintain keeping everyone happy, even if it means declining a subscriber in Mexico services to keep the FCC happy.


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

jasch, thanks for posting.

I'm in Oregon and so don't care as a practical matter, but enjoy the science of it.


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## serenstarlight (Aug 17, 2003)

Phantom Gremlin said:


> jasch, thanks for posting.
> 
> I'm in Oregon and so don't care as a practical matter, but enjoy the science of it.


 Hey how do u pronounce the town you're from?


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## Leila (Apr 28, 2006)

anybody got a map showing the footprint of DirecTV's satellites? 

I'm mainly interested in DirecTV coverage off the coast of the US mainland...
(i.e. Atlantic and/or the Golf of Mexico)

Thanks!


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

serenstarlight said:


> Hey how do u pronounce the town you're from?


tw - ahll - ahh - tin

It's Indian (I mean Native American) in origin. But who can tell if it has the original pronounciation. I'm still freaked out about Peking becoming Beijing, Bombay becoming Mumbai, etc.


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## IOTP (Aug 7, 2001)

jasch said:


> Altough it's legally prohibitted, there are thousands of subscribers in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. And I believe they are aware of this, but they turn a blind eye, unless at some point you have like 10 receivers on your account or your account exibits some strange behavior.
> 
> For example, I have been told that Dish knows, and they only allow 2 max receivers for these type of subscribers, and when you call they don't let you add a 3rd one.


Gather the lawyers, let's send out nasty bills stating, "Pay us $2500 to settle" or else.

DTV gets away with it, so can everyone else.


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## serenstarlight (Aug 17, 2003)

Phantom Gremlin said:


> tw - ahll - ahh - tin
> 
> It's Indian (I mean Native American) in origin. But who can tell if it has the original pronounciation. I'm still freaked out about Peking becoming Beijing, Bombay becoming Mumbai, etc.


haha nice, when I first visited the Oregon coast I was freaked out that "Yahats" is pronounced Yaw- hots. I still love the names of cities in Oregon, they're so much fun to try to guess how they're pronounced  Much like Utah.. who would have thought Tooele is "too-will-lah"


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## hoopsbwc34 (Jan 28, 2003)

Try a Slingbox


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