If your HD channels on Dish Network not working, there could be receiver errors or wrongfully configured Program Guide.
Either way, in this post we are going to find out and hopefully, help you get these HD channels rocking.
It depends on whether you have the channels, and their quality is compromised, or you can see only the SD channels.
The signal strength is an essential demand when it comes to satellite TV. The higher quality HD channels require a strong signal and having your dish wide open without objects in front of it is important. Users should also make sure that the satellite dish is pointing at the nearest broadcast tower.
We also recommend checking the dish and the receiver for any physical damage. Inspecting the cables is also important if you have any concerns.
Once all these conditions are met you can try to discover and install HD channels.
If they are nowhere to be found or their quality is compromised, keep reading to learn ways to fix them.
Why Dish Network HD Channels Not Working?
The very first thing that each user should know is that when having a satellite dish, you are receiving an over-the-air signal and the chances of it getting disturbed are high.
For instance, you might have temporarily lost some channels due to bad weather or displacement of your dish. Also, any hardware damage to the dish, cable, or receiver can compromise your channel list.
To provide you with a better understanding of the problem, there are cases in which you will miss your HD channels:
- Furious weather.
- Insufficient signal.
- Dish, receiver, cables damage.
- Temporary receiver glitch.
If the issue is not related to any of these causes, simply press the Menu button on your Dish remote to check the Main Menu on your TV. Then press “8” to open Preferences, followed by “1” to enter the Guide Format.
Now you can choose to see SD, HD, or both. Feel free to select both HD & SD because if only SD is targeted your HD channels will not appear.
How To Fix HD Channels on Dish Not Working?
Here dish users will learn how to troubleshoot missing or compromised HD channels when using dish TV networks.
The solution methods are not hard at all and can be easily applied by a non-qualified or non-techy person.
In that regard, we recommend applying them in the order they are listed and hopefully your HD channels will be working by the end of this post.
Let’s start with the easiest to execute methods first:
Method #1 Check Guide Preferences
The most common reason why people are having missing HD channels on their satellite dish TV is because of misconfigured Guide Preferences.
You can reach this menu by pressing the Guide button on your remote and then make sure that the list is all subscribed.
The easiest way to make sure that you’re subscribed to everything is by pressing the Options button on your dish remote while in the Guide Preferences menu.
A prompt with several options will appear where you will see All Subscribed and All Unsubscribed.
Highlight and select All Subscribed and if this does not work, go back in this menu and first unsubscribe to all then click All Subscribed again.
Method #2 Check Program Package
The most important thing you should ensure before you proceed further is if the channels, you’re trying to reach are in your Program Package.
To check all that you will need a programming guide that you can download here or search on Google for the dish programming package.
Method #3 Inspect Wiring
First, you need to confirm that the wiring from your receiver to the wall/dish is connected properly. Then make sure that there are no cable interruptions on its path, especially on the door corners.
We also recommend unplugging and plugging all connections to ensure that everything fits perfectly.
If channels are still not appearing in our next method, you will learn how to restart and power cycle all devices in the workflow and hopefully get your HD channels working.
Method #4 Restart/Power Cycle
Whether you’ve had or hadn’t HD channels by performing the so-called “Power Cycle” you will reboot all services associated with devices in the satellite TV workflow.
If there is a temporary glitch preventing you from getting some HD channels it will be definitely gone.
Performing a power cycle is not hard at all, all you need to do is unplug all devices (including the dish receiver) from the power outlet and wait for a few minutes.
During that time, do the same with the TV you are using to connect the receiver to and hopefully, after everything is online you will be able to get HD channels.
Method #5 Relocate the Dish
If your HD Channels on Dish Still Not Working you can reposition your dish. Make sure that there are no obstacles nearby or in front of the dish and also point it towards the nearest broadcast tower (you can check online, depending on your location).
Note: If the weather is bad at the moment, you might have lost many channels but just temporarily.
If this is the case, we recommend waiting until the weather is clear and try installing HD channels then.
Method #6 Factory Reset Dish Box
As a last resort, you can restore your dish box to its default settings by performing a Factory Reset.
Before proceeding further, you should know that a factory reset will permanently erase any data, user configurations, and settings.
In that regard, we recommend saving all settings and configurations that you might need after the reset is done.
Here is how to perform a factory reset:
- Press the Home button on your remote.
- Select Settings and go to Tools.
- Choose Factory Reset and press OK.
- Approve the warning pop-up.
It might take a while, so you need to be patient. Once the reset is over you can re-configure everything needed and check if you can install HD channels now.
If you still have the same issue, you can reach out to your dish supplier for additional assistance.
Read Next: Can you Buy your Own Dish TV Receiver?
Bottom Line:
We hope that now you know why HD channels on Dish not working and how to effectively tackle the issue. If you now have HD channels on your dish network, it means that you’ve successfully resolved the issue.
In case the HD channels are still missing, we recommend scrolling up to check if you have missed something that would have been the key.
For more posts on dish TV and how to solve issues related to it, make sure to check our blog.
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites.