Why can't they gate-hop back to Earth?

[Mio]

She's right. If they could find another gate with the right amount of power, then yes, it would work. But the Ancients said that the Atlantis stargate was the only way back to Earth. While one might assume that this is the only gate that can go to Earth, regardless of power, I think you're wrong. Mainly because McKay said that they could find another power source in Pegasus to gate home.

Yes, but you need to take into consideration that your run-of-the-mill DHDs probably won't let you dial 8 symbol addresses.

so when the holoancient said that "Atlantis stargate was the one and only link back to Earth from this galaxy", she could have meant that they had the only DHD that would accept 8 chevrons.

And wait, who did you refer to as a 'she'?

[Mio]

I'm not so sure about that. The technology has always been fair game, the Gua'uld were never denied access to any worlds, and they abused the gate frequently.

The holoancient said that it was the 'one and only link back to Earth from this galaxy'. So at this point, we have no choice but to agree with her.

[EYU86]

There probably is a way to make DHD's dial 8 chevrons, but its probably as complicated as modifying the Goa'uld scout ships hyper-drive to increase its speed.

[Funaho]

I'm not so sure about that. The technology has always been fair game, the Gua'uld were never denied access to any worlds, and they abused the gate frequently

My personal favorite theory (I've posted bits about this in another thread today) is that only certain designated gates in a galaxy are set up to link to the gate systems in other galaxies. So in this case what the hologram was saying is that the only link between the Pegasus gate system and the Milky Way gate system is the Atlantis gate. Whether or not there are other "hub" gates in the Milky Way besides Earth remains to be seen.

[Erik Pasternak]

The holoancient said that it was the 'one and only link back to Earth from this galaxy'. So at this point, we have no choice but to agree with her.

The question is, how to interpret that. Is she saying that, regardless of power, the gate in Atlantis is the only one which can dial Earth. Or is she saying that the Wrait were present on all the other worlds so they couldn't go there, plus the fact that none of them had enough power. I'm thinking the latter.

[Mio]

There probably is a way to make DHD's dial 8 chevrons, but its probably as complicated as modifying the Goa'uld scout ships hyper-drive to increase its speed.

It would probably require pulling the main crystal and adding a program that would be capable of making a connection with 8 chevrons...but then their's power, naturally.

[EYU86]

It would probably require pulling the main crystal and adding a program that would be capable of making a connection with 8 chevrons...but then their's power, naturally.

Naturally

[Mio]

The question is, how to interpret that. Is she saying that, regardless of power, the gate in Atlantis is the only one which can dial Earth. Or is she saying that the Wrait were present on all the other worlds so they couldn't go there, plus the fact that none of them had enough power. I'm thinking the latter.

Not so much the gate. It's the Dialing computer + power source. The DHDs are not nearly as cool as the dialing computer in Atlantis.

Or, hey, the Ancients had no reason to make gates capable of multi-universe dialing accept for the one in Atlantis, so why would they bother?

[aAnubiSs]

have we ever seen anyone trying to dial 8 chevrons with a DHD? I think it's possible to do it without modifying the DHD, but only if you add extra power.

[Mio]

have we ever seen anyone trying to dial 8 chevrons with a DHD? I think it's possible to do it without modifying the DHD, but only if you add extra power.

Well, I'm pretty sure Sam pressed 9 or 10 symbols in one ep

[EYU86]

have we ever seen anyone trying to dial 8 chevrons with a DHD? I think it's possible to do it without modifying the DHD, but only if you add extra power.

We will probably never know...
Which kinda sucks when you think about it.

[Erik Pasternak]

have we ever seen anyone trying to dial 8 chevrons with a DHD? I think it's possible to do it without modifying the DHD, but only if you add extra power.

I agree. If the Ancients were thinking ahead when they added the extra chevrons, they were probably thinking ahead when they designed the DHD.

Wow, I'm agreeing with aAnubiSs, what a shock!

[Erik Pasternak]

Well, I'm pretty sure Sam pressed 9 or 10 symbols in one ep

That's what Amanda dialed, but Sam didn't. Sam was just dialing back to Earth from somewhere in the Milky Way.

[Mio]

At the time the hologram was recorded. Can't you hear Daniel Jackson saying right now, "they must have found another way."

The ancients didn't make any more discoveries since then

[Janet Fraiser]

My best guess is it's just too far between galaxies. It's much easier to gate hop from world to world within one galaxy. Our closest neighboring galaxy is Andromeda which is 2900 k. light years away!