satellite on a desktop

**DJ Rob** · 11-07-2009 12:18 AM

You may need an FTA dish since most dish network dishes are made for just their service and too small for FTA.

What channels are you trying to receive?

**1ADAM12** · 11-07-2009 07:30 AM

You don't say what kind of tuner card you have in your PC. There is more free software that operates in Windows then Linux.

If it is a DVB-S PCI card there is software that came with it. Or you can use free software like DVBDream or ProgDVB.

Your Pizza Dish likely won't work for FTA. It is too small. You need 76cm or larger.

Check out Craigslist in your area for a larger dish. Post an ad there also.

**Dark91zc** · 11-07-2009 11:25 AM

i dont know much on it. it was in a computer i received that the motherboard died in. it has a fotocom sticker on it with the number 200652006010. 2 stickers on back, first on aba006020150, second sticker p/n 701013711530 and serial 130109000120. and i will get a pic of some of the big dishes i have. thanks for the help so far. =D. as for channels what ever i receive i get.

**1ADAM12** · 11-07-2009 12:20 PM

That could be a NTSC TV tuner card and FM radio.

If it is DVB-S ProgDVB will tell you when you install it.

Just select BDA device and if you get a green Icon your ok.

If not consider a Set Top Box STB from eBay. They are much easier to use and you don't have to worry about Windows crashing. Some STB' are being sold for under $30.

Coolsat or Pansat are good to start out.

**Dark91zc** · 11-07-2009 12:27 PM

cool thanks

**Iceberg** · 11-07-2009 03:33 PM

moved thread to the PC Card area

**delta_charlie** · 11-08-2009 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Dark91zc

no i have a tuner card in the computer. it is a dish network disk if that matters.

What DVB card do you have? Maybe check and see if it is supported by ProgDVB.

I have a Sky Star 2, XP Pro SP3, and ProgDVB Pro on a 1.6 GHz Dual core HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer). It works far better then I would have ever thought. I can receive DVB SD, 4:2:2, Mpeg 2 HD,

Note - ProgDVB is available in a free standard version, the Pro version adds Mpeg 4 and some other stuff but the standard version would be fine to start with.

You could point the small dish at 119w and get NASA and ION but to get the really cool feeds and other true FTA stuff you will need a bigger 80CM dish and linear LNB.

Hope this helps, DC