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OK I'm totally new to this, have installed OTA terrestrial antennas with rotators but never anything satellite, and here's what I'm thinking. My Fortec Mercury II receiver and a 36" inch dish and LNB are on order and when they come I have a feeling the dish is going to end up installed on the roof because I'm going to need the extra 15' or so of height to see over the neighbor's trees.
Since I don't have a meter other than what will be in the box I'm gonna have to lug the box and a TV up onto the roof. So I'm looking on Craigslist for a cheap used smallish TV since I don't picture myself on a ladder with a 27 incher. I just called a lady with a 15" model for sale for $15 and asked her about the inputs in the back. Turns out it just has antenna in (threaded F connector), no red white yellow RCA jacks for audio/video in. I'm guessing that's no good, in order to get picture from the MercII I need RCA jacks or S video in.
Thanks in advance for some knowledgeable FTA person helping out the newbie.
Since I don't have a meter other than what will be in the box I'm gonna have to lug the box and a TV up onto the roof. So I'm looking on Craigslist for a cheap used smallish TV since I don't picture myself on a ladder with a 27 incher. I just called a lady with a 15" model for sale for $15 and asked her about the inputs in the back. Turns out it just has antenna in (threaded F connector), no red white yellow RCA jacks for audio/video in. I'm guessing that's no good, in order to get picture from the MercII I need RCA jacks or S video in.
Thanks in advance for some knowledgeable FTA person helping out the newbie.
18 Replies
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3275 views
I use my kids Mini-DVD player. It has video and audio inputs, 7" LCD color screen and the battery will last 3 or 4 hours just displaying the satellite receiver screens.
Course they get a little crabby about it sometimes, but what the heck!
Course they get a little crabby about it sometimes, but what the heck!
N
I think most of you missed this tip. It is easily the best way to go. DVD players are no bigger than your FTA receiver and gives you everything you need as far as picture and sound.
You can also use it for something other than pointing a dish!
I use my kids Mini-DVD player. It has video and audio inputs, 7" LCD color screen and the battery will last 3 or 4 hours just displaying the satellite receiver screens.
Course they get a little crabby about it sometimes, but what the heck!
I think most of you missed this tip. It is easily the best way to go. DVD players are no bigger than your FTA receiver and gives you everything you need as far as picture and sound.
You can also use it for something other than pointing a dish!
let's get serious
Not to take away from all these good ideas, but . . .
Linuxman has a big flat roof to work on, that's five times bigger than my whole house!
If he wanted , he could take his 27" TV up there! -
. . . and his Laz-E-Boy chair!
Plus, he's been through the alignment of motorized dishes to where he could do it in his sleep, and most probably does dream about 'em!
For his avatar, another one of our members shows a motorized Primestar bolted to the peak of his roof.
That guy's both crazy, and very experienced at installing and aligning dishes!
He just makes it look easy! -
I admire the enthusiasm of folks going out and getting a motorized dish just based on what they've read.
Installing it on a roof can be frustrating without some experience.
To get the install correct, you have to master so many things at once.
If any one of the dozens of little gotchas are wrong , you get no picture... and wonder why?
The Conservative Approach to FTA Motor Install:
1). learn the configuration options on this new FTA receiver.
read the manual - ask questions - this terminology is new.
(optional):
If you have Dish, ya might plug it into the wiring for that and get your feet wet.
The Mercury II isn't supported by the hack crowd, so the most you'll get is NASA, Angel, and a few barker channels, but you'll learn how the receiver works.
2). install your dish without motor, at ground level, to get a feel for it
Aligning a dish is tricky.
But now that you're familiar with your receiver, you can concentrate on finding a signal.
This will also give you a shake-down run with your cable, grounding blocks, and other general hardware.
Some years back, when Radio Shack and Walmart both sold self-install kits and Dish receivers, I helped a buddy put up his little dish.
We bolted it to a free-standing ladder in his back yard, just to have something to work with.
Even thought he's a machinist and used to working with delicate and touchy tools, he was amazed at how critical the alignment was.
(I made him do it all so he'd have hand's-on experience)
FTA alignment is more precise than Dish aiming.
3). I would suggest ya take a few days and aim the fixed dish at several satellites, getting more familiar with your receiver and the programming available.
4). for your first motor installation, a ground level site (or go over and use Linuxman's flat roof) would be a good place to get your feet wet.
Read and understand your motor's manual. Make sure you know what it's saying.
Look on Sadoun's site for motor install info - it's well documented there.
Get the PDF manual for STAB motors, and look at the pictures late in the book for how to correct inaccuracies of tracking.
(re-read this section again, and understand it!)
You don't have to have a ground location that sees the entire arc.
Any install-experience will be worth its weight in gold when you are up on your roof for that final round. -
FTA installs aren't really hard to do. They're just tricky to learn... the first time.
No one wants you to get frustrated and throw the stuff out the back door.
There's probably one user a months who shows up here on the forum asking for help after going it alone and failing.
The members here walk 'em through it and they succeed. You will, too.
. . . and without even raising your blood pressure! -
Not to take away from all these good ideas, but . . .
Linuxman has a big flat roof to work on, that's five times bigger than my whole house!
If he wanted , he could take his 27" TV up there! -
. . . and his Laz-E-Boy chair!Plus, he's been through the alignment of motorized dishes to where he could do it in his sleep, and most probably does dream about 'em!
For his avatar, another one of our members shows a motorized Primestar bolted to the peak of his roof.
That guy's both crazy, and very experienced at installing and aligning dishes!
He just makes it look easy! -
I admire the enthusiasm of folks going out and getting a motorized dish just based on what they've read.
Installing it on a roof can be frustrating without some experience.
To get the install correct, you have to master so many things at once.
If any one of the dozens of little gotchas are wrong , you get no picture... and wonder why?
The Conservative Approach to FTA Motor Install:
1). learn the configuration options on this new FTA receiver.
read the manual - ask questions - this terminology is new.
(optional):
If you have Dish, ya might plug it into the wiring for that and get your feet wet.
The Mercury II isn't supported by the hack crowd, so the most you'll get is NASA, Angel, and a few barker channels, but you'll learn how the receiver works.
2). install your dish without motor, at ground level, to get a feel for it
Aligning a dish is tricky.
But now that you're familiar with your receiver, you can concentrate on finding a signal.
This will also give you a shake-down run with your cable, grounding blocks, and other general hardware.
Some years back, when Radio Shack and Walmart both sold self-install kits and Dish receivers, I helped a buddy put up his little dish.
We bolted it to a free-standing ladder in his back yard, just to have something to work with.
Even thought he's a machinist and used to working with delicate and touchy tools, he was amazed at how critical the alignment was.
(I made him do it all so he'd have hand's-on experience)
FTA alignment is more precise than Dish aiming.
3). I would suggest ya take a few days and aim the fixed dish at several satellites, getting more familiar with your receiver and the programming available.
4). for your first motor installation, a ground level site (or go over and use Linuxman's flat roof) would be a good place to get your feet wet.
Read and understand your motor's manual. Make sure you know what it's saying.
Look on Sadoun's site for motor install info - it's well documented there.
Get the PDF manual for STAB motors, and look at the pictures late in the book for how to correct inaccuracies of tracking.
(re-read this section again, and understand it!)
You don't have to have a ground location that sees the entire arc.
Any install-experience will be worth its weight in gold when you are up on your roof for that final round. -
FTA installs aren't really hard to do. They're just tricky to learn... the first time.
No one wants you to get frustrated and throw the stuff out the back door.
There's probably one user a months who shows up here on the forum asking for help after going it alone and failing.
The members here walk 'em through it and they succeed. You will, too.
. . . and without even raising your blood pressure! -
Linuxman has a big flat roof to work on, that's five times bigger than my whole house!
If he wanted , he could take his 27" TV up there! -
Here here! I propose a toast to Linuxman's spacious flat roof! Someday... maybe someday... I too will gaze out at such a vast expanse, but not at this house
Linuxman, we all really like your roof
M
I was at the Sears Appliance center the last day of Oct when they received an e-mail from corporate saying get rid of all analog only teevee with 80% off. They had a 15" Sharp Aquos LCD sitting on the shelf and I asked them about it. Since it wasn't HDTV they assumed it wasn't digital capable. I got it for US$45.
M
agreed :up
Linuxman, we all really like your roof
agreed :up
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68662 Replies
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2680362 views
Over the past few weeks, I have had problems connecting to streaming services (Netflix, HBO et al). When I go to the TV's native Channels, I have no problem. The Dish internet troubleshooter shows I have a good internet connection. I'm wondering whether it's an issue with my internet provider or a problem with the Dish software on the Hopper Plus. Anyone else seeing this?
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110 views
Lifetime Supporter
Starting a thread klang !
After an amazing first 2 seasons and an 8 episode 3rd season still coming this year, season 4 has now been greenlit.
After an amazing first 2 seasons and an 8 episode 3rd season still coming this year, season 4 has now been greenlit.
11 Replies
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978 views
Supporting Founder
Patrick Stewart died yesterday, October 28th at the age of 86. We lost yet another great actor. 
www.hollywoodreporter.com
Patrick Stewart, ‘Star Trek’ Captain and ‘X-Men’ Superhero, Dies at 86
He’s forever known for playing Jean-Luc Picard and Charles Xavier, whom he “admired for their morality, for their kindness, for their sensitivity, for their compassion.”
www.hollywoodreporter.com
6 Replies
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42 views
Staff member
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
The TPN Map Excel Presents all DIRECTV Channels:
Understanding the TPN Map
Making Sense of the TPN Map Display Conventions
National (50-States or wide/NAT+PR beams)
Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Additional tabs provide:
OTA the (Over-The-Air) Database
VOD (Video On_Demand) Records
Offline Records
Engr Records
Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
VOD (Video On_Demand) Records
Offline Records
Engr Records
Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
Domestic Satellites
@99W...... D11, D14
@101W.... D16
@103W.... D12, D15
@110W.... D5
@119W.... D8
@99W...... D11, D14
@101W.... D16
@103W.... D12, D15
@110W.... D5
@119W.... D8
Understanding the TPN Map
Making Sense of the TPN Map Display Conventions
2169 Replies
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945633 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
This is a thread that will keep you apprised of 4K events that will be showing on Dish channel 540. Keep looking here for information.
As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
769 Replies
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168217 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Good...simple humor. Enjoy
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E92AtfTLge4
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJy0WnejlF4
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E92AtfTLge4
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJy0WnejlF4
5 Replies
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79 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
I created this thread on the original Edgecutter Cutting Edge Forums site. It's simply a place for those to review the latest software available for those using Windows 10 and Windows 11. To date it has received 112,559 views. I have been asked by staff to continue this thread here.
524 Replies
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48060 views
To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.
For niche use cases, yes I agree. Kali for ethical hacking and security testing, and running a Cacti server for network monitoring are the two things I have experience in. Plus thousands and thousands of other things, but for every day use I just can't see it. The owner of the GMRS repeater that I pay to access is changing the Tx DPL tones tomorrow, while Chirp is available on Linux, the software to program my MXT500 is not.To each there own but I've found that Windows can't do much more than Linux can. Can't have everything.
I run Fedora and Ubuntu in VMWare, honestly I don't care much for the UI of either of them and I don't feel like spending days/weeks to customize the UI to make it look Windows-like when I could just use Windows. The cartoonish dock at the bottom of the screen reminds me of Apple products.
Actually it looks like there are a lot of features new or updated, although most are on a gradual rollout schedule.
www.elevenforum.com
KB5127936 Windows 11 Cumulative Update Preview build 26200.9818 (25H2) and 26300.9818 (26H2) - Oct. 28
Microsoft Support: This cumulative update for Windows 11, versions 26H2 and 25H2 (KB5127936), includes production-quality improvements. Announcements and messages This section provides key notifications related to this release, including announcements, change logs, and end-of-support notices...
www.elevenforum.com
Interesting article about the work being done to develope an ATSC 3 converter box. Yes it does mention affordable.
www.tvtechnology.com
Pearl TV Issues Progress Report on Low-Cost 3.0 Converters in Advance of NAB Show New York
Group has secured lower pricing from key tech players to make less costly boxes available
www.tvtechnology.com
13 Replies
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753 views
It's dead, they just don't know it yet. They killed it by forcing DRM on it, and that TOTALLY botched implementing it.
There is absolutely NO compelling reason for anybody to switch to ATSC3.0. They only want it as a total and complete money grab.
S
WHAT ABOUT THE INTERNET PART OF IT. NO ONE WANTS A BOX CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET EITHER.
It's dead, they just don't know it yet. They killed it by forcing DRM on it, and that TOTALLY botched implementing it.
There is absolutely NO compelling reason for anybody to switch to ATSC3.0. They only want it as a total and complete money grab.
That would be handy. Download the latest RNA snippets that can be updated over 5G and no more shots! You're a Genius!Cough, cough. COVID vaccine implants.
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
It states the average amount they are under water is OVER $7,000. 
Personally, I tend to be the type that drives a vehicle for a lot of years....do my own oil changes and other fluid changes. Just replaced the spark plugs and a couple coils. Youtube is great for things like this.
www.zerohedge.com
Personally, I tend to be the type that drives a vehicle for a lot of years....do my own oil changes and other fluid changes. Just replaced the spark plugs and a couple coils. Youtube is great for things like this.
Nearly 3 In 10 New-Car Trade-Ins Are Underwater, Edmunds Finds<!-- --> | ZeroHedge
ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
www.zerohedge.com
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18 views