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Hello all! I registered for this site just last night and have been voraciously reading since. I think this hobby might begin to be a little distracting! Thank you for all of your insight.
I have considered toying with FTA for some time now and have finally decided to jump in. I am curious and concerned as a consumer as to the type of equipment that I can buy vs. the type of equipment that I should buy from a longevity and performance standpoint. Perhaps you regulars can give me a bit more of a focused clue.
Dish:
I am trying to stay under 1 meter in diameter and have read reviews and info on the geosat 90 (3ABN), Winegard ds2076, Hotdish90 (ws9036), and the Fortec FC90 from Sadoun. Its pretty tough to narrow the decision down. I would go with the 1m Winegard, but they are pretty expensive.
Motor:
I will probably go with the dg2100 just from what I have read and the cost, unless you have a better suggestion.
Receiver:
I bought a Sonicview SV-1000 last weekend at a garage sale for $10. The owner said that it worked. I loaded the factory file from Sonicview and all menus and options appear to be functioning, but without a dish I wouldn't know. Is this box (if functioning) good enough, or should I invest in a new one?
I live between Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas and have already been working with the online dish pointing calculators and site survey info. I have a place picked out on the side of my house. Would you recommend that I install a pole in the ground, or would it be adequate/better to mount a dish directly to the brick on the side of the house?
That should do it for now. Thanks again for all of your hard work in providing my FTA education thus far.
I have considered toying with FTA for some time now and have finally decided to jump in. I am curious and concerned as a consumer as to the type of equipment that I can buy vs. the type of equipment that I should buy from a longevity and performance standpoint. Perhaps you regulars can give me a bit more of a focused clue.
Dish:
I am trying to stay under 1 meter in diameter and have read reviews and info on the geosat 90 (3ABN), Winegard ds2076, Hotdish90 (ws9036), and the Fortec FC90 from Sadoun. Its pretty tough to narrow the decision down. I would go with the 1m Winegard, but they are pretty expensive.
Motor:
I will probably go with the dg2100 just from what I have read and the cost, unless you have a better suggestion.
Receiver:
I bought a Sonicview SV-1000 last weekend at a garage sale for $10. The owner said that it worked. I loaded the factory file from Sonicview and all menus and options appear to be functioning, but without a dish I wouldn't know. Is this box (if functioning) good enough, or should I invest in a new one?
I live between Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas and have already been working with the online dish pointing calculators and site survey info. I have a place picked out on the side of my house. Would you recommend that I install a pole in the ground, or would it be adequate/better to mount a dish directly to the brick on the side of the house?
That should do it for now. Thanks again for all of your hard work in providing my FTA education thus far.
16 Replies
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2297 views
Congrats on the $10 Sonicview. And welcome to FTA!
There might be some dishes you have available you could try with the SV to get your first picture.
But they might be a bit of a challenge for a newbie to locate.
Certainly, any little 18" dish with a circular LNB will get you NASA on 119, but that'll just make you all the more anxious to get a proper dish!
I'll recommend a GeoSatPro 90cm or Fortec Star 90cm dish (36")
Larger dishes usually cost quite a bit more to ship.
Both are from Gold site sponsors, who treat their customers quite well.
I believe SatelliteAV currently has an eBay promotion with LNB: see link in his signature.
And check with Sadoun for eBay deals; they often have 'em, too.
As for motors, there have been a lot of heated discussions about them, lately.
So for a 90cm dish, I'd have to suggest looking for a STAB HH90.
I also favor a pole in the ground, but there are many great solutions.
Take a look around this forum!
Just don't put your first dish on the roof.
And I wouldn't put the motor on the dish at first, either.
Wait 'till you are a little more experienced, say a week or two, then tackle it.
Well, that's one reptiles opinion!
There might be some dishes you have available you could try with the SV to get your first picture.
But they might be a bit of a challenge for a newbie to locate.
Certainly, any little 18" dish with a circular LNB will get you NASA on 119, but that'll just make you all the more anxious to get a proper dish!
I'll recommend a GeoSatPro 90cm or Fortec Star 90cm dish (36")
Larger dishes usually cost quite a bit more to ship.
Both are from Gold site sponsors, who treat their customers quite well.
I believe SatelliteAV currently has an eBay promotion with LNB: see link in his signature.
And check with Sadoun for eBay deals; they often have 'em, too.
As for motors, there have been a lot of heated discussions about them, lately.
So for a 90cm dish, I'd have to suggest looking for a STAB HH90.
I also favor a pole in the ground, but there are many great solutions.
Take a look around this forum!
Just don't put your first dish on the roof.
And I wouldn't put the motor on the dish at first, either.
Wait 'till you are a little more experienced, say a week or two, then tackle it.
Well, that's one reptiles opinion!
Congrats on the $10 Sonicview. And welcome to FTA!
There might be some dishes you have available you could try with the SV to get your first picture.
But they might be a bit of a challenge for a newbie to locate.
Certainly, any little 18" dish with a circular LNB will get you NASA on 119, but that'll just make you all the more anxious to get a proper dish!
I'll recommend a GeoSatPro 90cm or Fortec Star 90cm dish (36")
Larger dishes usually cost quite a bit more to ship.
Both are from Gold site sponsors, who treat their customers quite well.
I believe SatelliteAV currently has an eBay promotion with LNB: see link in his signature.
And check with Sadoun for eBay deals; they often have 'em, too.
As for motors, there have been a lot of heated discussions about them, lately.
So for a 90cm dish, I'd have to suggest looking for a STAB HH90.
I also favor a pole in the ground, but there are many great solutions.
Take a look around this forum!
Just don't put your first dish on the roof.
And I wouldn't put the motor on the dish at first, either.
Wait 'till you are a little more experienced, say a week or two, then tackle it.
Well, that's one reptiles opinion!
SatelliteAV has the Geosatpro 90cm with a UL1 Bullet 0.4 universal linear lnbf for a real good price. In my reading I found that the Invacom quad LNBF was superior and was going to buy that one unless you can tell me if why I would need both linear and circular for FTA. Are there many stations that broadcast a circular signal?
why circular
And they're of little use to us.
The exceptions are few and far between, and probably better met with a dedicated 18" freebie dish.
But, that's not necessarily a common opinion, based on sales of QPH's.
The QPH-031 is reported to be a fine LNB (I have the SNH-031) but it's also heavy.. and expensive.
I've bought good LNBs for $6, 12, 18, and $25.
When you want/need more than one... well...
... price matters.
However, if I was sure I needed one, -then- I'd certainly not hesitate!
The only circular Ku signals that come to mind, are the Dish Network and DirecTV encrypted subscription channels.
And they're of little use to us.
The exceptions are few and far between, and probably better met with a dedicated 18" freebie dish.
But, that's not necessarily a common opinion, based on sales of QPH's.
The QPH-031 is reported to be a fine LNB (I have the SNH-031) but it's also heavy.. and expensive.
I've bought good LNBs for $6, 12, 18, and $25.
When you want/need more than one... well...
... price matters.However, if I was sure I needed one, -then- I'd certainly not hesitate!
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
1 Replies
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8 views
Lifetime Supporter
Schedule drops tomorrow. Mandatory mini camps in June. Hall of Fame game August 6th.
118 Replies
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1881 views
I guess even the patience of us laid-back Hoosiers has its limits:
www.colts.com
Colts relieve general manager Chris Ballard of his duties
Colts Owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon released a statement Monday announcing the news.
www.colts.com
Be nice to see a Cowboy headline like that.I guess even the patience of us laid-back Hoosiers has its limits:
Colts relieve general manager Chris Ballard of his duties
Colts Owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon released a statement Monday announcing the news.
M
Can we expect to see a new coach if we say "pretty please?"
I guess even the patience of us laid-back Hoosiers has its limits:
Colts relieve general manager Chris Ballard of his duties
Colts Owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon released a statement Monday announcing the news.
Can we expect to see a new coach if we say "pretty please?"
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Stumbled across this ... http://www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_ZipSearch.asp
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy
Ethanol Free Stations
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy
Ethanol Free Stations
5554 Replies
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460832 views
Here in Indiana, the difference between Regular and Premium is usually a dollar, but some charge even more:
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....
68542 Replies
·
2673896 views
Lifetime Supporter
Can't wait to see this:
John Travolta & Robert Carlyle Lead New JFK Assassination Movie in November 1963 Trailer
John Travolta & Robert Carlyle Lead New JFK Assassination Movie in November 1963 Trailer
0 Replies
·
8 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ET_7F3I6C5s
Direct YouTube Link - America's $10 Trillion AI Boom Is Starting to Crack #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ET_7F3I6C5s
Direct YouTube Link - America's $10 Trillion AI Boom Is Starting to Crack #shorts
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
·
5 views
Howdy folks long time no write.
Issue(s): Horizontal transponders (esp. Weigel mux) breakup/mosaic/sputtering audio, JTV less so (but received perfectly up until a month or so ago.
Vertical is fine (Daystar). Up until recently couldn't even get any signal on Weigel Mux but JTV was perfect.
What I did to improve things: A slight westward move improved reception but only slightly (approx 72 on the micro HD, sorry no dB to post). I removed the 3-way C-Band splitter and used a 2-way to get a 1-2 db signal gain ( the power port goes to the Startrak - the micro HD doesn't have enough juice ! (1st clue) even after swapping the switching power supply it came with with a heftier linear 12 V supply (less RFI too !).
I have had issues with the uHD before signal breaking up that a reboot would clear up (clue #2 = dying tuner?) - FYI, I reinforced the IF input and removed all flux from the pcb completely with a Flux Removal Pen (MG Chemicals Cat No. 4140-P) which definitely makes a huge difference.
I went outside and pushed and pulled reflector slightly and no improvement. Pole (actually tower in yard - the neighbours love me..NOT) is plumb, checked with carpenters level. Dish was last peaked in 2017 or so, after overhauling 24" Von Weise, new Acme, fresh grease, etc. Focal length, f/d ratio etc meticulously adjusted. One panel has a tear so planning to repair that this weekend when my cousin comes over ( to help me out (old guy here) forecast calls for sunshine.
What has changed: My utility company has installed new high tension line poles (one smack dab in the middle of 101°W target! But they put it in last year and reception (of JTV (HOR) at least) was fine, BUT when they came out to transfer the wires over this year from the old (sawed in half) pole that's about when the troubles started (coincidence?), but again Daystar (VER) was fine. I always had this pole in the light of sight of 101° before with no issues. (fyi my zenith sat 74° is unobstucted, but can't test)
In the meantime Weigel mux is trying to break in MOSTLY in LATE at night (less cell usage?) (audio not video except for a frame here or there) so don't know what has changed with this mux which suddenly "woke up". I have never had to fuss with dish moves on this satellite ( the slightest move +/- motor clicks loses lock, wheres normally on C-band I can go significantly wider east or west and still have a strong signal ( have these gone "spot beam" or narrower somehow and what is the slight difference in Az listed on Lyngsat to 100.9° affect things ( isn't that the declination i.e. requiring a tweak of declination?).
Long story short (too late, ha), if I had another DVB-S2 box to try and / or a newer more stable PLL lnb ( I have been meaning to upgrade many a time but never got arround to it) I could determine if it's my antiquated receiving equipment, or my dish/feed alignment ( doubtful as it tracks everything from 55 °W to 133 ° W nicely.) or the dreaded 5G! (BUT only on HOR and not VER?).
I read another post where the OP (with his smaller 7.5 footer) played around with the illumination to peak desired transponder and reduce qrm on interfering/ stronger xpndrs (even on 103° W). So will play with that too - and cut away the RG-6 a and pull up a fresh section with new PPC and coax Seal. Open the throat cap see if any cobwebs are there and check servo operation (also changed in last maintence 10 years ago).
Finally, this will probably be the last chance I get to play with the BUD from the looks of it (providers leaving, auctioning off rest of spectrum imminent above 4.0 Ghz, and to keep the peace with neighbours so it would be nice to have that mux back for the long, cold and dark winters to comfort this old man before I call it quits and buy a VHF/UHF/FM Yagi and get MeTV, H&I from my Vermont local stations (checked at a friends today and they come in nicely - except ABC) .
Only one guy in town (Montreal) I may be able to get a receiver or PLL lnb from to try (RPS Sat) so hopefully with elimnate that as a possible culprit. Be nice to pick up a cheap or used PLL lnb to try w/o 5G BPF (money is tight )
Like others I couldn't care less about "tv" (well maybe just a liitle or a lot) it's the challenge that excites me , I can get MeTV other ways OTA (no pirate crap).
So what do you guys (and gals) think ?. p.s. I don't have a spectrum analyzer and there are def/ cell towers nearby (half a Km or so away).
Oh and time permitting will hammer out dings too and wire damaged mesh on one section for an extra dB or two. Hesitate to touch Declination, Elevation and pole mount but will play around with those a little too... Why is this mux for finicky suddenly ?(8psk, 5/6 fec, beamwidthetc.. man wish they went back to VER I think everthing would be fine! For the engineers out here does 5G QRM affect one poliarization (HOR) more than another (VER)? I understand the strong interference swamps out the input mixer/local oscilator in the hapless old C-band lnb (I think it at time affect KU too esp. LPB on 101°W KU - incidentally thos were weak or "gone' but are back almost at the time MeTV improved..hmm Terrestrial interference?
Any thoughts or suggestions ( cheap or free solutions please) greatly appreciated. Cheers.
p.p.s. Micro HD can't display Decades and Toons but records them fine so I can watch on another box/media player (Ali chip set issue). Another reason to upgrade.
Anybody interested in a nice C/KU system free ? (for next Spring/Summer 2027)
[Sami 10' mesh, Corotor II+, Eagle Aspen (very old) C-band lnb, Norsat Ku lnb, Channel Master C/Ku (H/V) switch, Startrak 400 Analog receiver w/ motor control, Geosat uHD DVD-S2, CW600S for Mpeg-2]
Issue(s): Horizontal transponders (esp. Weigel mux) breakup/mosaic/sputtering audio, JTV less so (but received perfectly up until a month or so ago.
Vertical is fine (Daystar). Up until recently couldn't even get any signal on Weigel Mux but JTV was perfect.
What I did to improve things: A slight westward move improved reception but only slightly (approx 72 on the micro HD, sorry no dB to post). I removed the 3-way C-Band splitter and used a 2-way to get a 1-2 db signal gain ( the power port goes to the Startrak - the micro HD doesn't have enough juice ! (1st clue) even after swapping the switching power supply it came with with a heftier linear 12 V supply (less RFI too !).
I have had issues with the uHD before signal breaking up that a reboot would clear up (clue #2 = dying tuner?) - FYI, I reinforced the IF input and removed all flux from the pcb completely with a Flux Removal Pen (MG Chemicals Cat No. 4140-P) which definitely makes a huge difference.
I went outside and pushed and pulled reflector slightly and no improvement. Pole (actually tower in yard - the neighbours love me..NOT) is plumb, checked with carpenters level. Dish was last peaked in 2017 or so, after overhauling 24" Von Weise, new Acme, fresh grease, etc. Focal length, f/d ratio etc meticulously adjusted. One panel has a tear so planning to repair that this weekend when my cousin comes over ( to help me out (old guy here) forecast calls for sunshine.
What has changed: My utility company has installed new high tension line poles (one smack dab in the middle of 101°W target! But they put it in last year and reception (of JTV (HOR) at least) was fine, BUT when they came out to transfer the wires over this year from the old (sawed in half) pole that's about when the troubles started (coincidence?), but again Daystar (VER) was fine. I always had this pole in the light of sight of 101° before with no issues. (fyi my zenith sat 74° is unobstucted, but can't test)
In the meantime Weigel mux is trying to break in MOSTLY in LATE at night (less cell usage?) (audio not video except for a frame here or there) so don't know what has changed with this mux which suddenly "woke up". I have never had to fuss with dish moves on this satellite ( the slightest move +/- motor clicks loses lock, wheres normally on C-band I can go significantly wider east or west and still have a strong signal ( have these gone "spot beam" or narrower somehow and what is the slight difference in Az listed on Lyngsat to 100.9° affect things ( isn't that the declination i.e. requiring a tweak of declination?).
Long story short (too late, ha), if I had another DVB-S2 box to try and / or a newer more stable PLL lnb ( I have been meaning to upgrade many a time but never got arround to it) I could determine if it's my antiquated receiving equipment, or my dish/feed alignment ( doubtful as it tracks everything from 55 °W to 133 ° W nicely.) or the dreaded 5G! (BUT only on HOR and not VER?).
I read another post where the OP (with his smaller 7.5 footer) played around with the illumination to peak desired transponder and reduce qrm on interfering/ stronger xpndrs (even on 103° W). So will play with that too - and cut away the RG-6 a and pull up a fresh section with new PPC and coax Seal. Open the throat cap see if any cobwebs are there and check servo operation (also changed in last maintence 10 years ago).
Finally, this will probably be the last chance I get to play with the BUD from the looks of it (providers leaving, auctioning off rest of spectrum imminent above 4.0 Ghz, and to keep the peace with neighbours so it would be nice to have that mux back for the long, cold and dark winters to comfort this old man before I call it quits and buy a VHF/UHF/FM Yagi and get MeTV, H&I from my Vermont local stations (checked at a friends today and they come in nicely - except ABC) .
Only one guy in town (Montreal) I may be able to get a receiver or PLL lnb from to try (RPS Sat) so hopefully with elimnate that as a possible culprit. Be nice to pick up a cheap or used PLL lnb to try w/o 5G BPF (money is tight )
Like others I couldn't care less about "tv" (well maybe just a liitle or a lot) it's the challenge that excites me , I can get MeTV other ways OTA (no pirate crap).
So what do you guys (and gals) think ?. p.s. I don't have a spectrum analyzer and there are def/ cell towers nearby (half a Km or so away).
Oh and time permitting will hammer out dings too and wire damaged mesh on one section for an extra dB or two. Hesitate to touch Declination, Elevation and pole mount but will play around with those a little too... Why is this mux for finicky suddenly ?(8psk, 5/6 fec, beamwidthetc.. man wish they went back to VER I think everthing would be fine! For the engineers out here does 5G QRM affect one poliarization (HOR) more than another (VER)? I understand the strong interference swamps out the input mixer/local oscilator in the hapless old C-band lnb (I think it at time affect KU too esp. LPB on 101°W KU - incidentally thos were weak or "gone' but are back almost at the time MeTV improved..hmm Terrestrial interference?
Any thoughts or suggestions ( cheap or free solutions please) greatly appreciated. Cheers.
p.p.s. Micro HD can't display Decades and Toons but records them fine so I can watch on another box/media player (Ali chip set issue). Another reason to upgrade.
Anybody interested in a nice C/KU system free ? (for next Spring/Summer 2027)
[Sami 10' mesh, Corotor II+, Eagle Aspen (very old) C-band lnb, Norsat Ku lnb, Channel Master C/Ku (H/V) switch, Startrak 400 Analog receiver w/ motor control, Geosat uHD DVD-S2, CW600S for Mpeg-2]
10 Replies
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385 views
With the microHD connected this afternoon and tuned to the Weigel mux, I can receive the mux well.
My conclusion is that the sensitivity of the receivers in descending order of sensitivity is as follows:
My conclusion is that the sensitivity of the receivers in descending order of sensitivity is as follows:
- V9 Prime (best)
- microHD
- Edision osmio4k+
Booredatwork.com
Time for another AWESOME video from BoredAtWork!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxeUBPus6bc
Direct YouTube Link - Alexa Tablet 12 Pro Review: This Isn't A Fire Tablet!
Booredatwork.com Website
Booredatwork on Facebook
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxeUBPus6bc
Direct YouTube Link - Alexa Tablet 12 Pro Review: This Isn't A Fire Tablet!
Booredatwork.com Website
Booredatwork on Facebook
0 Replies
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8 views
I thought I would come here and find lots of complaints about the update to the dish anywhere mobile app, but am not seeing any. It used to look just like the desktop webpage. Now you can no longer filter by sports channels or movie channels. Plus that they made it look like a big button telephone and you see fewer channels in the screen which requires more scrolling. Yes I realize you can look at sports then select which sport you want to look at, I just liked being able to see all sporting events in the guide with all other channels being filtered out. Am I alone in the wilderness on this?
8 Replies
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292 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Stargate SG-1 cancelled, Atlantis renewed
Monday - August 21, 2006 | by Darren Sumner
The future of Stargate is in question today, as SCI FI Channel has cancelled the long-running Stargate SG-1, Multichannel News reported today and a GateWorld source has confirmed. The news regrettably follows the airing of the show's milestone two-hundredth episode on Friday.
Stargate Atlantis, meanwhile, has been renewed for a fourth season, with the network hoping to see that the spin-off series can stand alone, according to a source.
Source Gateworld
Monday - August 21, 2006 | by Darren Sumner
The future of Stargate is in question today, as SCI FI Channel has cancelled the long-running Stargate SG-1, Multichannel News reported today and a GateWorld source has confirmed. The news regrettably follows the airing of the show's milestone two-hundredth episode on Friday.
Stargate Atlantis, meanwhile, has been renewed for a fourth season, with the network hoping to see that the spin-off series can stand alone, according to a source.
Source Gateworld
2034 Replies
·
184192 views
Watch Stargate SG-1 for Free Online | Pluto TV
Stargate SG-1 picks up where the blockbuster film left off as the SG-1 team sets out to explore the mysteries of the Stargate and the worlds beyond it in the pulse-pounding series which became a worldwide phenomenon and a science fiction classic. Stream Stargate SG-1 for free on Pluto TV.
pluto.tv
