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steelypip
Last reply · posted in Free To Air (FTA) Discussion
The title pretty much says it. I've had no luck identifying the thing - can't find any labels/stickers, although I'm guessing it's a Janeil Darkstar since it has plastic ribs.

While it looks like it has been out in the weather, it seems to be in pretty good shape. I'd heard a little about FTA, and decided that if I can get things up and running easily enough, I'd see if I could put it to work instead of tearing it down.

The actuator is a Uniden model. I haven't had a chance to get out there with a ladder and have a look under the rain cover, but I'm guessing the LNB is both ancient and shot. Since I'm doing it from scratch, I guess a C/Ku LNB is the way to go?

The cable run to the house appears to be still there, although a lot of the cables have been cut at the dish end - I think somebody was planning on getting rid of the dish and gave up because everything was rusted together. The pole looks pretty close to plumb, although I have not put a level on it yet.

I'm debating about whether to go with a standard receiver or just use a card. I've been reading here for about a month, so I have a pretty good idea of what I'd have to get to get stuff working other than that.

I've got lots of electronics and computer experience, but I've never had anything to do with sat com stuff of any kind before other than installing my own pizza dish systems a few times. Ideas, suggestions, and encouragement are all very welcome!
9 Replies · 2030 views
steelypip
Hi freezy - thanks for weighing in on what definitely not to buy. Useful information.

Yes, She Who Must Be Obeyed initially was all for tearing the BUD down. Now that I have explained that there's a lot of content available free (as in beer) on it, she's much more interested in the idea of keeping it around. As you say, it's already there.

Further, it looks like it's well-placed. The footer looks like a big pole with plenty of concrete. I'll check it for plumb soon; possibly tonight.

I was planning on going the FTA route (hence posting here), rather than the subscription route. Since there's no new production of subscription-enabled receivers for the US market, I have the feeling that it's just a matter of time until residential subscription on C band just goes away.

I was assuming that I would need a box to translate the dish move commands from the receiver into something the stupid old actuator would understand. First I'm going to have to spend some time looking at the actuator - I'm sure it needs some grease on the gear train at least. It might be junk. The good news is that new ones aren't hideously expensive.

First things first, though. I'm going to have to hook up a toner to each piece of coax and get them all labeled - there's a bunch. I'll have to properly terminate the ones that have been rough cut if I think I need them. Once I think I can get signal into the house I'll pick up a receiver or card.

My comments about the primestar dish were in response to turbosat's remark that the mesh might be too coarse for Ku band use. It seems like there's a lot of FTA content on Ku, and I have the feeling that I'll end up wanting a solution for that in addition to the BUD if the BUD can't do Ku.
turbosat
Primestar dishes are 'prime' for fta ku, go by the building supply store and grab yourself a corner post for chain link fencing. Ten or twelve bucks, and just the right size for the primestar mount.
freezy
I have an actuator on my Ku FTA dish. The day to day English language programming available on just one satellite is limited at best. setting up for 5 or 6 channels seems to be a waste of time, but by all means, ranger around manually and see what's out there. Like mentioned before you can set a post in the ground temporarily with a post hole digger. Re-aiming on the ground is much easier and safer than on a roof. The List tab on this forum is a great resource for what satellites to aim at.
steelypip
I was assuming that an actuator would be in the mix for the Ku dish as well. Just glad to get confirmation that Primestar will get me where I want to go with that. I saw at least one thread showing how people hacked actuators onto the things. I certainly can see the value in doing that.

Likewise, turbosat probably saved me lots of time and some money with the fence post suggestion - simple, straightforward, and meant to be put in a post hole. Can't beat that. Now I just have to figure out where to site the dish - as you can see from my avatar pic, we have plenty of trees on our hilltop, and I am not particularly interested in cutting a big swath of them down.
freezy
I had my Ku dish on the ground for a couple months. Tamp little rocks (2" diameter or so crushed limestone, river rock etc...) into the hole between layers of clay or sticky dirt. It'll be as solid as cement. If you put some long bolts thru the mast that will be buried it wont twist

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TheForce
Supporting Founder Pub Member / Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Phone & Tablet Zone
Apple Fall Hardware Event takes place today, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. It marks the debut of new CEO John Ternus and the expected reveal of Apple's first foldable phone.
130 Replies · 1417 views
comfortably_numb
Can't remember if I've posted this yet..


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfL5seXJyWU
Foxbat
If you ponied up for an iPhone Duo, keep it away from anything other than your soft, fleshy fingertips. No fingernails, no dust, sand, dirt, or other particulate matter. And don't bend it more than it needs to. Zack has destroyed $2,000 of Apple hardware to get those views, which should cover his expenses.
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comfortably_numb
No fingernails, no dust, sand, dirt, or other particulate matter

And definitely no medieval chain armor!
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harshness
medieval chain armor
Aka "mail" or "maille".
Foxbat
IFixIt has published their Teardown and they had some positive things to say about the iPhone Duo. It still showed some dust ingress into the hinge assembly but seemed otherwise well-sealed.
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dishstaller
Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in TV Shows
Don't know if any of you have watched this series yet, it would be interesting to see if you feel this review was accurate. It was very humorous to listen to however.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tsDO3y8I2c
2 Replies · 104 views
KAB
KAB
What a "pile of slop" review! I liked the show.
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Y
What a "pile of slop" review! I liked the show.
If the review is like the article, oi! Eighteen paragraphs into the review and... all they've done is not really talk at all about the actual thing they are reviewing.

Halfway into the "written" review, I know more about how the writer "thinks" than I do about what they are writing about. I understand their politics, their self-overestimated understanding of film, their inability to be funny.

Takes about 22 paragraphs to get to one that starts "Anyway, the story kicks off...". Talk about Slop! 😂
K
Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in TV Shows
Season 2 order already in hand:

'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Renewed for Season 2, Tatiana Maslany to Guest Star in Season 1

I've not been optimistic about this show based on what I've read so far. Seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Interesting though that Tatiana Maslany will have some sort of role.
91 Replies · 3666 views
K
I'm sure I will watch at least the first episode but I am not optimistic.
Here i am over a year later and just finished season 1. Not great but not as bad as I was expecting. Did not care for the barefoot captain stuff but overall ok. Actually looking forward to see what they did for season 2.
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MikeD-C05
Here i am over a year later and just finished season 1. Not great but not as bad as I was expecting. Did not care for the barefoot captain stuff but overall ok. Actually looking forward to see what they did for season 2.
Yeah, the foot stuff was just nasty. I kept thinking of how dirty her feet would get traipsing around shoe-less. Funny, I love being shoe less at home and never wear shoes indoors in my home for long, but seeing her laying on all her furniture with her bare feet hanging out just kind of grossed me out.
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harshness
I kept thinking of how dirty her feet would get traipsing around shoe-less.
Where would this "dirt" come from? Dead skin and dandruff?
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MikeD-C05
Where would this "dirt" come from? Dead skin and dandruff?
There would still be dirt ,dust in the future I am sure. So walking around the station like she did she would get stuff on her feet. I am sure the robot vacuum is still going to miss stuff, with all those different alien species running around there.
harshness
There would still be dirt ,dust in the future I am sure.
Where is it going to come from -- specifically?

Why do you think cleaning technology won't improve in the next few hundred years? HEPA filtration was invented as part of the Manhattan Project.
MikeD-C05
Where is it going to come from -- specifically?

Why do you think cleaning technology won't improve in the next few hundred years? HEPA filtration was invented as part of the Manhattan Project.
I don't know, but I still don't like her walking through the station or the academy with out her shoes. It looks unprofessional and very "hippy like" for someone of her status and I personally don't get off to feet, so there is that. ;)
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osu1991
I don't know, but I still don't like her walking through the station or the academy with out her shoes. It looks unprofessional and very "hippy like" for someone of her status and I personally don't get off to feet, so there is that. ;)
Stay out of my office. I rarely have shoes or socks on in the office. My office and business is at home though :clapping
MikeD-C05
Stay out of my office. I rarely have shoes or socks on in the office. My office and business is at home though :clapping
Say, I don't wear socks or shoes in my house either. But for a captain in Star Fleet it looks bad to be walking around the academy with no shoes. Gives off 1960 Hippie vibes.
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Jimbo
Gives off 1960 Hippie vibes.
You say that like it's a Bad thing or something ... :biggrin
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long_time_Dish
Well, look at the way she sat in the Captain's Chair. I didn't say the show should have been called "Captain Chair-Whore" for nothing...
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primestar31
Say, I don't wear socks or shoes in my house either. But for a captain in Star Fleet it looks bad to be walking around the academy with no shoes. Gives off 1960 Hippie vibes.
star trek GIF by HULU


Just sayin...
MikeD-C05
You say that like it's a Bad thing or something ... :biggrin
For a whole generation of adults it was in the 1960s and 1970s.

All In The Family Nostalgia GIF by Sony Pictures Television
All In The Family Singing GIF by Sony Pictures Television
harshness
Females wearing any clothing is unthinkable on Ferenginar.
long_time_Dish
Females wearing any clothing is unthinkable on Ferenginar.
Was never a huge of the Ferengi-centric episodes in Trek...
Scott Greczkowski
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
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....
68605 Replies · 2677832 views
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sdfntx
Gondoliers, Shakespeares, Overseers, Playboys and Bums - Norman Greenbaum
Bobby
I Wish I Was Eighteen Again - George Burns
harshness
I Wish - Stevie Wonder
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EatMyVolts
Lonesome Road -- The Wonder Who?
long_time_Dish
Lonesome Loser - Little River Band