Hi everyone! I was wondering about a couple questions about FTA and the world of FTA. Okay, so I have an older "slimeline" D* dish on my roof that is not in use with the 3LNB On it. This is the older model LNB where a B-Band converter is used. The dish has 3 coax lines coming out (I assume for each section of the LNB) and I was wondering what I could pick up with an FTA receiver. I understand that I wont be receiving popular channels (subscription based) as they are encoded. What would happen if I tried the same experiment with a E* satellite dish? I was thinking trying the East Arc and the West Arc and see what happens. (Yes, im talking about trying with a D* dish and seeing what happens as well as doing the experiment again with a E* dish) Whats a really good "poor mans" FTA receiver to experiment with? Something that is fairly cheep and easy to use with alot of good features. What are some troubles I might face while experimenting? This is all just for fun to see what happens if anything happens. Thanks!
OTHER A few questions about FTA
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Those dishes are too small for most FTA, but could be modded for things like 95W or 97W. If you go with one of those dishes you will need to replace the LNBF bundle with a linear LNBF. This will not be plug and play. You will have to fashion a mount to keep the LNBF in the focal point. You will not be able to just hook up a FTA receiver and see what you get, as both dishes are not pointed at anything that has FTA AND the LNBFs are different.
Tons of cheap receivers on eBay, but you will be buying at your own risk. No support and many have lots of issues.
Remember FTA is a hobby in North America so you have to go in with that attitude. Lots of hands on stuff and learning!
A good linear LNBF will run you around $15 and a descent low cost receiver will start at around $90-$100. Such as the Amiko Mini HD265 that I carry. Titanium (A member here) sells an awesome receiver but that is $180.
Like most serious hobbies there is no poor mans way to do it right!
Having said that you don't have to spend thousands to get started. GEOSATpro sells a very good 90cm dish with LNBF for around $100 shipped.
Lots of guys here willing to help you through your journey too, if you choose to jump in!
Tons of cheap receivers on eBay, but you will be buying at your own risk. No support and many have lots of issues.
Remember FTA is a hobby in North America so you have to go in with that attitude. Lots of hands on stuff and learning!
A good linear LNBF will run you around $15 and a descent low cost receiver will start at around $90-$100. Such as the Amiko Mini HD265 that I carry. Titanium (A member here) sells an awesome receiver but that is $180.
Like most serious hobbies there is no poor mans way to do it right!
Having said that you don't have to spend thousands to get started. GEOSATpro sells a very good 90cm dish with LNBF for around $100 shipped.
Lots of guys here willing to help you through your journey too, if you choose to jump in!
You can also get a really good Winegard 76cm dish on Ebay for about $55 shipped. I have 2 of them and they're great. Don't waste your time with those old Directv and DN dishes. They're too small to get much of the "good stuff."
And thats why Im hereThose dishes are too small for most FTA, but could be modded for things like 95W or 97W. If you go with one of those dishes you will need to replace the LNBF bundle with a linear LNBF. This will not be plug and play. You will have to fashion a mount to keep the LNBF in the focal point. You will not be able to just hook up a FTA receiver and see what you get, as both dishes are not pointed at anything that has FTA AND the LNBFs are different.
Tons of cheap receivers on eBay, but you will be buying at your own risk. No support and many have lots of issues.
Remember FTA is a hobby in North America so you have to go in with that attitude. Lots of hands on stuff and learning!
A good linear LNBF will run you around $15 and a descent low cost receiver will start at around $90-$100. Such as the Amiko Mini HD265 that I carry. Titanium (A member here) sells an awesome receiver but that is $180.
Like most serious hobbies there is no poor mans way to do it right!
Having said that you don't have to spend thousands to get started. GEOSATpro sells a very good 90cm dish with LNBF for around $100 shipped.
Lots of guys here willing to help you through your journey too, if you choose to jump in!
I am considering getting a FTA Dish like this one https://www.satpro.tv/multicommul-60cm-ku60cmdthku-bandsatellitedish.aspxIf I wanted to mod a satellite, What would I use? An E* 1000.2 or 1000.4? What about a SuperDish? Will a slimline work? Are there any open/clear channels on any D*'s Satellites or on E*? I have access to an already pointed D* dish thats not doing anything with each satellite feed split into 3 cables. And yes, I am in North America
And thats why Im here
If I wanted to mod a satellite, What would I use? An E* 1000.2 or 1000.4? What about a SuperDish? Will a slimline work? Are there any open/clear channels on any D*'s Satellites or on E*? I have access to an already pointed D* dish thats not doing anything with each satellite feed split into 3 cables. And yes, I am in North America
60cm is too small. You need at least a 76cm dish.
Winegard 30 Inch Diameter Universal Satellite Dish Antenna (DS-2076) 615798308780 | eBay
Those dishes are too small for most FTA, but could be modded for things like 95W or 97W. If you go with one of those dishes you will need to replace the LNBF bundle with a linear LNBF. This will not be plug and play. You will have to fashion a mount to keep the LNBF in the focal point. You will not be able to just hook up a FTA receiver and see what you get, as both dishes are not pointed at anything that has FTA AND the LNBFs are different.
Tons of cheap receivers on eBay, but you will be buying at your own risk. No support and many have lots of issues.
Remember FTA is a hobby in North America so you have to go in with that attitude. Lots of hands on stuff and learning!
A good linear LNBF will run you around $15 and a descent low cost receiver will start at around $90-$100. Such as the Amiko Mini HD265 that I carry. Titanium (A member here) sells an awesome receiver but that is $180.
Like most serious hobbies there is no poor mans way to do it right!
Having said that you don't have to spend thousands to get started. GEOSATpro sells a very good 90cm dish with LNBF for around $100 shipped.
Lots of guys here willing to help you through your journey too, if you choose to jump in!
Also, Would an 8PSK Tuner have any advantage for me?
Whatever you do, do NOT buy too small of a dish. You can't go by the sizes of the dishes used for Dish Network, or DirecTv, as their sats are super-powered signal-wise compared to FTA satellites signals. So their dishes can be smaller.
BIGGER is better. In fact, if you REALLY think you want to get into this hobby and get the ultimate KU dish, this is the one: 48 Inch 120 cm 1.2 M Offset Satellite Dish & HD SL1PLL LNBF | eBay
You will never need another one for KU at least. IF you ever want to get into C-band, that dish is large enough to get some of the stronger C-band signals. Though a 10ft C-band dish is best for those signals, and you can sometimes find one of those for FREE, if you look around a bit. Just knock on the door and ask if they want to "get rid of it" and that "you'll remove it for free".
BIGGER is better. In fact, if you REALLY think you want to get into this hobby and get the ultimate KU dish, this is the one: 48 Inch 120 cm 1.2 M Offset Satellite Dish & HD SL1PLL LNBF | eBay
You will never need another one for KU at least. IF you ever want to get into C-band, that dish is large enough to get some of the stronger C-band signals. Though a 10ft C-band dish is best for those signals, and you can sometimes find one of those for FREE, if you look around a bit. Just knock on the door and ask if they want to "get rid of it" and that "you'll remove it for free".
Another great dish that will get most of what is available FTA without a huge investment is this.
36 Inch 90 cm Free To Air FTA Satellite Dish & HD LNBF | eBay
36 Inch 90 cm Free To Air FTA Satellite Dish & HD LNBF | eBay
Another great dish that will get most of what is available FTA without a huge investment is this.
36 Inch 90 cm Free To Air FTA Satellite Dish & HD LNBF | eBay
It looks like as of 2pm today EVERYTHING Satellite-AV was selling on eBay is listed as "out of stock". Either a bunch of people have gone on a buying spree, they're going on vacation, or the supply is drying up :-(
That is odd. The other day they showed 9,000 of the Geosat Pro 90cm dishes available.
Yeah, that is odd. They had plenty when I posted. Wonder what's up!
They didn't delete the listings, though, so that makes me wonder if maybe it's a temporary thing.
Just went to the SatelliteAV website, added a dish to the cart, clicked checkout and got this. 
Yep. Been that way for a long time and makes no sense to me either.
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