A newbie question

[joray85]

I have decided on RG11 for my cable, now the other questions i have


what FTA receiver can do mpeg2 and mpeg 4 with scanning and has a connection so i can add an external hard drive and turn it into a dvr?

can a large cband dish see programs from SatelliteGuys.US_TheList - TheList in medium listings too ?

what motor and ku and c--band feedhorn / lnb is best ?

 

[Tron]

RG-11 is great cable, and does very well for long runs, but is not really needed unless you're going to go more than 150 feet or so. It requires special compression fittings, and only some of the compression tools will do RG-11. Not trying to talk you out of RG-11, just pointing out some of the requirements you will encounter.

To answer your question about a receiver, the Solomend (Sathawk) will do both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, and has excellent blind scan. It has a nice price point, but there are some issues that still haven't been worked out with the box regarding display and recording of high bitrate feeds. The AZBox will do MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, but I'm not sure whether the higher models have true blind scan or not. It also has problems with recording high bitrate feeds.

A C-Band dish will receive channels from the medium listings (Ku-Band) if you use a combination C-Ku band LNBF. There have been issues reported by many members with getting both C-Band and Ku-Band aligned correctly at the same time. I would not necessarily recommend such a setup for someone just starting out, however, some have had acceptable results.

I'll let other members tackle the motor and feedhorn question, as my C-Band dish is stationary.

 

[joray85]

RG-11 is great cable, and does very well for long runs, but is not really needed unless you're going to go more than 150 feet or so. It requires special compression fittings, and only some of the compression tools will do RG-11. Not trying to talk you out of RG-11, just pointing out some of the requirements you will encounter.

To answer your question about a receiver, the Solomend (Sathawk) will do both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, and has excellent blind scan. It has a nice price point, but there are some issues that still haven't been worked out with the box regarding display and recording of high bitrate feeds. The AZBox will do MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, but I'm not sure whether the higher models have true blind scan or not. It also has problems with recording high bitrate feeds.

A C-Band dish will receive channels from the medium listings (Ku-Band) if you use a combination C-Ku band LNBF. There have been issues reported by many members with getting both C-Band and Ku-Band aligned correctly at the same time. I would not necessarily recommend such a setup for someone just starting out, however, some have had acceptable results.

I'll let other members tackle the motor and feedhorn question, as my C-Band dish is stationary.

By compression fittings, do you mean the connectors you put on the ends of the cables used to hook them into the tv and boxes and the dish itself ?

So those 2 boxes are the best ?

Why is it hard to align c band and ku band at same time ? do you mean when you try to have 2 sats aligned to view the material or when try to simlpy move to their orbital locations ?

Also will any boxes have hdmi 1.4 ? i do not care about 3d, i just like having the latest specs.

After viewing the boxes you mentioned, they look pretty good the Solomend (Sathawk) controls the motor too, just to look at other receivers why are their so many different ones ?

 

[Mr Tony]

By compression fittings, do you mean the connectors you put on the ends of the cables used to hook them into the tv and boxes and the dish itself ?

correct...the ends on the cable

As Tron noted, unless you have a long cable run (I usually say more than 200 feet) RG6 will work just fine. RG11 is bigger and you need a special tool to put RG11 ends on

 

[joray85]

Also with the ethernet allow us to MRV ?

also do any have 10/100/1000 ethernet ?

how does the Streethawk FTA box rate vs theSonicview 8000 HD ?

I wish their was a site where all FTA boxes features ARE listed with check boxes so a person could check the ones they want then click ok then the site matches you to a box that is closest to what the consumer wants

 

[Mr Tony]

4:2:2 is chroma subsampling...basically the way the signal is sent
4:2:0 is "normal" and all FTA receivers can see 4:2:0
4:2:2 is different. While the channels will scan in unless you have a receiver that does 4:2:2 all you'll see on the screen is a "tearing" on the screen. No picture just sound

Also with the ethernet allow us to MRV ?

also do any have 10/100/1000 ethernet ?

no

 

[turbosat]

joray, the problem some have with the c/ku combination lnbf seems to be getting the lnbf placed correctly in the feedhorn bracket, to get the proper focal distance for both c and ku signals at the same time. From what I've read, some models are finicky about getting optimum signal for both bands, and some of us just use a separate, small ku dish and get wonderful results. There is the older feedhorn/lnb type setup, which has the small motor to switch between the horizontal and vertical polarity signals (search CoRotor). The drawback is, the polarity motor requires DC current to work, most fta receivers don't provide for this older setup. So you would need an older, analog satellite receiver to control polarity, which means an extra piece of equipment in your rack. Good part-most of the old analog boxes are cheap and will control the big-dish actuator also. It's a personal preference.

 

[joray85]

joray, the problem some have with the c/ku combination lnbf seems to be getting the lnbf placed correctly in the feedhorn bracket, to get the proper focal distance for both c and ku signals at the same time. From what I've read, some models are finicky about getting optimum signal for both bands, and some of us just use a separate, small ku dish and get wonderful results. There is the older feedhorn/lnb type setup, which has the small motor to switch between the horizontal and vertical polarity signals (search CoRotor). The drawback is, the polarity motor requires DC current to work, most fta receivers don't provide for this older setup. So you would need an older, analog satellite receiver to control polarity, which means an extra piece of equipment in your rack. Good part-most of the old analog boxes are cheap and will control the big-dish actuator also. It's a personal preference.

thank you for all the help...

so what i can gather is (please correct me if i am wrong)

get a medium dish so i can get all the small and medium dish fta on it, run it in to my new receiver i buy - new ones should be able to control this motorized medium dish with just the ku band feedhorn

if i get a c-band dish (which feedhorn should i get ?) run it into the house and hook up to same receiver (the new fta one) and i would need a separate motorized controller for the big c-band dish ?

Also since i will then have another dish for the medium ku signals, what dish is best ?

 

[turbosat]

I'd start with a ku dish just to get a feel of the hobby. If you find a good c-band dish (7-12' diameter) I would surely ask about it too, but going in several directions at once may be frustrating. Look around your area for an old Primestar tv satellite dish, they're gray and haven't been used in years, but make excellent fta dishes for ku. They were made in several sizes, the 1m dish is fine for free to air ku signals. People will sometimes give them away just to get them out of their yards (I have about 5 of them lol). The small dishes can be bought also, check out sponsors at the top of the page, some may sell a package with dish, lnbf and motor also. The horizon-to horizon motors for the small ku dishes can be adapted to use with the primestar dish, but that is a project in itself. Ask here if you find a likely suspect for ku, abandoned stores, gas stations might also yield a good ku dish for you.
If possible, mount on a pole, ground level, easier to set up and work on. These motors can be controlled by the fta receivers, using the coaxial cable that passes the tv signals, and select channel polarity by varying the dc power levels.
Don't confuse 'small and medium fta' with dish size. The c-band dishes, 6' and bigger can do both ku and c-band if equipped with the right lnbf. Fta receivers can do both c-band and ku band signals, c-band just needs a bigger dish to receive the signal. Fta receivers can also control a big dish's movement if used with the 'gbox' controllers available now.
Many of us have had c-band satellite for years, and continue to use the older, analog receivers to move the dishes because we already have the equipment.

 

[joray85]

I'd start with a ku dish just to get a feel of the hobby. If you find a good c-band dish (7-12' diameter) I would surely ask about it too, but going in several directions at once may be frustrating. Look around your area for an old Primestar tv satellite dish, they're gray and haven't been used in years, but make excellent fta dishes for ku. They were made in several sizes, the 1m dish is fine for free to air ku signals. People will sometimes give them away just to get them out of their yards (I have about 5 of them lol). The small dishes can be bought also, check out sponsors at the top of the page, some may sell a package with dish, lnbf and motor also. The horizon-to horizon motors for the small ku dishes can be adapted to use with the primestar dish, but that is a project in itself. Ask here if you find a likely suspect for ku, abandoned stores, gas stations might also yield a good ku dish for you.
If possible, mount on a pole, ground level, easier to set up and work on. These motors can be controlled by the fta receivers, using the coaxial cable that passes the tv signals, and select channel polarity by varying the dc power levels.
Don't confuse 'small and medium fta' with dish size. The c-band dishes, 6' and bigger can do both ku and c-band if equipped with the right lnbf. Fta receivers can do both c-band and ku band signals, c-band just needs a bigger dish to receive the signal. Fta receivers can also control a big dish's movement if used with the 'gbox' controllers available now.
Many of us have had c-band satellite for years, and continue to use the older, analog receivers to move the dishes because we already have the equipment.

In one response they said it was hard to do c-band and fta on the big dish only because of the positioning of the lnb.. if true how hard is it really ?

i know of several places i can get legally an old c-band dish, the older kind with no mesh, the solid kind

so as to motors horizon to horizon mount be better i assume than an actuator arm ?

then what would be the best cband lnb that will get small and cband programming ?

can you send me a link for the gbox controllers ? i know i can search on google, but since you guys are experts, i would like your advice on best site to read on them and/or purchase them

on recivers after researching i think i will go with the azbox elite hd

 

[turbosat]

Click on the sponsor's links at the top of the page>SatelliteAV and Galaxy Marketing both sell lnbs and gboxes, I believe. And lnbfs.
I have not tried the newer lnbfs for c-band yet, my c-band dishes all still use the common old feedhorn/polarotor type lnbs. I'm just old-school. My main c-band 10' has a CoRotor on it, but I'm not using the ku side of it, its not even connected, only used for c-band analog and digital. But when I did have it connected, it did a great job on ku digital. I just find it easier to have a separate ku system with H-H motor, one reason is my location has some slight obstructions to my big dish , big trees, so I placed the small dish for ku slightly away from the big dish location, where the dish could "see" around the trees.
The big dishes use the linear actuator type motors, though some were made by a few manufacturers that were of the H-H type (Birdview was one that comes to mind). They are very nice, but hard to find. I don't know of any dealers now that sell an H-H motor for a big dish, though I'm sure there are commercial suppliers somewhere that might.
Edit : here's a link, for information on c=band lnbfs and at the bottom of this page, you'll find the older-style Chaparall Corotor II feedhorn/lnb:
http://www.galaxy-marketing.com/c_band_lnbf.htm

 

[joray85]

so basically gboxes are motors for small and medium fta dishes, and if i cant find a motor for a cband dish i am sol ?

now if i do find the motor, what is the best feedhorn lnb or lnbf for the cband dish that does small medium and big dish signal finding ?

 

[Tron]

The G-Box is a translator of control signals and a power source to interface FTA receivers with the linear actuator motors used on the big dishes. A FTA receiver cannot power and control a big dish motor without a G-Box.

 

[joray85]

So looks like i will get the azbox premium hd +, but looks like need to know best dual lnbf for cband and ku and cband motor

 

[turbosat]

joray, read this review of one of the c/ku lnbfs-its IN the REVIEW section:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-mpe...omparison-review-ws-international-dmx741.html

Also, that link I posted to Galaxy-Marketing has some of those lnbfs. I can't tell you which is best, its like "Which car is best"....lot of this hobby is just 'buy and try' experience. Pick one out and let us know how it works for you.