C Band fta satellites?

[phlatwound]

Can I view the C band fta satellites that are in "The List" with my old analog setup or do they require a digital receiver of some sort? I have about 20 old satellite locations programmed in, it looks like some of the ones in "The List" are in locations that I already have programmed into my receiver, but all those satellites were put in several years ago and don't seem to be the "fta" ones. Thanks in advance for any light any of you might shed on this, I have been studying this great website to familiarize myself with some of the lingo, and am trying to educate myself enough to get to the point where I can even ask a good question!

 

[tdti1]

If you are looking for dvb feeds you will need a dvb receiver, under $100 you can slave it to you analog receiver and start watching great tv, if you are interested in DCII subscription programming you will need a 4dtv receiver, this will replace your old analog receiver, well if you get a 920 or 922, a dvb receiver can also be slaved to the 4dtv and you will get best of both worlds.

If you only have c-band upgrading to c/ku-band is well worth the investment.

 

[phlatwound]

Does either/both of those options (non-sub or subscription) require a c/ku lnb be installed on my dish? I have replaced my c band only lnb before when a power surge took it out, but I know it's probably a lot more involved adding ku to the dish/syatem. If the "dvb feeds" only option just required adding a receiver in the house I would be real interested in starting there, thanks for the help!

 

[tdti1]

Well to be honest the 4dtv and dvb receiver will work fine with c-band only, you will benefit with both adding ku-band though mostly on dvb as not much on ku-band for 4dtv.

I would grab something like a Traxis 3500 with a c/ku slave kit as you may want to have everything when you do add ku-band, just slave this to your receiver, if you are pleased with what you get but would like some subs look at what the programmers have to offer and then upgrade to a 4dtv if what is available interested you.

Here are the 4dtv provider:
Satellite Receivers C band and 4DTV satellite programming
NPS - Your One Call Solution - CBAND Satellite Programming C-band

Skyvision or NPS should have the best pricve on a new 4dtv DSR 922.

 

[phlatwound]

Thank you, you have given me some good ideas and I will do some more thread searching here.....then maybe I can come up with some more (dumb) questions!



One of my biggest obstacles so far has just been figuring out what is on c band analog, c band digital, what is on 4dtv, what is on ku band and what equipment is required for each. I know a lot of that is really basic stuff but I think some of it is starting to make sense to me, the more I read and pick up from this site. I would probably watch some of the 4DTV subscription stuff if I had it but am more interested in just hunting for sports and news feeds and other oddball programming, that's what I used to do before so much stuff left c band analog in the last few years. I really don't want to mess with my dish just yet so if I can just add a receiver in the house and wire it up for the fta dvb stuff I think that is where I want to start, I gottta crawl before I walk.

 

[tdti1]

Take a look here North & South America - LyngSat you will see what is analog, DCII and dvb.

A 4dtv will bet both analog and digital DCII c/ku feeds, a dvb (fta) receiver will get the dvb feeds.

Both are great to have as there are some free DCII channels, and at times you can grab some subs with no contact for like a month or 3, dvb is great and a fun hobby.

 

[phlatwound]

Looking at the Lyngsat charts and being able to see things layed out in that format with the color codes helped me a lot, that is an incredible resource.

Tell me this, and assume that I don't want to change anything outside on my existing dish (c band lnb only), or my cabling that runs into the house.....could I get a 4dtv receiver...and a dvb receiver and "slave" (?) them together for use with my existing dish/lnb setup? I know there is also a lot of stuff out there on ku but I'm just not comfortable with trying to add the ku capabilities to my existing dish yet, or mess with anything outside unless I have to.

 

[schlever]

Looking at the Lyngsat charts and being able to see things layed out in that format with the color codes helped me a lot, that is an incredible resource.

Tell me this, and assume that I don't want to change anything outside on my existing dish (c band lnb only), or my cabling that runs into the house.....could I get a 4dtv receiver...and a dvb receiver and "slave" (?) them together for use with my existing dish/lnb setup? I know there is also a lot of stuff out there on ku but I'm just not comfortable with trying to add the ku capabilities to my existing dish yet, or mess with anything outside unless I have to.

That should work no problem. Take a look at The List SatelliteGuys.US - TheList, it will show you whats in the clear on both C-band and KU-band DVB. If you are going to buy a DVB box, get one with blind scan such as the Traxis or a Fortec Mercury II. Both are < $200 from anyone of the sponsers on this site.

 

[Mr Tony]

One of the best things on C-Band digital is the nets on G4 (99W)

All 5 networks from Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CW). Picture isnt the best sometimes but its great if you have no OTA or cable option for them

 

[Anole]

Ku later

If adding Ku support is not something you are comfortable with, it's easy to add later with a stand-alone dish.
Just thirty-six inches, maybe a little motor, and it could be debugged apart from your existing system.

For now , I'm sure you'll find plenty to entertain you on C-band.

 

[phlatwound]

^ = me!

schlever: I will definitely check out those models and purchase my dvb receiver from one of the sponsors of this site.

Iceberg: My OTA reception of FOX, ABC and CBS is sketchy at best, NBC is decent and CW is non-existent, being able to receive those fta would be a huge plus for us, especially if we could "get" the local PR/VI weather (we got about 8" of snow here last night)! We live out in the sticks in the Ozark hills so cable will NEVER be an option, even if we wanted it.

Anole: The more I study and learn from you Satguys, that is exactly what I am thinking (adding ku later). I don't want to alter my current dish configuration but once I get my dvb/BUD setup going I would not be afraid to start fresh with a stand-alone Ku system and tie it all together once I had the kinks worked out of the Ku. As you say, and from what I am learning from the Lyngsat charts, C band will keep me occupied for quite a while.

So........rather than going with a 4dtv at this point I'm going to go with the KISS rule: Keep my existing Toshiba 1820 receiver and slave a dvb receiver to what I've already got. I have looked but have been unable to find a block diagram to show me exactly how my particular setup would be hooked up, can anyone point me to something like that?

Many thanks to all for assisting this dumb hillbilly in this venture, last week I couldn't even spell prospective dvb viewer, in a few weeks I hope to say, "I r one"!!!!

:

 

[Mr Tony]

Iceberg: My OTA reception of FOX, ABC and CBS is sketchy at best, NBC is decent and CW is non-existent, being able to receive those fta would be a huge plus for us, especially if we could "get" the local PR/VI weather (we got about 8" of snow here last night)! We live out in the sticks in the Ozark hills so cable will NEVER be an option, even if we wanted it.

then its well worth it. Like I say the picture can be compressed but they work really good. I've used my 6 footer to get them and they work really well. Also if you add a 36" dish for KU you can get ABC, Fox, My & Univision on Galaxy 10 (G0) (some locally too for you..Little Rock, AR)

So........rather than going with a 4dtv at this point I'm going to go with the KISS rule: Keep my existing Toshiba 1820 receiver and slave a dvb receiver to what I've already got. I have looked but have been unable to find a block diagram to show me exactly how my particular setup would be hooked up, can anyone point me to something like that?

Add a receiver
you can disregard the KU setup..

 

[14karat]

? about the diagram there.
I'm assuming if the feedhorn assembly uses a servo for polarity that only one of those receivers controls it, correct?

 

[14karat]

phlatwound,
(off-topic)
Were you able to pick up Little Rock (ch 7 ) OTA before their tower bit the dirt?

 

[Mr Tony]

? about the diagram there.
I'm assuming if the feedhorn assembly uses a servo for polarity that only one of those receivers controls it, correct?

correct.If using a feedhorn/servo motor/poloror the analog box controls polarity

 

[phlatwound]

then its well worth it. Like I say the picture can be compressed but they work really good. I've used my 6 footer to get them and they work really well. Also if you add a 36" dish for KU you can get ABC, Fox, My & Univision on Galaxy 10 (G0) (some locally too for you..Little Rock, AR)


Add a receiver
you can disregard the KU setup..

If they are viewable at all they will be better than what we have. We are only about 60 miles from the OTA transmitter towers that are east of Springfield MO but we live down in a hollow surrounded by some hills, no sight issues for a dish but not good at all for the OTA reception. And we are a LONG way from Little Rock...about 250 miles.



That diagram is exactly what I was looking for, I had found another that was similar to the one you provided but didn't know if I could ignore the Ku hookup, now I know, thanks.

I've been searching for receiver info and from what I have gathered from this site the Fortec Mercury II seems to be highly regarded, any others I should be looking at?

 

[phlatwound]

phlatwound,
(off-topic)
Were you able to pick up Little Rock (ch 7 ) OTA before their tower bit the dirt?

No we weren't, as I mentioned above we are a LONG way from Little Rock, we live in SW Missouri and are about 60 miles from AR, OK and KS. People that live near us (but are higher in elevation) can receive OTA signals from Springfield & Joplin MO, and Pittsburg KS.

 

[Mr Tony]

If they are viewable at all they will be better than what we have. We are only about 60 miles from the OTA transmitter towers that are east of Springfield MO but we live down in a hollow surrounded by some hills, no sight issues for a dish but not good at all for the OTA reception. And we are a LONG way from Little Rock...about 250 miles.

dont get me wrong. The pictures are clear. Just that NBC & CW dont use as much bandwidth so when watching a sporting event there is some pixeling due to compression. But they work great and you can see the PR/VI commercials. The news on ABC & NBC is from NY. CBS doesn't show news on there. They show syndicated programming.

That diagram is exactly what I was looking for, I had found another that was similar to the one you provided but didn't know if I could ignore the Ku hookup, now I know, thanks.

yep you can avoid the KU right now.

I've been searching for receiver info and from what I have gathered from this site the Fortec Mercury II seems to be highly regarded, any others I should be looking at?

I like the Visionsat. They have updated alot of the bugs with the box and can add a hard drive for PVR functions

Also if you add KU later on you can get more stuff up there. galaxy 10 has a bunch of English stations. Check here
SatelliteGuys.US - 123.0°W Galaxy 10R Ku


also here is what you could get with the existing C-Band setup once you add a FTA box (add the www in front)
global-cm.net/MPEGlistCBandUS.html

 

[phlatwound]

I like the Visionsat. They have updated alot of the bugs with the box and can add a hard drive for PVR functions

Also if you add KU later on you can get more stuff up there. galaxy 10 has a bunch of English stations. Check here
SatelliteGuys.US - 123.0°W Galaxy 10R Ku


also here is what you could get with the existing C-Band setup once you add a FTA box (add the www in front)
global-cm.net/MPEGlistCBandUS.html

Ok, I found your thread on the Visionsat in the Equipment Reviews forum, my next mission is to check that one out. Also checked out the channel lists you posted.....holy cow, just the c band stuff will keep me tied up indefinitely, I can't wait! So far my shopping list includes 1 dvb receiver (model to be determined soon), 1 DiSEqC switch (might come with receiver), 1 freq splitter (c band only) and 3-3'-4' RG-6 cables, am I missing anything?

:

 

[Mr Tony]

Also checked out the channel lists you posted.....holy cow, just the c band stuff will keep me tied up indefinitely, I can't wait!

There is some analog stuff up there still on T6, T5 & G4. Wild feeds (sndicated stuff that they beam up early in the day for affiliates ot grab and reshow at a specific time)

So far my shopping list includes 1 dvb receiver (model to be determined soon), 1 DiSEqC switch (might come with receiver), 1 freq splitter (c band only) and 3-3'-4' RG-6 cables, am I missing anything?

:

nope that should be it. And since you are C-Band only you wouldnt need the Diseqc switch