im brand new to this fta and really dont understand it all yet i know wha fta means but i have no reciver or dish and wouyld like to try it as a hobby but dont know what to get i have a flat pannel 37 inch hdtv so can someone point me in the rite dir?? thanks in advance larry
can someone help me????
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Start with a fixed dish
Welcome to Satellite Guys !!!
I would suggest starting with a fixed dish. Many of this site's Sponsors are very good.
A dish of 31 to 36 inches would be best to start for KU band. Most sponsors have package deals, thus you can get dish and receiver together.
Another option is to find a dish locally (DirecPC, Hughes, DirecWay) can sometimes be found on Craigslist for next to nothing. Then you only need to buy a receiver.
What kinds of programing are you most interested?
I have found this hobby to not only be very fun but also very addictive (the more you learn, the less you know).
Best of Success!!
Welcome to Satellite Guys !!!I would suggest starting with a fixed dish. Many of this site's Sponsors are very good.
A dish of 31 to 36 inches would be best to start for KU band. Most sponsors have package deals, thus you can get dish and receiver together.
Another option is to find a dish locally (DirecPC, Hughes, DirecWay) can sometimes be found on Craigslist for next to nothing. Then you only need to buy a receiver.
What kinds of programing are you most interested?
I have found this hobby to not only be very fun but also very addictive (the more you learn, the less you know).
Best of Success!!
Example from Craigslist
Here is an example of a dish off of Craigslist that works for FTA.
I have two of these in use today.
Direcway HughesNet Satellite Internet Dish & DW7000 Modem
And here is a possible FTA receiver in your area.
http://columbus.craigslist.org/hsh/1514408345.html
Here is an example of a dish off of Craigslist that works for FTA.
I have two of these in use today.
Direcway HughesNet Satellite Internet Dish & DW7000 Modem
And here is a possible FTA receiver in your area.
http://columbus.craigslist.org/hsh/1514408345.html
galaxyman:
One of our site sponors is Sadoun Satellite Sales, right there in Columbus..I'm sure if you took a run out there, he and his staff would be willing to answer any questions you have as well as show you what you would need to start with..Welcome to The Forums!
By the way, I can vouch for Sadoun..He sold me a system last year, had it shipped promptly, and was very patient with working with a Newbie over the phone..
One of our site sponors is Sadoun Satellite Sales, right there in Columbus..I'm sure if you took a run out there, he and his staff would be willing to answer any questions you have as well as show you what you would need to start with..Welcome to The Forums!
By the way, I can vouch for Sadoun..He sold me a system last year, had it shipped promptly, and was very patient with working with a Newbie over the phone..
thanks much brothers any info is great i just called them and left a message waiting on a call back
If you want to experiment before sinking a lot of money into the hobby, a cheap way to get started is with an old Dish Network or DirecTV dish. You can probably find one close by for free or next to nothing from someone who has changed service. Keep the LNB attached and buy an inexpensive receiver from Ebay.
You can then aim your dish at 119W to get ION, NASA, and Angel1. Not much variety, but the sat is easy to hit, and you can probably get started for less than $50.
If you want to get the other sats you'll need at least a 30 inch dish and a linear LNB. You might even consider a motor to quickly change between satellites.
An indispensable tool for pointing dishes is DishPointer. It gives you the magnetic compass heading, elevation and LNB skew (for linear sats) for your location, and makes it much easier to point your first dish.
You can then aim your dish at 119W to get ION, NASA, and Angel1. Not much variety, but the sat is easy to hit, and you can probably get started for less than $50.
If you want to get the other sats you'll need at least a 30 inch dish and a linear LNB. You might even consider a motor to quickly change between satellites.
An indispensable tool for pointing dishes is DishPointer. It gives you the magnetic compass heading, elevation and LNB skew (for linear sats) for your location, and makes it much easier to point your first dish.
Galaxyman,
WELCOME to SatelliteGuys!
You have arrived at the right place for FTA and Satellite information and FUN!
My recommendation is that you ensure you treat this endeavor as a "hobby" first off. You stated that this was your intention, but I want to make sure you realize what you are getting into before you plunk down any money.
FTA is not a replacement for any subscription service such as Dish Network, DirecTV, Bell TV or Bell Express, Shaw, Roberts or any cable service. You will not be able to get all the programming that these services offer, they simply have the niche on this and their signals are predominately secured and encrypted. Therefore, if you are expecting a bunch of premium movie channels or the like, then you will be disappointed if you come in to FTA with that assumption.
However, FTA offers the great "unexpected" bonuses in TV viewing. Programs that you may not find on any of these subscription services. The challenge and the fun of the hobby is searching for these and finding them. Then there is the thrill of learning about the equipment, the technical aspects of satellite transmissions and technology and the sheer fun of just chatting with others who are doing the same.
My personal opinion is that you could not go wrong with a Coolsat 5000 receiver, a Winegard DS-2076 dish antenna and a Power Tech motor (DG-280, DG-280B. With some extra dollars, a DG-380 motor would be better for future expansion).
The Coolsat 5000 (and 6000) receiver are no longer in production and have been discontinued, but they are still SUPER boxes for FTA use. The hackers are unloading them, but they work excellently for FTA (which was their intended purpose). You can get them very cheap on E-Bay from an ex-hacker. Don't let that notion bother you, the hackware can be cleaned out very simply and you can start off with a good little box for next to nothing. Many of us here can provide support for accomplishing this.
I am only recommending this route (a Coolsat 5000 or 6000) as they can be found so cheap and for a starter box, they are very easy to learn on. I am still using my Coolsat 5000 and there is firmware support for it currently (via third party - and legal stuff mind you). Works great and I love it!
The Winegard DS-2076 dish is a 76 cm dish and is a right smart antenna. I have several and I can highly recommend it. It isn't the biggest dish out there, but it is one of the better ones.
This dish is small enough that it is easy to mount almost anywhere and it does an EXCELLENT job at receiving most all Ku-Band signals. Also, the price is really fair for a start-up FTA guy like yourself.
There are many motors available, and I do recommend a motorized dish. I personally recommend the PowerTech DG-280B as this
model will fit the Winegard DS-2076 dish. The DG-380 motor will have a larger "tube" for attaching the dish and won't fit the Winegard DS-2076 dish, but you can purchase a smaller motor tube (separately) for this purpose. Last time I checked it was only an additional $12-$16. Not too much money.
I began this hobby with absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE of satellite stuff and dishes or motors and receivers (well, maybe some background with C-Band from my older brother's TV shop, but no personal experience). So, I kind of learned my own way through sites like this.
I am very confident that I can recommend this equipment to you and not have anyone else disagree too much with my recommendations. I am certain that, because of the simplicity, usefulness and price, you yourself will appreciate this equipment.
I am speaking of less than $250 for an entire system to play around with to get you better acquainted with FTA. You can even save the price of the motor and just get familiarized with one satellite at a time if you don't mind going outside and realigning the dish manually. This is not a bad idea, either. You can gain a lot of experience that will come in handy if and when you do decide to install a motor. Yes, you might wish to opt for this first (no motor).
Eventually, you might find you like it well enough to spend a little more money to make your system better, or you may not like it at all and opt to do something different.
Either way, you have found the place to ask the questions and get answers.
We all hope you enjoy FTA!
RADAR
WELCOME to SatelliteGuys!
You have arrived at the right place for FTA and Satellite information and FUN!
My recommendation is that you ensure you treat this endeavor as a "hobby" first off. You stated that this was your intention, but I want to make sure you realize what you are getting into before you plunk down any money.
FTA is not a replacement for any subscription service such as Dish Network, DirecTV, Bell TV or Bell Express, Shaw, Roberts or any cable service. You will not be able to get all the programming that these services offer, they simply have the niche on this and their signals are predominately secured and encrypted. Therefore, if you are expecting a bunch of premium movie channels or the like, then you will be disappointed if you come in to FTA with that assumption.
However, FTA offers the great "unexpected" bonuses in TV viewing. Programs that you may not find on any of these subscription services. The challenge and the fun of the hobby is searching for these and finding them. Then there is the thrill of learning about the equipment, the technical aspects of satellite transmissions and technology and the sheer fun of just chatting with others who are doing the same.
My personal opinion is that you could not go wrong with a Coolsat 5000 receiver, a Winegard DS-2076 dish antenna and a Power Tech motor (DG-280, DG-280B. With some extra dollars, a DG-380 motor would be better for future expansion).
The Coolsat 5000 (and 6000) receiver are no longer in production and have been discontinued, but they are still SUPER boxes for FTA use. The hackers are unloading them, but they work excellently for FTA (which was their intended purpose). You can get them very cheap on E-Bay from an ex-hacker. Don't let that notion bother you, the hackware can be cleaned out very simply and you can start off with a good little box for next to nothing. Many of us here can provide support for accomplishing this.
I am only recommending this route (a Coolsat 5000 or 6000) as they can be found so cheap and for a starter box, they are very easy to learn on. I am still using my Coolsat 5000 and there is firmware support for it currently (via third party - and legal stuff mind you). Works great and I love it!
The Winegard DS-2076 dish is a 76 cm dish and is a right smart antenna. I have several and I can highly recommend it. It isn't the biggest dish out there, but it is one of the better ones.
This dish is small enough that it is easy to mount almost anywhere and it does an EXCELLENT job at receiving most all Ku-Band signals. Also, the price is really fair for a start-up FTA guy like yourself.
There are many motors available, and I do recommend a motorized dish. I personally recommend the PowerTech DG-280B as this
model will fit the Winegard DS-2076 dish. The DG-380 motor will have a larger "tube" for attaching the dish and won't fit the Winegard DS-2076 dish, but you can purchase a smaller motor tube (separately) for this purpose. Last time I checked it was only an additional $12-$16. Not too much money.
I began this hobby with absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE of satellite stuff and dishes or motors and receivers (well, maybe some background with C-Band from my older brother's TV shop, but no personal experience). So, I kind of learned my own way through sites like this.
I am very confident that I can recommend this equipment to you and not have anyone else disagree too much with my recommendations. I am certain that, because of the simplicity, usefulness and price, you yourself will appreciate this equipment.
I am speaking of less than $250 for an entire system to play around with to get you better acquainted with FTA. You can even save the price of the motor and just get familiarized with one satellite at a time if you don't mind going outside and realigning the dish manually. This is not a bad idea, either. You can gain a lot of experience that will come in handy if and when you do decide to install a motor. Yes, you might wish to opt for this first (no motor).
Eventually, you might find you like it well enough to spend a little more money to make your system better, or you may not like it at all and opt to do something different.
Either way, you have found the place to ask the questions and get answers.
We all hope you enjoy FTA!
RADAR
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That's my exact setup. If you shop around you can get everything for around $200; depending on shipping costs and the brand/type of LNB you get. I must say that I've been very happy with mine (except that time when LEO-1 made RTV all screwy.)
Whatever you choose, take time to study what you can get by looking at The List and at Lyngsat. Keep in mind that there are different kinds of signals up there, and not all LNB's or receivers can get all of them.
With a Coolsat and a linear LNB you should look at KU channels listed as DVB - Horizontal or Vertical. Circular polarization is used for Dish Network on 119W and you will need a circular LNB for those channels. For anything listed as DVB-S2, MPEG-4, or Digicipher you will need a more specialized receiver.
to Satelliteguys .......You may think that you just found the greatest deal on Craigslist or the hottest high-end receiver on the internet, but it might not be just the right equipment for your system. Before you buy, post a quick list of what you are considering to purchase and you will be sure to receive a quick response from one of the very knowledgeable satellite guys!
Have fun, but watch out it is addictive!
Hi, I am Brian and I am a Sataholic............
Before you buy, post a quick list of what you are considering to purchase and you will be sure to receive a quick response from one of the very knowledgeable satellite guys!
Galaxyman,
Brian stated it perfectly in the quote above. I wish to reiterate his comments and tell you to ask before you jump into any high dollar investment here.
You can trust Brian Gohl from SatelliteAV and Jamal Sadoun from Sadoun for your purchases of new equipment. These guys will treat you right and stand behind all of their sales to you.
Besides that, they are here as friends and consultants on this site to steer you towards the equipment that will be the most beneficial to you and your application. You can trust these guys (two of our most prominent GOLD sponsors) with every aspect of this hobby and adventure. They (and we all) will try to make the whole process a great deal of fun for you.
You can salvage piece parts and used equipment from a scrap yard (and that is what we do best) or you can buy brand spanking new stuff from our sponsors at a very reasonable price.
Everyone here on this site is very willing to assist you in getting started, so don't hesitate to ask questions. Try to search for yourself as best you can, but if you are uncertain of where to go, or don't find the answers easily, we are always eager to assist. So, don't be bashful about asking. We will get you set up with the stuff you desire.
Most of us relish new company. We like our hobby and we like others to enjoy it , too! So WELCOME aboard!
RADAR
Hi Galaxyman
I WANT TO EXTEND MY AS WELL.
Being here in Columbus, is very convenient for you to stop by and check what we have to offer. We will be happy to assist you with your questions and new hobby.
Our address is:
Sadoun Satellite Sales
2747 Westbelt Dr.
Columbus, OH 43228
614-529-9547
Mention that you saw us on Satelliteguys.us and we will include a free Sadoun promotional gift. We will also load the equipment in your car or truck and save you the shipping cost. :up
I WANT TO EXTEND MY
AS WELL.Being here in Columbus, is very convenient for you to stop by and check what we have to offer. We will be happy to assist you with your questions and new hobby.
Our address is:
Sadoun Satellite Sales
2747 Westbelt Dr.
Columbus, OH 43228
614-529-9547
Mention that you saw us on Satelliteguys.us and we will include a free Sadoun promotional gift
. We will also load the equipment in your car or truck and save you the shipping cost. :upMan, that's the 1st thing I thought of when I saw he was in Columbus.....lolthat would be sweet to have a FTA dealer that close to you
Lucky
I didnt see anyone post links to the various lists we tend to take for granted.
The one that is maintained by site staff and member contributions known as "The List" on a tab at the top of the page.
Lyngsat.com which is full of info, some of which is sometimes out of date or irrelevant to just FTA activities, but still an excellent site for reference and comparison info.
Another member here Mike Kohl maintains a list on his web page that is usually very complete and up to date, but I have come across a mistake (prolly a typo) now and then.
Here's the NA Ku page.
http://www.global-cm.net/MPEGlistKuBandUS.html
He has others for NA C band and C/Ku Atlantic birds too.
Speaking of C band........yeah, yeah, some of the guys here know I wouldnt pass up a chance to plug C band FTA.......lol
IF you get the bug good, and you have the space, no HOA, physical ability, and a lil more money to spend on the hobby, you have to add C band once you get a bit of experience under your belt to get the most from the sky.
There are a few of us hard core die hard C banders on the board as well that would love to bring another into the fold. I feel for the guys that want to join the ranks but cant due to restrictions or other issues.
Another thing you will eventually here are the terms DCII and 4DTV. Should you desire some premium content you can get a single room subscription to this C band based service at a generally lower cost than the pizza pan services but you must invest in and maintain the equipment yoursef. A DSR922 will get you a 4DTV sub, and a DSR410 will get you a dedicated DCII mode subscription from a single C band bird @ 105°W.(W5 in DCII speak)
Just something else for future consideration and reason to go C band too, if you have an interest in subscription TV.
I dont have an HD FTA setup but I believe that most of the desired HD FTA content is on C band as well. Some of the HD gurus can jump in and clarify that point.
Back to present day, the $40 Coolsat right in your area looks like a decent deal, and they are excellent for the hobby, be you a beginner or old timer.
If you know of any old Primestar, Hughesnet or Directway dishes around your area see if you can get one (usually for the hauling off). I'm in Texas and know nothing of Starchoice, but I understand they have dishes that will work for FTA as well.
The CS 6000 and a recycled dish (plus a pole and whatever length of RG6 coax) will let you get a system up to play with for a meger investment and let you get a feel for what is up there and what it takes to get it, so you can make informed choices and decisions about retail purchases.
This is mostly a hobby thing but there is quite a bit of "bread and butter" FTA programming to enjoy on a regular basis.
Welcome to the hobby and the best site for FTA on the 'net (best behaved site anywhere!). Dont hesitate to utilized the experience here for any guidence you feel you need. This place is the best source of TVRO (TeleVision Receive Only) station information and helpful folks you will ever find.
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galaxyman
You have no idea how lucky you are having found this site!
I'm a newbie here, and still learning.
The people here will not only help you, but show you how it's done, by doing it yourself with great guidance!
You will curse at yourself and in the next instant,, a smile.
Wisdom is at your asking with no feeling like "am I asking a stupid question".
The Captain (Iceberg) runs a tight ship here. Since I was welcomed last week. As part of the crew. My I say, "Welcome aboard"!!
At your service Sir..
You have no idea how lucky you are having found this site!
I'm a newbie here, and still learning.
The people here will not only help you, but show you how it's done, by doing it yourself with great guidance!
You will curse at yourself and in the next instant,, a smile.
Wisdom is at your asking with no feeling like "am I asking a stupid question".
The Captain (Iceberg) runs a tight ship here. Since I was welcomed last week. As part of the crew. My I say, "Welcome aboard"!!
At your service Sir..
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that would be sweet to have a FTA dealer that close to you
Lucky
Sweet yes, but probably hard on the wallet as well...
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