Country Bunpkin Project

[eodjeep2000]

Hi all!

I live in the country and with the death of analog over the air TV, I have lost every channel but one. I just bought my house and the old owners had trash and stuff laying everywhere. One of those things is a ten foot Channel Master dish. It is still set up and with a little brush clearing it would seem to be my only viable option. I don't watch a lot of TV but I do live in Western Washington and it rains...a lot. My wife would like ABC and I would like to let her have it so that I don't have to get flak for moving us to the sticks. Heaven forbid she miss a season of Dancing with the Stars. ;-)


The Project!

Using what I have and what I can scrounge/get for cheap I would like to be able to watch TV on occasion. Since I can't be the only guy out in the sticks with this problem I would like to document the project (with pics) so that others can do it too.

The limitations:

1. I'm not quite broke but pretty close to it. We just bought a house and I'm a college student with a GI Bill. I'd like to bring in the most bang for just a few bucks that I can manage to scrape up....say around $200 or less?

2. I'll be doing all the work myself. I'm pretty handy with tools, equipment, and electronics so I'd rate myself like this.

General tools/construction: 8.5 (very competent DIY'r)
Electronics: 7 (competent parts changer/can follow manuals, instructions...)
Satellite systems knowledge: 1.5 (as in I've read a little and understand a little of that)

What I have:

A ten foot dish with whatever is on it. the mount has some corrosion but I can fix that. I will attach pics. The in house components were taken by the very elderly former owners.

A good Samsung LCD HDTV ran with traditional DVD player, Home theater, and a computer.

My thoughts so far:

Since my computer is attached to my TV, would a USB receiver (It's a mini tower) be a better deal than a STR?

How do I tell more about my LNB? I have no idea how old this equipment is...

Thanks all!

 

[Techfizzle]

real nice find, that dish is a carbon copy of mine, if you would, could you PLEASE take a close up picture of the label? Im trying to get one made up for mine.

For Starters i have no idead what kind of lnb you have, unless you take off that black cover on the feedhorn (eye of the dish) and post some pics of it.

Your going to need a fta receiver 50-100 bucks for a nice one, or $200 plus for a HD one, which will look nice on your HDTV.

BUT you will not get your usual channels, like cartoon netowrk, hbo, etc.

You will get some network stations, but they wont be your local ones, but you can get abc, fox, and cbs.

Also most fta channels are religious, foriegn channels or shopping channels, there are few dedicated channels on FTA

IF you want to get your regular stations, like hbo, comedy central, and disneey, you will need something called a 4DTV receiver. They run anywhere from $50 to $300 on ebay

there are 4 of them

DSR-920
Older Type, stay away, they have failing batterys that will need replaced in the near future.
DSR-922
Newer type, have more tunning options.
DSR-905 Sidecar, will not move your dish, like the 922, but lacks s-video
DSR-410, can only tune on one satellite W5


if you want to find out what kind of programming you want go to www.skyvision.com or www.callnps.com


if you dont want your usual programming, i would stick with a non usb receiver

get a coolsat 6000, i paid over $80 for mine, but now can be had off ebay for $40 new.

They scan channels in real fast, and using the componet cables, will look real nice on your tv.

but, the coolsat 6000, like most fta receivers, will not move your dish, consider getting a cheap analog receiver off ebay to move it.

here is one for $5
http://cgi.ebay.com/Toshiba-TRX-200...QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f0QQsalenotsupported

If you want to have hd programming on 4dtv you will need a hd-200

 

[turbosat]

Welcome eodjeep, I thought Castle Rock only existed in Stephen Kings mind, lol.
Nice dish, at least they had the weather cover on it, and on the actuator. Turn those 4 little plastic locknuts on the big end of your lnb cover and shoot a pic of your electronics. Those plastic things are a bitch to find in high grass too, just turn about 1/2turn and pull straight out on them to release the cover, and watch for spiders, wasps inside. You can prob get that one up and running again without too much work--is the cable still run out to the dish?

 

[eodjeep2000]

Techfizzle - The only tag I see is a generic Channel Master one on the mount...is there somewhere specific I should look?


turbosat - The wires run into the ground next to the unit. Counting the actuator it has four wires...I think I found where they come out by the house but it looks like they were cut off just above ground.

When I get home I'll take off the cover and post the pics.

I need to go to work with a chain saw on the trees and heavy brush as well so it will be able to see...


Thanks again!

 

[turbosat]

Thats a good place to start, I need to use my saw some more around my dishes too-the forest creeps in on you...

 

[Techfizzle]

yeah, the generic tag, thats the one i need

 

[eodjeep2000]

Those plastic things are a bitch to find in high grass too, just turn about 1/2turn and pull straight out on them to release the cover, and watch for spiders, wasps inside.

You weren't kidding! My LNB pics...

Techfizzle - Here are the tags. It looks like there was a paper/plastic tag stuck to the back of the dish but it's totally faded out.


Oh....I just realized why you wanted the pic. I'll get a new one shortly that is a "real" close up.

D

 

[turbosat]

My reply got lost, so I'm posting again:
Looks like the wasps had been working in there for years. They can get into the smallest places.
Prob still good lnb, late80's most likely. They have them with noise ratings down in the 20's and teens now but that one will prob still work ok on a dish that big. You can have that looking new with a little work, detergent and clorox and a brush on the mesh, wire brush the rust, etc.

 

[Techfizzle]

that lnb was a brick house.... back in its day

hook it up to analog receiver, but if your getting alot of sparkies on cspan, then its time for a replacement

 

[Kb Cool]

From the pics it looks to me like the "tree's" are in the way. Gonna have to chop them all down or move the dish for a clear "line of sight"

 

[Anole]

free programming:

Here's the networks you ask for:
(requires a regular DVB FTA receiver)

Iceberg on where to find the networks:
ABC & CW are from Puerto Rico
CBS, NBC & FOX are from USVI
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...-fta-so-i-have-few-questions.html#post1611190
http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-shack/173103-network-feeds.html#post1801644

These lists have more C-band programming info:
MPEG
SatelliteGuys.US - TheList

 

[turbosat]

From the pics it looks to me like the "tree's" are in the way. Gonna have to chop them all down or move the dish for a clear "line of sight"

I'd cut 'em all, I bet he's watched AX Men before, living out there where he does.

 

[eodjeep2000]

Chopping and scrubbing will be easy enough. The trees that you see are just the tip of the iceberg. I have about 10-15 years of alder to cut but at least all of my big fir trees should be out of the way. Since it's kind of an old alley cut for the dish the trick will be taking the first few down without smooshing the dish.


Are there any kind of special connectors or wires (mine are chopped short) that I should use for the co-ax feeds off of the dish. I have the regular screw and some crimp connectors already but I seem to remember someone saying that dinky dishes needed specialty stuff so I don't know if the BUD's do as well.

 

[rv1pop]

Welcome edojeep200!

DADRAT!

I just got back a couple of days ago from Elma and Vader and could have dropped off an analog recvr for you to play with. I have been very busy so I have not been on the forum.
Drop me a PM and we will see if I can get one to you. OF COURSE, check craigslist. There were a bunch in Olympia are just a short time ago. Would not hurt to place a looking for ad.
POP

 

[eodjeep2000]

Hello? The connectors and cables? ;-P

 

[meinename]

Connectors? RG6 or RG6Q type F connectors
Models: PPC EX6 or EX6XL or my favorite for west of the Cascades: the PPC EX6WS

I've seen some PPC EX6 at Home Depot under the DataShark brand at 10 for $10

cables? Honestly? I started to buy the PHILIPS brand "Quad Shield" from Walmart for a bit until I realized I could just cut some cables and make my own.
Cost me $40 off Ebay for a crimping kit (cable stripper, compression tool, 50 connectors) but you shouldn't need to do that. Look around for some "ribbon cable" already installed at the house. I would bet most of the work is already done.

Looks like the actuator wire is still there. Try following and finding the other end of that conduit around your house. Should save you a lot of time and headache.

EDIT: and I second getting a Coolsat 5000 or 6000. I have both. Very pleased with what they do. Cheap off ebay right now. Play your cards right and plan to spend about $50

 

[eodjeep2000]

Thanks!

The cables terminate under my house but don't reach the place where I put my "entertainment center" and since my TV is already hung I don't really want to change it. On the bright side the previous owner had co-ax cables (and phone...sound...) running everywhere. I have a decent supply of wires. What you said also confirms that I can use my connectors.

So I guess all I really need are a controller and receiver. I would also like to switch lnb's someday so that I can get KU band. Anything I should stay away from? I was looking at these...

BSC621 C/Ku Band Satellite Dish Lnb Lnbf 4dtv/FTA - eBay (item 280361176610 end time Jun-27-09 17:48:28 PDT)

 

[meinename]

I use one of those myself. However they have some design problems.
Others have issues with the BSC-621
My 8.5 foot solid some how works fine with it.

Site-Sponsor WSI recently came out with an improved version, which others have had better success.
DMX741U CKU C and Ku Band Linear Circular Universal Ku HDTV LNB LNBF for BUD and C Band
I want to but haven't tried it myself yet.

 

[Mr Tony]

moved all the crap about the channelmaster logo here
http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-shack/179407-channelmaster-logo.html