Directtv slimline for FTA...Success

[tripl3s3v3n]

Someone threw out a Directtv slimline in my neighborhood so I figured I would give it a shot. So purchased a lnb bracket and a spitfire .1db lnb. I drilled a new hole to mount the lnb bracket so that it aligned with where the swm3 that came on it was. Tightened everything up and pointed to the sky and was able to get pretty good signal. I picked up all transponders on 97W anyway. Then I moved to 101 for the Biography and History channels. I posted picks for anyone that might be interested in it. Check out the laundry basket (held down by 25lbs of sand) mount. Oh and not that it is related but I scored a Coolsat 7000 micro PVR for $10 of Craigslists....and yes it had modified firmware but I got her on the straight and narrow now...lol.

 

[Anole]

excellent at recycling:

Good work on using the DirecTV dish.
What's the width, around 30 inches or so?

You made short work of it with that LNBF and matching bracket.
If you want to actually install the dish permanently, I think you'll find the included mount to be quite sturdy, too.

And nice haul on the receiver! - :up
Quite the low-cost system.
And very Green, too... you saved the dish 'n receiver from going to a landfill!

Give the old LNBf to someone and you'll get an award for using it all! -

 

[tripl3s3v3n]

its about 33x22" and the mount that came on it is quite nice indeed. It is a temporary setup until I get another tripod (I rent my townhouse) as my other one is holding up a starband dish that I got off craigslist a while back.

 

[Tron]

I picked up yet another Slimline a couple of days ago, primarily for the monopoles and adjustable J-Pole. Of course, I couldn't leave the dish, so I took it too. They are about the size of a Superdish, so undersized but usable. Might do some experimenting myself ...

 

[orac]

Tripl,

Your LNB looks to be positioned an inch or two closer than the orgiinal DirecTV LNB was. Is it? Necessary to get a good signal? Dependent on the actual LNBF in use?

I haven't been able to get a lock with a linear DirecTV style LNB fitted into the end of the arm. Looking for pointers.
__
Neil

 

[tripl3s3v3n]

-Orac
What I did was have the original swm3 lnb on the dish and positioned the new bracket so that it would hold the new lnb at the approximate position as the original. I just eyeballed it and then marked, and drilled the new hole for the lnb. Adjusted the height to match the swm3 height, the angle was the same so no changes there. Using the original as a template you should be able to match the position for you linear lnb. It might be easier to just get a bracket and new lnb, it only took me like 10 minutes to do mine, and cost barely nothing. Hope that helps...if you don't have the original lnb let me know and I can take some measurements to get you started in the right direction.

 

[Corrado]

Thanks for the encouragement to redeploy a Slimline, tripl3s3v3n.

I came home one evening to find an offering on my doorstep of one of those dishes, the mounts and a few hundred feet of cable. It was only 2 months old from a friend that had to move when their home sold and Direct didn't want it back.

I was thinking about putting it to some sort of use. Mine has the smaller LNBF not the huge 5 LNBF setup I've seen some have.

 

[tripl3s3v3n]

-Corrado
Mine came with the smaller lnb as well, with the label of swm3 on it. I use it on 101 and the signal comes in strong here in Central California. I don't have a motorized setup yet so it is nice to have 2 birds at the same time. although I do think it is good for newbies like me to get use to finding birds before getting a motor for the added experience.

 

[squid385]

You can also use a linear dual lnb on the slimline that looks like one of the old dtv circular lnb's. Just have to drill one hole in the center end of the lnb support arm. Mounts right up and sets the focal point right on. I think SatelliteAV has them in stock.

 

[orac]

You can also use a linear dual lnb on the slimline that looks like one of the old dtv circular lnb's. Just have to drill one hole in the center end of the lnb support arm. Mounts right up and sets the focal point right on. I think SatelliteAV has them in stock.

That's the one I'm using, but it sits at a different angle than the original large 5 LNB assembly. I've had to preload it downwards with a tie strap to get it to point to the center of the dish. Picking up some signals, but not locking RTV as I had hoped, so I think I may need to adjust it in/out a bit. Maybe the dish is just a little too small for my location.
__

 

[squid385]

That's the one I'm using, but it sits at a different angle than the original large 5 LNB assembly. I've had to preload it downwards with a tie strap to get it to point to the center of the dish. Picking up some signals, but not locking RTV as I had hoped, so I think I may need to adjust it in/out a bit. Maybe the dish is just a little too small for my location.
__

Mine points just about center of the dish and I'm pointed at hispsat 30w. The SQ is about 75 on my coolsat 6000 except during a heavy rain. I think it locks about all the transponders on hispsat. I have the lnb pushed in as far as it will go. I have never tried it on any other sats. Could your lnb support arm have been bent at one time? Sorry to hear yours doesn't work to well.