Found This Today

[delawareneck]

I'm new at this big dish stuff and have been asking alot of questions about the one in my yard. So today I'm driving home and I'm noticing all these houses with buds in the yard and pizza dishes on the roof. I start taking pics and knocking on doors with no success. The last house I stop at has this BUD in the yard and the guy says I can have it but leave the pole. It looks like the size of mine, 8' or 7' with an actuator arm. He says he has a reciever that he bought 3 years ago for $700 and stopped using the BUD 3 months later. He's got the box it came in and the remote. I was too excited and didn't ask what brand it was but he wants $100 for that.

My question now is, is this dish good for a noob?
Can you tell by looking if it's c band or Ku?
What should I look for with the reciever? Brand? Model #?

Thanks

 

[phlatwound]

I'm new at this big dish stuff and have been asking alot of questions about the one in my yard. So today I'm driving home and I'm noticing all these houses with buds in the yard and pizza dishes on the roof. I start taking pics and knocking on doors with no success. The last house I stop at has this BUD in the yard and the guy says I can have it but leave the pole. It looks like the size of mine, 8' or 7' with an actuator arm. He says he has a reciever that he bought 3 years ago for $700 and stopped using the BUD 3 months later. He's got the box it came in and the remote. I was too excited and didn't ask what brand it was but he wants $100 for that.

My question now is, is this dish good for a noob?
Can you tell by looking if it's c band or Ku?
What should I look for with the reciever? Brand? Model #?

Thanks

It looks good to me, especially if it's free.

No way of telling from that pic if it is C/Ku.

That may be a 4DTV receiver, if it's a 3 year old 922 it's definitely worth $100, I think good ones commonly sell in the $200-$300 range. You could use it for subscription C-band (4DTV) reception if you wanted. If it's just an analog receiver it's not worth that.

 

[rgk]

$700 receiver sounds like maybe it's a Motorola DSR 922. If so that would be quite a bargain. I'd go for it.

 

[delawareneck]

I have a VS9000HD fta reciever. Would I be able to use it with something like this?
I know I would need a seperate box to move the dish.

 

[tdti1]

Try to find out what the receiver is, a 4dtv 922 would be awesome for $100. If it's a 920 it could be risky as the battery could be dead.

 

[phlatwound]

I have a VS9000HD fta reciever. Would I be able to use it with something like this?
I know I would need a seperate box to move the dish.

I'm not familiar with that model but yes, you should be able to use it for C and Ku-band DVB reception.

 

[PopcornNMore]

It looks like a very nice dish. If it's a 4DTV receiver $100 is a real bargin.

 

[xxtornxx]

Just take it all who cares at this point you can deside later what you have then you can put the best of both together to make on.

 

[melgarga]

By the info you posted it is highly possible that you have found what many of us hunters have sought. If it is indeed a 4DTV IRD, and the rest of the setup is in tact, I would ask if he could hook it up to check it out before closing the deal. It could have died via lightening, power surge, lost the DCII Id, etc.

There are a number of thing that can and should be checked to validate a 4DTV purchase. 4DTV IRDs use a battery to maintain critical info needed for DCII signal reception. If this info has been lost somehow, the receiver is devalued to a now outmoded C band analog receiver as a dishmover/Corotor (polarity) controller and to catch now sparce ITC analog C band broadcasts.
If this is in fact a 4D IRD there is lots of info on the board for how to determine if it is still usable for digital service.

Get the dish regardless. Pole and (ribbon) cable are replaceable. Take care not to "tramatize" it when taking it down. Bends and warps will cause you grief when you do the reinstall/realign. Damaged mesh will affect the reception performance.

Dont dissasemmble any further than is necessary to transport. It is a good idea to take several pics if the mounting assy/adjustment settings from different angles. Also be prepaired to re-invest in some replacement 1/4"-20 hardware, SS if your budget allows. Removing the LNB mount arms, LNB and scaler as an assy would be wise as these can be warped out of alignment with little effort. I find using two pair of Vice-Grips (or equiv) ideal for snapping frozen 1/4-20 hardware if necessary.

DO NOT disturb the adjustments for inclination and declination. IF tweaking those adjustments is necessary, that can be done on the reinstall much easier set as they are, rather than doing it from scratch.

When you get time, a review of the info from this site will make you familiar with what you will need to know regarding "C Band Installation 101"

Footprints by Dish Size - Adjusting the Polar Mount for Prime Focus Antenna - C/Ku-Band Satellite Systems - Tuning, Tracking, Azimuth, Elevation, Declination Angles, F/D Ratio, Focal Distance, Inclinometer, LNB/Feedhorn Assembly, Actuator Assembly, C

The main page has lots of links to other related info

Global Satellite Chart--Geo-Orbit Quick-Look--Western Hemisphere--C/Ku-Band Footprints/Coverage, Specs (Design/Transponder/Bandwidth/Launch), Programming, Orbit Position/Inclination, Links

Giood luck, welcome to C Band! It is not "plug n play", very little about this hobby is, but IMO the effort is worth the returns.

Feel free to ask all the questions you want, and keep us posted.

 

[Cadsulfide]

Good find! A Gbox from Sadoun is a good choice for a dishmover that will work with your existing receiver. All the parts can be used or traded for stuff you need.

 

[delawareneck]

Thanks guys, Alot of good info here.

 

[delawareneck]

There are a number of thing that can and should be checked to validate a 4DTV purchase. 4DTV IRDs use a battery to maintain critical info needed for DCII signal reception. If this info has been lost somehow, the receiver is devalued to a now outmoded C band analog receiver as a dishmover/Corotor (polarity) controller and to catch now sparce ITC analog C band broadcasts.
If this is in fact a 4D IRD there is lots of info on the board for how to determine if it is still usable for digital service.QUOTE]

Is there a way to check the battery if he can't hook it up?
Can he hook up reciever to t.v. without dish to check?
Will that tell me if battery is good.?

If battery is dead, what is box worth? I'm still looking for box to move dish.

 

[phlatwound]

Yes, you can hook up the receiver to a tv (without connecting to a dish) to check the Unit ID, if the ID matches the number on the back of the unit you're golden. I am 4DTV illiterate but I know I have seen the procedure for checking the Unit ID in the 4DTV forum.

If the battery is bad and you wanted to use box for a dish mover/skew controller/analog receiver I wouldn't give much for it, maybe $20-$25 tops.

 

[delawareneck]

How do I check the battery?

 

[phlatwound]

How do I check the battery?

I would say you could open the case and measure the voltage of the battery, but I think it would be easier to just hook it to a tv and see if the Unit ID matches?

Hooking it up would also tell you more about the total functionality of the receiver, I suppose it could have a good battery and still be a doorstop.

 

[Greg Mueller]

I'd change out the battery just on general principals.
That way you know you will be good for some time. It's an easy way to protect your investment

 

[delawareneck]

UPDATE

The guy let me take the box home so I can check with you guys about it.

It's a Uniden Personal Cable Pro Series. Model PC4000

Is this still worth $100?

He said if not I could bring it back and just take the dish.

The dish is 8' and the cover says Sam1 on it.

 

[delawareneck]

Can anyone tell me if this reciever is worth $100? ^^^^^^^

 

[phlatwound]

Can anyone tell me if this reciever is worth $100? ^^^^^^^

It would not be worth $100.......to me.

That receiver is analog only, it will move your dish, adjust skew and receive what little analog signals that remain.

 

[delawareneck]

What if I piggy back it with my Viewsat 900HD?