FTA vs Sky Angel

[house97]

Hey, y'all,
I recently got a Ku dish from 3ABN, since they left SkyAngel. However, there's still channels on SkyAngel I like. I'm not opposed (too much at least) to leaving both dishes on my roof, but it would be nice if there was some alternative at least to having two receivers on my TV, with the RF outputs going through an A/B switcher to control which satellite I'm watching. To me, the ideal would be to use the Ku Dish with a motor to tune in the SkyAngel stuff, which I figure should be legal for me, since I bought the lifetime subscription years ago. However, this would mean using the card that's in my SkyAngel receiver, and the one that we got from 3ABN doesn't have the slot. If I bought a new receiver, would that same card work, and would it be legal?
If not, is there a way to tie the outputs of the two receivers together in such a way where channels 1-10 (for instance) are AMC-4 FTA, and 2-20 (again, for instance) are the channels I watch that are on SkyAngel? Some sort of RF Modulator or something, hopefully that's not nearly as expensive as it sounds...
BTW, I realize that the above questions should have been asked before the 3ABN purchase was made, but it was in fact a gift.
I'm posting this with you FTA'ers because it seems to be the right place, seeing as my first choice would be to expand my FTA capabilities, rather than just rig something up.

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome

I'm not opposed (too much at least) to leaving both dishes on my roof, but it would be nice if there was some alternative at least to having two receivers on my TV, with the RF outputs going through an A/B switcher to control which satellite I'm watching.

you're gonna have to do that...I'll explain below

To me, the ideal would be to use the Ku Dish with a motor to tune in the SkyAngel stuff, which I figure should be legal for me, since I bought the lifetime subscription years ago. However, this would mean using the card that's in my SkyAngel receiver, and the one that we got from 3ABN doesn't have the slot. If I bought a new receiver, would that same card work, and would it be legal?

No. Sky Angel will only work with their boxes (well, Dish Network’s boxes). So a FTA box will not work with a sky angel subscription card. Converselly, the Sky Angel box can’t get FTA

If not, is there a way to tie the outputs of the two receivers together in such a way where channels 1-10 (for instance) are AMC-4 FTA, and 2-20 (again, for instance) are the channels I watch that are on SkyAngel? Some sort of RF Modulator or something, hopefully that's not nearly as expensive as it sounds...

You will need both boxes so what you can do is hook the A/V outputs from the FTA box to your TV (if it has them) and the coax from the Sky Angel box to the coax input to the TV and switch between that way.

 

[house97]

Thanks Iceberg. I was afraid that would be the answer. I may buy the motor anyway just for the fun of it!

 

[Keith Brannen]

You don't say what your FTA receiver is, but on my Pansat 3500SD there is an ANT IN ("input from terrestrial TV antenna"). I put the coax output from my Star Choice satellite system into the ANT IN. The Pansat remote control has a TV/SAT switch so I can switch between the two systems. As well, shutting off the Pansat automatically defaults it to the input from the Star Choice system.

No A/B switch, no need to get off the couch!

 

[Mr Tony]

You don't say what your FTA receiver is, but on my Pansat 3500SD there is an ANT IN ("input from terrestrial TV antenna"). I put the coax output from my Star Choice satellite system into the ANT IN. The Pansat remote control has a TV/SAT switch so I can switch between the two systems. As well, shutting off the Pansat automatically defaults it to the input from the Star Choice system.

good point...so does the Dish box

No A/B switch, no need to get off the couch!

I have a remote controlled A/B switch (Rat Shack sells them)

 

[Keith Brannen]

I have a remote controlled A/B switch (Rat Shack sells them)

Didn't know they had such a thing! Just what I need, another remote to lose!!!

 

[house97]

Waf

I have the Ant. in on both receivers. I have considered daisy-chaining them together, cable==>Dish==>Topfield, but... well, I work in a high-tech field, and it always has been my practice to make things as easy as possible for end users, most often at the expense of making things extremely difficult for admins. In my home this breaks down to where it would be nice to avoid having the end user (my wife) hold three remotes, or God help me a universal remote (too many buttons) with instructions on when to use which one, what to do on remote A before remote B is of any use...
Before I was married, I had to go out of town on business for three weeks, and she stayed at my house, and took care of the dog. I wasn't gone for a day before she called me crying about the complexity of watching TV. It was not difficult, just the simple TV hooked to the stereo kind of thing- everything needs to be turned on. She figured out watching a DVD about a two years into our marriage. She is a brilliant person, and very successful professionally. She just hates technology. If the Amish would bend on air conditioning and blow-driers, she'd be there. So the WAF... Maybe I can find a slick enough universal remote that can be programmed such that hitting the Satellite 1 button would turn off Satellite 2, and the Cable button would turn them both off. A pretty one, without having too many buttons or a touch screen. Think I'm kidding? I bought some network gear for her office and she made me send it back because it was ugly. I'm open for any suggestions, although I realize it's wildly OT. Thanks again!

 

[Tron]

Sounds like an activity-based remote like the Logitech Harmony series might fit your needs. One button will turn on the TV, stereo, FTA receiver, and set each correctly for the desired activity.

 

[gizmohd]

Didn't know they had such a thing! Just what I need, another remote to lose!!!

Do what I did... I have a programmable remote and mapped my a/b button on the remote to that of the Remote A/B switch... Works like a charm!