Getting paid for a job, thinking upgrades...

[timmy1376]

So I am getting my year end pay for a job I do and I am thinking upgrades, or at least replacing my dead motor.

Almost $500 to spend, so I know I will get a new motor. Thinking of getting a larger dish with motor combo while I am at it. I have a traxis 3500, DVB World usb box, Skystar 2 PCI card, and a old smaller DTN dish. Any combo dish-motor packages that you guys like? I think a 90cm would be better.

On receivers, could I get anything for my two computer cards and buy a new S2 usb card, or would I be better off looking at a Azbox. I have a HDTV so HD feeds would be awesome, but if I go usb I still need to use the computer, have a STB would be nice.

I welcome any advice.

 

[Anole]

I'd think about a bigger dish. What size is your current one?
36" is nice. 1 meter (39") would be outstanding.
Some will suggest 1.2 meter (48"), for all the Ku you can stand, along with the possibility of a little mini-budding.
If you do go for a biggest dish, I'd get the DG380 from Sadoun. (ask him what he'd do you for a 1m & motor)
However, if you get a more modest dish, double check the motor shaft size and make sure it fits your dish.

If you were receptive to a used dish, I'm guessing you'd have already found a nice 1m Primestar or similar.

Sounds like you've got dual output LNBs that suit you.
I'd think about the Invacom QPH-031 if I had the bucks.
But, the relatively inexpensive orange dual from WSI looks attractive (to name just one).

I'd be getting the AZbox myself. I've had enough of the USB/PCI for a lifetime.
However, the AZ is still maturing, so if you are comfortable with the computer-based solutions, at least look for the latest S2-capable tuners.

 

[timmy1376]

My dish it either a 72 or 75 cm, cannot remember. I have a couple of universal lnb that I am OK with, but if there is a package of motor and dish that includes a lnb for cheap, I would look at that. Not sure if I have enough height on my pole for a 1.2 meter dish, thinking a 90 would be pushing it.

Will the azbox do 4:2:2 and all of the HD modes??

 

[turbosat]

Azbox will do everything known to the northern hemisphere, or so they say. I'd go for a new dish and motor package (no primestar dishes to be had in Kansas?). And a new stb if you really want to get the hd stuff and 4.2.2 feeds. Check out the sponsors here for some package ideas.
1 meter dish is the smallest dish I'd want.

edit: TO ADD, I almost forgot, the Azbox apparently does NOT have blind-scan feature at present, but they seem to keep upgrading the software for it, hopefully they will add that soon. But you can always search feeds with the traxis and enter the hd stuff into the azbox.
Traxis I have would lock up on about half the hd signals it scanned in, though, so now its only used for tuning up my dishes.

 

[Anole]

I know Sadoun sells motor/dish/LNB packages.
Last I looked, SatelliteAV had a good dish/LNB deal, but had dropped the motors.
Check the WSI/GalaxyMarketing site and see if he offers a kit.
edit: oh, he does, a 90cm right on the front page.

 

[timmy1376]

Where's the best place to find/buy a Azbox??

I am looking at the dish combo on the front page for Galaxy Marketing...

 

[woodheat/nooil]

AZBOX HD Elite Linux-Multimedia DVBS-DVBS2 BRASIL ELITE - eBay (item 110458637638 end time Nov-26-09 17:22:37 PST)

I always check e-bay first.

 

[timmy1376]

That seller has two different ones up there, the one you posted, and another one about $100 more, what's the difference??

 

[Crocodile Locke]

For the extra $100 the Premium will take an internal SATA hard drive and has a Wi-Fi module. From what I've seen, it seems like most people here are getting the Elite; I know it's what I have.

 

[Lak7]

That seller has two different ones up there, the one you posted, and another one about $100 more, what's the difference??

There are 2 models for the AZBox HD, Premium and Elite
Premium has internal Hard Drive connections and Wireless Network, where the Elite has a Wired Network and only External USB connection.
Neither unit can record High Bit Rate Feeds.

 

[pedrogarcia]

The Premium also has a RJ45 ethernet as well as WLAN, and an external power supply. I have repaired 3 Elite (Chinese model not korean) power supplies to date and consider that PS board in the Elite not to have the same build quality as the main board.
There does seem plenty of support for the AZ box firmware. I think the fact these were originally made for the European market where blind scan is generally not an important feature.

 

[timmy1376]

Looking at the galaxy marketing site with the 90cm WS9036 dish package. Thinking about going with the one for $5 more that adds a cband lnbf since I already have a couple of ku universal lnbs here. You guys think it's worth trying any cband stuff with this dish??

 

[Anole]

C-band on 90cm has been done, but not to any great success (in my opinion).
If you want a shopping list of what Linuxman got on a 1m Primestar, here's the post in his thread.

Generally, the dual-band LNBF's can be made to work fine on BUDs, but they suffer Ku on small dishes, even 1.2m size.
So, if you do try mini-budding, a C-only LNBF is fine.
And you'll need a conical scalar if you're on a small offset feed dish.

 

[Tron]

Looking at the galaxy marketing site with the 90cm WS9036 dish package. Thinking about going with the one for $5 more that adds a cband lnbf since I already have a couple of ku universal lnbs here. You guys think it's worth trying any cband stuff with this dish??

I'm about to set up this exact dish for just that purpose. You can follow the progress in the WS9036 review thread, but it may take a few days before its up and running.