I spent $4 on 3 useless dishes! Now I want ideas :)

[CharredPC]

Tonight I got offerred three DirecTV dishes, complete with LNB's and mounts, for $4. While I certainly couldn't think up a use for them, I figured "what the heck" and went for it. Here's what I got:

- Two WNC 18"x20" dishes with Triple-Feed Phase III lnb's, with built in multi-switch and four outputs each

- One Winegard 24"x18ish" (I think) with an Eagle 3-LNBF Y-Adaptor Mount with Multi-Satellite Multi-switch. Has two LNB's (in the 101 and 119 positions); both are dual output.

If the switches weren't a nightmare/impossibility, I'd use any one or two of them as my DBS FTA setup, take the old circular lnb off my motorized dish, and get a seperate reciever to use as a stereo component, just for audio (which is all that's really on circular FTA). I'm trying to think of something creative or clever to do with such a useles pile.... or should I just hop over to the DTV section and ask if this would be helpfull stuff for anyone?

... Maybe I can do some well-documented torture tests to see what DTV dishes can survive
Edit: And more importantly, what they CAN'T! Buwahahaha... (sinister laughter)

 

[Tron]

Well, the two Phase III's aren't worth anything for FTA, because the internal switch is proprietary to D* and that LNB won't work for anything other than 101w on our receivers (which is useless since there's no DBS DVB there). You could aim the dish at another DBS bird, but it will still only get one bird at a time, so its basically as useful as an old single LNB D* dish. The internal switch on a Phase III is not removable, the whole LNB assembly is sealed and basically one piece. The 110 and 119 "eyes" are combined in some kind of ridiculous way (I'm sure D* doesn't think its ridiculous )...

The other dish, however, sounds very much like a Phase II. It is VERY useful. You would want to open that Eagle Y-adaptor mount and remove the switch (it's easily removed), then you would add another D* LNB to the center position (for 110w). The LNB at 101, again, is useless and would just be there to keep the weather out of the adaptor You could use this dish (after removing the switch) to hit 110w and 119w.

I believe Ultatryon is using one of these. He strapped another LNB next to the 101w "dummy" LNB to receive 91.

Someone on the D* forum might want the Phase III's, you might want to list them in the classifieds. Trouble is, they're somewhat common (I've got a couple from trash piles myself)...

 

[charper1]

People looking to do a cheap "self upgrade" from a standard DirecTV system to a HD system (so they MIGHT be better inline for the MPEG4 upgrade) could take them off your hands.

These PhaseIII dishes routinely go for $99 retail and $49 ebay, so you got a great deal even if they are of no use to you. I agree with Tron that listing the here in the classifieds or a local paper should get you a small profit unless you just wanted to be a nice guy and give them away for the cost of shipping.

 

[rkrenicki]

The other dish, however, sounds very much like a Phase II. It is VERY useful. You would want to open that Eagle Y-adaptor mount and remove the switch (it's easily removed), then you would add another D* LNB to the center position (for 110w). The LNB at 101, again, is useless and would just be there to keep the weather out of the adaptor You could use this dish (after removing the switch) to hit 110w and 119w.

I believe Ultatryon is using one of these. He strapped another LNB next to the 101w "dummy" LNB to receive 91.

As a matter of fact, I do.. this dish sounds to be a little shorter than mine, but all in all, still a phase 2

The switch is just a 22khz switch which is situated on the back of the dish, it would have 4 jumpers from the LNBs (sat a 1 and 2, and sat b 1 and 2) and then a 22khz multiswitch on the back. I just disconnected this whole assembly, and ran new jumpers to the LNBs (since the originals were RG59 cable) and put my DiSEqC 4x1 where the multiswitch was.

edit: as long as the winegard only has 2 lnbs, thats a standard 22khz switch, nothing special about it at all.

 

[Mr Tony]

Tonight I got offerred three DirecTV dishes, complete with LNB's and mounts, for $4. While I certainly couldn't think up a use for them, I figured "what the heck" and went for it. Here's what I got:

- Two WNC 18"x20" dishes with Triple-Feed Phase III lnb's, with built in multi-switch and four outputs each

Phase III really isnt useful for FTA

- One Winegard 24"x18ish" (I think) with an Eagle 3-LNBF Y-Adaptor Mount with Multi-Satellite Multi-switch. Has two LNB's (in the 101 and 119 positions); both are dual output.

Keep this one...You can do a lot with that...you can use a couple circular LNB's for 110/119 or 82/91 audio
You can even use it for FTA for the high signal TP's (like CCTV)