Looking into getting a Free to Air system

[JeffGBailey]

Hi Guys!
Long time lurker, first time poster

I've been reading up on Free to Air and it looks like something I want to get into. I'm looking to enhance my TV viewing. I have a pretty good view to the south (no trees or anything like that) but have some questions

What do you recommend for a dish size? I'm in Cornelia GA (75 miles from Atlanta) and really want it for English stuff (don't speak any foreign languages). Would a 30" be ok to reach Galaxy 10 (I saw a whole bunch of network type stuff on there)

I've checked Ebay and some sites and it looks like everyone is selling a Pansat. Other companies have Fortec, Traxis , BEC and Satwork. What is the difference between them and why would I want one vs. another. What about those I've seen on Ebay for $60 shipped? Are they any good?

If I wanted to get a motor down the line, which receivers work for it?

Do you guys recommend anyone to get it from?

hopefully i didnt burden you with questions. I might think of some more

 

[Mr Tony]

Hi Guys!
Long time lurker, first time poster

Welcome!

What do you recommend for a dish size? I'm in Cornelia GA (75 miles from Atlanta) and really want it for English stuff (don't speak any foreign languages). Would a 30" be ok to reach Galaxy 10 (I saw a whole bunch of network type stuff on there)

a 30" would work, but you might want a bigger dish, like a 1 meter. Never hurts to have a larger dish

I've checked Ebay and some sites and it looks like everyone is selling a Pansat. Other companies have Fortec, Traxis , BEC and Satwork. What is the difference between them and why would I want one vs. another. What about those I've seen on Ebay for $60 shipped? Are they any good?

Most of them are the same. Some have "blind" search which scans for the info on the satellite. You dont have to search around for stuff. You hit one button and its there.
I would stay away from the $60 ones. I am gonig to be posting a review tomorrow on these. They are very limited on what they can do

If I wanted to get a motor down the line, which receivers work for it?

The Pansat 2500, Satwork 3688, and Traxis have DiSEqC 1.2 capability (aka a motor)

Do you guys recommend anyone to get it from?

Look around here. Some people sell them.

 

[PSB]

Iceberg covered everything, but just beware if you buy from e-bay there has been a few Fried Pansats being sold to unwitting buyers, just make sure you know who you are buying from, its a great hobby, have fun!

 

[JeffGBailey]

PSB
What do you mean fried? Why would they be fried when they say "new"?

If I want to avoid Ebay, who do you recommend?

 

[PSB]

Some people are Hacking receivers ( altering the software to steal programming ) and when a satellite company changes its own software (ECM) if often renders the hacked receivers useless, or at the very least needing further hacking, many owners then sell them off as "Bargains"

 

[Kikar]

I was a Lurker and learned alot from this forum.( thanks PSB and Iceberg especially)
when I decided to start i had to work within a budget, WAF (Wife approval Factor) had to be considered as my life revolves around tech. I was wary of the Pansats on ebay for two reasons...1.) there were too many for auction...2.) they seem to be the receiver of choice for thieves.

but after scouring ebay i was able to pick up a Traxis for $52, a 80 cm dish for $67, and last night (after reading for the past couple of days about it) I bought the sg2100 motor for $80. All shipped to the door for 199.00 a dollar less than my budget.

Ebay can be good if you look hard enough and research the seller. If I had not found anything on ebay PSB's site had the best prices I had found on the Traxis and I would have purchased that. (sorry PSB) Believe me I searched for about a month for the best deal I could get with limited funds.

 

[carload]

To be fair, another reason the Pansats are popular is that they're apparently really good. Tele-Satellite just gave the 2500 a glowing review. Another (cough) popular FTA dealer's site raves about Pansat's reliability and warranty. None of that has anything to do with that other factor, that some folks believe that (cough) magic stuff can get the Pansat to view some encrypted signals.

If I had an extra $100 in my FTA budget, I would have ordered a Pansat from a trusted source. And if it had been offered by a trusted eBay seller (+500 approval, >98% positive), I wouldn't have minded buying it there.

 

[Kikar]

What Carload said is true also...I have heard that they are very good receivers

 

[TBI]

What do you recommend for a dish size? I'm in Cornelia GA (75 miles from Atlanta) and really want it for English stuff (don't speak any foreign languages). Would a 30" be ok to reach Galaxy 10 (I saw a whole bunch of network type stuff on there)

I'm near Commerce, GA and I use an old DirecPC dish that I already had which is only about 30"x24" with no real problems. If I was going to buy a new one I would try to get at least a 36" though.

 

[JeffGBailey]

Thanks for the info guys!

I'll have to pick one up. I can get a Primestar dish from a buddy. I'm assuming that would work.

 

[Mr Tony]

Yes a Primestar dish will work. They are larger than a 30" dish so you shouldn't have any problems

 

[PSB]

TBI any pictures of your Dish and motor, I have three DirecPC dish but I am hesitant to put them on a motor, thanks.

 

[TBI]

TBI any pictures of your Dish and motor, I have three DirecPC dish but I am hesitant to put them on a motor, thanks.

I will go out and take some right now, I have other asking also.

 

[ken2400]

A Traxis for $52 sounds like a good price. Which model? New or Used? Did you keep looking at Ebay to get this price or did you use some software to do you hunting on it?

As for the dish price I found this BUT have no idea how how good these guys are.
http://svcs.sf2000.registeredsite.com/svcs/dcc.jsp 76 cm for $38 and $12 shipping

Thanks
Ken

I was a Lurker and learned alot from this forum.( thanks PSB and Iceberg especially)
when I decided to start i had to work within a budget, WAF (Wife approval Factor) had to be considered as my life revolves around tech. I was wary of the Pansats on ebay for two reasons...1.) there were too many for auction...2.) they seem to be the receiver of choice for thieves.

but after scouring ebay i was able to pick up a Traxis for $52, a 80 cm dish for $67, and last night (after reading for the past couple of days about it) I bought the sg2100 motor for $80. All shipped to the door for 199.00 a dollar less than my budget.

Ebay can be good if you look hard enough and research the seller. If I had not found anything on ebay PSB's site had the best prices I had found on the Traxis and I would have purchased that. (sorry PSB) Believe me I searched for about a month for the best deal I could get with limited funds.

 

[TBI]

TBI any pictures of your Dish and motor, I have three DirecPC dish but I am hesitant to put them on a motor, thanks.

They are attached, not the best as the sun was really bright.
The motor shaft and the dish hole were mismatched :shocked so I used two different sizes of PVC pipe cut long ways so they could conform to the size I needed and some sandpaper to take up the rest of the slack.

Pete I could email you some higher resolution pics if you need them to show someone.
The dish is pointed at AMC 1 in all these pics.

 

[PSB]

Those pictures work, if you get any better ones just post them here, Iceberg and I have been talking about a "Show us you dish set up" thread where people can post a few pictures of their setup.
Looks like I have a few DirecPC dishes ready to be motorised, thanks for taking the time for the picture, nice idea with the PVC pipe!

 

[Mr Tony]

yep
as soon as I get a digital camera from one of my relatives, I'll take a few pictures of my setup (the receievrs, the antenna farm, etc)

 

[TBI]

Those pictures work, if you get any better ones just post them here, Iceberg and I have been talking about a "Show us you dish set up" thread where people can post a few pictures of their setup.
Looks like I have a few DirecPC dishes ready to be motorised, thanks for taking the time for the picture, nice idea with the PVC pipe!

Close up of the bottom so you can see the PVC setup maybe.

 

[Kikar]

Ken, the Traxis Ibought on ebay was a Traxis DBS-2500 new in the box I just searched, bid and was suprised when my low-ball bid won

 

[ken2400]

Thanks for the info Kikar. I will have to keep an eye out for one. I am looking to upgrade sometime.

Ken.

Ken, the Traxis Ibought on ebay was a Traxis DBS-2500 new in the box I just searched, bid and was suprised when my low-ball bid won