Mini TV with Mini SAT receiver for pointing dishes

[polgyver]

Usually, for pointing a dish, small TV and receiver is helpful close to the tuned dish. The biggest problem is the extension cord. The best solution is specialized satellite meter, but it is rather expensive. As an alternative, I assembled on a piece of plywood small TV and very small sat receiver. This receiver was bought from e-bay, for around $17. TV cost me much more, but it is not dedicated only for dish pointing. Green batteries have been salvaged from damaged Makita drill. Probably, instead of mini TV, a small DVD player also could be used... Four photographs follow. Cheers, polgyver

 

[FaT Air]

I use the KISS principle. Yeah, I'm lazy. Receiver in the house with audio & video sent to a ntsc modulator. Channel sent to dish location on spare coax. Portable 7 in television.
Think if there's no spare coax, temporarily using a diplexer???? Have a few left over from:
Back in the days of installing the 'first generation' DTV, USSB. I had a small 12v B&W television in a homemade box with a 7 amp gel cel and an inverter to power the customers receiver at the dish. Good thing they had the beep function as sometimes the video was 'trashed' for some reason. Manufacturing tolerances of the receivers????

 

[Tron]

I've considered using a coax run from the inside receiver out to the dish. It's a good idea, but you do lose the ability to control the receiver. I was considering a Slingbox until I heard of the lag issue.

 

[FaT Air]

You could still control the receiver with a remote control extender but only if 'in range'. For true wireless, one would have to battery power it. But for general tune ups I rarely have to run in to change tp.

 

[olliec420]

To solve this I got a birdog. I know they're expensive but OMG did it make a difference. I can find and fine tune in a mater of minutes.

Congrats on the ingenuity though!

 

[jorgek]

Using a pro meter kind of takes the fun out of the countless hours spent trying to location the sat, not to mention the hair pulling, cursing, yell at wife and maybe even kick the dog!

 

[toucan-man]

...and maybe even kick the dog!

I don't condone it, but man you're hard-core.

 

[KE4EST]

Gonna have to seek out an anger management program..

 

[GI_Joe]

Ingenuity at its finest - but I prefer my First Strike Meter!!

 

[updatelee]

Whats the photocell for ?

UDL

 

[Magic Static]

Whats the photocell for ?

UDL

I wondered about that for a minute too. I don't know I would have labeled it "photo cell" , The IR receiver for the remote.

 

[Cham]

Polgyver,
How well does the TV work for ATSC reception? I am looking for a meter for aiming TV antennas, and a small TV like that might work ok if it has a signal meter built in...

 

[updatelee]

I wondered about that for a minute too. I don't know I would have labeled it "photo cell" , The IR receiver for the remote.

I see, wasnt thinking of that. Every receiver I ever owned the IR receiver was built into the box.

UDL

 

[Pi314]

Very clever. I was thinking of building something like that, now I see how.

I was using the two laptop method, but not as effective as a portable device like you constructed. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...Two-Laptop-Method?highlight=two+laptop+method

 

[i4tas]

satellite receiver and tv ON and in the signal menu. Take laptop and point webcam at TV. Skype call to my android phone on the same WIFI network. Mobile signal meter! No wires or batteries or purchases.

 

[polgyver]

Polgyver,
How well does the TV work for ATSC reception? I am looking for a meter for aiming TV antennas, and a small TV like that might work ok if it has a signal meter built in...

The TV can show a white-yellow bar which length depends on signal strength, there is also a word displayed (Bad, Normal and Good). However, this display lasts only a few seconds. It can be recalled by pressing "menu" and left arrow. See following pictures

 

[polgyver]

satellite receiver and tv ON and in the signal menu. Take laptop and point webcam at TV. Skype call to my android phone on the same WIFI network. Mobile signal meter! No wires or batteries or purchases.

Not feasible in some cases, like :
I am visiting a friend, who asked to move his Ku dish from 101 W to 97 W and to scan this new sat. So, there is no TV with screen and menu, no laptop, no Android phone (just an old Nokia C3)....
I hang my "poor man's first strike" on the dish's J-pipe, using a piece of # 14 or #12 AWG solid wire bent on hooks, move the dish and max the signal, reattach the original RG6.
Takes about 3-5 minutes.
Next, we go to receiver and scan. That's all... Cheers, polgyver