New Channel Master 84e dishes

[then]

I contacted a dealer who has new CM 84e dishes made from the original CM molds. The new ones are made of hard plastic. Does anyone have any experience with these? The high winds have badly warped two metal 36" dishes in the past two years. Will the CM 84e hold up better?

TIA

 

[phlatwound]

Those are great dishes, and would be MUCH more wind-resistant than the typical stamped-steel dish. I would think the performance, signal-wise, would be similar, or even better. Try to get the matching LNBF with the dish.

 

[then]

The dealer I contacted recommended the Eagle Aspen 270 Ku Band Dual Output Linear LNBF. He sells the refurbished CM dual output single polarity LNBFs and single output dual polarity LNBFs, but they don't come with the LNBF holder. Will the Eagle outperform a good standard LNBF on this dish?

 

[phlatwound]

I am not familiar with that Eagle-Aspen LNBF, but if it comes with the feedhorn that matches that elliptical CM dish I would say yes.

By "LNBF holder", do you mean the feedhorn/neck that attaches to the LNBF?

I think it's the feedhorn that is the key part here.

 

[Mr Tony]

a quick google shows these dont have the feedhorn so yeah thats what he must mean by Bracket
PBI----Pro Brand International, Inc----Satellite Electronic Specialist

 

[then]

Yes. The website I went on calls it a bracket, but it is the feedhorn that attaches the LNBF to the arm.

 

[phlatwound]

To get the most out of those CM (or any) elliptical dishes you need a matching feedhorn, no matter what LNB you attach to it.

You can adapt a "standard" LNBF ( GeoSat SL1 Bullet for example) but it will be "looking" for a round (although the typical "round" offset dishes look to be oval they actually appear round to the offset LNBF) dish, so you will either be under-illuminating, or looking beyond the edges of your elliptical dish.

I'm sure someone here has done that, not sure how well it worked though.

You might check with Impakt Products....seems like someone ordered an LNB from them and maybe had to ask for the feedhorn to be sent? Not sure about that.

The CM/Primestars are top-quality, commercial grade dishes, they take a little effort to motorize, but they are almost indestructible.

 

[toucan-man]

...I'm sure someone here has done that, not sure how well it worked though.

The 84E seems to work fine for Louisiana Public Television with any old LNBF strapped to the arm with a hose clamp. Indistinguishable from the original w/feedhorn as far as I can tell. I have both.

 

[phlatwound]

The 84E seems to work fine for Louisiana Public Television with any old LNBF strapped to the arm with a hose clamp. Indistinguishable from the original w/feedhorn as far as I can tell. I have both.

That's a pretty good test right there, I know some folks have trouble with LPTV.