Newbie Questions

[EakSky]

Newbie Questions
I have two dish network dishs and one direct tv dish and picking up an 8 foot dish c band (c I think) and I am looking for a receiver that could work with all so I could lock into multiple sats (I think I need a good switch too) Ultimately I would like to have the obvious, lots of channels (preferred HD), and eventually four receivers. So the real question is what do I buy? Again I am a newbie and really have no clue where to start. I'll even take a book title as a response What brands or models of a receiver will receive both big and little dishes (basically the entire x to K spectrum) email me or post please

 

[EakSky]

So any suggestions?

 

[Tron]

All receivers will work with DBS, Ku, and C-Band, however the DirecTV and Dish Network dishes you have are not going to be of much use. They use DBS LNBs, and are too small to reliably receive Ku-Band even if the LNBs were to be changed. There's not much on DBS that is in the clear, as Dish scrambled the few clear channels that used to be there. The C-Band dish will be very useful if you can find space to mount it. For reliable Ku-Band, you'll want at least a 30 inch dish and a Ku-Band LNB.

As for a receiver, my current recommendation is an Openbox S9. Its not perfect, but none of them are. The Openbox will do HD and DVB-S2 in addition to the common DVB-S format.

 

[upnatm]

If your 8' dish is in good enough shape, you might want to find a nice new
C/Ku LNBF for it, I'm using a DMX-741 on a 10' motorized dish and pull in
quite a few decent channels on both bands.

Your multiple receivers will only tune in to what the single dish is pointing at.
If you want to set up a dish farm, now that's a whole other story!

Keep browsing and reading right here on this site, it takes time but you'll find
lots of good stuff to suit your tastes, and get you going!

Good luck!

 

[EakSky]

Thank you for the insight, over a year ago I asked similar question (right after I canceled cable tv) and no one would help out.

 

[FaT Air]

I would like to have the obvious, lots of channels (preferred HD), and eventually four receivers

If going multi receivers, you'll need dual output LNBF's and multi switches. But your 4 receivers will be limited to watching only one satellite at a time. FTA channels are spread across many satellites. The only way to have different satellites available to each receiver is multiple dishes. Suggest only one receiver long enough to see if multiple receivers is justified.
For moving the dish to different satellites, an actuator, and something to power it. A G-Box or V-box fill the bill there. Unless the dish you're getting comes with an analog receiver. It could be used. Less convenient, but usable. HD receivers: Openbox, Sathawk, Solomend. (their all basically the same, just different brand names) Manhattan 1399 appear to be the "class leaders" at this time. Pansat has a new model, 9500HDX, but little, actually nothing, is known about it. No reviews on it yet. When you get the big dish, post some pictures of it. It's very likely that someone here has the same in use and can confirm if it will wotk on C and Ku bands or not. Then get suggestions on LNBF's that will work, setting it up, programming the receiver, etc.