Newbie

[tleslie]

I would like to know how to get set up to receive FTA by using a receiver and a motorized dish. Also, what is the advantages of this compared to regular satellite (Dish, Direct, etc.) and the disadvantages. What is the cost for a rotating motor for the dish?

 

[Anole]

advantage / disadvantage:

I'll cover some advantages and disadvantages:
- FTA equipment costs you to install, but then there is no monthly payment - :up
- FTA doesn't have what might be called "the cable channels", so no SciFi, no HBO, etc.
- the there are some Old Movie channels on FTA, much to the delight of many
- if you live near enough to a very large city such as L.A., Off The Air (OTA) programming via a regular antenna may be very satisfactory
- if you live so far out in the sticks that there are no local stations, FTA can connect you to the world
- on C-band (large dish) you can get networks out of the Virgin Islands (east coast programming)
- PBS is available in HD on FTA, but it's about the only 24/7 HD service
- there are numerous foreign language stations on FTA
- there are live sports feeds to be found, but hunting them is a hobby in itself.
- some members enjoy live news feeds.

What are your preferences and interests in TV programming?

 

[phlatwound]

As far as costs are concerned, if you look at the top of each forum page you'll find links to the businesses that help to sponsor this website, and they have about any kind of FTA equipment you would ever want or need.

 

[SatPhreak]

The advantages are no monthly costs for channels, finding feeds of sports games and news clips, watching stange channels from around the world. The disadvantages are few mainstream channels, no EPG guide in North America, channels come and go, channels are spread across the sky (a motor gets rid of this disavantage), and mostly a do it your self setup and trouble shooting.

For most of the public FTA does not offer the quantity of channels and setup/service that is offerd by the big satellite and cable companies, but a lot of people do get enjoyment out of what is up there for free. Best advice I can give somebody is to check out SatelliteGuys.US - TheList to see if any of the regular channels look interesting enough to you to buy the equipment.

A decent mototized system ( receiver, dish lnb, motor and cable) will cost about $250 or less for a ku setup. A motor for a ku dish is about $80-$100 by itself. Check out the sponsers at the top of the page for actual prices. I find this a good hobby and so do many others here. If you decide to get a system and have problems installing it just ask the nice people in this forum and they will happily try to help you out.

 

[SatPhreak]

Wow my post got beat, but I had to take a few minutes out to answear the door and get my new lnb and switches that just came about 10 minutes ago.

 

[ohre]

It's a freakin' bargain.........

Compared to 1985 with 10,000 to 20,000 dollar setups, I would say that 200 or 300 dollars (in today's money) is a good deal to see satellite TV!

 

[tleslie]

Thanks for the info. My interests are documentary programs, educational, programs such as Forensic Files, City Confidential, News, Financials, etc. Although I don't have a lot of time to watch any of it.

 

[tleslie]

Thanks for the reply and info.

 

[tleslie]

Thanks!

 

[turbosat]

You won't find too much of the regular cable-channels on fta, most are up there but are scrambled and not available to home-dish owners (unless you have one from DirecTV or DishNetwork and subcribe). Once in a while you'll find a channel or two like you mention that have dropped their encryption for a while but few that stay that way for long. Another fun part of having free to air, you just never know what you may find.

 

[Cadsulfide]

For us folks out in the boonies, FTA rocks!

D*sh or Dir*ct will run you at least $400/yr. My 10 dish array cost me about that much, but I have a few years of enjoying it. Most dishes are free for the asking, although you do have to buy lnb's, cable 7 connectors, switches, receivers, etc. Well worth the effort IMO.