Okay, I'm back in the game, and need help...

[taznjazz]

A couple years ago, I bought a diseq h-h motor and dvb/mpeg PC card from e-bay, various c/ku receivers from thrift stores and yard sales, a 10ft c/ku dish, etc, etc.

I was trying to get my big dish going, but on a .09 lot, I couldn't ever decide where to anchor it down, so it finally went to the recyclers when I moved.

I tried for a while to get my dish 500 dish to find something with the diseq motor, but that was before I learned I needed vertical or horizontal for most of the FTA stuff I was interested in, as well as a bigger dish. I went back to school to work on my BSEE, and gave up the hobby for a while, but then....

I got my new HDDVR QWEST/DTV 1yr contract package installed, which is great so far, way better than Comcast with their youtube-quality compressed 'digital' picture!

My new setup came with this AU9 slim-line dish, which I noticed has ample room to install my Fortec Star Universal Single LNBF FSKU-V. If I were to do this, hook up my motor, and hook it up to my DVB PC card, would it be worth my while (assuming I actually get my motor aligned well)? Is this slimline dish big enough to get any of the good PBS, etc?

I have an amazingly clear view of the horizon at my new house, but DTV did install the new dish pretty low on the side of my house, instead of on the roof. I have had no problems with my DTV signals.

At this point, I have everything I need with my DTV package, so it's really more of a hobby at this point, but it's really starting to sound fun again.

I never actually tried my dish 500 with the universal LNB, just assumed it was too small (23" I think), can you confirm this is too small? If it would work, it might be nice to leave my DTV dish fixed.

Also, I have this pre-paid GlobeCast World TV receiver my wife's grandma gave me because she had to buy new equipment when BVN moved. It seems her dish is pretty small. If I point a 18" dish with my fortec star at Galaxy 25 (where the Globe Cast stuff is), do you think I'll be able to pick it up?

It seems this GlobeCast SE830 receiver is a fully functional FTA receiver, with a pre-paid smart card for some of the GlobeCast nagravision stuff, except that I think GlobeCast turned off it's ability to control an HH motor in BIOS. Oh well, I still have the PC card to do this.

If both of these ideas will work, I think I'd buy another universal LNB, point an 18" fixed at the GlobeCast stuff, and put the HH motor/universal LNB on the DTV dish.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

 

[Anole]

A couple years ago, I bought a diseq h-h motor and dvb/mpeg PC card from e-bay, various c/ku receivers from thrift stores and yard sales, a 10ft c/ku dish, etc, etc.

Okay, we'll be using some of those items down below, especially that thrift store receiver if it's DVB FTA.
If it's an old analog, then that's out of my range of knowledge.

I tried for a while to get my dish 500 dish to find something with the diseq motor, but that was before I learned I needed vertical or horizontal for most of the FTA stuff I was interested in, as well as a bigger dish.

Motorizing a Dish 500 is silly. I know, I've been considering doing it for a joke!
And as you say, it needs a linear LNB (vert and horiz), not a circular LNB that comes with it.

I got my new HDDVR QWEST/DTV 1yr contract package installed, ...
My new setup came with this AU9 slim-line dish, which I noticed has ample room to install my Fortec Star Universal Single LNBF FSKU-V.

Are you discontinuing DirecTV service and trying to re-task an existing dish to FTA, or trying to use the Slimline as-is without re-aiming it?

If I were to do this, hook up my motor, and hook it up to my DVB PC card, would it be worth my while (assuming I actually get my motor aligned well)?

Well, geez, how many ways can I discourage this?
1). the slimline is one heavy mutha - that mount's a bitch.
2). starting out with a DVB card is like lighting a fire with rocks 'n sticks, when you have a lighter in your pocket.
- so, this receiver you mentioned, is it an FTA receiver?
- This is where it would come in handy!
3). The size of the dish would certainly get you some FTA channels, but not all.

Is this slimline dish big enough to get any of the good PBS, etc?

I'll pass on that particular question
But mostly all PBS will require you to decode Dolby
- the receiver must output it to your hi-fi system, and not all receivers will.

I have an amazingly clear view of the horizon at my new house, but DTV did install the new dish pretty low on the side of my house, instead of on the roof.
I have had no problems with my DTV signals.
At this point, I have everything I need with my DTV package, so it's really more of a hobby at this point, but it's really starting to sound fun again.

So, this implies you are keeping DirecTV.?
If so, then buy a proper FTA antenna and DVB receiver.

I never actually tried my dish 500 with the universal LNB, just assumed it was too small (23" I think), can you confirm this is too small?
If it would work, it might be nice to leave my DTV dish fixed.

Do not even think about getting subscription TV on a dish that you motorize!

As for FTA on a small dish, it's really for the advanced hobbiest, looking for something fun, or bragging rights.
Not for mainstream use.
However, several members have put linear LNBs on Dish500's (McGuyver), and little DirecTV dishes, and tuned in some of the hotter transponders.
WhiteSprings TV has some oldie movies and other programming, but if you are touchy about your video quality , these old black 'n white flix may disappoint you even more!

Also, I have this pre-paid GlobeCast World TV receiver my wife's grandma gave me because she had to buy new equipment when BVN moved.

I've read discouraging comments about the Globecast receiver.
At least for general FTA use.
But since I don't have one, all I can say is to go looking for more info.

It seems her dish is pretty small.

Well, give us actual dimensions. I thought it was 36x27 or something like that.
Sadoun sells them, and that is what his web page shows.
That dish should do fine, but if you have something different, tell us.

If I point a 18" dish with my fortec star at Galaxy 25 (where the Globe Cast stuff is), do you think I'll be able to pick it up?

18" dish? no
You have a Fortec Star receiver? That would be useful! Which model?

It seems this GlobeCast SE830 receiver is a fully functional FTA receiver, with a pre-paid smart card for some of the GlobeCast nagravision stuff, except that I think GlobeCast turned off it's ability to control an HH motor in BIOS. Oh well, I still have the PC card to do this.

If both of these ideas will work, I think I'd buy another universal LNB, point an 18" fixed at the GlobeCast stuff, and put the HH motor/universal LNB on the DTV dish.

Hopefully, I covered this all, above.

What do you guys think?

I think this answer was exhausting.
Hope ya learned something.
There is plenty of reference material here in the FTA section to bring you up to speed.
Best of luck.

 

[Wescopc]

I will second everything Anole said. Keep you DirecTV as you have it, do not even try to run FTA and DirecTV together on the same dish, much less with a motor. Get a 90cm dish and mount it with or without a motor and set it up with your Fortec receiver. Then add in computer card tuners or whatever. You need a baseline that you know works first. Otherwise you will go nuts IMHO.
Bob

 

[taznjazz]

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my lengthy post, and provide such helpful answers!

Not a Fortec receiver, a Fortec Universal LNBF...

You're right about the size of the GlobeCast dish, I was wrong...

The GlobeCast receiver still has a valid subscriptions, so if I mount my universal LNB to a Dish 500 or older DirecTV dish, do you think I could hit the GlobeCast satellite and get some of the GlobeCast conent?

The thrift store receivers are all old analog junk I was going to use with a 10' C/Ku dish before I gave most of my free time to college. I did pick up pansat 100 dvb, but the fan sounds like a dying horse, and as far as I can tell, the receiver would be junk even if it was in like-new condition.

I plan to keep my DTV subscription, as I love it!

I was initially interested in a challenging FTA hobby, but due to school, I would like a simple FTA hobby, which will enable me to pick up some network broadcast, PBS type stuff, and some interesting international stuff.

What brand of dish and receiver will be best for eventual use with my hh motor?

I'd probably like to start with a stationary single satellite set-up, and then add the motor as a later challenge. What brands of receiver do I definitely want to avoid? Is e-bay something I should avoid all together?

If I just bought a whole GlobeCast setup for the international stuff, I assume I wouldn't want to motorize that dish either, right?

Thanks again!

 

[Anole]

I'm gonna charge by the answer.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my lengthy post, and provide such helpful answers!

That's what you get when you come here.
I've found an incredible number of answers here, from the fine membership!

Not a Fortec receiver, a Fortec Universal LNBF...

That might be useful, but a Fortec receiver would have been -much- better!

You're right about the size of the GlobeCast dish, I was wrong...
The GlobeCast receiver still has a valid subscriptions, so if I mount my universal LNB to a Dish 500 or older DirecTV dish, do you think I could hit the GlobeCast satellite and get some of the GlobeCast conent?

Well, subject to answers from other members, I would say -no-
That's why the Globecast receiver comes with a bigger dish - it needs it.

The thrift store receivers are all old analog junk

Not surprised. Lot of that junk on eBay, too.
Seems it's worth less than what it costs to ship.

I plan to keep my DTV subscription, as I love it!

Nothing wrong with that.

I was initially interested in a challenging FTA hobby, but due to school, I would like a simple FTA hobby, which will enable me to pick up some network broadcast, PBS type stuff, and some interesting international stuff.

See the following satellite lists for which birds might have what you are seeking
- most simple list, Ku only
- more robust list @ SatGuys with Ku and C-band
- Global-CM has Ku and C-band lists
- Then, there's always Lyngsat.

What brand of dish and receiver will be best for eventual use with my hh motor?

I'd suggest a 36" dish, perhaps from one of our advertizers.
As for a motor, maybe something like a STAB HH-90 or Moteck 2100.

As for a receiver, I'd like to point to the following three :
- Mercury II from Fortec Star
- Visionsat IV-200, with a user-supplied USB hard drive, it's a PVR
- Pansat 3500sd
There are other good choices, but there are likewise many brands built 'n sold to the hacker market, and they just don't have all the features and polish we need for true FTA use.

Some of these features include:
- working blind scan feature (many claim, some don't work, some work slowly)
- proper motor control - not a high priority in the hack market
- ability to control switches to support many LNBs - again, many do just enough to get by.

I'd probably like to start with a stationary single satellite set-up, and then add the motor as a later challenge. What brands of receiver do I definitely want to avoid? Is e-bay something I should avoid all together?

Stationary will get you a whole bunch of experience aiming your dish, and working with your receiver.
That'll all pay off big, when you decide to add more dishes, LNBs, or a motor!

As for receivers to avoid, make a list,and we'll give you our opinion.
Some I know off hand as hacker-bait, etc...

If I just bought a whole GlobeCast setup for the international stuff, I assume I wouldn't want to motorize that dish either, right?

I don't think I would.
What I've heard about the Globecast receiver, is that it's pretty minimal, as receivers go.
If you had a decent receiver, it would -not- be able to get the -pay- channels your Globecast could, so come to a decision on how you want to handle that matter.