primestar recognition

[dunnsept]

I think I spotted my first primestar dish.
are there any features one can use to tell if a given dish is, in fact, a primestar?
and before you make any snotty comments, no it doesn't say "Primestar" on it that I could see.
I really only have a good view of the thing from the back (mount side)
but can say that it looked to be at least 3' across.

I will admit, I was DAMN tempted to just take it! now before the cops come get me, this dish is laying upside down in a yard, right next to a dumpy old recliner chair.
I did stop and knock on the door to see if anybody was home (nope) but didn't want to go trespassing through the yard to check the dish out.
so, at least from the road, is there a way to tell if it's primestar or not?
I'm going to stop by again after work to see if anybody's home, then I'll leave a note at the door.
here's hoping

 

[Anole]

features of Primestar dishes:

- front surface is dark charcoal
- surface is bumpy, textured
- back side has molded-in ribs
- the dishes are always composite molded (fiberglass re-inforced thermosetting resin [plastic])
- round dishes have three LNB support arms
- round dishes have a unique long LNB cover, which is very obvious
- oval dishes have one heavy LNB support at the bottom
- oval dishes may have any of several styles of LNB, so you need pictures of all types
- all dishes have separate feedhorns and LNBs, with the feeds matched to the dish
- the mounts are very heavy duty, fit a large pole, and never (?) do skew
- occasionally you'll see a similar dish by the same manufacturer, but those are the exception
- there are smaller DirecTV and StarChoice oval dishes which match the above, but will have different feed/LNBs

Any errors above?
I'm sure there are other things to add.

 

[chadzx11]

They area where the logo sticker went is usually NOT textured, right? So, one could look for the shape of the logo where it used to go. The big ones also had P* on the feed cover sides.

 

[turbosat]

primestar channel master

I had a better pic but can't find it right now, in this pic there's a couple, the 1m on G18 you can see somewhat. That one was painted on the backside though, dark green but the features are visible. You can see the elliptical model in there too, to the right.

 

[dunnsept]

did a google image search.. yep.. pretty sure it's a primestar. the back had those molded-in support rib things. looked like a single LNBF support arm from the bottom. guess I'd better stop back by this afternoon after work and leave a note on the door.
I'm geeked about this.. SWMBO can't complain at me (as much) for free stuff ;-)

and I'll snap a couple pics too, just to be sure and just for fun

 

[Gary Z]

Primestars are my favorite!

 

[linuxman]

Who cares!!!

If it is 36 inches or bigger grab it!

 

[dunnsept]

I'd be tempted.. it looked like it was basically in a kind of garbage pile.. and as far as I know, garbage picking isn't illegal.. but I'd still feel odd about just grabbing it.

I know a family who lives down the road from this place.. called them up.. she said that she doesn't know them well, but that it's been sitting there in the yard for over a year

 

[linuxman]

I'd be tempted.. it looked like it was basically in a kind of garbage pile.. and as far as I know, garbage picking isn't illegal.. but I'd still feel odd about just grabbing it.

I know a family who lives down the road from this place.. called them up.. she said that she doesn't know them well, but that it's been sitting there in the yard for over a year

Well then grab it and leave a note that you picked up their trash for them. Leave your number and ask them to call you if they want it back.

 

[eurosport]

Here's my 1.0 (the gray one) and one of my 1.2's before I moved the dish farm. My other 1.2 is gray like the 1.0. The white one seems rare.

 

[dunnsept]

Eurosport: nope.. this one was elliptical.. which is then what? like an 84 or something. I left a note at the place with my phone number and email..
gonna drive by tomorrow and see if the note is still there

 

[Mr Tony]

These are 84e's

They are 40x30...these pictures gotta be old...there is no snow on the ground

 

[osu1991]

It can't be in much worse shape than this 84e I keep outside the back of my office now. It was propped upside down next to a trash dumpster out by our lake place being used as no trespassing sign. I watched it sitting there for a couple of months before I was driving by on the golf cart one day and realized what it was, so it came home with me that weekend.

It has since been cleaned and repainted to look like a new primestar. I found a place to order a new support arm and already had the original primestar lnb. Works great on 123 west.

 

[eurosport]

Eurosport: nope.. this one was elliptical.. which is then what? like an 84 or something.

I had one of those layin' around here years ago...dang if I know whatever happened to it though?

 

[Anole]

They area where the logo sticker went is usually NOT textured, right?
So, one could look for the shape of the logo where it used to go.

I don't have one, but from looking at hundreds of pictures on the forum, I believe:
- when the sticker wears off, there may be a rectangular residue left behind
- if the sticker is totally worn off or removed, the dishes do -not- have a flat spot
- repainted Primestar dishes support this belief.
- if the dish is another color, it may have come off a gas station or other service...(?)
...(or been repainted green like my buddy Turbosat did to his!)...

But, I'd like to know for sure.

 

[Tron]

Primestar recognition is a crucial skill in this hobby. Recently, I recognized one across six lanes of traffic. These dishes are manufactured by Channel Master, and most of the time, have been deployed by Primestar. There are several molds... the 1.2, the 1.0 (I have two of these now), the 84E (A couple of these, courtesy of Stogie), the 75E, and the 60E. The 1.2 and 1.0 molds are "round"... Well, not really round, since they're offset dishes. They're actually egg-shaped, but the longer axis is the height of the dish. The others are elliptical, and I'm not sure whether or not Primestar used the 60E (Starchoice does). They all have a ribbed back, but the elliptical ones have a different pattern. The "round" ones have a sort of honeycomb design to their ribs. Let us know if you get it! :

 

[Blindowl1234]

I love the one Primestar dish i have, think its an 84E 24"x 35" looks similar to the one in Iceberg's pics.....great dish wish I had a couple more of them laying around. Blind

 

[bubba108]

I'd be tempted.. it looked like it was basically in a kind of garbage pile.. and as far as I know, garbage picking isn't illegal.. but I'd still feel odd about just grabbing it.

I know a family who lives down the road from this place.. called them up.. she said that she doesn't know them well, but that it's been sitting there in the yard for over a year

.

I ran an ad in the local free swap paper here and was swamped with calls. It said: WANTED-YOUR OLD PRIMESTAR SATELLITE DISH CALL XXX-XXXX . Got calls for PrimeStar and a bunch of BUDS. People were happy to get rid of them.
I did love those old dishes but much happier after I broke down and got a motorized dish from Sadoun.

 

[Machman]

Anole: I was just on the roof and took a look at my Primestar. The logo is just a sticker... well, WAS a sticker in my case; it's completely disintegrated now. From a distance it looks like the surface where sticker was is smooth, but up close I can see that it's nothing but a very persistent layer of adhesive. I'd guess that just about any Primestar will still have some of that residue, unless the owner made a concerted effort to remove it.

Of course, the easiest way to identify one is to look for mold number, which will nearly always be molded into the back of the dish. Mine is unusual in that it just says ".90x.63". That makes it a bit smaller than a 75e (.90x.66). Come to think of it, it would be nice if we had a photo gallery of all the different Primestars, especially with photos of the backs of the dishes.

 

[dunnsept]

welp.. ran past at lunch.. my note is gone.. but so is that dish.. sigh.. that one's a no go.


BUT Wait! There's MORE! call now in the next 5 minutes...
On my way back, took a different route.. there's a business on the far west side of the town.. 3 big c-band mesh dishes outside.
so, I stopped in to ask. Dude I spoke with said that they used to sell c-band equipment and programming.. but now are exclusively D*. so I said "uh.. whatcha gonna do with those c-band dishes?"
"we're gonna take them down when it warms up.. you want em?"
gave him my name & number.
SCORE!
so then we start chatting about what I'm doing and what I'm looking for... FTA and all that.
so.. WHAT do you think the guy gave me?
go on.. guess..

DING DING DING.. Johnny, tell us what our contestants have won!