Question about blind scan

[mick d]

I have my 8' aluminum dish with a chaparrel lnb on it and ready to set the pole. I have a viewsat ultra for my ku 31" dish already set up. My question is I am wondering if I should get the gbox to go with my viewsat or get a merc II which is not a big price difference if the merc will work better. It seems like the viewsat blind scan doesnt pick up everything it should, for instance I did a blind scan on amc3 and got what few channels there are and looked at lyngsat and seen that I should have gotten the patient channel so after manually putting the info in on my channel scan it came up. Can anyone tell me if the merc has a better blind scan and would it be better for my c band set up? Thanks

 

[brentb636]

The Merc II has a very effective blindscan, and wouldn't have missed the Patient Channel . The Merc II , though, is not going to function as a Gbox, and run your big dish. You still need the Gbox.

 

[mick d]

Really? I thought it was for a big dish, Glad ya told me. Thanks Brent.

 

[mick d]

any suggestions on a good receiver that will control the c band actuator? Or do I need both receiver and gbox/

 

[B.J.]

any suggestions on a good receiver that will control the c band actuator? Or do I need both receiver and gbox/

THe commonly used terminology has changed a bit over the years, but it used to be that there were receivers and dish movers, and a receiver didn't have the capability of moving the dish. Then when VCII came around, you not only had receivers and dish movers, you had a separate cage with a descrambler.
Then, in an effort of putting everything in one unit, they came out with what are called IRDs. The IRD term actually referred to integrated receiver and decoder, however they also included a dish mover. I'm not sure if there were non-IRD receivers that could move a dish or not. I've never seen one.
But anyway, if you have just a plain receiver, it won't move a dish, however most receivers since around 1990 time frame are actually IRDs, and do move a dish. But I still have a couple old receivers that are prior to the IRD era.

 

[ACRadio]

I'm not sure if there were non-IRD receivers that could move a dish or not. I've never seen one.

There were many of them...the STS MBS-LSR comes to mind....

Some of the first receiver/positioners had the positioner part in a seperate box so the receiver could be sold then the matching positioner could be purchased later.

 

[mick d]

Well the way it is looking I think I am gonna go with the gbox for now and hook it up to my viewsat ultra even though I feel like I won't be getting all that I can because of it's weak blind scan. Seems like the receivers are steering away from powering the big c bands. Also there seems to be in a transitional period as the prices should come down and a clear cut winner emerges as the best. Maybe? Appreciate the help. ps.( an after thought) will the old c band lnb that came with my dish work with my viewsat?

 

[truckracer]

An HD fta receiver with blind scan and dvb s2 tuner would be a good idea if you can spend the money. I use a pansat 9200HD with the s2 blind scan board. Works very nice on the big dish.

 

[phlatwound]

....will the old c band lnb that came with my dish work with my viewsat?

It probably will, definitely worth a try. The one I am using is between 15 and 20 years old.

 

[gmd63]

Tell you what, your ViewSat Ultra scans a lot better than many out there. I've had many including the Ultra. If you have C-Band you will want one like truckracer said.

 

[mick d]

Appreciate all the info everybody, I had a look at the pansat 9200 and I would need a s2 board as well and it seems I will still have to get a gbox correct? So I may just get my feet wet with a gbox and my current viewsat ultra and then get a high end receiver in a couple of months. what yall think? Thanks for all the input.