Questions on FTA

[robsadler]

I am a newb to all this FTA technology. I am currently a D* subscriber. I am thininking seriously about buying FTA equipment. Below is a few questions that I have came up with. Thank you in advance for your answers.

1. Where online in your opinion is the best place to buy equipment?

2. Would a motorized dish be better? Do you have to re-alingn very often for different sats?

3. Is any of the channels HD?

4. How many English language channels are there?

5. Is there any major networks that I can receive such as NBC, CBS, FOX, or ABC?

6. In your opinion is it worth the trouble of installing it and the price for the equipment?

Sorry for all the "dumb" questions. This technology really intrigues me. I'm sort of a electronics geek.

Once again thank you in advance for your anwers.

 

[Mr Tony]

1. Where online in your opinion is the best place to buy equipment?

I would check the sponsers above

2. Would a motorized dish be better? Do you have to re-alingn very often for different sats?

fixed dish sees one satellite. Motorized will allow you to see 20 or so satellites (depending on line of site)

3. Is any of the channels HD?

thge only HD channel on KU Band is PBS HD. There are sports feeds that come and go and those are in HD too

4. How many English language channels are there?

are we counting feeds that come and go? If no and we are dealing with KU (30" dish) a couple hundred. With feeds it varies at one time since stuff pops in and leaves all the time

5. Is there any major networks that I can receive such as NBC, CBS, FOX, or ABC?

ABC & FOX yes. There is an ABC and Fox affiliate on Galaxy 10 (123 degrees west). NBC & CBS not really. There is a NBC feed but you need either a PC card or a really expensive reciever to pick it up

6. In your opinion is it worth the trouble of installing it and the price for the equipment?

I'll answer that question with a question

Are you looking to aim the dish, plop down and watch TV like you did with DirecTV?
if the answer is YES than FTA probably isnt for you

If you are looking to see raw news feeds, raw sports feeds, oddball channels that you wouldnt see anywhere else and just have fun and take whatever is given to you, then yes FTA is for you.

I've had it for 3 years and LOVE it. If I cant find anything on (which is a rarity), I flip over to RTN (Retro TV Network)....think TV Land 5-7 years ago with good older shows

 

[SatinKzo]

I am a newb to all this FTA technology. I am currently a D* subscriber. I am thininking seriously about buying FTA equipment. Below is a few questions that I have came up with. Thank you in advance for your answers.

1. Where online in your opinion is the best place to buy equipment?

2. Would a motorized dish be better? Do you have to re-alingn very often for different sats?

6. In your opinion is it worth the trouble of installing it and the price for the equipment?

1. I recommend either of the two sponsors (Sadoun or SatelliteAV) as they are both active here and I have personally got stuff from Sadoun. Both have packages put together that get you everything you will need to get going. Choose one based on proximity to you for faster ship times. Call them up, talk to them find out what they can do for ya. I personally have nothing against gosatellite, just never seen them post here or have I personally dealt with them.

2. I started with a stationary dish on IA5 and then I got really intrigued so I moved to a motor within a very short period of time. It really is not hard to setup, just need patience and the willingness to learn from mistakes.

6. I love my fta setup. I mentioned in another post that I have not turned on my vip211 in over a month now on my TV where I have my FTA setup at.

Also, for cheaper equipment, check the classifieds here. I and many others sell things on there and lately there has been quite a bit FTA stuff on there. If you get into it, you might find like I did that you will soon want to try other receivers and accessories!

 

[mastermesh]

6. In your opinion is it worth the trouble of installing it and the price for the equipment?

HECK YAH! It really comes down, in number of channels picked up, to around the amount of stuff you'd get with a descent basic cable package... Last I checked Cable around here ran anywhere from 30 bucks on up and up and up... A couple of years ago we had a basic digital package with high speed internet and on demand... that ran us 110.00 a month! In buying the fta rig it did cost about a few hundred, but we've already more than made up for the difference if we'd compare it to the amount we'd be paying dish or directv or the cable guy every month... As far as on demand, I got an ati all in wonder that can record like a pvr... who needs a vcr or on demand when you got that and can go back later and just go to whatever movie you were taping and hit play, or record to dvd, or if you get fancy, do like I do and send signal back to the tv!

 

[Tron]

This technology really intrigues me. I'm sort of a electronics geek.

You'll probably LOVE FTA. I do more tweaking and working with my system than I do actual viewing. Not that there are problems that keep me from viewing, is is just that its fun to add to your capabilities and upgrade your system

 

[1inabillion]

Been into a BUD C band for 16 years with Ku for about 10 years been into fta about a year now FTA rules. had dish and direct:down no need to say more