SC for DFW/Texas; Dish options

[satsarecool]

Hi,

I want to get StarChoice setup in Dallas/TX. I have a DSR530 (activated, etc) and want to get HD and be able to record/watch at the same time (i.e. dual feeds).

If anyone has the 75e QuadLNB dish to sell (if you're in the US) please contact me directly. I also very much welcome advice of others regarding my options.

I'm also a little worried about the SC Quad used for 75, I've heard here and there that people have had the Quads fail on them, the housing cracks, etc...this happened to anyone?

Below are the options I found scouring this forum and Google:

1. Get 75e QuadLNBF from KuSat (Canada). Shipping is $90+ and UPS charges $30+. Not the best deal.

2. Get 75e Quad from Canamsatellite (US). Don't know how much shipping is, has anyone dealt with them before?

3. Get the 75e dish from Sadoun (GlobeCast Elliptical Dish and LNBF Oval Channel Master 75E)
and replace LNBF with a Quad from someone else (KuSat?). $99 for Dish alone, +shipping, +new QuadLNBF...

4. Get two dishes from Mike/Global with dual-LNBF outputs, use two 22kHz tone switches to hook to ONE dual-tuner reciever. Kind of complicated, but maybe more reliable?

5. Get DSS/Dish dishes, replace LNBs with linear/Ku LNBs, add 2x22kHz switch, etc. Note: I have an ONE old DirectTV dish, but still want HD & SD == need one more dish, LNBs and switch.

Again, I welcome all comments! Thanks!!

 

[hiker]

#4 is your best choice, IMO, but a lot more expensive. Having said that, I set up a 75e a couple of months ago and have been happy. Another option is to get a 75e from eBay. You can also sometimes find the 75e quad LNB on eBay. If you don't see any current eBay listings, contact some of the sellers (who have the 60e for sale) for availability. Last I checked, Canamsatellite requires that you use them as a broker if you buy any equipment from them, Kusat does not.

 

[joshuals]

Here's a hybrid solution of #4 that worked for me.

Determine which satellite transmits the channels you are interested in. (Use Global Site or Lyngsat, or Shaw Broadcasting sites) If all, or most of them, come from one satellite or the other, puchase a single elliptical offset dish & appropriate LNB from Mike and point at that satellite only. You will sacrifice the programming that comes from the "other" satellite, but if you get what you want from using one dish, who cares? It will cost you half as much, you won't need any switches, and the pointing of the dish is farily simple. And, as Mike points out, replacement LNB's can be purchased readily in case of failure.

I was interested only in SD French programming, 99% of which is on F2. I believe *C HD programming is also on F2 only. I'm not yet an HD person, so I'll have to let others respond as to possible problems with what I have suggested.

Worst case scenario, you can add a second dish/lnb later on if *C starts moving. things around.

 

[dish_dtv]

Fellow DFW resident....I agree with Hiker

Hi,

I want to get StarChoice setup in Dallas/TX. I have a DSR530 (activated, etc) and want to get HD and be able to record/watch at the same time (i.e. dual feeds).

If anyone has the 75e QuadLNB dish to sell (if you're in the US) please contact me directly. I also very much welcome advice of others regarding my options.

I'm also a little worried about the SC Quad used for 75, I've heard here and there that people have had the Quads fail on them, the housing cracks, etc...this happened to anyone?

Below are the options I found scouring this forum and Google:

1. Get 75e QuadLNBF from KuSat (Canada). Shipping is $90+ and UPS charges $30+. Not the best deal.

2. Get 75e Quad from Canamsatellite (US). Don't know how much shipping is, has anyone dealt with them before?

3. Get the 75e dish from Sadoun (GlobeCast Elliptical Dish and LNBF Oval Channel Master 75E)
and replace LNBF with a Quad from someone else (KuSat?). $99 for Dish alone, +shipping, +new QuadLNBF...

4. Get two dishes from Mike/Global with dual-LNBF outputs, use two 22kHz tone switches to hook to ONE dual-tuner reciever. Kind of complicated, but maybe more reliable?

5. Get DSS/Dish dishes, replace LNBs with linear/Ku LNBs, add 2x22kHz switch, etc. Note: I have an ONE old DirectTV dish, but still want HD & SD == need one more dish, LNBs and switch.

Again, I welcome all comments! Thanks!!

As you may have gleaned from reading some of the threads on this forum, I am a Dallas area resident that recently got SC installed. I have a new 505 but went with 2 Patriot 85-E dishes, each with a twin-output LNBF, all 4 outputs connected to a 4x8 switch, and 2 coax outputs into my living room (in case I need to upgrade to a 530). I did get reassurances from a lot of snowbirds on the 75E, but I went with 2 85-E dishes, just for the safety net of being able to order Pansat LNBFs locally, in case of LNBF failures.

Finally, in my case, my dish pointed at the HD sat (111.1) gets a 89-93% signal strength with +7 to +7.5 EbNos (which is much better than the 60-70% that I get on the dish pointed at the SD/107.3 sat).

I do not think you will go wrong with either option (SC 75E dish or 2 Patriot 85E dishes).

Good luck.

 

[Mr Tony]

answers to options

3.wont work.The SC LNB has the piece attached ot the LB that goes into the arm.The Globecast dish does not
4. might be the best option
5. wont work.Dish is too small. Need a 30" or greater

Since you have HD I would recommend the 75e or the 2 dish solution

The LNB will be fine on the 75e dish (the quad LNB).I've had mine up here in MN for 3 years now and no issues.No cracking no nothing

 

[joshuals]

With all due respect to Iceberg, the sun doesn't get high enough in the sky in MN to crack anything......

My lnb is looking a little tough after only one Phoenix summer....

 

[bwaldron]

With all due respect to Iceberg, the sun doesn't get high enough in the sky in MN to crack anything......

My lnb is looking a little tough after only one Phoenix summer....

We have plenty of sun and wet weather here in Florida. And my 75e w/ quad LNB is still fine after 4 years.

Had LNBs on a BUD system that lasted far longer than that before being taken out of service (not due to failure).

 

[icstephen]

On the set up i had in Georgia I used 2 36" dishes (option 4) and also had a 75E on my second reciever and the 2 dish option was far superior. We have some heavy rains in georgia and the 75E would go out for long periods of time and 2 dish set up almost never goes out only in the strongest rains and bounces back pretty quick also.

I am up here in central Alaska now and will get a SC set up this summer so I will post my findings (& head aches) when I do that install.