Some real newbie questions

[mister_dk]

I haven't done anything with FTA in a few years. What little bit I did know back then has been lost somewhere in the gray matter and doesn't want to be remembered.

I recently bought a couple of XRica X-5's off of eBay with the hopes of getting back into the hobby.

First question, I am a DTV subscriber and have a couple of dishes already on the roof. Are there any FTA channels available from these satellites?

Second, Can I hook up and use the FTA receivers without doing any damage to either them or the DTV receivers?

Thanks.

 

[Anole]

first: No, sorry, DVB FTA boxes cannot decode the DirecTV signal.
Also, their dishes will not give you anything off their satellites that's DVB to watch.
You would need a 36" dish, and linear LNB (either Standard or Universal would do). Just not circular.
...and then point at suitable satellites carrying FTA programming.

second: yes, you could hook 'em up. Wouldn't be fruitful, though.

 

[mister_dk]

Thanks for the reply. The answer you gave is pretty much what I suspected. I am definitely NOT after pirated signal. Sounds like I have some work ahead to get the BUD moving. It is a 6 foot mesh dish with a bcs621 C/Ku lnb. Shortly after I installed the lnb, the actuator started slipping and every time we had a windy day it would have to re-align it. got to be more work than fun.

Thanks again.

 

[Lak7]

the actuator started slipping and every time we had a windy day it would have to re-align it. got to be more work than fun.

Is it slipping in the Clamps?

 

[mister_dk]

Yes, cant seem to get it tight enough. I did see a fix in the Ghetto section of the forum where someone used a rubber glove to fix the problem.

 

[Lak7]

You could do something with a little more "grace".

 

[SatPhreak]

You could still use a rubber glove or a piece of a bicycle tube and just trim the excess that sticks out past the clamp with a sharp knife. With it trimmed it would be respectable to look at but would still hold the actuator tight onto the clamp.

 

[mister_dk]

I was really planning on using a piece of inner-tube or possibly some gasket material. Just couldn't resist the glove comment after seeing the picture of it on the forum.

 

[Lak7]

Whatever works!
It will be worth your time.
Lube the joints, and make sure bolts are tight.

 

[turbosat]

Just contact dish and tell them you've decided to try descrambling their encrypted signals with an fta box and don't wish to pay any more. That should make their day.

 

[mister_dk]

Finally got it tightened down with just a small piece of gasket material under the clamp. hardly noticeable. so far... so good. no slippage. strange thing though, I am only able to pull in C band for some reason. no Ku band. I really haven't checked into it too much yet. may be me, not the equipment.

 

[Lak7]

Setting the BSC621 for Ku takes Patients and a well aligned Dish.
To start, do not use the internal switch while setting up, connect directly to the Ku LNB.
Then remove the Feed cover, drive the dish to your Trues South Sat, look up into the Feed and make sure the 1"4 metal rod is perfectly Horizontal.
Pick a strong Ku signal to find.

 

[mister_dk]

Setting the BSC621 for Ku takes Patients and a well aligned Dish.
To start, do not use the internal switch while setting up, connect directly to the Ku LNB.
Then remove the Feed cover, drive the dish to your Trues South Sat, look up into the Feed and make sure the 1"4 metal rod is perfectly Horizontal.
Pick a strong Ku signal to find.

If it's not snowing when I get home tonight, I will check it to see if it is aligned correctly. Thanks for the tip.