Super Dish Antenna

[satolite]

Are the plastic Super dishes still being Sold? Is there a difference in any of the models in installation, or quality? Can a customer choose which one he gets? I have seen metal ones being installed, but saw a plastic/foberglass one on a web site and wondered what the difference is.

Thanks

 

[Stargazer]

They quit manufacturing the plastic/fiberglass dish. They are all metal dishes now. The plastic ones took 2 3/8" diameter poles/masts while the metal dishes take the 2" diameter poles/masts. The metal dishes are lighter weight but can bend/ding a lot easier. You cannot choose which one you get unless you run into some retailer that has some plastic ones which is going to be hard to do. I prefer the plastic ones myself because they seem more durable, used the 2 3/8" more common sized poles, and I could mount the switch on the back of the dish.

A Different one from these two may emerge. It would be simulate the larger dishes used in C-Band that has wire mesh on it.

 

[PILMAN]

Your referring to the webbed back right? Those were the ones discontinued? Think I have one of those.

 

[Stargazer]

Yes, the ones with the webbed back.

 

[PILMAN]

Yeah I have one of those. I think mine was made from fiberglass though. I heard there all metal now when I called dish.

 

[Stargazer]

Here is a picture of the new mesh dish that may come out later on. It is supposed to be lighter weight.

 

[PILMAN]

I had my superdish installed about a year and a half ago, heres what it looks like, I think this is the discontinued version

http://img221.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img221&image=picture0013sx.jpg


http://img221.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img221&image=picture0048zr.jpg

 

[Stargazer]

Yes that is the plastic/fiberglass version. One way that you can tell if it is the plastic version or the metal version in a picture is to look for the bolts on the front. The plastic ones didnt have four bolt holes in them but went in from the back into the plastic. The metal ones have four bolts that went in from the front just like the other dishes did (Dish300, Dish500).

 

[PILMAN]

Well theres some slight rust from rain on the corners so I'm guessing it's fiberglass, it also feels cold and hard like fiberglass so that's probably the fiberglass version. Back's also webbed. The things solid, has had trees thrown at it during the hurricane and not a ding or a dent. I tried searching info and all the ones I found had the 4 screws for some reason I figured I was searching the wrong thing. Any specific reason why they changed to metal? I think the metal ones use 121 as opposed to the plastic ones using 119.

 

[Stargazer]

Thats one thing I like about that type of dish, its hard to ding. If you would have had a metal dish then it probably would have been dinged up by now and need replaced.

 

[PILMAN]

Dish won't force me to upgrade will they? In their terms they wrote something about that if they required an upgrade I would have to agree. I'm also curious if I will be fine when content is added keeping the superdish?

 

[Stargazer]

You should be fine for a while. Nobody knows what the future holds but the SuperDish should be fine for a while. You dont have to agree to anything that you dont want to, its a choice. There is nothing else you can upgrade to dishwise at this time.

 

[KE4EST]

The Fiberglass dishes get a better signal on 105 also. At least that do here in the Western NC, E. Tennessee area. I don't know about 121 have never had to install one yet. I install a lot of 300's though for 61.5 for int. channels and HDTV. I guess 121 is mostly has a lot of int. channels. So anyway never have had to install one yet, but as far as the 105 fiberglass ones I loved them as an installer, 15-20% better signal on 105. I avg. 65-70 sig. strength with metal ones now. I avg'ed 75-85% with the fiberglass ones. I think the LNBF was a little hotter.

 

[satolite]

I have seen that some have a cast metal part that holds the feed support and some with a steel piece. Does the cast metal part break like old "pot metal" parts have been known to do? That is a big looking feed on the front of a Super Dish for a cast part to support.
Has anyone had any issues with that?

 

[SimpleSimon]

I think the metal ones use 121 as opposed to the plastic ones using 119.

You are mistaken.

SD is either 121/110/119 or 105/110/119. Doesn't matter if it's plastic or metal.

In other words, there are currently FOUR versions of SD. Plastic/metal by 105/121.