Uniden Supra Analog Receiver

[jduffin]

I recently purchased a used Uniden Supra off of ebay for a cool $0.50 (+$25 shipping). Outside of a dead memory backup battery, it appears to be working just fine.

I picked this receiver because it has the capability to run a LNBF (voltage-selectable polarity rather than servo-controlled).

My question is about the VCII module. I am curious if this module is still functional. I checked the battery, and it reads 3.5V. So I assume the unit ID number is still good. However, when I press the VC setup button on the remote control, nothing happens. The manual isn't very clear, but I think it says that I must be on a VC channel in order for the setup to function. Is this correct? Are there any VC channels left so that I can try this out?

My current setup is a 1m motorized ku dish and a 1m mini-bud fixed at 99W. I was surprised to be able to pick up analog feeds on 99W on trans 10, 14, 17, and 18. I could also pick up World Harvest on trans 16. All of these channels were a bit snowy, but watchable.

Are there many other analog channels out there still?

 

[sanjap]

Can you paste pictures of the module and receiver. That might help in analysing your problem better.

 

[turbosat]

Yes there's a few, ch 16 on 99W cband is a religious channel in analog, ch17 same sat is Buena Vista (Disney) syndication feeds.. during the day you may find some analog feeds of judge and cops shows on same satellite, and on 97W cband. I lost my list I made last year so I can't be more exact.
And yes your receiver will have to be tuned to a VC2 signal to test out the module, 125W cband has 9 and 14 still using VC scrambling, and weather channel may still have their analog going on 13 on 131W. Can't sub to them any more though-they dropped the home-market authorization stream long ago. (and ESPN quit selling to us LONG ago, the !@@s). So the module is useless and I'd pull it out of the box (while the power is unplugged).

 

[classicsat]

Yes you need to lock on a VCII/+ channel to access the descrambler menus and check for a good UA. Not that it matters too much anyways.

 

[JAS]

I recently purchased a used Uniden Supra off of ebay for a cool $0.50 (+$25 shipping). Outside of a dead memory backup battery, it appears to be working just fine.

I picked this receiver because it has the capability to run a LNBF (voltage-selectable polarity rather than servo-controlled).

My question is about the VCII module. I am curious if this module is still functional. I checked the battery, and it reads 3.5V. So I assume the unit ID number is still good. However, when I press the VC setup button on the remote control, nothing happens. The manual isn't very clear, but I think it says that I must be on a VC channel in order for the setup to function. Is this correct? Are there any VC channels left so that I can try this out?

My current setup is a 1m motorized ku dish and a 1m mini-bud fixed at 99W. I was surprised to be able to pick up analog feeds on 99W on trans 10, 14, 17, and 18. I could also pick up World Harvest on trans 16. All of these channels were a bit snowy, but watchable.

Are there many other analog channels out there still?

You need to be on a VCII channel before you can bring up the VCII menu. Try (if you can get them on the mini) G14 125.0°W TP 9 or AMC-11 131.0°W tp 13. There are one or two more VCII channels but none can be subscribed to.

 

[jduffin]

Thanks guys -- that is exactly the information I was looking for. I kinda doubt I'll have any luck on 125W with my mini-bud -- but maybe I'll give it a try. I am in the market for a larger C-band dish, I just need to scrounge one up.

Anyone know of any VCII channels on ku?

 

[turbosat]

No VC on ku that I know about. Or if there ever was. When things started switching off analog c-band, they mostly started using Digicipher scrambling.

 

[McGuyver]

Thanks guys -- that is exactly the information I was looking for. I kinda doubt I'll have any luck on 125W with my mini-bud -- but maybe I'll give it a try. I am in the market for a larger C-band dish, I just need to scrounge one up.

Anyone know of any VCII channels on ku?

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[JAS]

I recently purchased a used Uniden Supra off of ebay for a cool $0.50 (+$25 shipping).

If the Uniden Supra is a UST-4500 it was the top of the line Uniden receiver in it's day. I paid (if I remember correctly) $1200.00 for mine. Receivers were not as inexpensive back then as they are today.

 

[classicsat]

FWIW, I have a Uniden Ultra. I got it and a 6ft dish for around $100 in about 2001/2. I think it was built in 1994 or so.

I know a guy that has (or at least had) a Supra, and I don't recall the difference between them.

 

[jduffin]

I swung my 1m mini-bud over to 125W and was able to pick up the ESPN VCII signal. The VC menus on my Uniden receiver became active and I was able to verify that the VCII module works (seems to anyway -- I wan't able to actually view the programming).

Now I just need to get a bigger dish.....

Thanks all for your help on this one.