Which satellite system should I buy?

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needshelp

Well-Known SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Feb 24, 2012
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Blair, Nebraska, United States
Which satellite system is best for free-to-air?
I am interested in Christian shows and know they are on Galaxy 19.
I see that Glorystar is available, but is rather expensive. The prices they gave me for 2-rooms are higher than their ads - $460 - $500.
I would like to be able to record to DVD, off of a DVR if not directly.
Thank you for your help.
 
needshelp said:
Which satellite system is best for free-to-air?
I am interested in Christian shows and know they are on Galaxy 19.
I see that Glorystar is available, but is rather expensive. The prices they gave me for 2-rooms are higher than their ads - $460 - $500.
I would like to be able to record to DVD, off of a DVR if not directly.
Thank you for your help.

The Glorystar system is the easiest to install for a novice. No technical knowledge is necessary and only basic hand tools with slight mechanical ability. The automatic channel updating is a great feature if you want to enjoy the programming but not learn the technology.

A two room standard GloryStar system is only $299 plus shipping anywhere in the continental US. You may connect a DVD recorder if you don't want the extra cost of the DVR enabled system.

It would be hard to find a complete and ready to install package that includes all parts needed for a standard install, quality equipment, unlimited telephone technical support and an equipment warranty for less!
 
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It may come down to how you want to set up the two rooms, are you watching only one tv at a time or both, same channel on both or different channels, the quality you want etc. etc. You can simply go with a fixed 36" dish if all you want is the one sat, a cheapest possible STB (find a used one on Ebay), a single LNB, and some RG6 cable - set up the STB in one room and run an second output line to the other room TV which you connect or disconnect as needed (or use a splitter if using coax to connect to the two tv's) to watch or record the single channel you pick on the STB. Not elegant but cheapest. Or at the other end, go with two good STB's, dual LNB's, more cabling, maybe a switch and pay a lot more but have two working systems able to watch different channels at the same time on a single sat. If you want more sats, then add a motor but that can complicate your set up. $400 - $500 for a full setup if that includes installaiton seems quite reasonable for a high end two room option.
 
It may come down to how you want to set up the two rooms, are you watching only one tv at a time or both, same channel on both or different channels, the quality you want etc. etc. You can simply go with a fixed 36" dish if all you want is the one sat, a cheapest possible STB (find a used one on Ebay), a single LNB, and some RG6 cable - set up the STB in one room and run an second output line to the other room TV which you connect or disconnect as needed (or use a splitter if using coax to connect to the two tv's) to watch or record the single channel you pick on the STB. Not elegant but cheapest. Or at the other end, go with two good STB's, dual LNB's, more cabling, maybe a switch and pay a lot more but have two working systems able to watch different channels at the same time on a single sat. If you want more sats, then add a motor but that can complicate your set up. $400 - $500 for a full setup if that includes installaiton seems quite reasonable for a high end two room option.

What does STB and LNB mean?
I'd like to watch 2 different channels and am willing to pay for better quality and easier to use equipment.
Is there a brand name of satellite and receiver/DVR and model that is preferrable?
My husband can install (if he gets good instructions).
 
STB = set top box. LNB = Low Noise Block Converter but better know as the antenna that is aimed at the dish or reflector.

AS for the best set up.... Go back to post 2 by SatelliteAV -- also known as Glorystar. Personnally That is the ONLY system I recommend to first timers.
 
...My husband can install (if he gets good instructions).
Has your husband installed a satellite TV system before? If not, unless he enjoys this activity as a hobby, best to leave initial installation of the dish to a professional and learn by watching. I remember deciding whether to hire a professional to install a toilet (not my hobby!) in a tight space in a smallish trailer bathroom. As that installer swore his way through the installation, I knew I'd made the right choice. Choose your battles.
 
What does STB and LNB mean?
I'd like to watch 2 different channels and am willing to pay for better quality and easier to use equipment.
Is there a brand name of satellite and receiver/DVR and model that is preferrable?
My husband can install (if he gets good instructions).

Each question in your post suggests that you would be best served by purchasing a complete package with all parts step by step instructions and telephone support. You may ala carte your system, but then how does everything need to be assembled to work together? Were the right parts purchased? Will the receiver reseller assist you with aiming a dish and setting for an LNBF that they did not sell? Probably not...

There is a great group of members here to provide assistance with your installation if you are interested in learning the technology, searching the forum for information and purchasing or scrounging compatible equipment. If you are more interested in viewing the programming rather than learning the technology, the Glorystar route will probably be the best, most enjoyable and possibly the least expensive.
 
My husband is an engineer and a Type A overachiever. He could figure out the electronics and installation. He's done that before. I am the dummy here. lol

Satellite AV - You are such a fan of Glorystar. Do you work for them?
 
In all seriousness if you are looking at just the Christian channels on 97W the Glorystar setup would be the best way to go

I have all the parts of a Glorystar setup (Geosatpro200 receiver, 36" dish and LNB's) and even though I use it for more than that the simplicity of the Glorystar setup makes it "plug and play" and dare I say close to how the pay subscriber receivers work

software update? receiver does it automatically....no need to find it and download
channels added? automatically added. No need to scan and remove 150 channels you dont want to see
Also the channels are put on specific numbers so if you're having issues on a channel you can say "channel 105 TBN" as example instead of the frequency/polarity etc
 
My husband is an engineer and a Type A overachiever...
I know he has the smarts to figure it out. It's not about that. It's whether he has the desire/motivation/time to go through the fairly steep learning curve at the beginning. It is surprising how many different things there are to learn, particularly if you have trees in your yard, to catch that very low level satellite signal after if travels the 22,000 km down to your yard. Although I also tried to install a motor at the same time I was learning (complicates the task), I actually gave up in 2010 and had to return to the task in 2011 because I like monkeying with communications stuff. Although I never knew anybody I could ask at the time (never heard of this forum then).
 
The issue I have with Glorystar is the low number of Christian TV channels that I want. Can I get all of Galaxy 19 channels on a fixed satellite somehow?
With a fixed dish on Galaxy 19 at 97W, I receive 267 TV channels. 46 of those are scrambled and not viewable. Many, many of the remaining channels are religious oriented. You can receive them all with a fixed dish. If you eventually install a motor, then you can catch a lot of other interesting viewing too. A motor is worthwhile if you have access to an open sky.

What religious channels are you looking for?
 
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actually there are a lot of christian channels on 97w. more non english than english though. i would like to understand the copt catholic channels. they have the old fashioned catholic mass once in a while and i like to watch that even if i don't understand it. charlie.
 
With a fixed dish on Galaxy 19 at 97W, I receive 267 TV channels. 46 of those are scrambled and not viewable. Many, many of the remaining channels are religious oriented. You can receive them all with a fixed dish. If you eventually install a motor, then you can catch a lot of other interesting viewing too. A motor is worthwhile if you have access to an open sky.

What religious channels are you looking for?

This fixed dish/97w sounds great! How big is the dish for this? To have access to open sky, it needs to be installed on top of the house. There is an old Dish satellite up there now and the house has the cable run. (Hubby did this in app. 2004 to 2006)

I'll check what stations there are, but the min. is GodTV, CTN, Cornerstone, TBN, Church Channel, Daystar. Also would like Familynet, TLN, SafeTV, and others like that.

Dish model, etc. needed.
 
On 97W, I see God USA, God's Learning Channel, CTN, TBN, Daystar, Church. But CTN is scrambled so you can't view. I don't see Cornerstone, Familynet, TLN, or SafeTV. I am using a 39-inch dish, but these could all be seen with a 36-inch dish.
 
GodTV, CTN, Cornerstone, TBN, Church Channel, Daystar.
those are on 97W and can be viewed no problems

Also would like Familynet, TLN, SafeTV,
those are on C-Band which requires a 6 foot dish and since each one of those is on a different satellite up there it would require a motorized C-Band dish
SafeTV use to be on 97W but when they went mainly internet only (skyangel) they dropped the KU band (97W) feed
 
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