Why do you enjoy FTA?

[PopcornNMore]

Having someone come to my house and install a DirecTV or Dish Network system and having hundreds of crystal clear channels without ever having any problems just doesn't excite me.

Over 10 years ago when I had a C-Band system, the stations I ordered with my Videocipher were often less watched than the tech shows, wild feeds and unscrambled (FTA) channels. Every Tuesday night I watched Doug's Sky Store, every Thursday I watched Shawn Kenny and his Green Sheet and every Sunday night the Sunday Night Satellite show aired. I even belonged to the K-Sat army and together with Al Gore we were able to allow C-Band dish owners the right to lower priced programming if the service scrambled. I even remember a movie channel just for C-Band dish owners that premiered on the Fourth Of July to celebrate our independance from cable TV. It aired hit movies just like HBO for about half the cost.

I enjoy FTA for the unknown, never knowing what will be seen and when. Maybe I will be enjoying The Tube today and tomorrow it might be scrambled and another new channel will take it's place among my favorites. I will also be enjoying the many wild feeds available that my neighbors who have DBS or cable will not receive.

I also enjoy tinkering with my FTA dishes. For example, seeing the quality differance between a 76cm dish vs. a 100cm dish or maybe a new LNB that just became available. To me the best thing about Dish Network is the Charlie Chat and Tech Show. These kind of shows interest me very much as well as the many ideas and information I receive on this forum from other members. Some of the projects and ideas members come up with are amazing.

SatelliteGuys.us is doing an excellent job in providing the technical knowledge to people who need it when installing their FTA systems. I am glad to be a part of it.

 

[PSB]

Well we are all glad to have you here : ) You defiantly are a Satellite Guy!

 

[CharredPC]

My turn:

AMEN!

 

[Shawn95GT]

hehe I get kicks watching the Primestar move around as I change channels.

The biggest thing I like about FTA is what all is out there in the clear. It's amazing what all is out there. Yes the bulk of it is preachers and foreign language but finding the occasional un-encrypted DBS channel block or even a usefull feed such as CNN Headline News has a cool factor about it.

As soon as I break down and buy a Tivo I'm going to give Cox their DVR back and go back to Analog cable + FTA. FTA augments analog cable nicely.

 

[neil_kc1]

For me as an old time shortwave DX'r- listener, I was having the trouble adjusting when shortwave broadcasting changed so much. FTA gives me the same kind of rush as finding that flea powered broadcaster from some remote island. I understand it is not quite the same but I really don't care what is ON, I want to know WHAT ELSE IS ON! I have a very understanding family and have completely cut the cable/pay satellite connection. If it is not on DVD or free to air, we no longer watch it! I guess it is that pioneer spirit that is in my blood making me want to find out what is out there.

 

[sharris]

Its funny, your not the only past HAM enthusiast that had mentioned the joys of FTA. so Here, Here.

The one thing that I'll never figure out are those pinheads out there that purchase one of the FTA boxes, don't understand what their buying or what it can do, and muddling thru programming it so they can watch free hacked tv. All I can say is thats its nice to see people who share the same enthusiasim.

Keep up the posts, and thanx to all who support this hobby

 

[N5XZS]

I also have more than fair shares of TV and radio DXing going back 20 years!

I used to DX on my Dad's 10 foot c-band dish and had a ball with it!

Same for CB and Ham radio and SWL DXing fun!!

You may not reallize thing are getting better since we ham radio ops, are borrowing the FTA technonlgy QPSK for digital ham TV on 23 CM ham band that's where your FTA receiver receives on! The ham radio band is 1.240 GHz to 1.3 GHz.

You must be in Columbus, Ohio where the digital ham TV signal are located in downtown areas.

Now how to receive this signal you must set your receiver to LNB L.O. 10.750 GHz, downlink freq, 12.010 GHz, 3.125 MBs, LNB power to off mode and hook up to 23 Cm antenna at V. poloraztion.

You must get at least 30 percent or better on the signal meter!

If you do have a ham radio licences please go to their website and find out how to transment!!

The website is located at www.atco.tv

Have fun!!

 

[sharris]

thanx for the info.

 

[tdti1]

Yes I have been enjoying my system for close to 20 years now, same fun I had before, but I do miss the days when all the movie channels well every channel was free on the bud, then they all started to go away, and we had to pay for most of them, but now there is so much more out there that without my bud, life would be so boring without c/ku what else would I do? lol...

 

[rkrenicki]

I am always interested in international programming.. Usually Chinese and Japanese (unfortunately there is no Japanese available FTA... ) That, and since my job revolves around satellite signals (Cable Company), its always cool to take my work knowledge to practical use at home, and vice versa. (Just the other day, I suggested we pick up PBS HD from AMC4 instead of off-air to free up some hardware )

Oh, that, and I like freaking out my landlord with all my dishes which are perfectly legal I think he thinks I am a terrorist or something .. especially when scanning IA5 when he walks in

 

[Tron]

It's funny how there's this war between Cable TV and Satellite TV services for your Pay TV dollar.... It's all the same thing really. Cable TV headends get their programming off satellite in the first place! They (satellite and cable) are two different tools for the same purpose. Sometimes one is better, sometimes the other.

As far as FTA goes, up until earlier this year, I had NO IDEA that there were free satellite channels to be had up there (at least digitally on Ku)... I thought there were only two options: D* and E*. Ironically I heard about FTA while reading an online article that mentioned FTA receivers being used for hacking E*. I had no idea that there were such things as third-party digital satellite receivers (except for the DCII's), so I did some research on FTA and found Lyngsat and Satellite Guys.US. I'm glad I found out about FTA (and then a month later OTA DTV and HDTV, which is my next project )

Thanks Satellite Guys for providing such a comprehensive source of FTA information!

Tron

 

[Mr Tony]

I got into the FTA game about 18 months ago. I originally got it because of the free audio channels on ExpressVu. I had a subscription for these and when I found I could get them for free (to compliment the ExpressVu setup), I got rid of that package and got FTA. Took me about 2 weeks to get the receiver working (the Viacast) but once I had it, I was hooked.

Then I found out about North Dakota Hockey on Galaxy 3C KU Band and I said I must be able to see this. Got a 30” dish and a KU Band and in a half hour I had the Sioux games (and the audio). Use to ghetto move my dish to the satellites to pick up other items but never really aimed at G10. Finally aimed to G10 and was hooked. Got a second dish just to ghetto move. It would move from G3 to AMC6 (this is where KUIL use to be)..Got some info from SatelliteGuys, but we had no FTA section. It was the “General Satellite” section. This is how I met Pete (PSB) and we been buddy’s ever since.

Since that humble day with the 18” dish and the Viacast, I have expanded my setup slightly (just slightly)
-got a Pansat 1500
-added a motor
-found a Microyal at a yard sale
-got a KUsat 2600
-added a Coolsat
-upgraded to a 36” dish and .4 LNB
-couple analog receivers
-numerous switches and cable added throughout the 18 months

Love tinkering with the setup to see how I can maximize the signal and to see what else I can do to make it better

I got it for the feeds and the nets. I love scanning and finding a free game that nobody else can see (unless they pay) and being a hockey nut (college hockey), love picking up all the extra games. Not much of a basketball fan but love the college hockey & football. Also, without FTA, I wouldn’t have been able to see more UMD (the almighty Bulldogs) games than off regular TV
-The UND/UMD Friday game was only on the FSSN (Fighting Sioux Sports Network) and only ND cable people and FTA’ers could see it
-The UMD/Wisco games in Wisco. Only the Saturday game was broadcast for Duluth, but was able to get the FSN feed for Friday
-The UND/UMD basketball games (courtesy of the FSSN)
-game 1 of the WCHA playoffs, when the UMD TV satellite truck feed blew up and the only way to see it was on FSSN…..too bad the game was a blowout

Other things I’ve seen courtesy of FTA
-UND’s run in football (all the playoff games were on WDAZ/FSSN)
-countless screw ups of news broadcasts (love when they flub their lines and have to do a retake)
-Sports guys doing the beginning 3-4 times because one screws up (and hearing them cuss when they screw up)

I find that most of my time is spent watching FTA now

 

[drhydro]

I started getting into FTA last October. THe main reason i got into FTA originally was because i was unable to recieve antything OTA and we were sick of paying out 50 bux a month to D* for channels we really didnt want to watch.

It all started when I found a BUD for free in my local paper. I asked here how usefull it would be, and then went and got it. I got the BUD up by late November, but right after i got it on the pole the ground froze so i couldnt cable it. Sooooo i went and picked up a 30" winegard and a satworks 3618 to tide me over till i cabled the BUD.

I was able to mount the winegard on thanksgiving weekend, and was watching g10 the same day What really hooked me was setting down the first night and finding a movie FTA that i didnt even know existed (harrison bergeron written by curt vonnegut, one of my favorite authors). The next weekend i repointed my 18" d* dish and voila, all kinds of music channels.

Since then i have cabled my BUD, installed a c/ku feedhorn, bought a much better reciever, and am thoroughly enjoying my new hobby. Luckily my family is tolorant of my new found passion, tho my wifes eyes glaze over as i start to talk about lnb's, ku, c-band, diseqc, etc. etc, and my freinds have learned to change the subject ;-)

Without the help i have found here i would have had a MUCH harder time in researching/setting up my system. So kudos to all of who are so pleasant to noobies, helpfull in the extreme, and knowledgable about our shared hobby.

 

[sharris]

sounds like some familier stories. Was searching the internet 2+ years ago and seen some FTA stuff on ebay. Further researched and found lyngsat. Thought...hey this is great, free stuff that just pops up every once in a awhile. Got my first FTA reciever, and like you, it wasn't the best, but it worked. Picked up a 30" wineguard and locked on G10, then I was definetely hooked. Found AMC 3, T5 etc.. and seen some TV that not too many people get, then I was really hooked. Found some news feeds, sports feeds, no commercials, and then what can I say.....I'm sure this will be one of my hobbies forever. I picked up a motor, Twinhan Card, Universal lnb and then a new reciever and here I am today. All I can say is, "what a hobby"

 

[PopcornNMore]

I feel sorry for the people who are stealing programming. They are missing all the fun.

I just love it. It is a great hobby. Now I just need more time off work to enjoy it.

 

[Diamond Jim]

I knew nothing about FTA until I upgraded my analog system from a Drake to a Motorola 922. I ordered the Motorola from Skyvision and they sent me a catelog. That's when I came across the MPEG2 receivers. I thought this might be interesting so I called Skyvision and they set me up with a Satwork 3618 because it had blind scan. I knew NOTHING about it. I messed around for about 3 months learning what I could by myself, then KUIL moved and I couldn't find it so I typed in the call letters on Yahoo and came across this site. That was the best luck I'd had in a long time. I found KUIL, these guys took me in and everything has been fine. Thanks Peter and Iceberg and everybody else that has supplied information to me on how to make this thing work. Oh yea, the main reason, it's FREE.

 

[Rick in MD]

I originally found out about FTA when I was looking for information on being able to get the two german channels on Dishnetwork. Found out about FTA and convinced the wife that for just a few more dollars, I can get these free to air channels.. Since then, I nailed up EchoStar 9 with a DirectPC dish and have started to use the 90CM dish for FTA stuff, tonight watched a F1 thing on KWBS or at least that's what Lyngsat says, however PAX TV doesn't show it. Anyways, I will be digging a hole for the motor this weekend, and start finding that Clarke Belt!!

My first exposure to FTA was OTA HD from Baltimore.. Best way to get HD ever..

Rick

 

[Mr Tony]

tonight watched a F1 thing on KWBS or at least that's what Lyngsat says, however PAX TV doesn't show it.

Rick
It logs as KWBS, but its actually KDEV out of Aurora (Denver)

KWBS use to be Pax until Equity won a lawsuit against Pax, and pulled Pax off of WBIF (now UPN), WPXS (now Lick TV), WBMM (now Daystar) and KWBS... They turned the call letters back to the FCC and got KWFT (which is on 11719 transponder) and now its the WB.

 

[Rick in MD]

Iceberg, Confusing to say the least, I have been enjoying G10 the last few days, some of the programming has been interesting..

Thanks for the information.
Rick