Yet another newbie just getting started...

[kestep]

Hello Everyone.

I have been lurking for a bit, and now I've taken the plunge.

I am acquiring a free Primestar dish and LNB, and a used Fortec Star Lifetime Classic NA.

I've read about using a switch to combine the V and H LNB outputs into a single coax on the Primestar dish (assuming the LNB works).

I've pointed a number of D* and E* dishes over the years and I know how to use a basic satellite signal meter.

I'm hoping to get a chance to at least temporarily set it up this weekend. I plan to use this dish and receiver to get my feet wet in the Ku band. I'm particularly interested in AMC3 at 87W. I do understand that once I get a taste, a motor probably won't be far behind

I'm also acquiring 6 FREE C-Band receivers (I've been told that they work) for some future experimentation.

Ultimately, my goal is to acquire a Pansat 9200HD, or something similar, to get the PBS-HD national feed (and to be able to occasionally record it). I do get the local PBS station in HD OTA, for THREE whole hours every night

With that goal in mind, my primary question is to whether I should be concerned with the lack of 4:2:2 support on the current crop of HD receivers. It seems to be one of the sticking points with just about every discussion of the FTA HD receivers. I'd hate to drop $400+ onto an HD receiver, and then find that everything requires 4:2:2 support.

Any opinions as to how important this issue is to someone whose primary goal is to pull down PBS-HD?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome

PBS HD is AWESOME! on AMC3 there are around 10 or so PBS feeds. Some are national and some are local. PBS HD is on there 3 times (2 English one Spanish) and will probably stay 4:2:0

The sports feeds seem to be the things that are 4:2:2 but there are TONS of games still 4:2:0

 

[turbosat]

If the pbs-hd has AC-3 dolby audio, you won't be able to record it without some trickery, lol. I came up with a plan, I posted awhile back for recording the Tube. It worked, then 2 weeks later they went off the air!

 

[Mr Tony]

But if he has the 9200 it decodes the audio from the box directly
no extra equipment needed

 

[kestep]

welcome

Thanks for the welcome, Iceberg!

PBS HD is AWESOME! on AMC3 there are around 10 or so PBS feeds. Some are national and some are local. PBS HD is on there 3 times (2 English one Spanish) and will probably stay 4:2:0

That is great to hear!

I can't wait to start setting things up.

 

[kestep]

Friday, I hooked up an old Dish 500 and a legacy LNB and pointed at 119W (Echo 7). Once I got it properly pointed and scanned, I found the in-the-clear music channels, NASA, and a few Dish info channels. So, round one is complete, and the used receiver works!

Today, I got my Primestar dish and after giving it a cleaning, I hooked it up, pointed it at 87W (AMC3) and bingo, a couple of PBS channels, and some Arabic. It is currently connected to the V output on the LNB. I did test it on H as well by manually reconnecting.

So, I guess I need a switch with this LNB to get V and H accessible without the connector swap. I was looking at the Sadoun site and found the SDS41C DiSEqC switch for $9. Is this what I need to 'combine' the V and H outputs on the Primestar into a single input on the Fortec?

I was also looking longingly at the QPH031 (Quad LNB) and SG2100 Digipower Motor. I saw in another thread that someone was using this motor successfully with the Primestar dish.

As I understand it, the Quad LNB will let me get signals from both Linear and Circular sources into one receiver via the DiSEqC switch. Is this correct?

 

[Tron]

For the Primestar LNB with the separate H and V outs, use a standard DirecTV multiswitch (2 x 4 or 3 x 4) and connect each polarity output on the LNB to the appropriate input on the multiswitch (V=13v, H=18v). You can connect up to four receivers to the four outs on the multiswitch.

For the Invacom Quad, I use a 22k 4 x 4 multiswitch instead of a DiSEqC switch. This allows up to four receivers to see both polarities of both circular (C) and linear (L) satellites. Just connect the two 'L's to the two '22k off' ports on the multiswitch and the two 'C's to the two '22k on' ports. When you setup the circular (DBS) sats on your receiver, set the 22k option to 'on'.

 

[kestep]

Tron,

In the short term will the SDS41C DiSEqC switch do the job for a single receiver and the Primestar LNB?

I will certainly consider your advice on the 4x4 with the Invacom Quad.

 

[Sadoun]

So, I guess I need a switch with this LNB to get V and H accessible without the connector swap. I was looking at the Sadoun site and found the SDS41C DiSEqC switch for $9. Is this what I need to 'combine' the V and H outputs on the Primestar into a single input on the Fortec?

Yes that will work for one receiver.

If you are going to connect multiple receivers, then I would recommend a 2x4 Multiswitch (like # 11 here)

 

[kestep]

Excellent! Thanks guys for your help with the switch issue.

I have started modifying the Primestar dish. I removed the large, heavy mount and I've started putting together the modified mount using parts from a Dish 500 mount similar to that documented in the "Primestar dish on SG-2100" thread:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/23072-primestar-dish-sg2100.html

This is a great site....

 

[kestep]

If only I had tried it before...

Okay, so I'm playing with the Primestar dish on AMC3. I ordered a QPH031 (Quad LNB, Linear + Circular), SG2100 Digipower Motor, and a DiSEqC switch. I just couldn't resist!

While I'm waiting for the stuff to arrive, I'm continuing to play with the Fortec, and for the first time I tried the Power Scan. I was stunned to see H transponders show up since I was connected only to the V side of the LNB.

I had read posts about some P* LNBs having the internal switch, but when I tried a few of the listed (already in the Fortec) H transponders on previous attempts (with the V side connected) I got nothing and assumed I needed a switch...

Not that it is a big deal, but it just goes to show, that it pays to TRY, rather than assume!

Lesson learned

Since I'm on a heavily wooded lot, I used some 4x4s and built a portable "stand" for the dish that I can level and do test alignments. Of course this means multiple alignment setups before I find a permanent position, but due to our extended drought, I sure don't want to try to dig more than one hole for the metal pipe!

 

[Tron]

Are you sure they were, in fact, horizontal transponders? The receiver does not know automatically whether the signal it is receiving is horizontal or vertical. It sends out 13v to switch a voltage-switched LNBF to vertical, and 18v to switch it to horizontal. If it is connected to a single polarity LNB, the receiver won't know this, it will only assume that the switch is being made correctly. You probably are, in fact, scanning transponders that are vertical. One way to tell is if it is duplicating the same transponder frequencies when it scans each polarity (one on vertical and one on horizontal).

 

[kestep]

Are you sure they were, in fact, horizontal transponders?

An excellent point Tron. I did see some new channel names from the previous scan, but I'll have to go back and look for duplicate frequencies. I do get some messages when changing channels that read "Bad or no signal".

Since this is the first time I have performed a "Power Scan", it is very possible that it simply picked up additional vertical transponders frequencies...

Can't wait for that switch after all

 

[kestep]

Tron, you were correct. Duplicate H frequencies for each V frequency.

Of course it made total sense when I read your post.

My new switch, LNB, and motor are "out for delivery" according to UPS, so I'm getting excited now!

Thanks for clarifying the Primestar LNB switching issue!

 

[Tron]

Cool! Hope you're able to see both polarities soon

 

[kestep]

Okay, I did get the motor set up and the QPH-031 mounted on the dish.

I am near Zebulon, NC (ZIP 27597); Lat=35.4N; Long=78.1W.

I pointed the motor (and dish) to true south (about 189 degrees on the compass, having adjusted for the magnetic declination).

The closest satellite I have to true south is AMC5 (79W). That is about a degree off of my true south.

I adjusted the dish to AMC5 and got an excellent signal level (93%) on a couple of live transponders.

I then moved to AMC3 (87W) using the receiver to drive the dish. I got signal, but only about 33% on my usual transponders.

I'm concerned that I missed something on the initial true south positioning that is keeping me from tracking.

Should I have moved the ENTIRE motor/dish assembly to AMC5, instead of just the dish? In some posts and websites it sounds like moving the whole unit is required.

 

[lumpkin666]

I'm not sure I'm following this exactly but..
If you're aiming for AMC5, then the motor has to be set (via USALS) to AMC5 .. not due South
Once you have the motor moved to that position, then adjust your elevation/etc (moving whole motor/dish assembly east/west as required) to get reception and then the rest of the arc will fall inplace
If you had the motor set due South and then tuned in amc5.. then that's going to be a problem.. that one degree difference from due south will throw a wrench in that arc.

 

[kestep]

From the descriptions I've been reading, I thought that you pointed the motor/dish directly due south, then adjusted from there. I guess the fact that my 'true south' satellite, AMC5, isn't really true south was confusing me.

So instead of setting the motor/dish assembly due south, set AMC5 with USALS and then point the motor/dish to hit AMC5?

 

[lumpkin666]

Yeah, it gets confusing. When people say true south, they should be saying your "true south satellite", which may not actually be absolutely south. Of course it'd be wonderful if your true south satellite was actually absolutely south for you, then it would make a lot more sense!

So yes, you need to set your motor positioning via usals to the satellite that you want to point at (generally this is the southernmost satellite i.e. true south satellite - amc5 in your case). Then make sure your dish is on the motor correctly, and that your elevation is set correctly, and of course that your pole is absolutely plumb. Then when you move the whole dish and motor assembly to get a signal, when you have a signal, everything is aligned the way the positioning software understands it should be. Ideally, a good signal with the motor set to the correct satellite (amc5 in your case) should have you pretty well set to see the whole arc once you fine tune amc5.

sometimes you'll find that the eastmost and westmost satellites don't come in so well still, so you do a bit more tweaking on both ends and you'll eventually end up with a motor tracking the arc pretty well.

 

[kestep]

That does clear things up quite a bit.

I guess I could always move to a location with a true south satellite!

Maybe not...

I'm hoping to give it another shot tonight.