A list of questions.. Want to get a SDVB Card

[TDnTDE]

Guys, Hi...

I have a feeling this post may be a little long...

Basically I have a Terrestrial Roofmounted Aerial that's now over 25 years old, supplied with old coxial coming down into the house (which is unaccessible without doing quite a bit of work)

Over the past few years I've gone through around 5/6 Digital TV Cards, ranging from freecom, leadtek, hauppage etc..

I run a few freeview boxes off this aerial which all work fine, recieve up to around 75 channels (radio included) All being ran off of an old (very old) signal booster in the loft.

Out of all the TV Card's I've tried, all have suffered from sound & frame lag, resulting in me only being able to happily view a maximum of 10 channels. System Specification each time has more than been up to the task, so I know it's not a system / card related issue.

I was going over a few scenarios today of maybe replacing the aerial, cabling, adding a new aerial. Come to the conclusion that this'll either be too costly or will fail due to the placement that I'll have to have my new aerial at, gone through it in detail looking at the transmitter maps and other houses aerial directions, it'll basically have to sit on the front of the house looking towards the coast, away from the vast majority of signal in the area, Bluebell Hill / Crystal Palace, totally pointless!

As a last measure a few months ago I also tried running new cable straight down from the booster, still nothing. I know that my signal level (strength?) is high, so the quality may be lacking due to the old aerial? I have no idea and want to move away from this means of recieving TV.

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Read on from here if you just want my questions.

I've had Sky TV for a few years, No problems what'so-ever.

Here's a image of my current signal into my Sky+ box
_http://img114.imageshack.us/i/35308175.jpg/

Bare in mind when that shot was taken there was rain, thunder, and lighting outside, I still had perfect picture on the TV however. Rarely get any interference from the weather on my pictures.

In my new approach to get TV>PC Viewing working I've decided to go satellite. Had a look today, I have a minidish and have run down the cable from the dish into my room to the computer.

Now I just need a new Card.

I also have a few questions i'll frow in...

Is my signal any good? (during the weather I had)
Are any HD channels avaliable to FTA Satellite
EPG Guide's, is there any way to get these for FTA Satellite?
What Satellite Card would you recommend?
Can you access Interactive with recommended card?
I'm from Essex, which Sattelite would be best to try to stream from, I'll probably get asked it in setup, I'll have no idea?

I've been looking at these cards so far. My budget is around £80

Terratec Cinergy S2 PCI HD
Hauppauge WinTV Nova-S USB2 Satellite Reciever DVB-S

Thoughts?

Sorry for the HUGE post!

[TDnTDE]

Just an update on the signal strength now that the rains stopped.

With this signal strength should I expect any viewing problems through a card?

I've gone through my fair share of problems with other antenna connected cards, this is the easiest and cheapest route for me to go down to get tv to my pc.

I may have a go at realligning my dish in a few days just to see if I can get any improvement, It hasn't been touched for quite a few years..

Any idea's why Line 2 is quite a bit off of 1?

[Robbo]

The signal strength and quality look easily sufficient to me.


Try swapping the cables over, and you will see if it is the receiver or the cable/LNB that that is making the two readings different.

[TDnTDE]

Do you mean switch the cables straight from the dish, or just switch them around on the back of the box? lol

[TDnTDE]

Switched them round at the back of the box, impossible to get up to the disk tonight in the dark and wet without breaking something

Both are at the same level now, at about 75/80% Strength & Quality, jumping around as its started to rain again.

[Robbo]

Doing it on the back of the box will test if there is any difference in the sensitivity/meter readings of the receiver alone.

If there is, you have your answer why they are different.

However if the signal levels swap over when you swap the cables then there is either some difference between the cables or the LNB outputs. You would be able to test if it were the cables by swapping them on both ends.

[TDnTDE]

Alright thanks! I think I understand that

Was doubting the connections so swapped back the cables once again, they're pretty much level now whichever way round they're connected so I'll leave it there.

Also answered one of my own questions, I believe BBC HD is the only Satellite FTA channel avaliable right now according to most of the pages I've looked at.

[Robbo]

No, there's ITV HD and I believe Luxe TV HD as well.

ITV HD does not operate full time though, and does not scan in automatically on many receivers unless a bit of 'fiddling' is done.

[TDnTDE]

Okay thanks, I'll have a look at what Luxe is

Do you know what connections I'll need on the back of the lnb, I have the F plugs that'll connect to my card, which I'm looking at ordering today..

The connections on the back of the dish look a bit different, I haven't got up close yet, (need a ladder) Just layed the cable through the wall and under the floor, just need the connectors.

Are these F aswell or some other type?

[TDnTDE]

Here's what I'm talking about

[Tivù]

Here's what I'm talking about

They are bog standard F connectors.

The reason for your uncertainty is that they are not fully visible due to the rain shield!

The protruding rectangular(ish) shield can be pushed upwards into the LNB body to expose the connectors.

The rain shield is virtually universal now for multi-output LNBs. They save all that unseemly business with rubber boots or self-amalgamating tape.

[TDnTDE]

Alright cheers Makes life a bit simpler!

OT Question: Do you know if DVBViewer can recieve Interactive / Red Button?

[Llew]

Not a red button, but Sky news on 12207V for instance gives you the various picture options; you just select the one you require in the DVBViewer channel list, and it appears in the right hand screenshot.

Llew

[TDnTDE]

Is this only just for Sky related feeds?

Or can BBC be accessed in that same way

Thanks

Just an update, I've got the F connectors now stuck them on, going to plug them to the dish in a bit, also bought DVBViewer, waiting for my code to come through, just got to decide on a card now

[Llew]

No problem with BBC streams. Same principle, just select the one you need from the channel list.

I use a WinTV Nova HD card, worth considering but Technisat Skystar 2 fine too.

[TDnTDE]

Alright thanks, Interested in the Interactive because of F1 Pracice's. Only place I can see them, Online streaming quality is terrible.

Still waiting for my DVBViewer code and download, been around 45mins now, I know they send email's out manually, think I should email them?

I've just picked a card up too, Compro S350.

Looks good for wat I want, haven't found any bad reviews about it.

Supports HD, is really cheap, and works with DVBViewer, should do me fine

[Llew]

When you get the full DVBViewer, don't forget to download Transedit from their site. This is a much more comprehensive way of scanning in channels, as you can instantly see the details of what has been received, and you can pick and choose which channels to send to DVBViewer.

Maybe overkill if you are only interested in the Astra 2/Eurobird satellites, but I find it a lot better than the channel scan facility of DVBViewer itself.

Llew

[TDnTDE]

Okay cheers for that, Will do that in a bit.

My email came through around an hour ago aswell.

Hopefully my card should be here tomorrow, not too sure as I had an email sent saying order processed, please wait for despatch email.. no email...Store is now closed, and my order update page is hopeless

[TDnTDE]

Another question I have before setting up tomorrow..

Inside DVBViewer, I suppose you can select which channels you'd like to keep on your channel list.

Will the channel search show up all avaliable channels seen from the dish from each satellite you can get a beam from?

If so, can you save channels from multiple satellites, incase if say, one satellite doesnt stream a wanted channel.

Also, with a standard Sky Minidish, is it even possible to get a beam back from more than 1 satellite, seing as its only small.

Last question..

Am I right in thinking

Big dish = people far away from a satellite, trying to maximise their signal strength's & quality?

Multiple dishes = gives the ability to recieve beams from more satellites in different locations = ability to view more channels / extra channels that other satellites don't air?

I think I typed that all out right, hard to explain what I'm asking

[Robbo]

Am I right in thinking

Big dish = people far away from a satellite, trying to maximise their signal strength's & quality?

Multiple dishes = gives the ability to recieve beams from more satellites in different locations = ability to view more channels / extra channels that other satellites don't air?

I think I typed that all out right, hard to explain what I'm asking

Along the right lines yes,

Although its not the distance away that is important, all the satellites are a very long way away. It is down to their output power and in which direction the signal is beamed.

Multiple dishes, yes would give you access to multiple satellites 'Analoguesat' style, but most people tend to use a motorised dish, or put a few extra LNBs onto a larger or specially shaped fixed dish.

Check out lyngsat.com , to see a list of all satellites and what channels they carry. NB we literally have no line of site to about two thirds or more of them, and others don't beam our way, so a very large or large dish is needed.

[Llew]

[QUOTE=TDnTDE;850917]Another question I have before setting up tomorrow..

Inside DVBViewer, I suppose you can select which channels you'd like to keep on your channel list.

Yes, you can delete unwanted channels.

Will the channel search show up all avaliable channels seen from the dish from each satellite you can get a beam from?

If you have a decent signal from the satellite you are pointing to, yes, all digital transponders are available to download to DVBViewer. With one proviso - if you only have a DVB-S card, you won't of course find DVB-S2 channels.

If so, can you save channels from multiple satellites, incase if say, one satellite doesnt stream a wanted channel.

IF you have access to other satellites, and they have the same channel broadcasting, of course.

Also, with a standard Sky Minidish, is it even possible to get a beam back from more than 1 satellite, seing as its only small.

Not if it's fixed on Astra2.

Last question..

Am I right in thinking

Big dish = people far away from a satellite, trying to maximise their signal strength's & quality?

Multiple dishes = gives the ability to recieve beams from more satellites in different locations = ability to view more channels / extra channels that other satellites don't air?

I think I typed that all out right, hard to explain what I'm asking

Motorised dish, or a largish (>90cm) dish with a couple of LNB's pointed to, say, Hotbird 13E and Astra 19E would give you some extra foreign FTA channels.

(Edit) Robbo has made some valid points regarding dish size etc.

Llew

[Robbo]

Surprisingly you can put an extra LNB on a Sky minidish and pick up Hotbird or Astra 19E as well, but the signal on the offset (28E) is not very good. Fine for tinkering, but not really an acceptable setup.

[TDnTDE]

Thanks for the replies so far guys

I've just got my dish wired up, my card in & installed. Did a quick mess around with WMC got 100% signal straight away aswell as BBCHD & all the normal stuff....(Except for BBC2 )

Anyway, I've been reading over an idiots guide to DVBViewer, have the prog installed so far, about to download the manual & Channel searching feature/application mentioned above.

I'll update when my first problem arrives

[TDnTDE]

Alright I've downloaded that channel scanner.

Scanned for channels from 28.2 & Deleted all the foreign language channels.

Are there any other channels that need to be deleted?

I'll be deleting all the duplicates in a second.

For instance there are multiple Channel 4+1's.... Will they ALL work (so It doesnt duplicat matter which I delete) Or will only a specific one work?

Also... Still no BBC 2, will I have to add that manually inside DVBV?

Once I've cleared up the list what would be my next step?

Thanks in advance... Sorry for the noobiness

[TDnTDE]

Forgot to add the attachment.... Can't find an edit button either