Yet another neebie needing advice!

[Browntea]

hi all,

im new to the forum,new to anything other than freeview too!

i currently run a top up tv box which is on its lasts legs and have been looking for something else with alot more choice on the channal side of things.
i have a disussed sky dish installed that i would like to use if possible
ive been looking at the dreambox dm500, ebay and second hand,i dont want to spend too much at the moment but may upgrade later

your thoughts and advice welcome

Gus

 

[Analoguesat]

Well as long as the old Sky dish is intact and still correctly aligned your options are:

Sky UK box (with or without subscription)
Freesat box - (no subscriptions required)
Generic free to air box - (most other receivers - will give you all the free channels but most of these receivers only give you now&next on the epg)

What EXACTLY do you want from the receiver?

 

[Browntea]

What EXACTLY do you want from the receiver?

 

[Browntea]

hit the wrong key!!

basicly i want alot more free tv to watch

 

[Analoguesat]

Lol easy done

Well an old Sky box (a fiver from a boot sale) will give you all the currently fta channels.

If you want to be free of the temptation to subscribe then get a Freesat box.

Or cheap n cheerful with the option of making multiple favouritte lists - the fta box.

 

[Browntea]

so the dreambox ive been looking at is of no use? or would it only have pay channels?

 

[Analoguesat]

We dont recommend dreamboxes to newbies - they are an overcomplicated way to get into the hobby - the 500's especially are known to be flaky as they are all cheap Chinese clones these days, and suffer a multitude of different problems.

 

[Browntea]

so apart from the above,what would you reccommend if i were to read lots and learn even more

 

[Analoguesat]

Thats entirely up to you and your wallet

Peace & quiet and plug n play - Sky or Freesat receivers

More flexibility - fta box, prices start at about 50 quid for a standard definition box. If you want the all singing all dancing linux HD box with multiple tuners then you can pay getting on for a thousand quid!

You are asking the satellite equivalent of "what music should I like?"

 

[Browntea]

You are asking the satellite equivalent of "what music should I like?"

oh i see....sorry

so something like a technomate 5200 can pick up other satalites would give me more choice in channels? but i guess you guys woudnt have much of a review to write for it

 

[Analoguesat]

no problem browntea. We are a friendly forum here and we do try to answer all questions from newcomers to the hobby as accurately as possible. - We do need some info to work on tho!

Technomates are well regarded on the forum - and have been for many years. Have a look around the board and see what you like the sound of. Probably the most important question these days is "do you want / need HD capability" - more and more channels are sstarting HD services, and whilst the numbers on free HD services are limited, numbers can only grow in the next few years.

 

[Analoguesat]

Oh and if you click the Reply To Quote button lower right you can easily quote a previous post

 

[Browntea]

Oh and if you click the Reply To Quote button lower right you can easily quote a previous post

this one!! lol

ive just found a tchnomate 1000d on ebay used...but i guess they are an old model now, how much is it worth?

 

[Analoguesat]

No idea - Ive got one somewhere but I was given it 5 years ago! Not much these days. 25 quid delivered maybe??

 

[Browntea]

No idea - Ive got one somewhere but I was given it 5 years ago! Not much these days. 25 quid delivered maybe??

i presume this will work on my ex sky dish?

will it be ok as a starter box or could i find something a wee bit better...i can fiddle a wee bit im not a total newbie to pcs and like a challenge! lol

 

[Analoguesat]

As long as its an oval dish pointing at the 28E satellite constellation, and its correctly aligned it'll work fine. The TM100's are pretty basic boxes and nice and easy to get to grips with. They will give you the free channels and nothing else, so dont expect miracles from them. Should you have access to a second dish you can buy a cheap switc, cable both dishes to it and have German TV free channels as well (for example)

 

[Browntea]

As long as its an oval dish pointing at the 28E satellite constellation, and its correctly aligned it'll work fine. The TM100's are pretty basic boxes and nice and easy to get to grips with. They will give you the free channels and nothing else, so dont expect miracles from them. Should you have access to a second dish you can buy a cheap switc, cable both dishes to it and have German TV free channels as well (for example)

hmm not sure what the missus would say about that! but i do like the idea of one big monster dish on mi shed maybe motorised!!

just seen this on ebay =http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Technomate-TM-5400-CI-USB-Satellite-Receiver-/270770963596?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item3f0b35048c

what do you think?