DISeqC card for PC, motorised dish? (Noob, bear with me)

kevin-f

I've been using an Echostar DSB 808 2Ci decoder with a motorised dish for the last 6 years or so. I'd like to set up a media centre PC and replace the Echostar with something that puts reception, recording, dish movement etc. under integrated software control. I get the impression I can get a satellite PCI TV card that supports DISeqC, and that'll do the lot ... but I'm a newcomer to it all, so that might be completely wrong. Am I barking up the right tree?

If yes, got a few questions:
1. I've heard that control the dish requires something that'll push out a fairly high current (though the Echostar doesn't look that high power), and that therefore a PCI card isn't a good idea, especially if the PC it's in is fairly low-power, and that therefore I should look at some external USB device with its own power - but that might not integrate so well with the PC software and/or have latency issues. Is any of that a concern?
2. Would a card like the KWorld DVB-s 100 be any good? Have read mixed reviews, would be glad to hear any opinions. Don't know if its software is smart enough (say) for me to set it to record several things from different sources (at different times), so that it will deal with moving the dish etc.
3. The Echostar shows a couple of pages of tech info which I can paste in here, be very grateful if anyone can tell me if any of it (DISeqC version?) puts the mockers on anything:

System setup -
DiSEqC: 1.2
LNBs: 1
Polarity: LNB
Switch: 0/22KHz
LNB1: Enhanced LNBF

User LNB Setting -
User's LNB: USER LNBF1
Low freq.: 11300
High freq.: 11300
DiSEqC: DiSEqC 1..4
DiSEqC port: 1
Polarity control: 13/18V
Band control: Disable
Ku/C Control: Disable
0/22KHz control: On
0/12V Control: Off

Thanks very much in advance for any information.

Kevin.

BombedOne

A lot of PC DVB-S solutions have problems with driving motors - power is not enough. Also, you should consider DVB-S2 card, since HD era is really coming.

Regarding which manufacturer to take, so far, best support and most 3rd party software available for B2C2 chipset based cards (Technisat SkyStar series). Please note, SkyStar 3 or SkyStar 4 are not technisat product, and therefore, uses different chipset.

I'm also planing same thing as you, and I'm planning to buy SkyStar S2 (Also known on some markets as SkyStar HD2). As I've confirmed around several forums, seems that it has no problems with motor driving.

ITS A SCAM !

I have a Skystar HD Pci card, and by using Transedit/DVBViewer, i can move my dish automatically by using USALS what is built into the above software.
I really struggled myself to find help regarding this problem, and only managed to work it out for myself. But i can assure you that i can move my dish automatically from one satellite to another. Once i managed to sort out the problems it works very well indeed.

kevin-f

Thank you both for those prompt and very helpful replies. I'll press on and with luck it will be plain sailing!

Kevin.