New basic satellite setup advice

pzz5jp

Hi, I'm a totally new to setting up my own satellite system, so please be gentle ! I've tried to do a lot of searching on the web, but I'm just getting really confused, so thought I'd ask for some advice here.

I currently run a toppy 5800 PVR and have a sky+ installation, but no longer subscribe. I now want to extend what I can watch on freeview with a few more movies and maybe the odd bit of sport.

What I'm thinking is that I can use my old sky+ cabling to upgrade my system. So here is my thoughts.

If I buy the following:

1 x Monoblock LNB
1 x Single LNB
1 x 80 cm Black Mesh Dish
1 x Technomate TM 5400 CI, USB
Ebay item no.
320268060549

I will be able to attach the monoblock and single LNB and technomate to my existing sky+ cabling as it has 2 wires, so should be able to get Astra 1, Hotbird and Astra 2 (for freesat).

My main concern is I'll get the kit wrong due to my lack of understand and brain freeze due to information overload!!!

If anyone could offer some guidance, that would be fab. I'm still debating what extra a motorised dish would give, and if it was worth buying a HD receiver. Any thoughts on this would be great also.

Thanks

Robbo71

Hi,

First off, you have not made it clear whether you will still be connecting your Sky+ box or not. I will assume not for the moment.

One problem with what you are going to buy is that you have selected a single LNB and a monoblock. It can be done that way, but is tricky. Much better to get three single LNBs and keep it simple. The 3 LNBs would feed a 4x1 Diseqc switch (which you also need) with a single cable going to the Technomate.

To put 3 LNBs on a dish, you need a suitable bracket, it is best to chose a dish for which the manufacture produces a bracket for it, Triax do for their TD range, and there are others.

If you wanted to keep the Sky box going, then get 1 quad LNB and two singles.

A motorised system is better as it gives more flexibility, but not suitable for a Sky box, so you would have to use the existing Sky dodgydish separately.

Robbo

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pzz5jp

Hi, sorry for not being clear. I no longer subscribe to sky, so no longer need the box connected. I don't use freesat as have freeview. I'll check out the dishes you recommended, thanks.

Robbo71

In that case, I would reccomend a motor, also if you only want one receiver to run from it. The cost differential between fixed-3LNB and a motorised setup is minimal, if you self install.

Was not reccomending the Triax as such, just giving an example of one that had a bracket specially for it. THe Fracarro Penta seems a popular choice at the moment.

I am not fond of my Triax as the bracket on the back is useless and very difficult to get the adjustment spot on, which I need for my motorised install.

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pzz5jp

cheers. I guess I'm just nervous about self install so felt that a fixed dish would be easier to put up!

Could you confirm for me that I would be ok to use the cable already fitted to outside of house and connected to me sky box? Eg, I just remove sky dish and replace with motorised one using same cable?

Also, if anyone could recommend a motorised dish for Cheshire or has already set one up with my current choice of receiver any info would be great.

bigtee

Other things being equal, the Sky cable should work fine with a new set up (i.e.subject to other factors like water ingress etc).

As Robbo said a motorised dish is a very good option ---- and if you instal it yourself should cost not much more than a multi-LNB set up. But just to give an extra option, there is a dish that has 4 sats built in --- and if your needs are truly simple might be worth considering. An example is in the thread in link below:

My new TechniSat Multytenne dish


Be warned however, many who start with a multi LNB set up also either add or substitute a motorised set up at some point.

Robbo71

Fummily enough, I did the opposite, and added extra LNBs to my motorised dish. That way, it can be either.

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bigtee

One thing I've learned, Robbo, is that it's just a 'crazy' business this sat TV thing and it seems possibilities/permutations are endless. I mean ever since first reading about it, I've been wondering in my head about how your motorised multi-LNB set up works e.g. when the motor moves the main LNB to one satellite, the offset LNB/s get/s another satellite/s?

Another question, if I may digress for a minute, when you had the fortec 90 dish set up, did you ever get anything on Nilesat? (I say this because so far I have always 'nearly' locked it on the Lidl 80 but not quite managed it yet; trying to avoid going above 1m dish, you see).

Robbo71

Yep bigtee, but only the stronger transponders like the one that carries city7 TV and Dubai One.

The settings are quite simple for more than one LNB, I have 28E, 16E and 9E. But, I have changed 28E and 9E to 16E (in the receiver), so the dish does not move from 16E when I choose the other two. Could have also done 13E,16E,19E and 28E, but my LNBs are not narrow enough. And where did I get the idea from I wonder.. some mad person on here asking if it was possible, so I thought I'd give it a go.

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