Enthusiastic novice - can anyone advise?

mr_jones

Hi Guys

I am an enthusiastic novice, wanting to install some stuff in m house and I wonder if anyone can advise.

I moved in to a brand new chalet bungalow in Poole Dorset about 8 months ago and got Sky to provide a new dish etc for standard sky.

Was going to get a high gain ariel and go for freeview with a set top box in each bedroom, but found out this morning that this is not an option in Poole.

As far as I can see, I can buy a dish and install it on a bracket extension to my sky dish.

From there i can easily 2 (or if just as simple 3) cables to bedrooms. I understand i would then place a receiver in each room and connect to the tv in each room.
Have a few basic questions....

Does this sound sensible?

Is there any way i can wireless from dish (or close to it) to each receiver so that the system is as flexible as possible?

Can I connect 3 cables to a signle dish or is there a better way....splitters?

Will placing 2 dishes within a foot or so cause any problems?

Any guidance for cost conscious reliable kit?

Any other help or advice would be much appreciated.

Happy new year, a great site you have here.

Thanks

Brian

rolfw

Hi Brian, you will need to install a Quad LNB on the dish and run the cables to the bedrooms from it. In the very near future, BBC Freesat will launch, am moving this to that section.

Rolf If you enjoy our site, you can help support it by wearing our unique branded merchandise, you can do this by clicking on my baseball cap, making a direct donation with Paypal by clicking on the Donation button below, or using our site supporting advertisers, to do this, click on the central image below. Follow us on Twitter, click on the twitter image.

Robbo

Hi mr jones,
Welcome to the forum,

Assuming that you are getting perfectly good reception on your sky box, and you still want to watch the UK channels, and you do not have Sky+ there is a simpler solution.

You do not have to put another dish up, just replace the LNB with a quad LNB suitable for a sky dish and as you said run the three extra cables to the three extra receivers. You can also buy octo LNBs if you have SKY+

Alternatively, you could put up a separate dish ( if you didn't want to mess with your current setup), stick a quad LNB on that and proceed as before.

The dishes can be very close together, as long as one is not shadowing the other one from the satellite.

There is no cheap wireless solution to carry the signal from dish to receiver I'm afraid, some wf100 or wc100 coax or similar qulaity cable is needed.

Robbo :-thumb

4dbennett

Don,t forget you will also need receivers for the feeds to go to, you can pick up second hand ones on ""some site"

dave

mr_jones

wow thanks for the prompt replies guys.

The quad lnb sounds cool, and least work.

I looked on google and the first offering i found was ony £18 and said "only for Zone 1 and 2 eliptical dishes". I guess this does indeed describe my sky dish.

A few more questions.....

1 I guess i will be able to look at the channels vailable from my existing sky satellite, so how can i find out which free channels are available from the sky satellite ?

2 Are there additional (buy a card) possiilities for additional channels?

3 How much should i pay for an lnb if i am to get a resaonable one? I was looking to spend £150 + cables and receivers so i can do it for much less i am chuffed but want to get something reliable.

4 Can anyone point me in the direction of wireless kit for the gap from dush to receiver?

Thanks again or your help. Much appreciated.

Brian

Robbo

Yes the the zone1 and zone2 eliptical, are the Sky dishes.

Free channels on 28E:-

_http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html

the ones with an 'F' in column 5.

To get additional channels you need a Sky box, or a box that can read Sky cards, like a Dreambox, and a few other receivers, most don't work with Sky.

I could not advise on a Sky LNB, as I would just go for the cheapest as the signal is so strong, I'm sure there is many a thread on here already about good/bad LNBs

Robbo

mr_jones

Rolf, Dave and Robbo

Thanks again getting close to a resut.

Thanks for the site link Robbo. In column 5 there are hundreds with an "F" but most have a heading "skydigital DVB". Does the skydigital make any difference or is it if it has an "F" then it is free whatever?

I wll go for the cheapest LNB as at £18 if it turns out to be crap it wont have broken the bank.

Thanks for the advice Dave, I will look around and see what i can find.

Will look for dreambox receivers in case i can convince the wife to stump up the cash. If not can anone recommend something basic but suitable that i can buy 3 of.

Last one ( i hope)......is there a minimum standard of cable i should be using. Longest run probably about 4feet from the dish?

Thanks

Brian

HB13DISH

Dreambox 500-Si costs 79.80 pounds from this site
_http://www.************s.co.uk
Cheers benthaz2002

rolfw

The reason I moved this to this section and made specific mention of Freesat, is that Freesat will be launching in the next three months and along with it, will come dedicated Freesat boxes, with full Freesat EPGs (electronic programme guides). You may well consider that waiting for those receivers, is a good idea, rather than using Sky Digiboxes which will include all of the subscription channels you can't watch in the programme list, or an independent receiver with very poor EPG.

Alternatively of course. you could get a couple of Sky digiboxes and mirror subscription cards for £10 extra each per month, then all boxes will have your Sky package, you will of course need phone connections to all of the boxes.

Rolf If you enjoy our site, you can help support it by wearing our unique branded merchandise, you can do this by clicking on my baseball cap, making a direct donation with Paypal by clicking on the Donation button below, or using our site supporting advertisers, to do this, click on the central image below. Follow us on Twitter, click on the twitter image.

mr_jones

Rolf

Thanks for that.

I have a couple of concerns about Freesat from my very limited experience and research.

The extra sets are for my kids who are already moaning about the lack of TV in their rooms (and they are very big kids) so i tend to try to avoid arguing with them.

Liked to this is my worry that as with all things technolgical, it may not be forthcoming in the timescale expected.

Will BBC freesat be available to dreambox users?
Is it an isssue of software/firmware update when the time comes?

I am starting to think I should dedicate another month to reading up on this stuff before taking the plunge....my brain hurts....

rolfw

The Technology is proven, nothing new in this, only the dedicated EPG, I have to replace a couple of receivers for my sister over in France, but won't do it until I go back in April, as then I can use the new Freesat boxes.

You can use any standard satellite receiver, but they won't have such a user friendly channel list and EPG. The Dreambox is overkill if you are only going to watch that satellite, you can get FTA (Free To Air) receivers for £40.

Rolf If you enjoy our site, you can help support it by wearing our unique branded merchandise, you can do this by clicking on my baseball cap, making a direct donation with Paypal by clicking on the Donation button below, or using our site supporting advertisers, to do this, click on the central image below. Follow us on Twitter, click on the twitter image.

Robbo

For that length of cable any satellite cable would do. Like the stuff that maplin or B&Q sell. For normal lengths the copper braid on copper foil types such as the wf100 or wc100 is best, but I don't think it will make much difference for just 4ft. Just don't use ordinary TV coax.

flashgordon1952

like a lot of the members on this forum i too will be getting freesat system. i have a dish already on the satellite the previous owner had sky but the reciever has been taken away so leaveing me with the dish. i do grudgeingly in paying sky for the priveledge of there service. I am shure the hobby of satellite watching is a great one but be prepared to have money . i had a anologue satellite setup some years ago on a fixed two LNB system. it was okay! but the cost of a rotator was high and decided not to spend any more money. where i think people go wrong is buying it for the adult channels thinking they are getting great viewing, generally there are a lot of pitfalls in doing this.so buyer beware!

the_happy_traveller

I have to disagree with you about cost.
I am not technically minded and don't have a lot of spare cash to splash around but through thorough reading of this site and some trial and error have managed to set up 2 perfectly acceptable multi sat systems.
All being well, when Freesat launches I shouldn't have to fork out anything at all to get it.

(Although I am interested in the integrated HDTV's they mention on their site)

Channel Hopper

The reception issues are being resolved in your area as we speak.

Since September last year another 4000 residents in Poole have got access to the Freeview services, by the supply of correctly installed aerials, though these do cost almost as much as a Freesat dish and (single) receiver system.

If you are going for more than one viewing point in the house, the cost benefits of going down the Freeview route make better sense (unless you really are in a deadzone)

What is your postcode ?

Don't forget there are improvements made every week on terrestrial reception, so check every week on local transmitter upgrades. It's not all doom and gloom.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/..._feature.shtml

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

4dbennett

4 feed lnb,s are available on "some site" i,ve picked up a couple for under a tenner, both working very well


dave

mr_jones

Thanks all for the advise.

robbo

Thanks for the cable info. I should have said 40 ft rather 4 ft. Will this make any difference.

channel hopper

I am in BH15 4DE. The main freeview site tells me that we cannot receive.

4dbennett

I may know the site you mean, will go take a look. Thanks

Channel Hopper

The knowledge comes from experienced installers and those at the top of the BBC terrestrial upgrading, not a site.

Since your postcode takes you to more or less sea level, your location is probably served best by Rowridge (Isle of Wight). The people changing to FreeView on Purbeck east coast have the best success for stable reception, but I would have to concur, you are - as yet-, unlikley to get a perfect terrestrial signal without spending a lot of money.

It does all change around mid 2009 though, if that helps.

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"