Advice for a newby

M

mybrotherjohn

Member
My Satellite Setup
None yet. I want to get Astra 2D reception on France/Swiss Border
My Location
Just outside Basel in France
Hi,

We have just moved to France across the border from Basel, Switzerland and my wife wants Brit TV.

I have worked out we need to point an 80cm dish at Astra 2D, but what I can't find out is if any receiver will do (ie a French or Swiss one) or whether I need to buy one in the UK and take it over with me.

Other questions I have are:
  • I assume that the LNB is generic and that I can use any. Is this correct?
  • Also there seem to be quite a wide variation on prices for receivers. Is there anything in this or is this simply down to user interface stuff. (We are not interested in doing anything other than receive so a simple one will do for us)
Many thanks in advance for any opinions, advice, comments!

Cheers
 
Hi,
It depends what channels you want to watch.

If you just want to watch the free to air channels from 28E then any digital satellite receiver would be OK.

If you want channel4 or channel5 you currently need a Sky Digibox and FTV card.

The French still use analogue satellite, so you have to make sure you get a digital one.

A lot of the cost differentials are due to make, whether they have a PVR, are HD capable,Card slot, CAM slot.

But for 28E FTA SD channels all you need is a FTA digital satellite receiver.


Yes the LNBs for Ku band are generic, you need a Universal LNBF for an offset dish.

Robbo:)
 
Welcome to the forum.

Bear in mind that a lot of the old dishes around you (assuming that you can see any others) are likely to be poining at 5 degree West which is where the french analogue channels come from. Like Robbo71 said re receivers, plus with a S_y box you also get the program guide, but if you are trying to use one to line up a dish they are quite slow to lock onto a signal
 
Also, if you are using an old dish that was previously used for analogue signals if the the LNB is very old may not work with a digital receiver, you want one that says universal on it. Most relatively modern ones should be fine.
 
Thanks everyone.

We only need the Beeb Channels and ITV 1-4. I think Channel 4 will move to Astra later this year any way once the contract with Sky has finished.

A couple of clarifying questions... what is:
  • an offset dish
  • an LNBF (LNB for an offset dish?)
  • S_y box
Thanks again.
Cheers
 
mybrotherjohn said:
an offset dish
Click to expand...

A satellite dish where the LNB is on the end of the arm hanginging down and so points to the dish from a low angle. The satellite dish is therefore (usually) elliptical as opposed to circular (for a centre feed dish).

mybrotherjohn said:
an LNBF (LNB for an offset dish?)
Click to expand...
Sort of. It includes the feedhorn as part of its construction. These are designed with offset dishes in mind

mybrotherjohn said:
S_y box
Click to expand...

Usually known as a Digibox these have a built-in CAM (Conditional Access Module) so that the $;y cards work to decrypt encrypted channels. Note that this CAM is not available as a separate item so cannot be fitted to any old receiver.

Hope this helps.
 
How an offset dish works.

An LNBF , but generally they are just called an LNB.

An LNB (without the feedhorn).

A picture of an offet dish.


Generally for a domestic budget setup, and offset dish and an LNB with an integrated feedhorn does the job.:)
The Inverto Silvertech 0.2dB for example.

Robbo
 

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Hi - My dish is dead difficult to get to so I only want to make one trip up to it, if possible, to re-align it. (In otherwords, I don;t want to go up to look at the LNB to see if it has 'Universal' on it if I can help)

If I plug a digital receiver in and the LNB is analogue, will I blow the receiver? If so, can I test the voltage at the end of the Cable coming down and determine from this if it is Analogue or not?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers
 
You can tell if the LNB is universal by seeing what channels it brings in if you have a receiver, otherwise, get yourself a new one just in case, they are quite cheap.
 
Thanks Rolf - I have a digital receiver - just to confirm and analogue LNB wont damage a digital receiver will it...?
 
mybrotherjohn said:
Thanks Rolf - I have a digital receiver - just to confirm and analogue LNB wont damage a digital receiver will it...?
Click to expand...

No, It won't damage it. you will just only receive approx half the frequencies as there is only one Local oscillator inside the LNB (Universals have 2).:)
 
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