Help Please! Advice Needed!

K

Kaydoe

Member
My Satellite Setup
None yet, trying to gain knowledge to help me get one. Thanks.
My Location
London
Hey Guys,

Firstly, apologises if you are sick of reading messages like this, but I am an absolute rookie and have no clue (like everyone else at some point) so please need help.

I have always wanted to get into the satelite world and have been reading a few posts here but I am still confused, so any help will be appreciated.

First question is where do I start, Is it too much work to learn or am I better off looking for someone on here to help Install and educate? (I live in London but heard its very pricey to get someone to setup)

Secondly if its not too much work, what items do I need to buy, I know I need a satelite receiver box, but is it ok to use my existing dish especially as I dont have a subscription anymore? What satelite box will you recommend ( I will love to have HD channels).

Thirdly, do I need a card of some sort, I plan on using the guide on here to try and set up when I get all items needed, so please any general advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks for your anticipated response.
 
All this to receive what exactly......
Nobody can comment with any confidence until you let us know that small snippet of information as HD channels could mean any satellite!

Indeed is that what you want? a fully motorised setup?

That being the case probably your existing (sky presumably) dish will not really be a lot of good.

What kind of accommodation do you have?
 
Hi and welcome to satellites.

Yes, we really need more info on what you're after.
Getting into the satellite world could mean anything from connecting an old Sky box to an existing dish to setting up a full motorised system.

But what ever it is, yes it can be learnt if you want to, it is how most of us started.
 
Kaydoe said:
Hey Guys,

Firstly, apologises if you are sick of reading messages like this, but I am an absolute rookie and have no clue (like everyone else at some point) so please need help.

I have always wanted to get into the satelite world and have been reading a few posts here but I am still confused, so any help will be appreciated.

First question is where do I start, Is it too much work to learn or am I better off looking for someone on here to help Install and educate? (I live in London but heard its very pricey to get someone to setup)

Secondly if its not too much work, what items do I need to buy, I know I need a satelite receiver box, but is it ok to use my existing dish especially as I dont have a subscription anymore? What satelite box will you recommend ( I will love to have HD channels).

Thirdly, do I need a card of some sort, I plan on using the guide on here to try and set up when I get all items needed, so please any general advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks for your anticipated response.
Click to expand...


If you want the largest range of English language HD programming then to be honest your best bet is a Sky HD subscription. :D
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for reply and sorry for the vagueness with my post like I said this is all new to me.

I recently went to a barbeque and the host was showing off his satelite box receiver which he receives so many channels on (literally hundreds)!

He mentioned a few packages like sky italia (HD channels as well and in English?) and also mentioned FTAs and FTVs plus some other packages I cant remember (but quite a number of channels in English and quite a few in European languages). After gloating, he finally mentioned he received them on Hotbird and Astra statelite, which got me really interested and researching on the whole satelite receiving world.

He also mentioned he paid a one off fee for the satelite and set up but someone else pointed out he would have been better off doing it himself (something to do with changing satelites?) Anyway thats the long and short of it, I am interested in setting up something similar to that, I live in a semi detached property so mounting shouldnt be a problem but I have no clue what a motorised satelite does. Any advice on how to get started or just anything to educate me will be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Hi Kaydoe...
Your options are
A fixed dish pointing at 1 satellite ...as with a sky dish ...though there are many satellites with 100s of channels..
A fixed dish with multiple lnbs and a switch to swap between them all mounted on the 1 fixed dish ..
This option is limited as to how many lnbs will receive quality signal ..as only 1 can be at the dishes focal point..
Or ..the best option is a motorised system
ie..1 dish /1 lnb which can be moved and pointed at any available satellite ..therefore offering optimum signal evry time.
Your problem is really that there isn't that much English language free to air HD content up there ..and thus requires viewing card/subscriptions for anything really useful.
These are often only available in the country they where intended for ...but there is a grey market in some cards .
rgds
VS
 
Vipersan said:
Hi Kaydoe...
Your options are
A fixed dish pointing at 1 satellite ...as with a sky dish ...though there are many satellites with 100s of channels..
A fixed dish with multiple lnbs and a switch to swap between them all mounted on the 1 fixed dish ..
This option is limited as to how many lnbs will receive quality signal ..as only 1 can be at the dishes focal point..
Or ..the best option is a motorised system
ie..1 dish /1 lnb which can be moved and pointed at any available satellite ..therefore offering optimum signal evry time.
Your problem is really that there isn't that much English language free to air HD content up there ..and thus requires viewing card/subscriptions for anything really useful.
These are often only available in the country they where intended for ...but there is a grey market in some cards .
rgds
VS
Click to expand...

THanks Vipersan, so are you saying with my receiver box, I can subcribe and receive other subcription services (like Sky) as well as FTA, FTV and Hotbird packages?
 
Kaydoe said:
THanks Vipersan, so are you saying with my receiver box, I can subcribe and receive other subcription services (like Sky) as well as FTA, FTV and Hotbird packages?
Click to expand...

Strictly speaking No ...
Sky is a bit of a law unto itself...as they never released a 'cam' to use in non subscription boxes..
You can sort of get round this but you still need a sky subbed box and card ..
..and of course this works in reverse in that sky boxes wont allow subscription services from other providers ..as you have no way to fit a cam ..ie no slot ..
What you could do is have both ...a genuine sky box and sub...and another box for everything else you might be interested in ..
most members who have a motorised system and want to watch sky..would also have a mini dish/box and subscription as well ..
You are quite within the planning permission guidelines to do this..
rgds
VS
 
It all depends on your budget and what you want to receive.
The first thing I always advise is that you find out where you need to site your satellite dish, in order to get the full arc of available satellites, usually 42E to 30W is a good selection.
As you're in London look at where a Sky dish is pointing, this is at 28.2E, that is basically 28.2 degrees East of South.
If you now stand behind the satellite and turn 28.2 degrees West, to your right, you now have a rough idea of South, take a protractor and look at 45 degrees to the left, of this point, and 45 degrees to the right.
Now decide where you need to site your dish to give a clear line of sight for this quadrant.
Have a look at the pictures, of other members dishes, it might give you a good idea:
Picture of Members' Setups and general satellite installations
If you have an open, South facing, garden you might want to consider a ground mounted installation, this makes installing, and maintenance, a lot easier.
 
Back
Top