Humax HD box to receive FTA from 2 satellites?

[frenchfrog]

Hi

I'm all new to satellites. I recently moved from North America where we can get mostly everything we need through cable service. However, in the Geneva area here in Switzerland, I need to use a satellite receiver.

We have a dish installed on our house that we are renting already, with 2 heads on it, which I heard will allow me to receive from both Hotbird and Astra satellites.

I just need a receiver, preferably with HD capabilities, and not too expensive. It needs to be able to catch all FTA channels on both those satellites (well, channels in english and french). Ideally, it would have a way to add a viaccess card for either bis TV or Canal+ if I am unsatisfied with FTA.

I've narrowed down the possibilities to 2 boxes that are reasonably priced here: Humax HDCI 5000 and Humax HD Fox with 1 CI interface. I was told humax is easy to setup, which is important for me since I have spent enough time researching already to know I am too newby to this to hope to do a good job with a complex to setup receiver.

However I am not familiar enough with terminology to confirm if it will be easy to setup FTA channels, including HD ones, and set the box up to capture signals from the satellites I can access. Any suggestion for me? Might be another relatively affordable decoder as well. I've seen Aston decoders at relatively OK prices online, and they also include a Freesat card but I am not sure what that is for.

 

[Topper]

Hello

Welcome to the forum frenchfrog

You surprise me there as my friend lives in Switzerland and has only cable TV

There are rather a lot of questions in your first post. You mention two heads, I assume you mean two lnb's, and one is receiving Astra and one Hotbird, right so far? OK what wiring is currently being used from the lnb's? is there a switch, as without one you would need two separate receivers or an AB switch.
Next when you say Astra are you referring to Astra 1 at 19.2 East or Astra 2 at 28.2 East? a big difference as the former is mainly German, the latter is mainly English.
You do not appear to give your dish diameter which will be very important in determining what you can and can not receive.. Please answer the question and someone will try to help you.

 

[Robbo]

Not tried either of the Humax receivers listed, but generally, setting up a receiver for FTA use is very easy. For the twin head, the diseqc switching needs to be set up, also very straightforward normally.

The receivers I have most experience with are the Clarke Tech or Technomates,both are straightforward and will do what you want.

 

[frenchfrog]

Hi

thanks for both of you for the welcome and quick replies! I actually can't go on the roof of the house as I've been strictly told not to do so (old roof, fragile tiles on it). The dish appears to be in the 80ish cm range, has 2 separate lnb(I think that is the right term?) aimed at it, and each has 2 wires coming out (which makes sense since I have 2 satellite plugs in the house, one in bedroom, one in living room).

I'll have to research a bit more what diseq means if that is something else I need. I briefly read it can be included with the lnb. With the setup I've described, I hope it is likely included?

Also, since I do not plan to actually move the dish or the lnbs, I will just hope that whatever decoder I end up buying can detect the channels from the 2 satellites I can receive. I am pretty certain that was meant to be setup for hotbird and astra, however I see posts of users that asked for setting up both astra 1 and 2. From a setup/scanning channels perspective, do I really need to know which one it is?

So, with that additional information, would you have a recommendation for me between the 2 humax? I have a hard time figuring out what is different between the 2 to be honest! There is also a very good deal on an inverto scena 5 decoder here at the moment, but I was told they are harder to setup. Since I am not sure what to look for in terms of supported features, I am really finding it hard to decide what to buy.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Topper]

From a setup/scanning channels perspective, do I really need to know which one it is?

If you are happy with either German channels or English channels plus Hotbird then no problem, but you will not get any English programs on 19.2 East, which is why I mentioned it.


As long as the receiver can handle DiseqC switching you will not have a problem.

 

[ovis]

Your dish is probably looking at Astra 1 and Hotbird as the spread of a dual lnb setup is only about 6 degrees. For Switzerland it would also bee logical to receive German,Fench and Italian broadcasts which are abundant on the two satellites you're looking at.
The diseqc control is built into the rcvr but you need a diseqc switch to control the two lnbs. Also the satellite plugs in the two rooms would probqably require a receiver each to be useful.
Afraid can't help you on the receiver, am currently hunting for similar myself.

 

[Lazarus]

Your dish is probably looking at Astra 1 and Hotbird as the spread of a dual lnb setup is only about 6 degrees. For Switzerland it would also bee logical to receive German,Fench and Italian broadcasts which are abundant on the two satellites you're looking at.
The diseqc control is built into the rcvr but you need a diseqc switch to control the two lnbs. Also the satellite plugs in the two rooms would probqably require a receiver each to be useful.
Afraid can't help you on the receiver, am currently hunting for similar myself.

Monoblock LNBs have an integral DiSEqC switch and are now available with spreads other than 6 degrees, although 6 degrees is certainly the most common.

A stand-alone DiSEqC switch is only required where multiple LNBs are used (ie separate LNBs in their own housing).