LNB+Monoblock or DisEq access

GermanChannelChaser

GermanChannelChaser

Member
My Satellite Setup
54cm Channel Master dish with Raven LNB (Freecycled!), 15metres of CT125, Metronic Touch box 3
My Location
East Sx
Hi,
We recently upgraded to a Humax FOXSAT-HDR after I fried the PSU in my Metronic Touch box 3 by leaving the instruction manual over the air vents on top of the unit (any excuse to buy new toys...)

I'd like to extend the current Astra 19.2 tuning so that we can get uk channels in addition to the German channels favoured by my partner and utilise some of the inbuilt features of the humax.

Can you give me some opinions on whether I should go for :
1) running additional LNB/Monoblocs (I had a look at the thread "Offset LNB & Monobloc LNb Guide - Pdf") which looks suitable and will give me the advantage of being able to record on one satellite whilst watching program on the other, but will need a new dish/LNB's and cabling running.
2) Adding a DisEq motor to the existing setup to watch a single channel at a time.

Both options I should be capable of doing, but I wasn't sure on the relative merits. I like the idea of a fixed option 1) but got confused as to whether I should run a single lnb (19.2) and monoblock 28.2 and hotbird or 2 x single lnb's.

Thanks for you time,
Al
 
A monobloc will be no good for Astra1 & 2. Either another LNb on an offset bracket or a separate zone1 dish coupled with a DiSEqC switch.
 
Hi satelliteman,
Thanks for the reply, would i need to swap dishes from a 54cm ex-sky dish, in which case what size dish would be you recommended?

I don't suppose any retailers put together packages of a quality dish/2 lnb's and offset bracket or is it more normal to go looking individually (or call in an installer but I'd rather do it myself).

Al
 
_http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/dishes.htm

Do systems but they are not the cheapest around.
 
60cm is the minimum really for 19e & 28e. If it's an ex-sky dish, it may well be within that size but you'll need to source an offset bracket. Probably easier to get a stand alone zone 1.
 
How about one of these? _http://www.sateuropa.co.uk/product_overview.asp?prod=TechniSat-Multytenne-TWIN&id=1527&catid=12&subcat=2

Gives you Astra 1, Astra 2, 23.5 East and Hotbird satellite feeds to each port on the receiver, just setup on 19E and the others fall into place, a very easy installation.
 
Thanks the replies all.

Rolfw, bit rich for me but neat idea.

davemurgtroyd, thanks I'll have a look, might give me some ideas.

satelliteman. It's a 54cm dish. I guess I should swap it - I don't fancy having 2 dishes on the wall. I can probably get my bro interested in satellite tv if I tell him it's free ;-)

Have a good weekend, thanks for the advice.

Al
 
Hi folks, apologies for being an occasional visitor and asking random questions. My litlun is now 15months old and I still have decided which way to go on the above although am now liking the idea of the motorised dish. Which brings me to:
Would you recommend something like this, following davemurgatroyds recommendations.
on page _http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/dishes-motors.htm
what are the relative merits of the first couple of items on the page.
Would this be compatible with the Humax FOXSAT-HDR originally mentioned?
Thanks,
Al
 
That kit is OK, better prices from several of our supporting advertisers though (plus it helps the forum), not sure what the motorised side is like on the Humax, it's a Freesat unti with other sats as an afterthought, the Technisat Freesat box is better for non-Freesat use.

Plus, if you are using the PVR functions, motorised systems are not ideal, as the dish may be on another satellite when you need a scheduled recording on Freesat.
 
Using a freesat receiver for a motorised dish is just plain wrong.

For freesat use a fixed dish and freesat/sky receiver

For motorised don't use freesat receiver, use a receiver that is designed for that purpose. Anything else is just a pita.


Posted with Tapatalk
 
Sorry chaps, but I find using my Humax Foxsat with a Motor very useful indeed.

In fact, I have a non-PVR version driving a DiSEqC Motor and I have a PVR version using a DiSEqC switch where one input is fed from the twin output LNB on the motorised dish ie non-PVR serves itself and also acts as positioner for the PVR. Second feed for the PVR comes from the dedicated 28E minidish, of course.

Much flexibility - helps keep the peace to satisfy the differing viewing preferences in our house!

(The non-PVR also has an A/B switch so I can use either the motorised dish or a dedicated 28E mindish)

Each to their own - but I find it all works very well indeed.


But yes, I agree a little discipline (or just a good memory!) is needed to avoid recording glitches on occasion.
 
Hi Folks,
Thanks for the prompt replies (and patience given the interval in my visits satellites.co.uk is the beast!)

Originally I had kinda deferred to the reduced scope option (dual lnb), however having seen the increasing availability, or perhaps "raised awareness" of linux satellite boxes on the market, I thought I'd get a motorised dish into the household on the back of "the great switchover" and then get an ebay special of a spares or repairs linux box which I should be able to blow some life into. For some idle interest, my place of work has designed set top receivers including diseq (all before my time) so I'm kinda treating treating it as research.

thanks to
rolfw - omnipresent and reassuring. Thanks for being so welcoming and patient despite my often dumb questions. TV is somewhat occasional for us, but becoming more important with a bliingual litlun in the house. I will be going to one of the sponsor as you recommend, I hadn't realised that the links were there. hopefully the motorised system with the humax is a stepping stone, see response to robbo below.
Tivù - for keeping the dream alive, is the non-pvr unit on the 80cm dish and if so "WHAT CAN YOU SEEeeEeeEEEeeeEEE" Sorry, saturday night, halfway through a cheesy horror movie ;-)
Robbo;- Thanks for the response (wtf is tapatalk, do you have a fiery basque on the go whilst you type. *Disclaimer. I recognise that that basque could be misconstrued in a number of ways, if so Robbo, more power to your elbow, sorry her elbow.......oh dear time to close this line... ) Your comment pita ---- having seen my response to tivu above, If I am treating it as an opportunity to buy new toys and potentially temperamental equipment that will cause me work ;-) can it be so bad? Thoughts please.

Gents,
Apols, Saturday night, dodgy horror movie, bottle of wine and generous outflowings from yourselfves have caused the above, no doubt I'll re-read it sober and bite my lip but hey, hopefully I've added a bit of colour to my situation and will eventually come to some ... some.... some conclusion.
Thanks for you time, have fun, keep up the good work, Al
 
GermanChannelChaser said:
Robbo;- Thanks for the response (wtf is tapatalk, do you have a fiery basque on the go whilst you type. *Disclaimer. I recognise that that basque could be misconstrued in a number of ways, if so Robbo, more power to your elbow, sorry her elbow.......oh dear time to close this line... )
Click to expand...

Tapatalk is a smartphone app for reading forums. The lads that use it swear by it.
 
GermanChannelChaser said:
Tivù - for keeping the dream alive, is the non-pvr unit on the 80cm dish and if so "WHAT CAN YOU SEEeeEeeEEEeeeEEE"
Click to expand...

Yes, on the 80cm.

I can see 90% of Sats between 39E and 58W: But as I have a separate system for "everything", I run a highly pruned Channel List to include French and Italian stuff for SWMBO, anything Sporty (especially F1) for me).

To learn more about using the Foxsat this way, have a gander at

_http://www.astra2d.com/diseqc.html
 
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