My proposed system conceived out of ignorance.

sat4xpat

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Comments please on system I propose to buy and questions arising.

I am resident in Switzerland (nr Zurich) since April 04. Have UK TV (PAL-I, so can only get pic and no sound from cable/aerial). Wish to get BBC ONE and TWO and some German/Austrian channels. Plan to receive from Astra 1, Astra 2 and Hotbird, with fixed dish and multi LNBs.

System I'm thinking of is:-
Technisat DigiCorder S1 40GB
Triax TD 78 80cm dish with quad LNB

Questions:-
1. Will that receiver support PAL-I as well as PAL B/G?
2. How does the quad LNB with its 4 'F' connectors connect to the receiver? Is there a bit of kit I've missed. Do four coax cables have to go from the LNBs all the way indoors to the receiver?
3. Must I buy meters etc. to locate the satellites (I'm retired so time is not a problem).

Here's hoping there's someone out there who can help.
 

BGonaSTICK

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Sorry, don't know about your telly (or your receiver!). I'll leave that to someone else.

A 'quad LNB' is something which normally refers to a single unit from which four individual connections are made. Not sure if that's what you mean, or whether you mean four separate 'single' LNB's mounted on a bracket.

If it's the former, then, as you are 'fixed', you will only get one of your (3?) listed sats at a time (four times over!).

If it's the latter (and that's what you'd need for three or four sats from one fixed dish) then you will need a 4-way diseqc switch to switch the four different inputs into your receiver (...and switched 'by' the diseqc 1.0 or better receiver).

Have a search on diseqc swithes from Google.

Astra 2 and Hotbird a long way apart, and although it has been done on a dish of the size you mention, it will need some careful setting up. Some of the experts on here have done it, so I'll let them comment further.

You will need some kind of instrument to help you set up. A sat-bleeper, or a cheap meter can be had for between £10 - £25.

If you have an infinite amount of time and patience, you can try and do it with either the signal meter on your reciever, or just tuning in a known transponder, and watching the telly-screen as you wobble about up your ladder!

The latter is possible, but easier to do on an analogue setup.

STICK
 

sat4xpat

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Thanks Stick for sorting out my confusion over LNBs. So, if I understand correctly I need 3 LNBs, one for Astra 2 (28deg E by S), one for Astra 1 (19deg E by S), and one for Hotbird (13deg E by S) plus a DiSeQc switch with 3 inputs plus a receiver that supports DiSeQc. (Does the DiSeQc switch sit near the LNB mount?) My dish is on my balcony two or three meters from the TV so no problem fiddling with dish and watching sat receiver/TV
 

BGonaSTICK

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Cool, you're looking good.

Diseqc switches tend to come in two or four way, so you would need a four-way. That'll give you four inputs (from your three LNB's, plus a spare) and an output to your reciever (most modern receivers will do diseqc 1.2, but as long as yours does 1.0, you're OK. They are backward-compatable, so a 1.1 or 1.2 etc. is fine).

Buy a load of F-connectors, and make up your 3 patch leads. Blank-off the fourth to keep the weather out. Self amalgamating tape is great for sealing all your connections. It bonds to iteself to form a professional waterproof 'boot'. Wiring the plugs is easy to do, just keep the screen and the signal wire apart. Buy some decent (solid foam-cored, digital-quality) coax. The diseqc switch will go near the dish (bolt-on to a pole or wall-mount), so only one hole through your wall!

Make sure that you have a clear line of sight to all your required sats.

Then just pick your LNB's, and get a suitable multi-LNB bracket that is designed to get the sats you want, and away you go.

As multi-LNB brackets are a compromise, each signal may not be as good as it could be. You should pick one of your LNB's/satellites as the 'prime focus' (would suggest 19.2E, as it's in the middle) and get this lined up first.

Then experiment with the outer LNB's. You may need to 'adjust' the bracket to optimise the reception on the outer two LNB's. Then go back and check the others. Keep working around (bit like spoking a wheel, or torquing down a cylinder head) 'till you get it as good as it'll go.

It can take a second or two for a digital signal to appear on the screen, so when adjusting, move a little, wait a little, move a little...etc.

There are several good dealers out three that will supply a matching set on LNB's and a bracket, so shop around, or ask rolfw or channel hopper, or someone who really knows what they're talking about!


Good luck
 

iansat

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I am also living near Zurich. Currently using a 60cm dish with a sky digibox (can buy on ebay for less than £50). Using TV purchased in Switzerland. This set-up enables me to get BBC1, BBC2 etc. German channels obtained via cable. It is also possible to get ITV, C4 and C5 via FTV card.

I am currently thinking about getting a motorised dish which will give flexibility to move between satellites but I will need new receiver as sky receiver only useful for normal channels via sky.

Locating satellites without a meter is a nightmare. I had to get the satellite man around. Meter/bleeper sounds like a better idea.
 

rolfw

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I would be more inclined to use something like the Raven Gemini 90cm dish with the western satellites offset arm, use the prime focus for 28.2 East and the other ones for 19.2 and 13E, then you have pretty much solid reception on everything.

Certainly worth getting hold of a Sky digibox as iansat suggests, as you can then hopefully get hold of a freesat card when they are released.
 

sat4xpat

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Thanks Rolfw - Raven looks good but UK based (shipping/support costly). Wavefrontier Toroidal T 90 with 4Xlnbs looks a possibility - any views?.
Regarding a receiver - am prepared to spend a bit more to get HDD - possibly Technisat or Topfield - again any views.
 

sat4xpat

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Stick thanks again. Very helpful and comprehensive reply. This forum is brilliant!
 

sat4xpat

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Thanks iansat. Good to hear you can get BBC here on a small dish. Will probably go for an HDD system. Can't use cable - doesn't support PAL-I.
 
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