Naive Noob attempting basic Sky MiniDish “install” – a little help?

[Robbo]

I don't think the analogue dish is round, it's in the shed now but I remember it looking oval (taller than it was wide)

does that make it useless for digital, or just harder to align even with a non elliptical LNB?

btw, just found they're showing Last Crusiade on BBC HD 8)

It doesn't look up-scaled either, must be a new film transfer?

The dishes that are taller than they are wider a classed as being round.

Not sure why, but it may have something to with the fact that what the satellite sees is a round dish, because it is looking at it from at angle as it is an offset one.

A 60 cm dish won't be a great deal harder to align than a Sky minidish, the beamwidth is a little narrower. There is a beamwidth calculator here:-

_www.satlex.de

The 60cm dish would be fine for digital with the appropriate universal LNB put on, you don't want a Sky minidish one for that.

Robbo

 

[Nick -D-vB]

The dishes that are taller than they are wider a classed as being round.

But you do get round dishes as well right? (actually properly round lol)

I saw a square one online the other day, thats just silly...

Apart from the size, would the oval dish have any other dis/advantages over the minidish.

Would any standard (non-elliptical) universal LNB work? I might get a dual LNB for it when I am able to set it up.

Thanks for your help,
Nick

 

[Robbo]

But you do get round dishes to right? (actually properly round lol)

I saw a square one online the other day, thats just silly...

Apart from the size, would the oval dish have any other dis/advantages over the minidish.

Would any standard (non-elliptical) universal LNB work? I might get a dual LNB for it when I am able to set it up.

Thanks for your help,
Nick

Not sure if you do get offset dishes that are really circular, all mine are taller than they are wide.

Yes any standard Universal would work, does it have a 40mm clamp on to hold it?


Precisely, the advantage of the 60cm is its size, bigger is better.

 

[Nick -D-vB]

The clamp looked the same size as the one on the minidish, good to know I can use that dish to. I'm sure it wil home in handy some day!

Cheers,
Nick

 

[Nick -D-vB]

Reason: spelling ;)

Thought you'd been watching Channel 4...

 

[Robbo]

Reason: spelling ;)

Thought you'd been watching Channel 4...

, Yes the u and i key are unfortunately a bit close for comfort when typing the word 'bigger'.

 

[2cvbloke]

Prime focus dishes are round, but usually they're expensive and better suited to motorised setups and fringe reception...

The thing about regular round dishes is that what the LNB sees is a circular shape, hence them being called round dishes...

But there's a few alternatives these days, those Fracarro Pentas, conical horns, flat plate antennas, big dishes, little dishes, plenty to choose from...