Newbie needs help on Hotbird + Astra (SKY)

animabella

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Hi good people,

I need your help. I am new to this forum and I have an existing SKY subscriptoin and conventional dish with Thomson receiver. I really want to watch FTA Italian channels as well (RAI 1,2,3) as well as retain my SKY channels. I am based in London.

I have read here that I might be able to replace my single LNB with dual LNB setup and set the central one to Hotbird and the other to Astra. What I am unsure of is, can i keep the existing standard dish and digibox or would i need a new receiver? I am not in a position to go down the motorised dish route. It sounds like I would need a dual LNB input receiver or a switch?

I'd really appreciate any advice you can offer.:)

Thanks

Michael
 

rolfw

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You will need a slightly larger dish for Hotbird and the Italian channels, you could keep your existing Sky dish and receiver and add a 60-80cm dish for Hotbird and a new digital receiver, doesn't need to be an expensive one, £70 or £80 will do it.

You can also set it up on one dsh and an offset arm with two LNBs, but it would probably be a little more expensive, just checked and you could probably use an AB switch and still use the digibox for the Italian channels, but they are known for losing any setting which do not relate to Astra 28.2.
 

animabella

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Hi Rolfw,

Thanks for the useful advice. Sounds like a new receiver and dish is in order. Any ideas on a cheap but good receiver? say around £100?

Thanks

Michael
 

rolfw

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There are so many out there, that it is difficult to recommend one single unit. The biggest factor with digital receivers for the hobbyist, is that there is ongoing unofficial support for software patches, if you are computer savvy, then the baby Dreambox 500Si gives you bundles of capability, is well supported and can be updated over your home network, but is around £140 from DVB-Shop24 one of our banner advertisers.

The Technomate has been jockied into a very high position in the popularity stakes, by good unofficial software support and a gang of somewhat suspiciously zealous and hyperactive cross forum cheerleaders. It is nonetheless a good buy at under £100 ;)

Have a look at the receivers on this page most of them are patchable and although it is not one of the requirements you have asked for, it is probably something you will want when the hobby starts to bite. :)
 

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i would recomend the technomate to anyone and as rolf says the hobby might bite so it is definatly worth looking at all of the aspects first as i only wanted to watch football originally but now its more of a hobby or addiction:-bash
best of luck
 

animabella

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Hi Rolf

Superb. Thanks so much. Yes I am already lured by these patchable systems. Great stuff and enjoy the rest of your weekend

Michael
 

d122k7trb

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Cara animabella,

You need a 80 - 90 cm dish, this is the utmost thing you need to have for Hotbird. If you have something for Astra, Ok. I'm not sure may be the directions are not the same.

Poi, devi comprere o avere a changer or a receiver with a 2 LNB input. this is the next utmost thing for having or watching two program menues from different satellites.

Arbi.
 

animabella

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Hi guys

Some further advice appreciated.

How does the Technomate TM 1500CI plus Super receiver compare with the TECHNOMATE 7655 both patchable?

thanks
 

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The 7655 does not have a CI slot for a CAM, but they are both patchable I believe.
 

animabella

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Thanks so much Rolf and others. Very helpful. I feel confident to get myself a Technomate TM 1500CI plus Super and take it from there. Hopefully soon I will be aiming at Hotbird!

Cheers
Michael
 

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Just to point out, the RAI (free) channels are on a high powered transponders, and can be picked up on a 40cm Sky minidish over most of England (not all Hotbird transponders can!), and should also be viewable on a Sky digibox using "add channels".

Having said that, it's not a solution in this case!
 

animabella

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Hi guys,

I am back on this multi LNB idea. I have a few more newbie questions so bear with me!!

My priorities are to get Hotbird 13E for the FTA channels (as pointed out RAI Italian mainly) and FTA on 28.2E. I am less interested in 19.2 but would be a bonus.
On the fixed LNB side, I understand that I need a multi LNB bracket (a few LNBs and a DiSEQC swtich) or a monobloc though this will only give 19.2 and 13E if properly setup.

My questions are:
(1) Is it possible to get a bracket like the triax Multi LNB onto a Zone 2 Skydish to receive both 13 and 28.2?

(2) If not, assuming I upgrade to a 60cm conventional dish will I be able to find a multi LNB bracket for three LNBs at this separation?


If you guys have an idea of a kit that I could use to set this up I'd so appreciate your advice, as ever.

Thanks

Michael
 

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You would be able to get Astra1 and most (all?) of Hotbird - inc RAI FTA, no problem there - using a monobloc on 60cm dish into a diseqc receiver.

(I've got only 40 cm minidish, nevertheless can get RAI FTA no problem, but many other Hotbird channels are too weak on that, so marginal, reception depends very much on weather!).

For all 3 sats together, you can use 3 lnbs on a bracket, but the angular separation is then too much for a 60cm dish, and you should use 80-90 cm.
You could use a 3 way diseqc switch into Techy, or a monobloc instead, and then a 2nd separate cable from a single lnb to the SKy digibox.

There are bracket kits for 80 cm channel master and triax dishes, might also fit other brands, not sure, but are expensive.

If possible, easier is use a monobloc on existing 60cm dish to Techy, then just buy a new minidish (they're cheap!) for SKy receiver, and you'll need another cable of course.
 

animabella

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Spiney,

That is excellent advice.

Thanks so much mate. I will go for the monobloc + extra dish option! Great! keeps the costs and hassles down!

Have an excellent Easter!

Michael
 

animabella

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I have a further question re: monobloc

If I go for a separate Monobloc LNB on the zone 2 dish and I am looking at a low noise one say an inverto monobloc (0.2db).

I have seen on the web that this may require some sort of bracket to fit a minidish (zone 2)? Is this a general problem?

Also I guess I will need a diseqc switch to connect the monobloc and FTA 28.2 from teh other dish into the receiver?

Do I need a quad output Disqec?

If there are any preferred brands that you gusy would recommend for monobloc and diseqc switch that would help me a lot.


Thanks

Michael
 

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The combination of a monobloc and diseq switch does not always work, I would personally stay clear of it. You will also have a job fitting the monobloc on the Zone 2 dish, unless you can get hold of a Skywares or Philips style holder (the type used on the quad LNBs).
 

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Sky minidishes are usually sold complete with lnb fitted (£25-35). But if you buy an lnb for that separately, be aware that Sky dishes use a pin and lug to secure the lnb, (whereas all non sky dishes use the circular lnb clamp), so you'd need a "sky" type lnb with the lug on.

Then the minidish just goes straight to sky receiver, no switches involved, so it's just a standard straightforward Sky setup, like any other!

The monobloc fits a 60cm - or larger - dish, using the standard circular lnb clamp, and already contains a 2 way diseqc switch, so you then just connect the cable straight to the Techy. No need to buy any separate diseqc switches.
 

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rolfw said:
The combination of a monobloc and diseq switch does not always work, I would personally stay clear of it. You will also have a job fitting the monobloc on the Zone 2 dish, unless you can get hold of a Skywares or Philips style holder (the type used on the quad LNBs).
Hi , but is it possible ?, as i'm looking to install a monobloc on a 80 and a separate sky dish in to 1 receiver . Thanks .
 

rolfw

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Only if you receiver allows complex diseqC commands, why not just use a triple LNB holder and a four way DiseqC switch?
 

mariust5

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It's TM 1500 super , i allready have the stuff , and i woudn't mind it as a project . Thanks
 
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