Newbie Question

[DarrynFisher]

Hello all



I am totally new to all of this so please be patent with me here.



I live in Reading UK and was wondering if anyone knew if it would be possible to receive broadcasts from Multichoice Africa(DSTV, MNET). in the UK.



I have done a bit of research and found that this package is beamed from the following Sats PAS 4, PAS 10 , Eutelsat W4 and Intelsat 902. They all seem to be in the C and KU band and use IRDETO.



I only want to get the MNET Africa channel but realise that this is part of a package of channels.



Any help with what equipment I would need and approximate cost for setting this up (If Possable) would be a great help.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Are you on a hill in Reading ?

68E is possible, but it is low on the horizon

You will need to fit something approaching 3.5m to get the satellite frequencies required

 

[DarrynFisher]

Thanks for the reply,

What kind of decoder/reciever would you recomend ?

Are you on a hill in Reading ?

68E is possible, but it is low on the horizon

You will need to fit something approaching 3.5m to get the satellite frequencies required

 

[Channel Hopper]

An Irdeto receiver and official subscription card

 

[rolfw]

Whether you are looking at Ku band or C band, the dish required will be large and the satellites are very low on the horizon. The highest one on the horizon is Eutelsat W4, but the channels you want are broadcast on the Nigerian spot meam and I would guess practically impossible to receive here.

Be interesting to hear from a couple of the members with big steerable dishes to see if they can pick up any of the channels you require.

 

[DarrynFisher]

Do you have an idea of what the aproximate cost for setting this up will be ?

An Irdeto receiver and official subscription card

 

[DarrynFisher]

ROLFW

Thanks for the reply.

That is what I was hoping, that someone had actually done this and can tell me exactly what is required.

Whether you are looking at Ku band or C band, the dish required will be large and the satellites are very low on the horizon. The highest one on the horizon is Eutelsat W4, but the channels you want are broadcast on the Nigerian spot meam and I would guess practically impossible to receive here.

Be interesting to hear from a couple of the members with big steerable dishes to see if they can pick up any of the channels you require.

 

[rolfw]

Took a while to compose my post Darryn, so in fact the points were answered by CH. He has the big dish experience which I lack, so will be able to help more.

 

[DarrynFisher]

ROLFW

Thanks for your help. CH have you ever managed to get reception from the EUTELSAT W4 ?

Also would I need a spacific LNB ?

Took a while to compose my post Darryn, so in fact the points were answered by CH. He has the big dish experience which I lack, so will be able to help more.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Only the Russian beam (and that was a while ago)

The Middle African beam has a dogleg that appears to hit North Africa (the Nigerian beam is closely concentrated around Nigeria and at Ku band, this will dwindle to nothing away from the centre), and the 38dB contour if extrapolated, will give reception to the middle UK with a 4.5m antenna

But its going to have to be a good dish and install. Ku band with large dishes requires solid reflectors, careful set up of the panels , critical LNB settings, and no sagging of the dish during movement on the polarmount. In all I would go for the first option of Panamsat.

 

[DarrynFisher]

CH

Is that the PAS 10 ?

Could you also detail what would be needed to get this to work ?

Only the Russian beam (and that was a while ago)

The Middle African beam has a dogleg that appears to hit North Africa (the Nigerian beam is closely concentrated around Nigeria and at Ku band, this will dwindle to nothing away from the centre), and the 38dB contour if extrapolated, will give reception to the middle UK with a 4.5m antenna

But its going to have to be a good dish and install. Ku band with large dishes requires solid reflectors, careful set up of the panels , critical LNB settings, and no sagging of the dish during movement on the polarmount. In all I would go for the first option of Panamsat.

 

[Channel Hopper]

No Pas 10 is the C band at low elevation

C band dishes are less critical in overall set up, but again in the UK you are looking at 3.5m , and given there will be a lot more atmosphere to go through, a 3.8m + is recommended

 

[Gregg Mac]

Darryn,

I'm in Wigan in the Uk and the question you posed is the exact one I wanted to ask.

I'm fed up with Sky's coverage of the Super 14 rugby (which is virtually non-existent) and was wondering if I could set up my own dish/receiver or whatever to pick up MNet/Supersport channels over here.

Didn't have a clue whether it was possible or even legal? I'm no technie and know nothing about dishes etc.

 

[Channel Hopper]

This was over two years ago and things have moved on.

The encryption has gone up a notch to Irdeto2, and the satellite has got two years older.

Where is Orrell ?

 

[Analoguesat]

Darryn,

I'm in Wigan in the Uk and the question you posed is the exact one I wanted to ask.

I'm fed up with Sky's coverage of the Super 14 rugby (which is virtually non-existent) and was wondering if I could set up my own dish/receiver or whatever to pick up MNet/Supersport channels over here.

Didn't have a clue whether it was possible or even legal? I'm no technie and know nothing about dishes etc.

For all practical purposes you can forget it. You are looking at a dish getting on towards 12 feet in diameter, and it is secure encoded so you need an official subs. Unless you live on a farm in the middle of nowhere it is unlikely you would get planning permission for a dish that big.

 

[Gregg Mac]

For all practical purposes you can forget it. You are looking at a dish getting on towards 12 feet in diameter, and it is secure encoded so you need an official subs. Unless you live on a farm in the middle of nowhere it is unlikely you would get planning permission for a dish that big.

Many thanks for your answer Analogue

I just wanted to find out if it was practical or feasible and clear to me now that is isn't!!