Pre - upgrade advice please.

leecovuk

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hello everyone,

I've had a look around here and think you may be able to help me; I've tried to find the answers but am a little overwhelmed by it all.

I currently have a Panasonic TUDSB45 digibox and Sky Digital minidish install in Coventry, West Midlands UK. I am considering changing to a bigger dish (80 cm ?) and getting one or two extra lnb's fitted. I believe I need to get a different / second digibox too, some kind of switch and a second coaxial cable run from the dish.

My motives for this are a mixture of wanting to:
1) view free to air european channels and keep sky digital services.
2) view any (?) free to air hardcore mature content and _maybe_ subscribe to a channel.

So, given the above, could you please take a moment to answer the following few questions, treating me as a total satellite newbie please :

1) Which satellites can be picked up as described above, which serve both of my described 'motives'.

2) Which brands or specifications of digibox should I look at, again bearing in mind my described motives.

3) Relative to your previous answers, what specifically do I need in terms of extra cable runs, lnb's and switches (internal or external).

I know my layout here looks quite clinical but I am trying to be very clear and hopefully receive suitable advice and help. I can then research the costs of getting an installer to do the work for me. Presumably they usually want to supply their own parts.

Thanks a lot for any specific help,
Lee
 

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leecovuk said:
hello everyone,

I've had a look around here and think you may be able to help me; I've tried to find the answers but am a little overwhelmed by it all.

I currently have a Panasonic TUDSB45 digibox and Sky Digital minidish install in Coventry, West Midlands UK. I am considering changing to a bigger dish (80 cm ?) and getting one or two extra lnb's fitted. I believe I need to get a different / second digibox too, some kind of switch and a second coaxial cable run from the dish.

My motives for this are a mixture of wanting to:
1) view free to air european channels and keep sky digital services.
2) view any (?) free to air hardcore mature content and _maybe_ subscribe to a channel.

So, given the above, could you please take a moment to answer the following few questions, treating me as a total satellite newbie please :

1) Which satellites can be picked up as described above, which serve both of my described 'motives'.

2) Which brands or specifications of digibox should I look at, again bearing in mind my described motives.

3) Relative to your previous answers, what specifically do I need in terms of extra cable runs, lnb's and switches (internal or external).

I know my layout here looks quite clinical but I am trying to be very clear and hopefully receive suitable advice and help. I can then research the costs of getting an installer to do the work for me. Presumably they usually want to supply their own parts.

Thanks a lot for any specific help,
Lee

Hi Lee.

The Astra 2 sats used for S*y are at 28.2E and on a new 80cm dish you might be pushed to get that and sats round to say Hotbird on 13E.

A better arrangement IMO would be to leave your existing setup exactly as it is, and buy a seperate 80cm dish with maybe two LNB's, one pointing at the Astra 1 satellites at 19.2E and the other at the Hotbirds at 13E. There are many standard setups (inc bracketry) to do this. There is even a 'split' LNB called a monoblock which is actually 2 LNBs and a switch built in, and which is set the required 6 degrees apart.

Then you are just looking at a second single cable run to the location of your new receiver, which could either be a simple free to air box for under a hundred quid or so, or something which may allow you further expansion - say with a CI slot for a CAM.

'Digibox' means S*y box. That's not what you want. You just want a good FTA box. Read up some, then come and ask more. It must have DiSEqC to perform the LNB switching.

Most of the best selling boxes are good VFM.

HTH
 

leecovuk

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hello,

Thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately I can't install an extra dish because I am restricted due to living in a flat complex. I would have to go for one bigger dish and extra lnb('s).
I've already done a fair bit of research and most people say an 80cm dish would be fine, but no harm in making sure with a 90cm I suppose.

I've already found rough channel guides for Hotbird 13 E and Astra 19.2 E, but are there any regular free to air hardcore programmes or channels on those satellites?

thanks again.

lee
 

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I managed to pick up hotbird/astra 1 on a 45cm Raven dish in Cheshire. Not sure about multiple LNBs but 80cm should be fine - I was actually told that this might be possible on my 60cm dish, but I'm not 100% on that one.

The only FTA hardcore channels I can think of on 13/19 East are Telesierra (13 East - no actual films just clips and telephone numbers across the bottom) and allegedly Austria's TV6 on 19 East - although I've never seen any actual hardcore on it. I actually managed to get Telesierra on my sky digibox using the 'Add Channels' menu, although the dish is easier to position using a different receiver.

If you want to get satellite receivers for cheaper than those quoted, but don't mind them not being brand new, why not try Ebay. A few months back I managed to get a CI receiver with Irdeto Freecam for around £50 (or maybe just over) including postage from Germany. I was bloody lucky but it's definitely worth a try.
 

leecovuk

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thanks,
I've been learning more and now understand a bit more about CAM, different encryption standards and receivers. The choice though certainly seems large.
Someone else also pointed me to ebay but at this stage I wouldn't really know what to buy.

It does sound like you have to get a receiver with one or more CI slots and be prepared to pay/subscribe to see full actual hardcore using a viewing card. I currently am not clear how CI slots relate to any embedded encyption decoding in the receiver.

How easy / legal is it to get viewing cards here in the UK ? Can you assume that you're going to get actual hardcore from any chosen channel rather than disapppointing censored stuff?
I've seen much discussion here pretty much asking for the same advice as me, so it indeed seems to be a bit of a minefield.

So, what are the encryption options I need to consider, if looking for a receiver for Astra 19.2 E and / or Hotbird 13 E ? Does a receiver with one or more CI slots accommodate all possible encyptions ?

thanks again.
 

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if its mature content caqrds you want,most card dealers are reliable.
 

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If you're going to have to have three or more LNB's on an 80cm dish, then you may be better off with a cheap (£60) DiSEqC motor, and have the ultimate flexibility.

Most modern receivers have the capability of driving one. If from your location you can see 28.2E to 30W then you're very likely to find the type of channel you want without a card. If that situation changes, then buy a subscription to something. They're not too expensive.
 

leecovuk

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ok; thanks again.
I was first thinking of a motorised system before the multi-lnb idea.
I'll have to have a hard think about all this.
I'll probably end up doing nothing which would be a shame, out of fear of buying the wrong receiver or something.
 

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Hey, don't get hacked off with it just yet.

Yes, there are a few options, but whichever way you go you'll get loads of channels.

I would start off by choosing a popular, basic receiver like the Technomate TM1500 CI for just over a ton, and then all you have to decide on is multi-LNB or DiSEqC motor. The former is probably easier to set up, especially if access is difficult.

If you go that way, get a pre-fabricated LNB bracket set-up specifically designed for the new dish you're buying. You can get them as a package. Make sure it'll cater for your 28.2 Sly sats though before you bite the bullet. We'll always advise on the suitability of a specific setup if you point us at it.

You'll be able to expand on this system if you want to get more than FTA, and it won't break the bank.

There are technical complexities to overcome, but you can get as involved with most of that as you want, and we're a freindly bunch here who won't abandon you when the going gets a bit tough!

:)
 

leecovuk

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thanks again, that helps mentioning the name and model of a known basic receiver with CI; you can appreciate that looking around ebay or elsewhere just turns up so many brands and models that I'm left thinking ???????

Ebay is tempting of course but presumably any gear I buy there could pack in or break down with no comeback?
ie, I might save 50% or more on the original purchase but then have to buy a new one anyway....
 

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leecovuk said:
thanks,

How easy / legal is it to get viewing cards here in the UK ? Can you assume that you're going to get actual hardcore from any chosen channel rather than disapppointing censored stuff?
I've seen much discussion here pretty much asking for the same advice as me, so it indeed seems to be a bit of a minefield.

So, what are the encryption options I need to consider, if looking for a receiver for Astra 19.2 E and / or Hotbird 13 E ? Does a receiver with one or more CI slots accommodate all possible encyptions ?

thanks again.


Seems quite easy to get official cards over the net. www.satcards.co.uk seems a good bet. I'm pretty sure it's legal (only Extasi's been banned). The Redlight cards seem to be good value (no I don't work for either company) and show hardcore 24/7. I bought my Opos card from satcards (£45 - think Titanium and Knot is cheaper) which I use with my Freecam. Opos is like a Titanium card and needs programming with something like an Elvis Programmer (mine was about £20).

I think you can get an official 6 month 5 channel 24/7 Redlight card (13 East) for £45 - which obviously doesn't need to be programmed. In terms of hardcore my Opos card can get 3 Taquilla channels (24/7) and Canal Cine+ (at weekends) on 19 East (I hear Canal+ France may be hacked soon) and 3 Multivision channels + XXL (both at evenings) on 13 East (sadly no more Prima Fila). I plumped for the Opos ahead of an official card because at the time it unlocked Prima Fila, but maybe an official card might be a better option at the moment.
 

leecovuk

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thanks; all this is gradually making more sense to me but I still have a lot to grasp on the encryption/viewing card front.

Following from what was mentioned earlier, presumably the Technomate TM1500 CI+ would be a suitable receiver for your described viewing?
ie, the second one shown on the following page, because the first machine shown has no viewing card slot ?

http://www.technomate.com/products2.php?view=Motorized

I'm quite liking the idea from above of a DiSEqC motor and probably 90 cm dish (?) seeing as my current dish location is pretty high and clear of most if not all obstructions.

However, if I'm right in thinking I would still need to use my current digibox for Sky viewing, (I have Family Pack only) I'm not clear yet as to how the feed(s) from the new dish and its 1 (?) lnb would be routed;
Presumably we're talking about having to fit 2 universal lnb's with individual coax runs to the respective receivers, to allow either to send a DiSEqC control signal to move the dish?
I then wonder what would happen if I tried to do a channel change on both receivers at the same time ... presumably I shouldn't do that !!

thanks again ... getting there.
 

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You would need what is known as a 'twin' LNB which looks more like a single LNB with two distinct outputs. They are both totally independant, but 'point' at the same satellite.

A Sly digibox cannot control a diseqc motor, so all positioning would have to be done by the new box. A bummer, but no real problem once you get used to it.
 

leecovuk

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ok; i didn't realise a sky digibox couldn't control such a motor.

so i would tune the new receiver to include all the sky channels, even though i probably couldn't view them, and then select my desired sky channel on both receivers? Then manually switch my TV to view the sky box?
 

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Dear Lee
In Dublin on a 80cm dish I have 2 single LNB on 13e 19e and 1 twin on 28e for my sly digibox and my FTA decoder. I use a diseq 4port switch €25 which is connected to the FTA box and I can watch any of those 3 sats on the FTA box. The digi box in another room can be watched simultaneousely. I didn't go motorised because from looking through the forums here I believe it may take a second or two to change channel and I am a whore for flicking through the channels.
MAurice
 

leecovuk

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hello Maurice,

I've recently arranged for a 90cm fixed dish with 3 lnb's, outdoor waterproofed diseqc switch to use my existing coax run, and have bought and received an ADT PIXX 3500 receiver from ebay.
I'll be receiving the 2 astra clusters and hotbird, using loopthrough to my sky digibox for sky digital reception.
I didn't ask the installer for a loopthrough cable, so will try to buy one before he comes next thursday.
 

leecovuk

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ok; all installed now and looks fine.
So guide me to (any) free hardcore ! lol

By the way, I've searched for fta channels only, so please let me know if I should include any scrambled channels which have free hardcore periods.
(I don't expect to find any, but it's a hope)
I'll then have to work out ideally how to search for only that / those specific channels.

thanks.
 
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