Sa 9234

Capn Trips

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I have an SA 9234 (PowerVu receiver) I'm using in the UK to receive AFN broadcasts on Hotbird (13E). I am also interested in receiving several FTA satellite channels off of the Amos 2 and Sirius 2 satellites (4E and 4W).

Can the SA 9234 receive these channels?
..if so, is there a way to easily set up the 9234 to switch from one group of settings (for AFN) to another and then a third?

Are they close enough together that a multiple LNB could get me everything? or do I have to motorize it to point it?

Also, what is the most cost-effective (i.e. "cheapest") way to motorize my antenna and automatically position it for the other two birds?

Or do I need a THIRD dish and receiver combination installed? (I also have a Sky+ installation that I'm pretty sure I can't use for anything else.)
 

rolfw

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Afraid that I'm not too much up on the SA receivers, but with regard to the dish question, you can get everything on one dish (providing you are speaking of channels on the European beam for Amos and not the Nordic beam on Sirius if you use something like the wave frontier torroidal 90cm, then at least all you have to worry about is the second receiver, but FTA units are not very expensive.

PS Sirius 2 is on 5E.
 

Llew

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Capn Trips said:
I have an SA 9234 (PowerVu receiver) I'm using in the UK to receive AFN broadcasts on Hotbird (13E). I am also interested in receiving several FTA satellite channels off of the Amos 2 and Sirius 2 satellites (4E and 4W).

Can the SA 9234 receive these channels?
..if so, is there a way to easily set up the 9234 to switch from one group of settings (for AFN) to another and then a third?


The 9234 is quite limited in the number of frequencies it can store - 21 to be exact (but each frequency (TP) can of course have several channels).

Go to User Setup Menu, Network Preset, and enter your frequencies in the Preset Number field. If I remember, you can't assign frequencies to different satellites, but I may be wrong (I gave up with this quirky receiver long ago).

Llew
 

Llew

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Remember also that the 9234 has no Disecq switching facility, so you can't switch between multible LNB's, so another receiver would be required to do this, with a loop out to the 9234. Or motorise your dish, again controlled by another receiver (the 9234 has no 36V motor output).

Llew
 

Capn Trips

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So, I would have to buy and install a motor, a standalone controller of some sort (with the attendant challenges of pointing it at the right spot every time I move it), and every time I want to switch satellites, I'd have to go into the 9234's setup menu and change everything.:-Guill


I also have realized that the 9234 apparently has MANY variations, and the AFN variant I have provides only an analog (composite) video output of the NTSC AFN signal, so it probably won't be able to output the desired European PAL signals I'm seeking.:-doh!

Am I right? Would you agree that it's probably simpler and cheaper to get a standalone receiver and antenna to cover these two birds?:-HB
 

rolfw

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You don't need a motor if all you want is those four birds, get yourself a Torroidal dish as I mention above, you can have a separate LNB for each satellite, twin for 13E and a quad for Sky, get a separate digital receiver with a DiseqC switch for Hotbird, 5E and 4W.
 

Llew

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Capn Trips said:
So, I would have to buy and install a motor, a standalone controller of some sort (with the attendant challenges of pointing it at the right spot every time I move it), and every time I want to switch satellites, I'd have to go into the 9234's setup menu and change everything.:-Guill


I also have realized that the 9234 apparently has MANY variations, and the AFN variant I have provides only an analog (composite) video output of the NTSC AFN signal, so it probably won't be able to output the desired European PAL signals I'm seeking.:-doh!

Am I right? Would you agree that it's probably simpler and cheaper to get a standalone receiver and antenna to cover these two birds?:-HB

Once you have stored the frequencies, symbol rate etc., you move/switch to the satellite you want, go to Network Presets, find the preset with the frequency you have stored relevant to the TP of that satellite, and you should obtain 'Lock+Signal' if your parameters are correct. Return to Receiver Setup.

You can change the video output to PAL in the receiver menu.

I've uploaded a short form for the receiver showing the many various models which may be of interest.

If you haven't got one, a full manual for the D9234 is available here -

_www.chesapeake.net/~scambron/download/PV9234.PDF

Llew
 

Capn Trips

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rolfw said:
You don't need a motor if all you want is those four birds, get yourself a Torroidal dish as I mention above, you can have a separate LNB for each satellite, twin for 13E and a quad for Sky, get a separate digital receiver with a DiseqC switch for Hotbird, 5E and 4W.
I really appreciate all of the help and advice.

If I understand correctly, under YOUR proposal, I need to buy (1) a new dish (a fancy toroidal one), (2) a bunch of new LNBs to connect my existing recievers in addition to (3) a NEW receiver with DiseqC capability.

Under my FIRST idea, I'd need to buy (1) a motor (and a LOT of work figuring out how to arrange everything to get it to work.

Under my alternative idea, I'd need to buy (1) a new (third) dish to cover 5E and 4W, and (2) a new cheapo receiver that may (but need not) have DiseqC capability.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't your proposal pretty darned expensive? However, as I think about it, your proposal should result in ALL FOUR BIRDS feeding the new DiseqC receiver (as well as one Hotbird feed to the AFN/PowerVu and three feeds for my Sky+ plus Sky boxes)? Hmm... sounds attractive.

I suppose your proposal makes the most sense for a long-term solution , but I'm only here for three years and don't want to invest TOO much in a setup that I will be unable to use upon return to the US. On the other hand, three dishes hanging off the iside of the house is pretty much an eyesore, so hmmm......

Where is the Sky satellite located? A toroidal dish can cover all four at once?
Sky, Hotbird (13E), Amos2(4W) and Sirius2(4.8E)?

Thanks for all of the insights - I've been reading the FAQ's as well, but there's a LOT to digest.
 

rolfw

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There is also the planning consent issue to consider, as more than one dish requires local consent, although you can normally get away with two dishes, three might push it over the edge and prompt complaints from neighbours.

Yes, my plan is more expensive, but gives you a vast amount more in the way of viewing flexibility and means that 28.2 East Astra 2 (Sky Digital), 13 East Hotbird and one of the other satellites can be viewed simultaneously. You could also add an LNB for 19.2 East.

The flashable digital receivers can be bought for as little as £70 and have DiseqC as standard.

You could of course just add a DiseqC motor to your 13 East dish plus a twin LNB and buy a cheapo DiseqC receiver which would give you what you want. :)
 

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rolfw said:
There is also the planning consent issue to consider, as more than one dish requires local consent, although you can normally get away with two dishes, three might push it over the edge and prompt complaints from neighbours.

Yes, my plan is more expensive, but gives you a vast amount more in the way of viewing flexibility and means that 28.2 East Astra 2 (Sky Digital), 13 East Hotbird and one of the other satellites can be viewed simultaneously. You could also add an LNB for 19.2 East.

The flashable digital receivers can be bought for as little as £70 and have DiseqC as standard.

You could of course just add a DiseqC motor to your 13 East dish plus a twin LNB and buy a cheapo DiseqC receiver which would give you what you want. :)
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that 3 dishes would not be popular with the neighbors. :rolleyes: I've pretty much narrowed down my options.

(1) I'll keep the Sky DISH (at 28.2E) with its triple LNB feeding my SKY+ and 2'nd Sky boxes separate since that bird appears to be farthest off the beaten path of my other interests.
(2) So that leaves me with Hotbird (13E), Sirius2 (4.8E) and Amos2 (4W) to cover. I will have to get an FTA receiver and either:
(a) motorize my second dish, or
(:cool: go with a single dish w/ multiple LNBs.

I would imagine that either way will be about the same expense. I'm sort of partial to option (:cool: since I'm a bit leery of the motor and having to worry about moving parts AND the delays with repositioning the dish frequently (but I really want to avoid the super-expensive Frontier dish), so here's my next batch of questions. (I really am reading the FAQs and tutorials, but can't seem to locate some of this info).

Can a regular circular dish (and what size) cover this 17 degree spread from 13E to 4W?

How do I point it (I know how to point it for a single satellite)? Do I just point it at the 4.8E (for the central LN:cool: and offset the other LNBs 8.2 degrees to the East (for 13E) and 8.8 degrees to the West (for 4W) somehow?... I presume there is some sort of LNB mounting kit that allows one to adjust the pointing of multiple LNBs on a track of some sort?
 

rolfw

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You may be able to suffice with something like the Raven Gemini 90cm, you can add the East and West offset bracket, centre the dish on 5E and then offset on either side for the other two. :)
 

sat200

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hi there i seen your post and what it is that im in need of a working power vu afn receiver, and i see your in need of a new satellite receiver i run a satellite installation company and if you wanted to id be willing to swap you your afn receiver for a brand new patched technomate 1500 ci receiver, please let me know if your intrested thank you


Capn Trips said:
I have an SA 9234 (PowerVu receiver) I'm using in the UK to receive AFN broadcasts on Hotbird (13E). I am also interested in receiving several FTA satellite channels off of the Amos 2 and Sirius 2 satellites (4E and 4W).

Can the SA 9234 receive these channels?
..if so, is there a way to easily set up the 9234 to switch from one group of settings (for AFN) to another and then a third?

Are they close enough together that a multiple LNB could get me everything? or do I have to motorize it to point it?

Also, what is the most cost-effective (i.e. "cheapest") way to motorize my antenna and automatically position it for the other two birds?

Or do I need a THIRD dish and receiver combination installed? (I also have a Sky+ installation that I'm pretty sure I can't use for anything else.)
 

rolfw

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LOL, I'm sure you would swap. :-lmao I think however that the Capn Trips wishes to retain his viewing of AFN and in any case it would be a somewhat one sided deal.;)
 

Capn Trips

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sat200 said:
hi there i seen your post and what it is that im in need of a working power vu afn receiver, and i see your in need of a new satellite receiver i run a satellite installation company and if you wanted to id be willing to swap you your afn receiver for a brand new patched technomate 1500 ci receiver, please let me know if your intrested thank you
Lovely offer, I suppose - I know nothing of the technomate 5000 - but I certainly wish to retain my AFN. I just plan to SUPPLEMENT (not REPLACE) with Amos2 and Sirius2 coverage for Ukrainian FTA TV.

I'm slowly getting up to speed on what I really need, and I expect that for £110-£130 I can get what I need with no additional monthly payments. The real challenge (i.e. "fun") will be finding a good location for the dish and capturing the three satellites. The current location has two dishes (wall-mounted on the side of the house below the roofline) covering 28.2E with the Sky dish (installed by Sky), and I barely got the second Dish (AFN) to point at Hotbird 13E. I have no clearance to rotate it any farther to get a sightline even further west, like 4.8E or and certainly not 4W, so I'm looking for a completely new location somewhere in the back yard that will not be an eyesore.

SHEESH!
 

Capn Trips

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Since there seems to be quite a few knowledgeable folks here, I'll ask a perhaps simpleton question about SA 9234s.

I know that SA has to "authorize" a PowerVu IRD to receive AFN broadcasts (as mine currently is). The US Armed Forces Exchange System advertises this as if ONLY the SA boxes available through the AFES stores can receive the AFN broadcasts. They make it sound as if some sort of unique decoder is in those SA PowerVu boxes they sell (as opposed to OTHER SA PowerVu boxes).

I have been unable to confirm this anywhere, but...from my reading, basically SA provides encrypted Satellite broadcasts for any number of companies that pay them for this service, and they then authorize, by serial number, over the air, particular PowerVu receivers to receive particular broadcasts. AFN/AFRTS happens to be one such customer. Am I correct?

If so, I would conclude that ANY SA PowerVu receiver can receive the AFN broadcasts. The key is proving that one is an authorized end user to get them to activate it FOR AFN.

Am I correct, or is there in fact some unique hardware mod in the PowerVu receivers that tailors them for AFN?
 

Llew

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Don't know about other SA receivers, but the SA9234 has a removable chip known as an ISE (Internal Security Element) which has been programmed with a unique address. The 9234 can then be enabled OTA by AFN to decrypt the AFN programmes.

I suspect this is done by AFES, (not SA though I may be wrong) then distributed to US Forces and those qualified to receive the broadcasts.

It's possible to transfer an ISE programmed for AFN to another 9234 to receive the broadcasts.

Llew
 
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