Satellite Receiver Help Needed

[nfshirley]

- apologies for posting twice, I dod not see the item explaining the delay before it show -

Hi

I live in the UK and have a satellite dish (60cm) I think that was connected to a Echostar DSB 890 receiver so that I could watch Italian free to air TV in my bedroom. I then also used the RF out on the echostar to "pipe" the signal to the downstairs TV.

Unfortunately the echostar has died and I would like some advice on what satellite receiver to buy in order to be able for it to do the same as the echostar. Any advice would be appreciated as I had all of this installed several years ago but unfortunately the installer is no longer around and so I don't really know what to buy.

Likewise, if anyone has any advice on how I could get Sky Italia in the UK it would also be appreciated as the wife is Italian and would like to try and keep her happy ;-)

 

[Robbo]

Hi,

Here is a list of all the Italian free to air channels available.

_http://www.flysat.com/tv-it.php

I suspect that your dish is pointed to Hotbird 13E, does that sound right.

To get the FTA channels on Hotbird, any digital satellite receiver will do.

A reasonable fairly priced example would be the TM3100, for about £40 to £50, depending on where you buy from, try one of the site sponsors. There are a vast number of other receivers that would do the job also.

As for Sky italia, an Italian Sky italia box is needed and you need to get a subscription from a third party. The cheapest way would be to get a family member in Italia to do you a favour, otherwise pay over the odds from a third party seller on the Internet.

Sky Italia is also on Hotbird by the way.

 

[nfshirley]

Thanks Robbo, so in theory if I could get someone in Italy to get me a sky italia box and viewing card I could use the satellite dish I have now to get it to work?

Presumably I would need a different LNB ?

 

[Robbo]

I don't know what you have already, but probably it would be OK. But if you do, they are very cheap, maybe £5 to £10.

Yes, a Sky box and card from direct from italy is the way to go. Otherwise you are talking approx a grand per year.

There are probably card activation procedures involved, so probably best to get the details from someone in Italy.