"Sky" dish or circular dish?

[pooksahib]

Hello. I'm in the North of Scotland and will soon be buying a dish and all that goes with it. I became a tad concerned when I read about some Quad LNBs not being designed for a minidish (although it could be that they're OK for the Zone 2 - big minidish - which I would need anyway. But I wasn't able to confirm that.)

Anyway, to the point. LNB compatibility aside, are there any advantages to having a 60cm circular dish rather than a Zone 2 sky dish?

While I'm here, which (if any) is better - solid or perforated?

Many thanks.

 

[Analoguesat]

Its all about the same. I use a 60 cm circular ex analogue dish, but thats because I got if for free and I believe in recycling / reusing where possible.

 

[satelliteman]

Some ex analogue 60cm circular dishes are very well built.

 

[Analoguesat]

Yes mine is - apart from the bolts on the lnb clamp rusting solid in the Scottish rain!

 

[Robbo]

Personally, I'd go for a zone 2 Sky dish, because they can be picked up more cheaply, and so can the LNBs, try ebay.

 

[dvmedia]

Personally I've found better signal off solid 60cm circular dishes..

Although the differences are minor and anything said by anyone here is probably anecdotal at best...



Which satellite were you hoping to pick up..?

If it's only Sky, then the minidish would be fine - but if it's something like Astra 1/Hotbird I'd go for a non-Sky dish.

 

[Robbo]

Precisely, dish performance is not really an issue that needs worrying about too much for picking up sky or Freesat on 28E.

 

[pooksahib]

Thanks all, I'm glad to hear that a Zone 2 is all I need. I had, for a while, been toying with the idea of a system to pick up other satellites but, from what I can gather, there's not much being broadcast on them that I'd actually want to watch. It might be different if I spoke a foreign language but I don't. A Freesat+ system for me, I think.

Any comments on my point about quad LNBs? Do you have to be careful in getting the right 'fit' for a Zone 2 dish?

Regards

 

[Robbo]

Yes, you should get one suitable for a Sky dish.

 

[satelliteman]

Require a quad LNb designed for a minidish.