Advice Needed University Project

Markjose

Markjose

Young one with a hobby
My Satellite Setup
Triax 110 ..... No fixed location
My Location
Monmouth
Hi guys,

I have been a Satellite boy for many years.... even taking up Media Technology at University.

Now the it is my final year and is project time..... The university offer a small budget for project builds.

I would like to use all of my equipment i already own for my university project but can't think of anything that has already been made or is widely available on the market.

So i would like to know what would make your life easier as a user or as a installer, what units have your customers been asking for which can be done by multiple units but not by a single unit.

Equipment i currently own...

3 various size dishes
one tm500 super and spiderbox 9000
One DVB S2 card.
A Diseqc motor.
Multiple quad and single LNB's

Your help is much appreciated
 
I want a portable, receiver powered from LNB port, USALs positioner. Want to be able to control my motor up the ladder by entering my co-ordinates and sending the motor to position X. My Satlook Emitor had this function which was very handy but most DiSEqC motor drivers just do east/west...

(and no, I am not spending any more money on expensive, little used, signal meters)
 
A USB connected and powered receiver/card.....one that doesn't require an external power supply. Ideally this type and size...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hauppauge-N...eywords=satellite+receiver+usb#productDetails

It would be useful to take the laptop outdoors, connect it all up and be able to align a dish, without the need to purchase a more expensive meter. I know there is metering software but that doesn't have the verifying ability of seeing what your results are. I realise it would never power a motor but for aligning multisat setups, I think it would do the job nicely....
 
Laptops are pretty tricky to balance on your knee when you're up a ladder. But yes, it's a good alternative otherwise...
 
..and I want a UK company to make Ka band lnbs and feeds priced as to make them affordable..
The Americans and Koreans can do it ..but at a price ...but as usual we make sod all here unless it's luxury products for the Rich outside the UK ..
...
but we do have a thriving industries in sandwich making and hair cutting....
;)
Once we led the world in innovation..
Sadly we _are_ now the Golgafrinchans
 
Captain Jack said:
Laptops are pretty tricky to balance on your knee when you're up a ladder. But yes, it's a good alternative otherwise...
Click to expand...

CJ....was being totally selfish as my multisat is more or less at ground level.....
 
Vipersan said:
..and I want a UK company to make Ka band lnbs and feeds priced as to make them affordable..
Click to expand...

The problem is that there isn't much broadcasting in Ka over Europe hence the lack of available equipment... I am sure as we get more of those, we'll get what you need at a much more affordable price.
 
Captain Jack said:
The problem is that there isn't much broadcasting in Ka over Europe hence the lack of available equipment... I am sure as we get more of those, we'll get what you need at a much more affordable price.
Click to expand...
Agreed CJ ..but we even import our Ku stuff ...
again nothing made here..
I remember all too well the systematic disassembly of UK production that started during M T's tenure and carried on until only service industries were left ..
Without getting too deep into this ..
'You cannot run an economy based purely on servicing each other ..lol' nor grossly inflated bricks and mortar prices ...nor Credit....at some point you have to actually make something tangible ...and sadly we lost or destroyed our ability to do this...when promises of great wealth based on nothing but fresh air and empty headed thinking took over.
We are Golgafrinchens ...it it makes me despair

As for Ka (back to satellite) ..It will come ..
..and there's no glory in being last to the trough for your feed (pardon the pun)
 
Thanks Guy's...

I now have loads of research to do this week regarding this topic.

CJ - I'm usure how much voltage a reciever throws out apart from the 18 - 13v used for polarisation.

Pete- i'm sure the output from a USB socket is 5v 3amp ao i am unsure how this device would actually power an LNB.........

The LNB Build sounds doable but alot of research time will be needed.

I will spend the next few days looking into these ideas and will be in touch shortly.

But thanks again.
 
Markjose said:
Thanks Guy's...

I now have loads of research to do this week regarding this topic.

Pete- i'm sure the output from a USB socket is 5v 3amp ao i am unsure how this device would actually power an LNB.........

But thanks again.
Click to expand...

I can see that now that you mention it. Though how about powering the receiver with rechargeable batteries which could supply the LNB voltage and using a usb port purely for connectivity? As usual I'm talking from a position of insufficient knowledge....
 
Markjose said:
CJ - I'm usure how much voltage a reciever throws out apart from the 18 - 13v used for polarisation.
Click to expand...

Well, 13 or 18V depending on polarisation :) It's beefy enough to drive motors and a signal meter - up to 500mA, I believe.
 
Pete- I think that defers your original idea and those type of products already exsist on the market........

CJ - a meter is possible but will need a book of research....... and something tells me the project could be very difficult + costly.

As said research would be needed but don't expect anything compact .......

Some type of analyser/meter would be good if possible...
 
I've been thinking of building some hardware (13/18V, 22kHz) and connect a phone or tablet using something like SDR touch https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=marto.androsdr2 as a spectrum analyzer. Not a complete meter but it would sure help.
Or maybe it's easier to let the receiver power it and using the phone as a remote control. I would need a splitter that blocks dc, wouldn't I? But what dvb-t dongle supports 2.2 GHz as it is mentioned on play?

Sorry for hijacking the thread.
 
Not a bad idea....... the hardware isn't hard to build a passthru which will output 13/18v.... the 22khz tone would just need an oscillator. Actually building an app and a device to work with satellites on android might not be a bad idea !
 
I can't remember seeing a USB connected, battery powered receiver before but I guess it's worth another look. Trouble is they will probably be more expensive than an DVB S2 meter. I was thinking of something you could utilise in a situation where you had no power hookup, where you had parked up a motorhome in a remote location (with no broadband service) and wanted to set up a multisat dish, without resorting to a potentially expensive meter and then view programming on your laptop.....yes, I know the batteries will have a finite charge LOL....
 
Here is my shopping list for an "all in one" consumer grade satellite receiver:

1. An internal 36v positioner to move a large dish, preferably with "auto peak" when moving to another satellite.
2. Non Linux with user friendly menus and easy to use
3. Ability to clear MPEG-4 4:2:2 HD transmissions (sure a Tandberg RX1290 will do this but its not mainstream consumer grade and is expensive)

The problem with the above is that it is probably aimed at an enthusiast market and unit sales might not be that large. There is nothing new in the list as regards features, its just putting them together in one box.


Rgds
 
moonbase said:
Here is my shopping list for an "all in one" consumer grade satellite receiver:

1. An internal 36v positioner to move a large dish, preferably with "auto peak" when moving to another satellite.
2. Non Linux with user friendly menus and easy to use
3. Ability to clear MPEG-4 4:2:2 HD transmissions (sure a Tandberg RX1290 will do this but its not mainstream consumer grade and is expensive)

The problem with the above is that it is probably aimed at an enthusiast market and unit sales might not be that large. There is nothing new in the list as regards features, its just putting them together in one box.


Rgds
Click to expand...
Spot on Moonbase ..
just adding the obvious to your receiver..
High gain Tuner
Large channel capacity..
more than 20,000
Larger than most satellite arc position storage..
Usually limited to 65 positions..BUT there are new sats going up all the time....the arc is crowded and 65 positions is no longer adequate..
This problem needs addressing.
rgds
VS
 
Markjose said:
what units have your customers been asking for which can be done by multiple units but not by a single unit.
Click to expand...

If you can come up with a unit that allows the outdoor equiment to receive satellite transponders that are below the horizon, you will recoup your investment quite quickly.
 
Channel Hopper said:
If you can come up with a unit that allows the outdoor equiment to receive satellite transponders that are below the horizon, you will recoup your investment quite quickly.
Click to expand...

Would that be another satellite to bounce the signal? Or a very long pole with the dish on top...
 
Channel Hopper said:
If you can come up with a unit that allows the outdoor equiment to receive satellite transponders that are below the horizon, you will recoup your investment quite quickly.
Click to expand...
Captain Jack said:
Would that be another satellite to bounce the signal? Or a very long pole with the dish on top...
Click to expand...


This is easy to do, you just dig a large tunnel, you dig until you see the satellite directly.

If through water then a large drinking tube, say about 5 meters in diameter.
 
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