Variety of questions for Berlin, Germany...

[dxsat]

Astra 2 skew in Berlin is -4.16°, a tiny amount, only a small tweak clockwise, looking at the dish face.
Sky's default transponder is the most sensitive to skew errors, as there are adjacent interfering transponders on opposite polarities.
It's easy to do if you have the signal quality display on a Sky receiver within sight.
Turn the LNB a little and wait for the result for around one second.
BBC & ITV on 2D are less sensitive to skew errors. An error of up to 5º will not have much effect.
The default transponder, 11778 V, has to be accurate within 2º
Skew becomes more important to get right the further you go out of the satellite's footprint.

You almost certainly will need a larger dish, 1m is too small to get 2D in Berlin, you need around 1.5m to 1.8m.

 

[Unionberlin]

Unless you are going to change the dish for a bigger one though, I can't see the point of changing your current arrangement. Taking off the other LNBs won't effect the signal on 28E at all, as all LNBs are not shadowing the dish as it is an offset one. This of course assumes that you have adequate signal on the other two LNBs

Signal on all the LNBs is fine (though saying that, Hotbird is off at the moment...bad weather over here, only 55-60% signal)

I would have to change the setup to watch Sky though, as I understand you cant run a Sky box indoors behind a Disecq switch (as it is now)

 

[Robbo]

Signal on all the LNBs is fine (though saying that, Hotbird is off at the moment...bad weather over here, only 55-60% signal)

I would have to change the setup to watch Sky though, as I understand you cant run a Sky box indoors behind a Disecq switch (as it is now)

Well, you can actually, it will work if the 28E LNB is on input 1, but pointless, as you would not be able to switch to the other two lnbs.

To run a Sky box from the current dish arrangement, you just need to connect the 28E Lnb straight to the Sky digibox, bypassing the switch.

Or fit a twin lnb on, and run that to the Sky box.

 

[Unionberlin]

Thanks to everyone for the help...will dig this thread up again when the time comes to connect the lot up...

 

[Unionberlin]

Thanks to everyone for the help...will dig this thread up again when the time comes to connect the lot up...

Aaaand, the time has come at last! My dad will be over in a month with a Sky box from England!

To reiterate (please let me know if any points are incorrect):

1) The box he brings has to update over the satellite and not over the phone line.

2) The box has to have a card in it depending on the channels needed (will be just the ftv channels at first though, am waiting to see what wil become of the Setanta fiasco before going any further)

3) When here, I need to replace the LNB to the Astra 2 satellite with a twin LNB. One output from the LNB goes to the existing Disecq setup, and one goes through the house directly to the new sky box.

EDIT 4) The card needs to be paired to the box he is bringing...

Any other tips, important stuff to know will be much appreciated...thanks again

Mark

 

[Robbo]

Maybe I missed part of the thread, but I can't find the bit where you managed to get Astra 2D with it??.

1. But, yes, The Sky digibox updates over the sat.

2. You will only get the FTA channels without a card, you won't get FTV or subscription channels.


3. Yes, but assuming you get Astra 2D, though the the Sky channels should be OK.


4.The card only needs pairing for the premium channels, unless this situation has changed with the new Sky cards.

 

[Unionberlin]

Maybe I missed part of the thread, but I can't find the bit where you managed to get Astra 2D with it??.

1. But, yes, The Sky digibox updates over the sat.

2. You will only get the FTA channels without a card, you won't get FTV or subscription channels.


3. Yes, but assuming you get Astra 2D, though the the Sky channels should be OK.


4.The card only needs pairing for the premium channels, unless this situation has changed with the new Sky cards.

Hi again, no I didn't (and don't) get 2D, but at least I'll get the other channels like ITV and Channel 5 and everything...

One thing has just come to mind, if I ever decide to get a Sky package then this will be through direct debit in England (no probs there), but will I then receive a new card? Will this then work on an "old" box?

Thanks again for the help!

EDIT: Having looked at various webpages, I could get this box with a Freesat from Sky card installed. As I don't get 2D, I would only get the FTV channels on Astra 2A and 2B, which includes C4, Five, ITV, More4, Sky Sports News and so on. Is this correct? I only ask because some websites say that ITV is encrypted with VideoGuard...I assume that the channels will be unencrypted with a card such as Freesat from Sky.

 

[deepbluesky]

Hi there!
good idea,interactive television here on board

for berlin,and the bbc channels,you need a good 1,80m dish 1,50 is defently to small!

Hans allow me to add this:

2D can appear in Western parts of Berlin from 1.20m upwards and Eastern parts from 1.50m upwards but for stable reception even under rainy conditions one will need a high quality 1.50m-1.80m, latter the further East you go. After some years of experience that's the conclusion. Some km make the difference.


Sorry, Unionberlin, i had to make this clear. Go on please.