Lidl Silvercrest Satellite System: Next Steps

Puggy

Thanks to everyone here I got the Lidl system up and running. Imagine that I'd never knew you could get all those channels for free:D Although I would not usually buy electronic goods from Lidl or Aldi, I have to say they have some small role to play in promoting the use of free to air satellite.

Also discovered the Tv had a built in DTT tuner and got it running with some help from the forum, so I have Irish channels at the moment;) I'm an NTL (UPC) MMDS customer at the moment and while the service delivery is fine, their customer service is sometimes streched to the limit:mad:

My Lidl dish is currently looking at Astra 2, though I did go through most satellites from due south (front of house faces due south) till I found Astra 2. Now I would like to be able to pick up some other satellites without leaning out the window and pushing the dish around! I've done some reading on the forums and in my limited understanding my options are:

a) more dishes, not really an option
b) more than one lnb, though I assume I need a DiSEqC switch?
c) a DiSEqC motorised actuator

I have a few questions, which I'm sure will drive the experts mad, as I'm sure if I'd understood what I had read here and looked in the superb manual that came with the Silvercrest, I would not need to ask these questions. However here goes...

1) Can I put one of those DiSEqC motorised things on my Lidl dish? And does the box control the motor? I assume I would need to add in some parameters on the DiSEqC positioner menu.

2) Will I need to run another cable for power etc?

3) I assume from other threads, the mount must be vertical, and then its just a matter of patience to set it up and calibrate it?

4) Checked some of the suppliers recommended on the sticky and it looks like I could get a unit for €70ish. Is it worth spending the money? I've got a student studying French, hence the need for channels other than those on Astra2.

5) Discovered the Freesat post lurking in the dim and distant past. What satellite will that be on. Is it a new one?

I know I've asked a lot of questions here, but I'm sure there are other people like me here, new to all of this, and maybe afraid to ask!

mjsmyth

1) Can I put one of those DiSEqC motorised things on my Lidl dish? And does the box control the motor? I assume I would need to add in some parameters on the DiSEqC positioner menu.

Yes you can. The receiver does control the motor. If using Diseq, you need to manually find the different satellites and then store them on the receiver.

2) Will I need to run another cable for power etc?

No, the cable you have will connect to the input on the motor. Another shorter cable will run from the output on the motor to your LNB.

3) I assume from other threads, the mount must be vertical, and then its just a matter of patience to set it up and calibrate it?

The mount must be completely vertical and horizontal otherwise you may not be able to receive all the satellites you should.

4) Checked some of the suppliers recommended on the sticky and it looks like I could get a unit for €70ish. Is it worth spending the money? I've got a student studying French, hence the need for channels other than those on Astra2.

Is it worth it? Hard to say really. Obviously if you get use out of it, then yes, it is of value. Remember though, when your French student is watching French tv, then so are you!

5) Discovered the Freesat post lurking in the dim and distant past. What satellite will that be on. Is it a new one?

If you can get the BBC channels, then you are already pointing at the correct satellites. To get the full Freesat experience (Fancy EPG, Red Button type things, interactive text), you may need to change your set top box. Without changing your STB, you will still receive the channels.

I hope that helps.

MJ

Puggy

MJ,

thanks. I can get BBC etc, why would I need to change the STB? Do I need a card? I'm based in Dublin.

byte

You would probably need to change the box to avail of the interactive "red button" stuff, as this won't work on a basic FTA box. However, it's unknown what sort of STB will be needed yet.

There is already a sticky thread on Lidl sytems at the top of this forum. However, I'll let it lie for now, since your post is about more than just the Lidl system.

biologikal

It may not be widely known amongst newcomers to satellite, but on 28.2E with the Lidl boxes (and probably other FTA boxes), there are 7 BBC streams (STREAM-0, STREAM-1, etc.) that are often showing extra "interactive" stuff, mainly sports, but I've seen some concerts occasionally too. Usually if you're watching sport on a Saturday afternoon on BBC1/BBC2, and you hear the presenter saying if you want to watch such-and-such, press blue now, you will usually see the feed on one of the streams. For example, these days with the snooker on, you will find both tables on those streams.

These streams can probably also be picked up on a Digibox, but may have to be manually tuned to receive them (though if your using a Digibox, you have the interactive button anyway...)

petronius

Got hooked on Sat TV since I got the Lidl dish - very pleased with it.
Although I have to compromise with having it fixed to Astra2d/Eurobird 28.2/5
I thought about getting a motor myself - I think I would like to fix it to 19degrees to get more non-anglophonic channels

A friend of my got a 2nd LNB and fixed it with what looked like meccano slightly off centre to get 19degrees (and german eurosport etc..) dont know how he aligned it.
Although a motor is more adaptable I suppose, what sort of angle would it move - 90degrees?

Any know if Channel 4 is going to come available when its contract with Sky expires? I would also be interested in TG4.
My Nirvana would be next year not to have NTL(which I am gonna let lapse) and I am not gonna get SKY

Puggy

Ok, splashed out and bought a motor in Maplins. I know I could have got one cheaper elsewhere, but it was an impulse buy!

Spent a day reading posts on this and other forums and then went through the instructions.

Spent one hour fitting it.

Spent two hours trying to find my nearest south satellite.

Spent 5 minutes trying to find Astra 28E, tweaked the motor a bit and hey presto!

Spent 30 minutes setting up all decent satellites between 40E and 40W.

Spend the next 14 hours looking at TV:rolleyes:. Wife is not talking at the moment...

Btw, use Usals, I found it easier! But I am a sat noob at the moment...

byte

for a "sat noob" you did well to set up your motorised system! All you need to do now is upgrade certain components if you so wish, like better receiver or dish.

fat-tony

Puggy wrote: »

Spent one hour fitting it.

Spent two hours trying to find my nearest south satellite......


......Spend the next 14 hours looking at TV:rolleyes:. Wife is not talking at the moment...

Btw, use Usals, I found it easier! But I am a sat noob at the moment...

Welcome to motorised heaven (or hell):D

Funny co-incidence is that your southerly satellite (5W) is the one with all the French channels:D

Your alignment must be ok if you are getting all the sats from 42E to 40W. I can get from 56E to 58W, which is pretty much most of the sky. Further east and west is blocked by houses.

The USALs menu is good for the initial finding of the sats, but I have found that for optimum signal quality, "nudging" the motor east or west with the Diseq control and storing the satellite position works best for me. Over time as the motor wears in or the mounting bolts shift, you may have to re-set the sat positions (or climb back up the ladder!).

muincav

Puggy wrote: »

Ok, splashed out and bought a motor in Maplins. I know I could have got one cheaper elsewhere, but it was an impulse buy!

Spent a day reading posts on this and other forums and then went through the instructions.

Spent one hour fitting it.

Spent two hours trying to find my nearest south satellite.

Spent 5 minutes trying to find Astra 28E, tweaked the motor a bit and hey presto!

Spent 30 minutes setting up all decent satellites between 40E and 40W.

Spend the next 14 hours looking at TV:rolleyes:. Wife is not talking at the moment...

Btw, use Usals, I found it easier! But I am a sat noob at the moment...

Well done indeed Puggyi I think your next step is to become a Moderator on boards.ie..

Puggy

What made it so easy was Google Maps. Used it to get my long and lat. Was then trying to figure out where true south was with a compass, while on the roof!

Gave up and just used the grid in Google maps to pick a point on my horizon that was due south of me. Got back onto the roof and aimed the motor and dish at that point. Worked perfect. That was the tweaking, or was it a flash of inspiration.


byte: Upgrading? Possibly, I've run out of channel space and had to delete all the radio stations!

fat-tony: I did not put two and two together and realise that I'm 6 degrees west of the olde prime meridan, so as you say 5W is actually 1E of me! I think!

fat-tony

Puggy wrote: »

fat-tony: I did not put two and two together and realise that I'm 6 degrees west of the olde prime meridan, so as you say 5W is actually 1E of me! I think!

I just thought it was ironic that it was the French channels you were looking for were on the satellite that you peak the dish declination for best signal quality:D

Puggy

Yes fat-tony, your correct, i still need to do that! Bit windy today though.

samdeluxjones

put in one of those lidel dishes for a friend last week and got the 2 astra satellites with good power and signal but no bbc, just all the german channels..

whats the story with this? is it the wrong system for free to air or is there another satellite i should be aiming for?

TheDriver

your pointing at astra 1 I'd say, twist dish a few degrees and you should get the bbcs

samdeluxjones

you were spot on driver, got it sorted this afternoon.

cheers man

St Senan

Can some of the mods merge this thread with the lidl/aldi Existing thread