What other Satellite???????

t c

Have set up Humax HDR Freesat+ in sitting room with the Freesat and all the of the fta channels and Saorview through the TV.

Older Technomates, 3150D and Saorview box in "family room". And 5200D in bedroom, no Irish stations as yet, will wait for really cheap Saorview boxes just to keep my wife happy, both with all the FTA channels from Astra.

If I wanted to, what would be the next best satellite to try and receive without too much expense? Obviously I want as much English content as possible.

Would I need new STB's, could I connect the second satellite to the same cables and run the different signals through same cable, (house is already wired) could I add an extra LNB to my dish or would it be better to fit another dish?

Not sure what size my current one is, it is oval and would say it is about 60cm
X 80cm and it is perforated. If a second dish was best, could I just get a larger dish (what size?) to do the same job as 2 dishes?

My preference would be to utilise the Humax box as I use that one most and my wife uses the Technomates.

I know a lot of questions, but I like the idea of free TV and having fitted all the above myself, including dish and Saorview aerial, I get a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that it is FREE and enjoy the challenge.........(had UPC but dropped them).

As cost is a concern, please keep suggestions as simple and cheap as possible. I am sure there are a lot of other people out there that would like to do the same.

Thanks,

TC

Peter Rhea

t c wrote: »

Obviously I want as much English content as possible.

Not much of that going, I'm afraid. I fitted a 2nd lnb to a similar dish to yours for Astra 1 @19E, but mainly out of curiosity, just to see how it would work (very well actually).

The dish is still aligned on 28E & a diseqc switch controlled by the receiver automatically selects the appropriate lnb.

tryfix

As previous poster, I had a similar setup with Astra1 and Hotbird coming off a dish pointed at Astra 2 , used an LNB switch it all worked perfectly but unless you have an ability to understand French , German or Italian it's frustrating . Trying to watch something in a language you don't understand is pointless, sometimes MTV Germany has English Language programs and Deutche Welle is a German news channel in English. It's cheap enough to buy an LNB switch €10 or so and use an old LNB and cobble together a homemade bracket to clamp it to the LNB arm in such a way as to receive the other satellites.

Peter Rhea

There are brackets available to buy that should work with the likes of Sky dishes. Look around here

Vince Cable

t c wrote: »

I want as much English content as possible.

From where exactly? Most stuff originally in English showing on foreign sats. is dubbed into the local language. You may find the odd film with subtitles, or did you think there was another fleet of English language broadcasting sats. receivable from Europe that's somehow been kept secret?

Minstrel27

Vince Cable wrote: »

From where exactly? Most stuff originally in English showing on foreign sats. is dubbed into the local language. You may find the odd film with subtitles, or did you think there was another fleet of English language broadcasting sats. receivable from Europe that's somehow been kept secret?

He asked for help. No need to be like that.

Foreign satellite can be handy for live sport. Some of the German channels show some good stuff.

Bozacke

In the past I too have also connected to a few other satellites such as Astra 19E and Hotbird 13E and there aren't too many English channels or much worth watching that isn't also on Astra 28, with the exceptions of Eurosport, a few Music Video stations. There's also MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central and an occasional movie, but they are German channels with the occasional English show with German subtitles.

I was wondering if you do have a special channel or a successful feed if you could post it and maybe even specify the shows you watch/ recommend on that channel?

Peter Rhea

Bozacke wrote: »

There's also MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central and an occasional movie, but they are German channels with the occasional English show with German subtitles.

Younger kids don't seem to mind, Spongebob Schwammkopf entertains just as much as his English language counterpart!

Minstrel27

Bozacke wrote: »

There's also MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central and an occasional movie, but they are German channels with the occasional English show with German subtitles.

MTV Germany is now encrypted. No loss as it was all American "reality" rubbish.

t c

Thanks for replies. Hardly seems worth the effort for what I might get, so will probably leave it as it is for now.

As for smart ass Vince, (he was probably born with a dish up his so knows it all.....), I am new to this stuff but am aware that Astra is the most popular because it has Sky and all the FTA UK channels, but I just thought that there might be another satellite with possibly a few movie, sport or discovery type programmes available.

TC

32870037

There is plenty to watch on other satellites particularly on Astra 1 @ 19.2 and Hotbird @ 13 degrees. I was watching the FedEx Cup Playoffs Golf live on Rai Sport 2 last night. There is plenty of Champions and Europa league football that would not be FTA on Astra 2. I don't care if the commentary is in Italian or German. There is a great resource for FTA sports on these satellites @ http://robssatellitetv.webs.com/liveftasports.htm

Apogee

t c wrote: »

Thanks for replies. Hardly seems worth the effort for what I might get, so will probably leave it as it is for now.

As for smart ass Vince, (he was probably born with a dish up his so knows it all.....), I am new to this stuff but am aware that Astra is the most popular because it has Sky and all the FTA UK channels, but I just thought that there might be another satellite with possibly a few movie, sport or discovery type programmes available.

TC

There is one other location that does show a large quantity of English language films and series (mostly recent & US) - Badr 4 26E. In parents' house, they probably spend as much time watching Badr 4 as they do Astra. The only issue is that you'd typically need a 1.1M or 1.2M dish for continual reception as the signal is a little weak over Ireland.

Channels are MBC 2, MBC4, MBC Action, MBC Max, Dubai One. Tv schedules:
http://www.mbc.net/english/
http://www.etfarag.com/programs/ChannelDisplay.aspx?ChannelId=1

t c

This is looking more interesting now.
If I got a 1.1m or 1.2m dish, would it be possible to get Badr 4 AND Astra from it and use the smaller dish for Astra 1 and Hotbird ?

Could I use same cabling with combiners, ie, combine them in attic and run to stb's, or is it more complicated?

Thanks again to all.

TC.

Apogee

With a 1.2M, you should be able to get 26E, 28E, 19E and 13E all from the one dish. As 26E and 28E are so close, it would be better to use slimline Alps type LNBFs for one or both positions. 26E should be at central focus to maximise signal, with all others offset. Standard LNBFs for 19E and 13E.



They can all be connected to a 4-way Diseqc switch at the dish, with a single cable going to the receiver.

If you use the Humax, it will require switching from Freesat to non-Freesat mode - the channels cannot be integrated on the one EPG.

t c

Thanks Apogee.
Great info and pic explains a lot.

As cash is a bit tight at present and I plan to build up the bits over a period of time, if I came across a 2nd hand dish of 1.25 or 1.5m would that suit also?

As I have 2 feeds to Foxsat and a feed each to two other rooms, what type of Diseqc switch would you recommend? I kind of need four in, one for each LNB and four out, 2 to Foxsat and one to each of the other STB's, is that possible?

I notice in your set-up you do not appear to have 13E but have 23.5e, 33+33.5e and 39e, is there any advantage in this?

Thanks again for help. This is how I can learn.

Just seen this http://www.adverts.ie/satellite/120cm-dish-with-lnb-5xmultifeed-3single-2twin/722295

would something like this work as it seems fair value?

Cheers.

TC

Apogee

t c wrote: »

Thanks Apogee.
Great info and pic explains a lot.

As cash is a bit tight at present and I plan to build up the bits over a period of time, if I came across a 2nd hand dish of 1.25 or 1.5m would that suit also?

Yes, bigger is better.

As I have 2 feeds to Foxsat and a feed each to two other rooms, what type of Diseqc switch would you recommend? I kind of need four in, one for each LNB and four out, 2 to Foxsat and one to each of the other STB's, is that possible?

Generally, each receiver requires its own diseqc switch i.e one switch per tuner.

I notice in your set-up you do not appear to have 13E but have 23.5e, 33+33.5e and 39e, is there any advantage in this?

Not my setup and no.

I'd start with 28E and 26E and worry about the others later on ... there is little extra FTA on 13E or 19E of any major interest.

Just seen this http://www.adverts.ie/satellite/120cm-dish-with-lnb-5xmultifeed-3single-2twin/722295

Not too bad.

t c

Apogee, thanks for help.

One other question. I get the idea of the Diseqc switches now.
So, If I want four satellites I have 4 lnb's on dish all going into a Diseqc and one lead out to my receiver.

If I want to feed two boxes I need twin lnb's to two Diseqc's one to each box.

That's all ok, but how do I connect one of these Diseqc switch boxes to my Foxsat that requires 2 feeds, one to view and one to record? Is it possible to do it so I could record any channel, Freesat or the FTA from all the satellites?

Would I need two Diseqc boxes going to the Foxsat, that being the case, would I need quad lnb's or could each lnb cable out be split into two with a splitter?

Hope you can understand what I mean, and thanks again..

TC

Mexecutioner

If you want all channels available to watch & record, you need quad lnbs & another switch for the 2nd tuner.