Upgrading satellite TV to get Danish porn

[citoyen]

...not really, just trying to get your attention.

What I really want to do is add an extra satellite decoder to the current set-up (Freesat, so I don't have to give Rupe any more dosh). Thing is, the current set-up is two Sky+ boxes connected to a standard Sky minidish, which means no spare LNB ports. From what I can gather, to get more LNB ports, I'll have to change the dish. So, is this a straightforward DIY job, ie can I just remove the Sky dish and fit a new dish with 8 LNB outputs in its place? Or will I just have to change the LNB on teh Sky dish?

It occurred to me that changing the dish/LNB might mean I could also get more channels that aren't on the Sky package - and I don't just mean special-interest European channels, I'm actually quite keen to get French TV if possible. What kind of extra kit would I need to do that?

d.

[rogerzilla]

Are the other channels definitely on Astra 2A?  Otherwise you'll need a bigger dish with two separate feedhorns and LNBs, or a steerable dish.

If they're on 2A then a quad LNB should do it, but the $ky dish is optimised (i.e. as small as possible) for News Corp's stuff, so weaker digital signals might not be picked up and decoded.

[inc]

 So, is this a straightforward DIY job, ie can I just remove the Sky dish and fit a new dish with 8 LNB outputs in its place? Or will I just have to change the LNB on teh Sky dish?

It occurred to me that changing the dish/LNB might mean I could also get more channels that aren't on the Sky package - and I don't just mean special-interest European channels, I'm actually quite keen to get French TV if possible. What kind of extra kit would I need to do that?

Setting up a digital dish can be quite tricky even with a satfinder as there are a few satellites around the same place 19-23 deg E. I think all the French channels are now digital and encrypted but the FTA analogue versions were miles away from Astra and Hotbird on Telecom at 6 E or W can't remember now.

Steerable systems are quite cheap , I bought a decoder,80cm dish, lnb and cable from Maplin for around £40 I use it for Freesat but it will power a motor. I also have a homebuilt steerable system which gets 42 satellites but most channels are just crap. It just stays on German Eurosport on Astra which is FTA.
If you want to  get encrypted European channels your decoder will need to have the right card slots.

[redshift]

According to this page on the Freesat site, it uses Astra 2A at 28.2^o East, and Eurobird at 28.5^o.  That may well be in the window for your dish, so you may only need a quad LNB and a slight position tweak.  If you have the smaller (Southern) minidish, it may be worth the upgrade to a larger one. 

Best option (the one we chose about 10 years ago) is a 1m steerable with Polar mount.  With a suitable decoder or two, you should be able to see everything from Arabsat in the East to the Atlantic birds in the West, assuming you can see over the surroundings.   

Dishpointer should be able to give you a list of what you can see from your location, along with an estimate of dish size required.

[citoyen]

Are the other channels definitely on Astra 2A?  Otherwise you'll need a bigger dish with two separate feedhorns and LNBs, or a steerable dish.

I've done a bit more research and it turns out French TV is on a different satellite, plus as inc says, it's encrypted so you need another decoder (ie the Sky box won't do) and a viewing card. But it's a one-off charge rather than a subscription.

the $ky dish is optimised (i.e. as small as possible) for News Corp's stuff, so weaker digital signals might not be picked up and decoded.

Hmm, I suspected something like that. Would the small dish size mean a less powerful signal if I fitted a quattro/octo LNB?

It also occurred to me that if I fitted a motorised dish, the box wouldn't be able to record stuff on the Sky channels via the Sky+ box while the dish was pointing at the other satellite. Is this a correct assumption? In which case, a second fixed dish might be the best option.

Anyway, might have to organise a trip to Maplin. Or maybe I should go out and ride my bike more rather than watching so much telly...

d.

[citoyen]

Best option (the one we chose about 10 years ago) is a 1m steerable with Polar mount.  With a suitable decoder or two, you should be able to see everything from Arabsat in the East to the Atlantic birds in the West, assuming you can see over the surroundings.   

Heh. We're on top of a hill with good sightlines so definitely a possibility. But as per previous post, I presume a motorised dish can only look at one satellite at a time? Or is that what the LNB does?

Dishpointer should be able to give you a list of what you can see from your location, along with an estimate of dish size required.

Excellent! Thanks for the info.

d.

[Rapples]

Sky channel 799 is TV5 

[geraldc]

You don't have to change the dish, just the LNB block to get more outputs if required.

If you're not using Sky+ or don't plan to use record 1 channel while watching another, you only need 1 feed from the the LNB per satellite decoder not 2.

[citoyen]

Sky channel 799 is TV5  

Thanks, I never knew that. And looking at their listings, I see they have Des Chiffres Et Des Lettres. Excellent!

Tbh, the channel I really want is Arte.

You don't have to change the dish, just the LNB block.

If you're not using Sky+ or don't plan to use record 1 channel while watching another, you only need 1 feed from the the LNB per satellite decoder not 2.

Great, thanks for the info.

d.

[redshift]

Heh. We're on top of a hill with good sightlines so definitely a possibility. But as per previous post, I presume a motorised dish can only look at one satellite at a time? Or is that what the LNB does?

The motorised dish looks at one position at a time, but if you point it at at a cluster like 28.2^oE, it can see about half a dozen satellites, which share close enough location that one position will cover all of them.  The LNB does the initial downconversion to a frequency that can be sent through simple coax, and for fully independent use you need a proper twin output or quad.  That means that each output can be on a completely different band or polarisation from the others, and can look at any of the signals visible from that dish position.

Our kit is ground mounted.  The upper dish is the 1m steerable, and we have a fixed 90cm for the Astra stuff.  The skybox is on the fixed dish, which will also do for freesat when I get around to it.  The steerable covers everything else, and has its own decoder (an Echostar) which also contains the positioner, and drives the dish.  Once it's set up (a pain) you can select by satellite and run through the channels in turn, or use the favourites system to recall position + channel on one button.  This is about 10 years old now, and I'm sure the new kit is probably better integrated.  For that size of dish, you need a fairly serious support - our is a four-inch diameter steel pipe in concrete - because a 1m dish makes a sizeable sail. 

If you just want Sky + Freesat, then you don't need all the kit.  If you want Sky + Freesat + Europe, then a two dish system serves pretty well.  You could keep your current setup with the added Freesat, and do a second setup with the steerable dish, just for Europe.  Of course, there's a certain amount of wiring and money involved... 

[citoyen]

If you just want Sky + Freesat, then you don't need all the kit.  If you want Sky + Freesat + Europe, then a two dish system serves pretty well.  You could keep your current setup with the added Freesat, and do a second setup with the steerable dish, just for Europe.  Of course, there's a certain amount of wiring and money involved... 

Thanks for all the excellent info - it's all a lot clearer in my mind now.

Going to the expense of a new dish etc might be a bit much for now, so I'll probably make do with just upgrading the LNB and getting a Freesat box for upstairs for now. But plenty of ideas for future upgrades when finances allow...

cheers,

d.

[citoyen]

OK, to add one Freesat box to the existing set-up, this is what I'm looking at:

Freesat receiver £30
FS4200 Satellite Receiver for Free Digital TV : SD Satellite Receivers : Maplin

Octo LNB £80*
Octo LNB : Satellite LNBs : Maplin

LNB adaptor clip £8.50 (needed to fit octo LNB to Sky dish)
SKY LNB Adaptor Clip : Satellite LNBs : Maplin

+ suitable length of co-axial cabling

Does that sound about right or am I missing something?

d.


*Octo is required as current quad set-up already uses all four of its outputs (each Sky+ box requires two inputs as they have twin tuners). Maybe a second dish would in fact be a cheaper solution - you can get this whole kit for SD Freesat for £80.

[rogerzilla]

As mentioned above, you can use a round 60cm dish with two side-by side feedhorns to pick up signals from two satellites simultaneously.  A good installer will be able to do this.

[citoyen]

As mentioned above, you can use a round 60cm dish with two side-by side feedhorns to pick up signals from two satellites simultaneously.  A good installer will be able to do this.

Hmm. Sounds like a bit more faff than fitting an octo LNB to the existing dish, especially if you need a pro installer to do it for you (which would probably also make it more expensive).

[Edit: just realised I've misunderstood your comment and that fitting an octo LNB is the answer to a different problem...  but for that problem, I see that Maplin also sell dual LNBs that can pick up signals from different satellites off a static dish.]

d.