120cm dish with C-Band performance - Now with HD!

[Cascade]

The LNB is zip-tied on for the moment, this is the strongest signal I've managed to get with my setup, nothing has been tweaked as far as the LNB/dish go, and nothing has been photoshopped.
The only thing I can say is that this chan won't lock for some reason.

 

[CharredPC]

I, for one, plan on getting a 120cm and C-band LNB ASAP with results like that!

 

[PopcornNMore]

Good work Cascade, I knew it could be done. I have always said that it is possible to get a good signal on some C-Band channels using a 120cm dish. 10 years ago I got good quality video using a 6' UPS shipable mesh dish and a 120 degree LNB. Now we have much higher quality offset dishes and LNB's with noise figures below 20 degrees. An offset antenna has a higher gain than a prime focus dish because the feed support legs are not in the way of the signal. Also the new 1.2m dishes like the Channel Master keep their shape and perform as good or better than a 5-6' UPS shipable mesh antenna. The people on these forums who say "You need a minimum 10' dish to receive C-Band" probably own large size BUD's and probably don't want to hear that it is possible to receive C-Band by using a much smaller dish.

I just bought a C-Band feedhorn to go with my Channel Master 1.2m dish that is 13V and 18V switchable with a built-in LNB. How nice! No more gaskets and polarity motors that go dead.

 

[PopcornNMore]

Cascade,

What FTA computer card are you using and how do you like ProgDVB?

 

[CharredPC]

Asking Cascade how he likes ProgDVB is like asking common folk what they think of this "air" stuff

 

[Cascade]

PopcornNMore, My main setup is running a SkyStar1/Nexus.
I'm currently testing the TwinHan Visionplus USB receiver which is a great improvement over the USB box I reviewed last year.
If you saw how I'd attached this LNB to the arm you'd see why I'm so excited to even have a signal

As for ProgDVB, I get a lot of stick for not using MyTheatre which looks a little more polished and is a capable program in itself.

ProgDVB is the equivalent of hauling a load of furniture with a U-Haul, it may not look as pretty but it gets the job done properly.
MyTheatre is trying to squeeze all that furniture into a Chevy Suburban with spinners and a nice paintjob.

If you want to pay $40 for the flashy graphics, use MT, if you want to catch every transponder and don't mind figuring out how things work in a bit more detail, use ProgDVB.

 

[Wholeshoe]

Popcorn

what are yougoing to use for a LNB holder? I have a 1.2 CHannel Master and a Offset C-Band LNBF but it does not fit in the holder.

Wholeshoe

 

[timmy1376]

Soooooo Cascade, let us see some pictures of the actual setup, dish, lnb, etc. That's what I would like to see.

 

[Cascade]

This what I've been working with up til now, it's very temporary and I'm working on brackets for a better solution.

 

[CharredPC]

This what I've been working with up til now, it's very temporary and I'm working on brackets for a better solution.

Yeah, just imagine when you get it properly mounted aligned, instead of just slapped on there!

 

[Cascade]

Still not permanent although it seems to be at the focal point, or in the ballpark.

 

[drhydro]

Hey Cascade,
I see you scanned anik f1, how is your signal on ASN or NewsWorld? With my 10' BUD/ 45 degree cal amp. LNBA I get a signal quality of around 92% on those channels and am kinda interested to see what a 120 cm with a lower noise LNB does in comparision.
thanx

 

[Cascade]

I just took the C-Band off, on ASN I got 65%sig/100%quality.
I didn't check NewsWorld although it scanned in perfectly - There's a lot of good programming on Anik.

 

[PSB]

Very nice results Cascade.............. I have a C-band LNB on the way : )

 

[drhydro]

Thanks for the input Cascade. That is excellant quality for such a small c band dish. I have a lower noise LNB i am going to hook up this weekend [20 degree] cant wait to see how that affects signal.

 

[maddawg]

Looks like I will be getting a fortec 120cm dish after all.

 

[Mr Tony]

I wish I could

(one is the price...actually the shipping price)
(second is the HOA...they'd go nuts if they saw a 4 footer up)

 

[maddawg]

Ice, my challenge right now is finding a 120cm dish in Canada. Going to try and contact Fortec again for a status.

 

[DaveJohnson]

Maddawg I`m in the same boat as you looking for a decent deal on a 1.2m to 1.8m offset dish in Canada. I got my 1m dish on E-bay a couple of years back for $30.

 

[tdti1]

Ice, my challenge right now is finding a 120cm dish in Canada. Going to try and contact Fortec again for a status.

You should try one of these places, I have used both and they seem good, they are in Montreal.
http://www.rpssat.com
http://www.kusat.com/