Are we FTA folks insane?

[riffjim4069]

Yes, since it deviates from the norm! Of course, who wants to be normal when you can be exceptional. The FTA Community rocks!

 

[Sadoun]

Would you call HAM radio operators Insane, even though people can communicate now a days using cellphones, internet, etc? Absolutely, not.


Same thing with FTA hobbyist. The technical and geometrical aspect of the hobby is exciting. Also, you are getting channels that are for the most part "not" available through PayTV or CATV and vice-versa.

 

[tvropro]

Would you call HAM radio operators Insane, even though people can communicate now a days using cellphones, internet, etc? Absolutely, not.


Same thing with FTA hobbyist. The technical and geometrical aspect of the hobby is exciting. Also, you are getting channels that are for the most part "not" available through PayTV or CATV and vice-versa.

I'm not insane... crazy probably.

It's just a hobby like anything else

 

[Tron]

"Are we FTA folks insane?"

The answer is "A definite maybe!"

Its all part of my life, which revolves around film, video, and communications technology. Recently, while talking with a female friend on my cell phone (while setting up my secondary motorized dish on the roof, in the middle of the night, with my receiver and a monitor up there), I mentioned in passing that I was watching TV on my roof. There was a long moment of silence on the other end. Finally I hear "That's it. You're the biggest geek I've ever known."

I was speechless. How does one respond to such a compliment?

 

[james72]

"Are we FTA folks insane?"

The answer is "A definite maybe!"

Its all part of my life, which revolves around film, video, and communications technology. Recently, while talking with a female friend on my cell phone (while setting up my secondary motorized dish on the roof, in the middle of the night, with my receiver and a monitor up there), I mentioned in passing that I was watching TV on my roof. There was a long moment of silence on the other end. Finally I hear "That's it. You're the biggest geek I've ever known."

I was speechless. How does one respond to such a compliment?

That is classic!!! I've gotten that many times from my wife. They just don't understand....

 

[colbec]

Much of the reward comes from spinoff education. So much that you learn from working through FTA issues can be applied elsewhere, where you end up making more informed (not necessarily better!) decisions. I'm currently looking at WiFi internet from a distant transmitter and may need to get into a parabolic reflector for the radio. No problem. My HD OTA is really distant and I may need amplifiers in the RF cable. No problem. What are some of the issues involved in grounding an antenna mast? I've learned a lot due to FTA grounding problems. What is our country doing with respect to national education outside our borders in the same way as Germany, the Netherlands and various provinces in Spain? You don't have a real appreciation until you try FTA. And compared to a lot of other pastimes, it is not all that expensive. Probably the worst problem people face is a good place to put your dish(es).

 

[brotherhood]

well the wife thinks I'm down right crazy because what other person would rope down a 4ft dish from 3 story building knowing i have a 4ft working perfectly at home .
told here its a channel master thats y lol

 

[Mr Tony]

blindowl....I'm in the same boat as you

originally wanted to get FTA for the (at the time) free audio & radio stations on Bell Expressvu to save some money on my subscription. Got a simple receiver
http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-mpeg2-equipment-reviews/15314-viacast-vistar-2000-a.html

what's funny is 5 years ago that was the cheapest receiver you could get at 60 bucks...most were 150 or more.

Then got a 30" dish...then a 2nd 30" dish.....then a motor...then a 2nd receiver then it just snowballed from there. I've worked with probably 40 DVB receivers in 5 years. Some good, some bad and lots of crap that obviously wasnt designed for FTA.

Never thought I'd be looking at big dishes going "thats aimed at 97W" or rescuing a Primestar dish from the dumpster

 

[Sadoun]

I've worked with probably 40 DVB receivers in 5 years.

You my friend is my dream customer.

Iceberg, you should start your own FTA Satellite Magazine and post all your articles and reviews in that magazine. I will be happy to be your 1st advertiser. Heck, you write so much on this forum, you would make a great editor-in-chief.

 

[Bulldog]

You my friend is my dream customer.

Iceberg, you should start your own FTA Satellite Magazine and post all your articles and reviews in that magazine. I will be happy to be your 1st advertiser. Heck, you write so much on this forum, you would make a great editor-in-chief.

I agree; I will be looking towards that collector’s first edition copy!

 

[Mr Tony]

Just for fun I went through to see what receivers I've had in my possession at one time or another. This doesnt include ones that I've worked with when I set up dishes for folks.

Viacast 1500 (original receiver I got in 03...still use it)
Pansat 1500 (2nd receiver I got in March 04...blind scan slow as dirt but love it)
Pansat 2100
Pansat 3500
Pansat 5000 x2
Pansat 6000
Pansat 9200
Microyal 1000
Satworks 3618
Satworks 3688
Fortec Ultra
Fortec 5900
KUSat 2600 (Digiwave 6800 clone)
Digiwave 7000
Coolsat 4000
Coolsat 5000 x2
Coolsat 8000
Viewsat VS2000 (the original)
NeosatPro i1000
Fortec Classic x2
Captiveworks Cw600
Buzz S2010f
Fortec Merc II
Visionsat 200 x2
Quali-TV x2
Samsung DSB-4700
Neusat 6000
Neusat 9000
Satpros 550
PowerVu 9234

DCII units
DSR 905
DSR 410
DSR 205 (Shaw Direct formerly starchoice)
DSR 315 (Shaw Direct formerly starchoice)
DSR 505 (Shaw Direct formerly starchoice)

OK so it wasnt 40...but close

 

[melgarga]

So......

1- Which ones are the culls, and which are still active duty?

2- I didnt see an AZBox on the list ....YET!

I believe as soon as Stogie gets the bugs ID'd and the factory lined out on our 'STB needs', those might be the proverbial Rolls Royce of the hobby.
GO Stogie GO!.....lol

 

[Mr Tony]

Viacast 1500 in service and hooked up
Pansat 1500 in service..used to aim dishes
Pansat 2100 still own it...not hooked up
Fortec Ultra donated to davage for a project
Coolsat 5000 x2 both in service and hooked up
Coolsat 8000 in service and hooked up
Fortec Classic have one still but not hooked up
Captiveworks Cw600 have it still..not hooked up
Fortec Merc II have it still..not hooked up
Visionsat 200 x2 have both..one hooked up, one not
Quali-TV x2 have both...one hooked up, one not
PowerVu 9234 have it still, sitting in closet
KUSat 2600 was donated to a member here after he had a personal tragedy

DCII units
DSR 905 still have it...hooked up
DSR 410 still have it, not hooked up
DSR 205 (Shaw Direct formerly starchoice) still have it
DSR 505 (Shaw Direct formerly starchoice) still have it, on active account

There ya go

 

[melgarga]

That's a LOT of TV to watch!
Put each one on 4-5 fixed dishes with about 6 LNBs a piece, feed the whole thing to a bank of uhf modulators, and you have yourself a full spectrum FTA CATV system. You arent out stringing up trunk lines in the neighborhood are ya?

Better yet capturing the TS, re-multiplexing it and streaming it all over wireless via an 802 omni antenna......hmmm, here comes one of those Mad Scientist moments......

 

[Mr Tony]

actually at one point I had a T90 dish with 13 or 14 LNB's on it with 4x4 multiswitches connected to 4x1 diseqc & 8x1 diseqc switches going to 4 receivers along with 2 fixed dishes and a motorized all going to like 7 receivers

kinda got out of hand....now that I think about it, the receiver collection is getting out of hand again....

In the main room is
Coolsat 5000 for blind scan
Quali for 4:2:2
Coolsat 8000 for DVB-S2
DSR505 for Shaw Direct subscription

basement is Viacast

computer room is Coolsat 5000

bedroom is Visionsat

Pansat 1500 for aiming dishes

 

[jbmiller]

i lost my house and i drove by there when i visit my inlaws just to see if the 10 foot dish is still there. one day i drove by and they were taking it apart and throwing it in a big dumpster. i sat in my car and had tears in my eyes. i sure do miss that dish. i now live in an apartment and have a 18" dish for nasa hookup to a foretec star mpeg receiver and a 36" dish looking at galaxy 19. this hobby is habit forming . ota and fta rules happiness is no cable bills.
john

 

[melgarga]

Naaa........not out of hand at all.....sounds about right to me. The main viewing area needs all the resources, and just one box per non main viewing area, not too bad at all, and the 1500 makes a dang nice "satellite meter".
All ya need to do is duct tape on a broken DVD player for the screen, a mobile inverter with a good 12v battery source, and you've got yourself one fine Red Green Birdawg 2000.....lol
Of course with the AZ's media center capabilities you'll be able to do it all over your LAN, but what's the fun in that?

 

[Tron]

This thread reads like the satellite equipment version of an A-A meeting...

"Hi, I'm Tron, and I'm a Satelliteguy. I collect dishes every time I see one. If I'm driving and there's one on the curb, I slam on the brakes. It doesn't matter who's in the car. I just can't stop myself ..."

It's true, I can't remember how many times I've slammed on the brakes and backed the car up or gone around the block if the traffic situation was too dicey for backing up...

 

[Blindowl1234]

Tron, Yep I've been there too. I think I have a mental map of every dish around me for miles haha. Blind

 

[melgarga]

Tron, Yep I've been there too. I think I have a mental map of every dish around me for miles haha. Blind

I cant do that. My memory is too corupt, (or is it my mind, I keep forgetting which one) to do that so I carry a digital camera everywhere I go to enhance my recall. Problem is, I've got pics of dishes that I cant remember where I was when I took the pic, so I've started taking an extra, wider angle shot that includes the house w/addy or street name as well. I've still got several to "come and get" and several others to "check on" or "check back". My "already gone" folder has several I missed as well. I've got three Birdview solids in the "cant have" folder along with a Primestar some lil' old lady wanted to keep, "Just in case" she said...
OOPS, I forgot the customary intro....
Hi, I'm Mel, and I'm a Sat-o-holic........
Good idea Tron. Satoholics Anonymous...........confession is good for the soul, or so they say