Best NewBe Setup for a News Junky, also hinding Dish for Wife factor

[ScottChez]

Hi everyone, Newbe question on Free to Air here . . .

Background
===========
I have been around hear since the original dbsforum, then dbstalk, and now sat guys days. Been doing the DirecTV/Dishnetwork Hobby like thing since then, but now I want to get into and learn the Free to air Hobby. I have read as many posts as I can here for weeks, but I am still not sure what to get. There are so many options to buy out there.

QUESTIONs
==========

1.
What is the best Free to air setup with a motor, at the lowest price, that will do the best BLIND Scan to pick up Wild Feeds?

Why? I am a News and Weather Junky and would love hunting for those in the wild news feeds all the time and wathcing any local news from any real stations I can pick up that have news at night.

2. Wife Factor

I have a 5lnb HD DirecTV Dish on the roof. Dishes these days are getting bigger, wife is not liking it. I can mount a free to air on a pole on the ground and I could also try the- put one on a Cement block and hide it when not in use trick.

Any advise?

I do not think the Wife will want an other Dish in the back yard. Out neighors would be looking at it all the time and the Wife just would not like the looks of it.
Any good way to hide one in the back yard? Bushes small trees? Covers?
Anyone try the mounting it on an Cement block and moving it out of site when not in use?


EDIT: OPPS- sorry about the spelling error in the subject line.

 

[Anole]

don't mind my ramblings. . .

Well, you have cause and effect, here...
...because you want feeds, you need blind scan...
...because you want to blind scan to find hidden things, you need a motor...
...since you need a motor, you really need a solid mount...
... and so you can't be moving it in and out of the garage.
That leaves covering it, hiding it (without obscuring view of the sky), etc.

Tell the wife you and the dish are a package deal. -
Tell the neighbors to get lost. -

Better yet, set it all up and get it working, invite the neighbors over and impress them, so you and your wife will be the envy of the entire block!
Be a leader. -

 

[turbosat]

Build one of those awning-things in the back yard (if south is to the front of the house) . You know , one of those wooden-lattice things you walk thru going into a big flower garden. Put the pole right in the middle of the thing, set it up, plant some ivy to grow up all around it, and your dish will be hidden, but still able to see the south sky!
Check with Sadoun or one of the sponsors here and grab the Mercury2 /motor package. Would be a good system to start off, its a great scanning machine, sensitive tuner, and not too expensive or complicated. There's areview of it here you can read too.

 

[Sadoun]

Scott

Anole's advice is right on.

The M-3 system is a good way to start.

For stronger signal and motor, you may want to upgrade to the DG280 motor (+$20), and the 90cm dish (+$20). Otherwise, the M-3 as-is is fine.

 

[ScottChez]

Thanks for the help on the best Wild Feed finder receiver and hiding it.

I am thinking the flower garden idea will work. Wife loves to buy plants and shrubs and things. I can take my old Dish 1000 to the spot and show her the idea before I order.

NEW QUESTION
============

What about painting the dish to match the area to make it blend in more?
Is there a certain type of spray paint that is safe on a free to air dish?

 

[n8moe]

I am are relatively new member of the group and have some questions on aquiring the correct lnb's. I recently got a 7000 coolsat pvr and want to install in in central Fla. and dont have a clue on what I need. I have a 36" dish that I am using with
Direct T V. I know i have to change lnb's but seeing all the models---i dont know where to begin. My goal is to drop the dtv and try to get it free--with exception of the ppv chanels and i guess a lot less... I havent found that answer yet either. I hope to enjoy the programming features and would be most appreciative of any information to this question. I have read the setup directions on the site but dont know if i need 1-2-3 or 4 lnb's and what sats I may be looking for. I do plan on a motorized dish since the cool sat has those features.

Thank you

 

[turbosat]

If you get a metal dish it should be just as easy to paint as one of these old plastic-composite primestar dishes. I'd get some good paint brand like Krylon, one that's recommended for metal.
Scuff up the surface a little with some steel wool so it'll stick, and go with it. (if you wanna really be technical, get a spray can of metal primer and coat it with that before the paint)
And sure, paint it any color you like, to blend in.

 

[Anole]

Scott -
regarding painting a dish -
Turbosat covered most of the bases, but do a search of dish painting for even more info on the subject.
It's been discussed a number of times, and you should benefit from all the interesting comments.
One important thing to know is: use flat paint, not gloss!

n8 -
to find out what sort of programming is available and which satellites it is on, you might want to take a peek at TheList
A good deal of the programming found on DirecTV will not be available FTA, but there is still plenty to choose from.

Also, if you motorize, you really only need one LNB, not several.
Here is an example with all the pictures in one place:
member NetBuilder started out with multiple LNBs, then converted to a motor.

If all the LNBs are confusing you, try this.
Pick a Standard LNB, not Universal (both are linear, since you don't want circular for FTA)
If you think you might want to feed two or more receivers, then the LNB needs two outputs, else one is fine.

Here are the FTA LNB offerings of one of our advertizing sponsors, Sadoun, just to get you started in the right direction.
If you find others and want to discuss them, then by all means do.
Most likely someone here will have an opinion.

 

[voomvoom]

Well, you have cause and effect, here...
...because you want feeds, you need blind scan...
...because you want to blind scan to find hidden things, you need a motor...
...since you need a motor, you really need a solid mount...
... and so you can't be moving it in and out of the garage.
That leaves covering it, hiding it (without obscuring view of the sky), etc.

Tell the wife you and the dish are a package deal. -
Tell the neighbors to get lost. -

Better yet, set it all up and get it working, invite the neighbors over and impress them, so you and your wife will be the envy of the entire block!
Be a leader. -

After reading this, there's no doubt in my mind, Anole you should be the one running for President...! You give better advice than any of those Idiots vying for the top dog spot? You could probably fix this Country if you gave it a shot? You got my Vote Anole.... Anole for President...!!!

Al

 

[Tron]

After reading this, there's no doubt in my mind, Anole you should be the one running for President...! You give better advice than any of those Idiots vying for the top dog spot? You could probably fix this Country if you gave it a shot? You got my Vote Anole.... Anole for President...!!!

Al

Hey, the Green Party has my vote if they choose Anole! :up

Especially after this:

Tell the neighbors to get lost. -

 

[Anole]

just tellin' like it is

Well, if ya get Turbosat on board, too, then I guess I'll have to run.
That green party sounds like my kind 'o shindig...
...and grass-roots are where I like to be!

Will have ta get a new avatar, I guess...
...one with red 'n white striped hat, and maybe a blue vest?

 

[Woofle]

After reading this, there's no doubt in my mind, Anole you should be the one running for President...! You give better advice than any of those Idiots vying for the top dog spot? You could probably fix this Country if you gave it a shot? You got my Vote Anole.... Anole for President...!!!

Al

Instead of verbal bomb-throwing over "hot-button" issues that affect relatively few people, IMAGINE a politician who solves actual important problems that real people actually have. What a radical concept.

Add my vote to the bandwagon.