C-band / Big Dish Question

[phpinfo]

I have a President VideoCipher RS receiver and a big mesh dish. I haven't subscribed to anything in years and it has just been sitting.

Everything is still hooked up and the dish still moves. Currently I can't tune into a satellite anywhere. I think there might be an issue with the LNB or wiring.

But my question is, what can you do with these now? Is there still programming? Are there free channels or public broadcasts on them?

Is my current receiver good enough to start troubleshooting and get this thing working again?

Also can I tap into ku-band as well and what is he difference between cband and kuband programming now? Thanks

 

[Sadoun]

Since your dish and actuator are still in operating condition, you can definitely still use them with a digital DVB receiver.

You will need:

DVB Receiver (i.e. Fortec Dynamic receiver)
Motor controller (GBox V3000)


There are ton of free to air C-band and KU band channels. WHat type of LNBs you have?

 

[phpinfo]

Since your dish and actuator are still in operating condition, you can definitely still use them with a digital DVB receiver.

You will need:

DVB Receiver (i.e. Fortec Dynamic receiver)
Motor controller (GBox V3000)


There are ton of free to air C-band and KU band channels. WHat type of LNBs you have?

Thanks for the response. - You know I am not sure what LNB I have. It has been so long, I will have to take a look.

Are there many c-band, ku-band or 4dtv subscription channels left? Is 4dtv worth looking into?

Can you setup so that you get Mpeg2 FTA and HD Mpeg4 FTA?

Also are c and ku the only bands you can pick up with a big dish, or are there other FTA or subscription broadcasts?

Thanks very much.

 

[truckracer]

4dtv is still good. NPS - Your One Call Solution - CBAND Satellite Programming C-band or Satellite Receivers C band and 4DTV satellite programming

 

[Lak7]

Are there free channels or public broadcasts on them?

YES! Plenty.

Can you setup so that you get Mpeg2 FTA and HD Mpeg4 FTA?

Yes, just need the proper Receiver.
You can "Slave" an FTA Receiver to a 4DTV and run both off 1 Dish.
BUD Slave Kit Splitters, Switches, DVB MPEG2 Sidecar 4DTV Receiver ....Great Prices

 

[phpinfo]

Great stuff. I think to start I will just look to get an FTA DVB receiver.

Is it worth it to get an HD FTA receiver? - I guess my President VideoCipher 2 RS is worthless now, or at least will be after February. So I might start with FTA and look into 4dtv later. I already have Dish.

Also, what LNB do I need. - Right now I have a:
California Amplifier
Mini-Mag LNB
No. 140011
950-1450 Mhz
Gain 65 db Typical
Noise 25k

And there is only 1 coax hookup and one run into the house. Do I need two runs to get both Ku and C?

So it looks like I need:

New LNB??
DVB FTA Receiver
Motor Controller like a Gbox v3000??
Another run of coax??

 

[Lak7]

You need something to control polarity on the Feedhorn, most modern FTA receivers can not.
You could change the Feedhorn to something like the BSC621 or GeoSatPro CK-1.

 

[phpinfo]

Great stuff. I think to start I will just look to get an FTA DVB receiver.

Is it worth it to get an HD FTA receiver? - I guess my President VideoCipher 2 RS is worthless now, or at least will be after February. So I might start with FTA and look into 4dtv later. I already have Dish.

Also, what LNB do I need. - Right now I have a:
California Amplifier
Mini-Mag LNB
No. 140011
950-1450 Mhz
Gain 65 db Typical
Noise 25k

And there is only 1 coax hookup and one run into the house. Do I need two runs to get both Ku and C?

So it looks like I need:

New LNB??
DVB FTA Receiver
Motor Controller like a Gbox v3000??
Another run of coax??

Okay so here is what I have:

>> New LNBF - BSC621-2 c/ku band - only one run of cable to house for both. Switch between c/ku on receiver??
>> FTA DVB receiver - Maybe Viewsat or Traxis FTA Satellite Receivers
>> Do I need a motor controller like Gbox v3000??

 

[Lak7]

The switch is built-in.
The BSC621-2 is a Universal Ku, DiSEqC switch
The BSC621-2 is a Standard Ku, 22KHz switch

 

[phpinfo]

The switch is built-in.
The BSC621-2 is a Universal Ku, DiSEqC switch
The BSC621-2 is a Standard Ku, 22KHz switch

>> Okay so the BSC621-2

>> Then a good DVB FTA receiver. I found this one. It has blind search Coolsat 6000 PREMIUM FTA DVB Satellite Receiver 5000 CH - eBay (item 230229477639 end time Dec-30-08 16:49:36 PST)

>> And the Gbox to move the dish, and I should be all set correct?

Are there any DVB receivers with a built in Gbox? - Also, I could just use my old President receiver in place of a Gbox to move the dish couldn't I?

 

[Lak7]

I could just use my old President receiver in place of a Gbox to move the dish couldn't I?

Yes. That's where I would start, slave an FTA receiver to your Analog Receiver.
Then add toys on as you go.

​

 

[phpinfo]

Yes. That's where I would start, slave an FTA receiver to your Analog Receiver.
Then add toys on as you go.

​

Cool. Will start here then.

Is it worth getting an HD FTA receiver? Are there many FTA HD channels? Or should I just start out with something like the Coolsat 6000? Thanks

 

[Lak7]

Is it worth getting an HD FTA receiver?

YES!
But I would probably start with the CS6000, then move to a "DVB-S2" HD receiver.

 

[phpinfo]

Excellent. I appreciate all the help from everybody.

I guess I have one last question. I noticed the slave kit on BUD Slave Kit Splitters, Switches, DVB MPEG2 Sidecar 4DTV Receiver ....Great Prices - but since I am using the BSC621-2 with only one run for the c and ku, all I need is a switch right? Or would a splitter work.

See example pic attached.

 

[Lak7]

Switches do not work that way. There is a Thread here somewhere with sample switch configs.
If you are not using a 4DTV, then the Analog does not even need to be connected to the BSC621, just not much analog left, it would just control the Dish and Polarity.

 

[phpinfo]

Switches do not work that way. There is a Thread here somewhere with sample switch configs.
If you are not using a 4DTV, then the Analog does not even need to be connected to the BSC621, just not much analog left, it would just control the Dish and Polarity.

Okay, thank you. - I will just leave the actuator wiring hooked up to the Analog receiver and use it to move the dish.

Then I will just run the coax straight to the new FTA DVB receiver. Thanks