CoolSat 5000 versus new STAB

[Fizbi]

So, it's now no secret my MicroHD died last night. The motor drive went out and I pulled my CoolSat 5000 out of retirement to quietly and calmly slip into it's place.

The CoolSat does not receive HD, but I was surprised to see I really only lost 2 HD channels that I regularly visit.
Just for fun, I thought I'd use the CoolSat for motor control and use the MicroHD to tune in the signal. I would just toggle my dumb TV between inputs and then swap the cable. Seemed like a good work around, but no...that was the last straw. The MicroHD finally threw in the towel and stopped cooperating with any attempts to get it to dial in any transponders. DEAD...Kaput.

So, into the circular file cabinet went the MicroHD.

That leaves me with my CoolSat until I find a new box...or does it?

Turns out that CoolSat 5000 is pretty darn versatile. I actually enjoyed the interface better than the MicroHD.
The motor control actually has 2 levels to position the motor, Course and Fine. Something the MicroHD lacked.
I can walk that dish ever so slightly to peak out that signal, then hit save, and then on the next visit to the bird, it went dead on to the saved mark! I'm not so sure now if I want to retire that CS5000. It's spot on.

I tried looking for some newer STAB boxes to read up on the features, but I am having trouble in that department. Maybe some users here can tell me which of the newer boxes, if any, have course and fine adjustments for driving a Ku HH motor.

It would be much appreciated.

Don't throw away them old equipments, they is still useful...

 

[phlatwound]

I don't recall seeing or hearing any of the newer receivers having different motor angle adjustments but I don't have anything newer than the microHD or an early-model X2.

Those Coolsats were great receivers for their time, I think I still have a couple of 6ks.

 

[Fizbi]

I don't recall seeing or hearing any of the newer receivers having different motor angle adjustments but I don't have anything newer than the microHD or an early-model X2.

Those Coolsats were great receivers for their time, I think I still have a couple of 6ks.

Well, after reviewing my setup, I've decided I'm past due for an upgrade. Here's the plan...

1. Replace warped 80cm ku dish with new 1.2M ku dish and turn the 80cm dish into a bird feeder.
2. New beefier ku HH motor.
3. New HD receiver.
4. Repair or replace one of the cables.

Fine tune the arc to receive 87W to 125W.
Wife and I are addicted to wild feeds on 91W, and I love to get all the PBS at 125W.

Did I miss anything?

 

[KE4EST]

Sounds like a plan to me.

 

[kodaz]

and the coolsat 5000 has a nice beep signal. The microhd keeps the same tone from like maybe 0 to maybe 50 or 60 q.
That was disappointing.

 

[Fizbi]

Kodaz, thanks for that bit of info.

I was playing with my warped dish today trying to figure out why the signal is so poor at the ends of the arc.
From what I can see, at 125W, I need to tilt the dish down a tad. At 87W, it needs to tilt up a tad. I get pretty good quality when the dish is tweaked at either end. Everything else comes in pretty strong. So, I'm thinking I may not really need a bigger dish, just need one that is "true". Maybe my pole is not straight up and down, I'll have to recheck. However, I think it may be best to upgrade to a 90cm at the very least. One with 3 braces that come out to hold the LNB in position. I think that may give me the best bang for the buck. Shipping costs for a 1.2M dish is brutal.

I also see that 4K is available and maybe even 5K on the horizon. Is there no end in sight? Are we going to get down into the microscopic level someday where we can zoom in and see individual hairs on actors faces? Agreed it looks impressive, but it doesn't improve the story. I'm quite happy with 1080i or 1080p (and less). Pretty soon we are going to be able to cook hot dogs over the SAT boxes.

Shopping around for a new motor is now difficult. Many websites are so outdated with broken links, they seem worthless. I will need to pickup the phone and call these places to verify what I see on line, if they still exist at all. It's been a long time since I've shopped for any new gear, so I am surprised at what I DO or DON'T see.

Then there is the eBay flood of junk in the $20 to $30 range. I have no idea what's driving that. I guess I have more reading to do.

The most impressive thing that I do see is the ability to feed FTA via my router. That is a nice feature if it works. It would be fun to watch a program while I'm running like a rat on my treadmill without rewiring all the cables in the house. I'll have to test that out.

The FTA adventure continues...

 

[bpalone]

Hey Fizbi, I can attest that the Geosat Pro 90cm does well. Haven't looked for a spell, but you can probably find on Flea Bay for somewhere around $100 to the door.

I also still have a 8 footer (actually 7.5) but they call it an 8 footer, that can be yours if you come and get it. I'm only a couple hours away. And, regardless of what you hear, Gillette isn't all that bad.

 

[Fizbi]

Well hey there bpalone!

Thanks for the feedback and yes, Gillette is not that far away. Though, the snow makes it a bit more challenging. However, it's been pretty mild so far (knock on wood).

Yup, after more thought, I think a 90cm will be a better fit. Starting to find more options as I look around. I'm also starting to see some amazing Linux FTA boxes on the market. If not for OTA and FTA I wouldn't get anything where I live. All the folks on my street subscribe to satellte services and don't know how to bring down the free channels. Even OTA is available but they don't know how to pick the right antennas. I live on the back side of Casper mountain and all the transmitters have RF lobes that point in opposite direction. If you use the correct antenna with an amplifier, you can still grab ALL the signals.

I still haven't tried C-band yet as the weather destroyed the last C dish I put up, but after some more site surveys, I may try again here soon. I think I have a better wind shadow picked out for the next try. I believe I have a clear shot from the northeast side of the house where I can get a good view of the south with some wind protection. I'm planting more trees in the right spots to create more wind breaks. It's all part of the hobby.

 

[Titanium]

Be vary careful when considering a Linux based E2 STB if it will be your primary receiver. Research well before buying as some are not open source OS. Most Enigma2 units do not provide Blind Scan function and if it does, it can be very slow to log services. One STB on my bench takes over 12 minutes to scan and log services on a single satellite!

The closed source Linux based STBs usually have Blind Scan function, but you are likely to live with the function as delivered as they are not typically supported with firmware updates. Best to run your potential STB list by members of a forum and get feedback before purchase. Weigh the feedback on any forum with the STB that they may be associated with selling...

 

[Fizbi]

Thanks! Good to know. Like I said, I have a lot of reading to do. A fast blind scan is certainly desirable.

 

[bpalone]

Well, the C band dish is still here. Unless someone else speaks up for it, it will be here. So, if this coming spring you start to thinking about BUDs, give me a shout and it's yours.

 

[hank123]

I am a fan of the cheap boxes from ebay. They have bugs however if I can buy the off brand car that gets good gas mileage and has a V7 or V8 it works well.
ASC1 has made life so much better.