DirecTV & FTA

[PopcornNMore]

Is it possible to use a DirecTV Phase III dish and triple LNB (101, 110, 119) and connect one output to my DirecTV receiver to receive my DirecTV programming and a second output to my Coolsat 4000 Pro FTA receiver to receive Echostar channels (GOL, audio, Miami Channels, etc.)? I believe I can, but wanted to ask the experts before I wired it tomorrow.

 

[PopcornNMore]

I believe I answered my own question by doing a search for the phase III dish on this forum. It turns out that only the 101 LNB fully works and the 110 and 119 LNBs share. This must explain why I was able to pick up Miami channels from 119, but no audio channels on that same satellite.

 

[Tron]

I have read ways of rigging the Phase III dish to receive the audio channels on 91 and Gol/slate channels on 110 (the middle LNB, 101 in this case, wouldn't pick up anything) for FTA... have not tried, probably won't. If it wouldn't get 119, where the vast majority of DBS FTA is, I'm not interested.

Funny thing, I picked one of these out of someone's trash a couple of days ago. Too bad it won't work well for FTA... Did get a TON of HQ RG6 2.25Ghz cable though It seems, sadly, that that dish was made to only work with the D* system.

Tron

 

[PopcornNMore]

Due to this, I believe I will install the Phase III dish for my DirecTV system. With the increased size, I should get a higher signal strength for rain fade at least. Then I can use my current 18" DirecTV dish and point it at 119 for Echostar FTA.

I just ordered a Winegard 30" antenna that I will also be using for FTA along with my Channel Master 1.2m and Channel Master StarBand dishes.

If my wife starts complaining about all the new dishes popping up in our yard, I will just blame Iceberg. After seeing pictures of his dish farm, I knew I needed to install more myself. This is becoming addicting and I want more and more FTA. I never realized just how much I missed it after disassembling and trashing my C-Band dishes about 10 years ago. Before marriage!

 

[Mr Tony]

The Phase III only works as such
-101 wouold work, if aimed somewhere else
-110 & 119 are combined (DirecTv has 110 TP 28,30,32 which converts them to 119 TP 8,9,10 or something like that...Direct owns TP22-32 on 119)

If you have a Phase II, which doesn't have the built in switch (it is 2 duals), then it would work better

 

[timmy1376]

How are you getting the Miami channels? Are they in the clear?

 

[Mr Tony]

Miami is on a spotbeam, so that nukes us out

Hopefully someone in Miami area can verify

 

[PopcornNMore]

I am still receiving all the Miami channels (NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX) on Echostar 7 since I am in the spotbeam here in North Port, Florida. I wonder if other people in different states receive additional network channels also within their spotbeams. I guess it is always worth scanning the satellites just to see what you will find.

Thank you Iceberg for explaining the DirecTV phase III dish. I will use it to get a stronger signal and future HD channels for DirecTV and will use my current 18" DirectV dish to pickup the Miami channels on FTA.

 

[drhydro]

Miami is on a spotbeam, so that nukes us out

Hopefully someone in Miami area can verify

How can you find out what spotbeam / sat your locals are on? i would be interested to see if i can find any of my locals for the burlington vt area

 

[Mr Tony]

http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/dish119.html

http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/dish110.html

Spotbeams on 119 are 1 3 5 7 9
Spotbeams on 110 are 2 4 6 8 10

As an example, I can't see any spotbeams on 119, but can see 2 8 & 10 on 110(Duluth, MN locals are spread across these 3)...no I cannot see them on the FTA

you should be able to see 110 TP6, since Burlington is on that spotbeam...that looks like the only one on 110 you could see

 

[CharredPC]

... but you still need to be shelling out for Dish to view them, correct?

 

[drhydro]

thanks for the info iceberg, ill give em a scan tonight and see what pops up fta

 

[Mr Tony]

... but you still need to be shelling out for Dish to view them, correct?

yes
I have a Dish subscription with just Duluth locals

The spotbeams I am in have Minneapolis, Duluth, Omaha, Sioux Falls, Cedar Rapids & Des Moines on them.....all scrambled

 

[John W]

Miami is a spotbeam and it can be picked up in most of Florida with a subscription

 

[CapeFish]

I am confused, how do I get Miami locals with my Dish? I live in Cape Coral, FL which, like North Port, is in the Fort Myers/Naples TV Market.

 

[PopcornNMore]

I am confused, how do I get Miami locals with my Dish? I live in Cape Coral, FL which, like North Port, is in the Fort Myers/Naples TV Market.

Just aim your dish to Echostar 7, the Miami channels are unscrambled (FTA) for whoever can receive this spotbeam.

 

[CapeFish]

I don't have a FTA STB, could I somehow get a DISH box to do it? If not then what kind of box do I need exactly.

 

[Cascade]

I don't have a FTA STB, could I somehow get a DISH box to do it? If not then what kind of box do I need exactly.

Check out Sadoun, they have some nice FTA boxes with a 5% Satelliteguys discount right now.
Fast shipping too

 

[CapeFish]

So all I would need is a FTA box, then to hook it up in place of my 811 and viola I have Miami locals?

Had the Marlins not signed a deal with FSN Florida to put 150 games on there starting in 2006 I would have done this to get their games on PAX.

However, I will start saving my pennies to try and do this. I like baseball and I know other locals may fall into my spotbeam. I also have a spare DISH 500 Antenna but without an LNB.

Any chance I could outfit it to get games from kdfi in Texas or KPLR in St. Louis on the Ku-Band?

 

[PSB]

You could retro fit a Dish 500 for FTA KU with the right KU LNBF. The problem is the Dish 500 was designed for two LNBF and for such a small dish you would need to have the LNBF right in the middle of the dish (focal point). There is an attachment to do just that but even if you could get it to work we are talking 30" minimum for reliable KU satellite reception.

I have done similar experiments with a Phase II DirecTV dish and some of the really strong KU signals are no problem to receive, but if it started to rain or cloud over I would loose them.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=36112