hi, got a few questions from a noob

[Dee_Ann]

wow..

Well, I have to leave town for a few days for a wedding (not mine) so I'll say bye bye for now. Maybe when I get back I can go to the lot and get some pix of those clunkers. I'll take a tape measure too. Maybe I can post some pics next week of them. I'll try.

Considering the excitement I have a suspicion I may well be able to trade up to the little moveable dish I would like to have.

bye bye for a few days boys, back in a few days..

 

[Dee_Ann]

And, I'm back....

Whew.. Weddings are soooo stressful. All that crying and diving for the bouquet. And crying over missing it. Oh well..

So.. I talked to my neighbor about all this stuff. He gave me some advice that I think I'll follow up on.

He said I should trade these unwanted dishes for a box for finding satellites, he said it would make life waaaay easier if I want to "play in this hobby". I don't know that I would call it a hobby but it is kind of interesting and it's fun to explore and see new things. I only speak English but it's kind of neat to see the foreign channels sometimes (when I'm super-dooper bored) and see all the pretty places.

I talked to my ex and he said one of the dishes on the property is 12 foot across. That would be the one that's like 2 and a half times taller than me.

At least one of them is 10 feet, maybe a few of them.
And there are several 8 foot ones too.
He doesn't know what brands they are but they are all "black wire mesh types"

He doesn't remember if the motors and the lnb things are with them, he hasn't been out there in years. I haven't been out there in years either and I really never paid much attention to them, they just blended in with all the other junk out there.

We need to clear the lot and sell it. I don't need or want the dishes. He doesn't either.

But, on the advice of my neighbor, I think it would be great to trade them for a better finder than the one he gave me. He said it was pretty much a toy, he said he used to use a computerized one that told you exactly what you were doing, he said a total dummy could use it. Sounds just what I need.

I still have no picture of all the dishes but I'll try to get some soon and post them.

Any suggestions on a box I should try to trade for?

Thanks guys!

 

[Dee_Ann]

Question.

My neighbor said he can get me a meter from a friend that used to do this for a living.
It's called a Bird Dog meter. Are those any good?
He said I can have it for $100 and that it's like new. Is that a good price?
He said it's easy to use and that it would be perfect for me instead of the guessing and the little toy meter. Neither one of us has been able to find the satellites with White Springs or Fashion TV. It used to come in here but not anymore.

Neighbor guy says everything looks right as it should but it's just not playing nice.
He said this bird dog box will do it.

Deal or no deal? Should I buy it?

Thanks!

 

[melgarga]

And, I'm back....

Whew.. Weddings are soooo stressful. All that crying and diving for the bouquet. And crying over missing it. Oh well..

Dang girl, you just kicked one to the curb, aint ya learnt nuthin?.......lol. Well hopefully you had fun despite your obvious grief over missing it....

So.. I talked to my neighbor about all this stuff. He gave me some advice that I think I'll follow up on.

He said I should trade these unwanted dishes for a box for finding satellites, he said it would make life waaaay easier if I want to "play in this hobby". I don't know that I would call it a hobby but it is kind of interesting and it's fun to explore and see new things. I only speak English but it's kind of neat to see the foreign channels sometimes (when I'm super-dooper bored) and see all the pretty places.

That sounds like a pretty good idea. I not a big fan of meters, but I'd definately pick up a Birddog if offered one for $100, and it sounds like you have plenty of stuff to liquidate to generate the capital. The hobby part is similar to big game sport, it's about the hunt......

I talked to my ex and he said one of the dishes on the property is 12 foot across. That would be the one that's like 2 and a half times taller than me.

At least one of them is 10 feet, maybe a few of them.
And there are several 8 foot ones too.
He doesn't know what brands they are but they are all "black wire mesh types"

He doesn't remember if the motors and the lnb things are with them, he hasn't been out there in years. I haven't been out there in years either and I really never paid much attention to them, they just blended in with all the other junk out there.

We need to clear the lot and sell it. I don't need or want the dishes. He doesn't either.

A good ex would come over and align it for you, but then again if they were good, they wouldnt be an ex, or is it, the only good ex is a gone ex....sumpthin like that.
Anyway, I still think you should hold on to at least one complete C band setup...remember - it's the hunt....
Watch for snakes, you know the drill, or should. There are four poisonous species of snakes in North Amreica, and all four thrive in Texas. I've killed several of each over the years.

But, on the advice of my neighbor, I think it would be great to trade them for a better finder than the one he gave me. He said it was pretty much a toy, he said he used to use a computerized one that told you exactly what you were doing, he said a total dummy could use it. Sounds just what I need.

I still have no picture of all the dishes but I'll try to get some soon and post them.

Any suggestions on a box I should try to trade for?

Thanks guys!

I suspect you will get some good responses when you get your inventory posted. I know there is a member that is closer to you than me that said he was looking to find some c band equipment.
Regarding your issues of finding the Ku signals, I'm still curious about the equipment you are using, and the setup/configuration. WSTV should be plenty strong to pick up if you have a clear line-of-site and are properly configured. The actual posititioning is somewhat painstaking, and the width of a sharpie mark on either left-right, up-down adjustments can make the difference in locked or no signal.You neighbor seems informed. Hopefully he has reviewed and verified your setup for the basic config details. Polarity is another thing that has to be pretty close to dead on, especially for weak signals.
One more thing to remember is the 'lock time' that is inherient in any digital signal receiption, can bite you too. It varies with receivers, but a delay of up to 1/2 second when changing any of the azmuith/elevation/polarity posititions, by the smallest increment is not unreasonable. As you 'lock' various signals, on all the different birds you will 'learn' what your rx expects for a lock time when changing something.
Dont get me wrong, I dont want to scare you off, this isnt rocket science, but it doesnt qualify as plug-n-play either. It can become tedious, but worth the effort and sense of accomplishment when you see it come in.
Oh, yeah, did your ex leave any other satellite receivers that you intend to liquidate? Depending on what they may be, those may get you some add'l revenue.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Dang girl, you just kicked one to the curb, aint ya learnt nuthin?.......lol. Well hopefully you had fun despite your obvious grief over missing it....

That sounds like a pretty good idea. I not a big fan of meters, but I'd definately pick up a Birddog if offered one for $100, and it sounds like you have plenty of stuff to liquidate to generate the capital. The hobby part is similar to big game sport, it's about the hunt......

A good ex would come over and align it for you, but then again if they were good, they wouldnt be an ex, or is it, the only good ex is a gone ex....sumpthin like that.
Anyway, I still think you should hold on to at least one complete C band setup...remember - it's the hunt....
Watch for snakes, you know the drill, or should. There are four poisonous species of snakes in North Amreica, and all four thrive in Texas. I've killed several of each over the years.

I suspect you will get some good responses when you get your inventory posted. I know there is a member that is closer to you than me that said he was looking to find some c band equipment.
Regarding your issues of finding the Ku signals, I'm still curious about the equipment you are using, and the setup/configuration. WSTV should be plenty strong to pick up if you have a clear line-of-site and are properly configured. The actual posititioning is somewhat painstaking, and the width of a sharpie mark on either left-right, up-down adjustments can make the difference in locked or no signal.You neighbor seems informed. Hopefully he has reviewed and verified your setup for the basic config details. Polarity is another thing that has to be pretty close to dead on, especially for weak signals.
One more thing to remember is the 'lock time' that is inherient in any digital signal receiption, can bite you too. It varies with receivers, but a delay of up to 1/2 second when changing any of the azmuith/elevation/polarity posititions, by the smallest increment is not unreasonable. As you 'lock' various signals, on all the different birds you will 'learn' what your rx expects for a lock time when changing something.
Dont get me wrong, I dont want to scare you off, this isnt rocket science, but it doesnt qualify as plug-n-play either. It can become tedious, but worth the effort and sense of accomplishment when you see it come in.
Oh, yeah, did your ex leave any other satellite receivers that you intend to liquidate? Depending on what they may be, those may get you some add'l revenue.

Recievers. Hmm.. There's a junk room stacked with stuff. I found maybe a half dozen black boxes that say Hughes, Directv, etc..
There is a stack of really old looking boxes/recievers that I can see but can't get to without a lot of work. I called the ex about them and he said they probably are for those big dishes. He would knock on peoples doors to ask if he could have the old dishes and they would a lot of time give him the boxes too. He said he would drive around and look for houses that had big and little dishes up and they would always be happy to get the old dish hauled away for free.

He picked up anything that resembled a satellite dish for a long time. Actually, he picked up anything that looked like it might possibly be worth more than 10 cents. Packrat..
We are past the hating each other part and actually get along better now that we are apart.


I did some looking around on the sites sponsored here and I see a dish or two I might consider, it's not too big, it can move and it can get all the stuff. I guess thats K & C band. Not a high priority but I would like to maybe do it one day.

I called neighbor guy and told him to go ahead and get me that finder.
He promised me that the finder is a good deal and that I wouldn't regret it.
He also said I could even learn to do it for a living if I wanted but I have a bad back, am weak and am scared to death of heights. He said climbing on roofs and ladders is a must. Oh, and crawling in attics and under houses. So much for that idea. He said there are almost no women in that line of work. I can imagine so. Oh well..

Anywho, he used to install satellites for the phone company some years back but doesn't do it anymore. So I think he probably knows a great deal more than I ever will.

Gosh I'm tired. I can't even think anymore.

Oh. The tuner. It's a microsoft home theater. The ex put a satellite card in it and the program called GB-PVR. It plays on all the TV's in the house. That's about all I know of it. I was thinking of changing that out for a TV card to get the new kind of TV and buying a seperate satellite box so it could control a moveable dish. I assume that's pretty much gonna be a requirement, right? And might a newer sallelite tuner be easier to use or have more satellites than the old card in the computer?

Well, I better get some rest, morning comes early.:sleeo

 

[melgarga]

What you might think about is telling your neighbor friend to come and demonstrate the virtues of the meter by finding the to channels you want to see, and once youve seen it in action and that it can do the job you'll be glad to purchase it.

Wow, DVB card for a newcommer is quite the challenge. That type of station setup can be very versitile, but is a pretty steep learning curve, considering you need to know sat technology and terms, and be pretty savvy in the computer tech side too. Think satellite tech and hobbyist, meets IT tech.
A decent DVB receiver with sufficient features for a 'trainer' can be had for around $100, less for a used one from Fleabay or craigslist. If you decide to upgrade, you will have that much experience and exposure to the concept under your belt, and have a better knowledge of what you want. The beauty here too, is that when you do have the need to do (or re-do, yes, it happens) a primary alignment, you can take the enitire setup out to the dish w/a small tv so you are able to see and adjust everything from one position. It is VERY handy to do this.
Unless you have some of a very select few, the direct and DN boxes are in most likelyhood not worth much. The same goes for the old 'big dish' boxes, unless they are of a particular mfgr/model, and still in working condition. As for the others you could prolly get the cost of shipping + 5-10 bucks for them on the 'for sale' sites from peeps that want to control the big dishes, if you wanted to mess with it.
It takes some serious synapsis activity to process all the data, and almost the same to KEEP it all straight.....lol
Dont let it wear you down too much. Everyone will still be here to help all we can when your ready to take a deep breath and dive in some more.

 

[Dee_Ann]

What you might think about is telling your neighbor friend to come and demonstrate the virtues of the meter by finding the to channels you want to see, and once youve seen it in action and that it can do the job you'll be glad to purchase it.

Wow, DVB card for a newcommer is quite the challenge. That type of station setup can be very versitile, but is a pretty steep learning curve, considering you need to know sat technology and terms, and be pretty savvy in the computer tech side too. Think satellite tech and hobbyist, meets IT tech.
A decent DVB receiver with sufficient features for a 'trainer' can be had for around $100, less for a used one from Fleabay or craigslist. If you decide to upgrade, you will have that much experience and exposure to the concept under your belt, and have a better knowledge of what you want. The beauty here too, is that when you do have the need to do (or re-do, yes, it happens) a primary alignment, you can take the enitire setup out to the dish w/a small tv so you are able to see and adjust everything from one position. It is VERY handy to do this.
Unless you have some of a very select few, the direct and DN boxes are in most likelyhood not worth much. The same goes for the old 'big dish' boxes, unless they are of a particular mfgr/model, and still in working condition. As for the others you could prolly get the cost of shipping + 5-10 bucks for them on the 'for sale' sites from peeps that want to control the big dishes, if you wanted to mess with it.
It takes some serious synapsis activity to process all the data, and almost the same to KEEP it all straight.....lol
Dont let it wear you down too much. Everyone will still be here to help all we can when your ready to take a deep breath and dive in some more.

Hmm, ty..

Well, I guess I could take the boxes to the local flea market and pedal them off as "make offer" bargains. I have no idea about any of them. They were plucked from the tops of trash piles over the years. That's all I know about them.

On the computer, I don't know much about it, I never messed with it very much other than to watch it. The ex built it, that was his little play toy and I didn't mess with his stuff.

I do know enough about computers to change out parts, build one from parts (everything is color coded, duh!) and install windows or Linux (follow prompts click next. Duh!) and do stuff like upgrades (change old part for new part, duh!)..

I'm far from being an expert but I know enough not to get taken to the cleaners by the crooks at Best Buy or Circuit City. I got taken a few times and said "no more" and took it upon myself to learn a few things.

I also learned how to change the oil in my car and put the cold stuff in the air conditioner (thank you dad!)..

I still don't know or understand a great deal of this satellite stuff. There's so much to learn. And all the lingo. Wow.. Every thread I read has new lingo. And you guys throw it back and forth like it's your native language.

Are there any books I could buy on this? Like that explains all the lingo and has pictures that point out all the different parts and stuff? Like the books for computers? That would be helpful.

Oh, and neighbor guy says I should get a separate tuner for the satellites instead of the computer, he says they are pre-programmed for everything, you just hook it up and it works without having to know anything. He says the computer card is too hard for beginners because you have to know what you are doing already.
I guess that would explain why I only get one channel on it. LOL..

I'm wondering if I've bitten off more than I can chew now. I get all excited and go into things then find out I should have done a lot more reading first. !sadroll

Thanks guys!

 

[melgarga]

The flea market thing might be a good option, but be sure to post what you have before you let it go for best offer. There are some old big dish boxes that are still sought after if they havent lost thier memory due to an internal battery failure. They have a 4DTV logo on them and are made by both Motorola and GI (General Instrument). In working order, they are worth more than make offer/junker price. If you have some such animal, I'd say hang on to it, mainly because it will get you stuff that an FTA rx cant, and it can be subscribed to a satellite service that is less expensive than the pizza pan sevices (that is DirectoyourpocketbookTV and Ditch Notwork) but I've still got to get you sold on a C band dish first.....lol
Regarding the DN/DTV stuff, anything that is HD or PVR capable is worth more than junk price, but beyond that, put the rest in the Uhaul it/Uhave it pile.

I agree with your neighbor that a sat tuner card is too advanced for a newcommer, too many variables for one just learning the ropes, but a " pre-programmed for everything" box isnt exactly an accurate description of an FTA set top box (STB) either. Easily programmable (compared to a sat tuner card and software) with readily available info and a large support base, but not quite 'plug and play'. After you get comfortable with the concept, the configuration of and ability to receive and stream the content thruout the house via the Media Center setup will be added value.

It is good that you can fend for yourself in the DIY catagory and the marketplace. All of my girls had to change at least one tire ( controlled environment of course), learn the PROPER way to connect booster cables, and learn to check the oil when they came of driving age. It was MY prerequsite, not driver's ed. Good for your dad!

As for the Best Buy, Radio Shack, CC, etc. personnel, I suppose some are semi informed in some cases, but I've bitten my tongue many a time (sometimes not!...lol) overhearing a psuedo-techie speil to a wouldbe customer.

I dont know of a publication or other source off hand that would have the Satellite Newbie 101 content all in one place.
You are right, we do tend to speak in a somewhat cryptic manner especially the acronyms, lol, but you will too, once we get ya dragged in about elbow deep! Until then a spiral with a running list of acronyms and definitions that you have gleened from the board may be a good starting point. Even if you see an acronym or term that you dont understand what it means and dont see the 'translation', write it down and watch for the answer, or post it. Someone will be glad to enlighten you. Wiki is also a good source of info on a given term or acronym.

I dont think any of this stuff is beyond the average person's comprehension or attainable skill-set. Like anything worth learning, it does take some study effort and self motivation, essentially because beyond cyberhelp, it is virtually all self instructed.
Hang with us Dee, we'll get ya there.

 

[Dee_Ann]

The flea market thing might be a good option, but be sure to post what you have before you let it go for best offer. There are some old big dish boxes that are still sought after if they havent lost thier memory due to an internal battery failure. They have a 4DTV logo on them and are made by both Motorola and GI (General Instrument). In working order, they are worth more than make offer/junker price. If you have some such animal, I'd say hang on to it, mainly because it will get you stuff that an FTA rx cant, and it can be subscribed to a satellite service that is less expensive than the pizza pan sevices (that is DirectoyourpocketbookTV and Ditch Notwork) but I've still got to get you sold on a C band dish first.....lol
Regarding the DN/DTV stuff, anything that is HD or PVR capable is worth more than junk price, but beyond that, put the rest in the Uhaul it/Uhave it pile.

I agree with your neighbor that a sat tuner card is too advanced for a newcommer, too many variables for one just learning the ropes, but a " pre-programmed for everything" box isnt exactly an accurate description of an FTA set top box (STB) either. Easily programmable (compared to a sat tuner card and software) with readily available info and a large support base, but not quite 'plug and play'. After you get comfortable with the concept, the configuration of and ability to receive and stream the content thruout the house via the Media Center setup will be added value.

It is good that you can fend for yourself in the DIY catagory and the marketplace. All of my girls had to change at least one tire ( controlled environment of course), learn the PROPER way to connect booster cables, and learn to check the oil when they came of driving age. It was MY prerequsite, not driver's ed. Good for your dad!

As for the Best Buy, Radio Shack, CC, etc. personnel, I suppose some are semi informed in some cases, but I've bitten my tongue many a time (sometimes not!...lol) overhearing a psuedo-techie speil to a wouldbe customer.

I dont know of a publication or other source off hand that would have the Satellite Newbie 101 content all in one place.
You are right, we do tend to speak in a somewhat cryptic manner especially the acronyms, lol, but you will too, once we get ya dragged in about elbow deep! Until then a spiral with a running list of acronyms and definitions that you have gleened from the board may be a good starting point. Even if you see an acronym or term that you dont understand what it means and dont see the 'translation', write it down and watch for the answer, or post it. Someone will be glad to enlighten you. Wiki is also a good source of info on a given term or acronym.

I dont think any of this stuff is beyond the average person's comprehension or attainable skill-set. Like anything worth learning, it does take some study effort and self motivation, essentially because beyond cyberhelp, it is virtually all self instructed.
Hang with us Dee, we'll get ya there.

Cool! Thank you!

Well, changing tires, not much luck at that. I can't get the bolts loose nor can I lift the tires but I know the procedure. Maybe I could do it on a Smart Car (which I really want!).. Anyway...

I'll try to dig up all the tuner boxes, stack them up and photograph them, maybe ya'll will know what they are good for. We have a junk room (actually it was *his* not mine) and it's full of junk he collected, stuff he said couldn't be stored in the garage, said it had to be kept indoors. Whatever. I pretended that part of the house away. It scares me to even peek in there. A small bulldozer would be helpful to clean it out. I tolerated/ignored too much stuff over the years...

Also I was just informed that the satellite finder I just bought is missing a cable but he says I should be able to find another one pretty easy. He said it is the programming cable. Hmmm. Now I'm wondering if it was such a smart move to buy that thing. I can't get it until next week so I'm wondering if I should back out of the deal now. I would feel bad if I did though. I don't know what to do now.

I'm sort of wondering if I'm in over my head now.

 

[melgarga]

Today is different from 20 yrs ago. Now most cell providers and insurance companies offer a roadside assitance for free or a discount. I didnt really expect them to be sucessful (two of them couldnt mount the tire either) but it was more an exercise in road hazard avoidance and what they may face if they dont! The only thing that drives like a tank, is a tank....lol
I dont know what the Birdog uses, surely it's a serial, (there are two configutarions for serial cables) or USB. They may have made both, depending on the model #/production run. I dunno. There are guys that have them on here that could help you on that I'm sure.
I think if I were in your position, a demonstation of the equipments ability would be in order. If he is a knowledgable and honest satellite person, he should provide the proper sw updates (which is via a programming cable) and be willing to show you the operational fundamentals. Virtually all combos of serial and usb connectivity are in any serious computer hobbyists resources. If it is serial as I am suspecting, there may be another issue of legacy support of RS232 (aka serial or com) ports. Many of the last few gens of motherboards have removed the com port feature.
Since the most dynamic parameter in this stuff is the satellite locations and configuration data, I suspect an 'update' consists of the latest sat info so the 'smart meter' isnt outdated.
Get your money's worth. Sight unseen is not a good way to buy something, especially if it is unfamiliar to you. I would definately push for a demonstration. 129W and 97W have been there for a respectable time, and should be in the sat config already. Tell him to use it to find 129 and/or 97 using your dish and you will close the deal. If you still cant see WSTV or FashionTV on your Media Center system, then there are issues with that setup or hardware that need addressing.
It's not over your head, just keep the Excedrin handy for a while..........lol

 

[Dee_Ann]

Today is different from 20 yrs ago. Now most cell providers and insurance companies offer a roadside assitance for free or a discount. I didnt really expect them to be sucessful (two of them couldnt mount the tire either) but it was more an exercise in road hazard avoidance and what they may face if they dont! The only thing that drives like a tank, is a tank....lol
I dont know what the Birdog uses, surely it's a serial, (there are two configutarions for serial cables) or USB. They may have made both, depending on the model #/production run. I dunno. There are guys that have them on here that could help you on that I'm sure.
I think if I were in your position, a demonstation of the equipments ability would be in order. If he is a knowledgable and honest satellite person, he should provide the proper sw updates (which is via a programming cable) and be willing to show you the operational fundamentals. Virtually all combos of serial and usb connectivity are in any serious computer hobbyists resources. If it is serial as I am suspecting, there may be another issue of legacy support of RS232 (aka serial or com) ports. Many of the last few gens of motherboards have removed the com port feature.
Since the most dynamic parameter in this stuff is the satellite locations and configuration data, I suspect an 'update' consists of the latest sat info so the 'smart meter' isnt outdated.
Get your money's worth. Sight unseen is not a good way to buy something, especially if it is unfamiliar to you. I would definately push for a demonstration. 129W and 97W have been there for a respectable time, and should be in the sat config already. Tell him to use it to find 129 and/or 97 using your dish and you will close the deal. If you still cant see WSTV or FashionTV on your Media Center system, then there are issues with that setup or hardware that need addressing.
It's not over your head, just keep the Excedrin handy for a while..........lol

I didn't know about the cell phone thing. I'll call and ask them about that because if I ever got a flat somewhere I would be in real trouble. My dad makes sure there are always new tires on my car, lucky for me, I've never had a flat while driving.

Mr. Neighbor Guy put me on the phone with the guy that has the box. He's real nice. He said it works fine and he will show me how to use it. He said it's easy, that a child can do it. He said it's up to date but that he lost the programming cable. He said I can get one on ebay for about $20 or someone might be able to make one for me. He said it's a serial cable. He said I would need a PC with a serial port and windows. I have an old laptop that will cover that.

He said the box is an older one, he bought a new one that is the same but fancier and uses a different cable. He's gonna dig for the cable and will give it to me if he can find it. He said the box looks new and works like new, that he took very good care of it, never dropped it or got it wet or anything. He said I can call anytime I have a question but he's sure it will be easy to operate. It has the manuals and power cord and a test cable. Just missing the programming cable is all.

Neighbor guy says the home theater system is alien to him, he only worked with one brand of box before. He thinks I should get a separate tuner for now, at least until I learn more then maybe try to get the PC working. It sort of works. It did at one time, we got a few things on it but it really never got used much. I do like how it plays everywhere in the house though. I would like to keep that feature. I would like to put a TV card in it for the new DTV stuff so I can get that everywhere in the house too and not have to buy a half dozen of those stupid converter boxes.

I'm supposed to go see the guy next week to pick up the finder and get some lessons on using it. Maybe it will be fun instead of frustrating..

 

[osu1991]

If it is an older model it will probably be a serial cable, which you can get from Sadouns, a site sponsor. The newer model uses usb. There is also a serial to usb cable for them.

Birdog Satellite Signal Meter Finder Horizon

 

[melgarga]

Maybe if she's lucky the STB she decides on will have the right one too. It all depends on the mfgr. My Viewsats use a nullmodem and the Coolsat uses a straight.
Bad news Dee, I just read in another thread that FTV will be going off the free to air menu on June 15th. Seems they will be shutting down their SD stream and need to start charging (I think rediculous price) for a subscription to their HD stream. Prolly have to cover the cost of moving to HD. Big whoop. What a waste.....lol
Well there is still plenty of other stuff........so far.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Maybe if she's lucky the STB she decides on will have the right one too. It all depends on the mfgr. My Viewsats use a nullmodem and the Coolsat uses a straight.
Bad news Dee, I just read in another thread that FTV will be going off the free to air menu on June 15th. Seems they will be shutting down their SD stream and need to start charging (I think rediculous price) for a subscription to their HD stream. Prolly have to cover the cost of moving to HD. Big whoop. What a waste.....lol
Well there is still plenty of other stuff........so far.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! :rant:

No fair! Darn it!

Ok, how do I subscribe? Do I have to buy some special equipment for it? I'll bet so. :-(
I don't want more stuff, I want less stuff! :rant:

 

[Dee_Ann]

OMG! I found the news on FTV! They are insane!

They quote huge sums of money but provide no info on what you need or get! :yikes

The subscription price is just way out of line. I really like FTV but I don't like it that much. :-(

Well. So much for that. Not much else to watch on satellite now. And I don't feel like learning 47 new languages.

I'll bet they don't get many people to choke up that kind of money in this economy.
I think they are pricing themselves out of business, if you ask me.

 

[turbosat]

DeeAnn, when FTV goes to subscription only they will likely post the information on a website about how to acquire the signal. (if they make it available, and if they want money-why wouldn't they) You might have to get a receiver from them, or whoever uplinks/sells their signal, or perhaps buy your own HD-capable fta box, and just get a card for the programming from them.
Globecast, and a few others, I think, sell some scrambled programming in the US, but I have not looked into it. Most is prob foreign or religious programming.

 

[melgarga]

Yes, more (expensive) equipment and a $300/yr sub fee. Not in line at all with a consumer oriented market.
Here's the thread -
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/177092-ftv-end-sd-signal-will-hd-only.html

Oops! I didnt refresh before I posted a reply to your first post about it.

 

[melgarga]

OMG! I found the news on FTV! They are insane!

They quote huge sums of money but provide no info on what you need or get! :yikes

The subscription price is just way out of line. I really like FTV but I don't like it that much. :-(

Well. So much for that. Not much else to watch on satellite now. And I don't feel like learning 47 new languages.

I'll bet they don't get many people to choke up that kind of money in this economy.
I think they are pricing themselves out of business, if you ask me.

I have to agree. I dont see them selling a lot at that price and IMHO, without the quantity, the sub service will never fly.
Dont give up! There is still a lot to be had for a small investment of funds and effort. After all you've alread bought that fancy meter............I've been doing this a LOOONG time and I dont have no fancy meter............lol
So, you been looking at FTA boxes yet? There are literally dozens and dozens of them available new for around $100-$120 or so (and up), and used and/or discontinued but still very usable for this service for considerably less. For example, if you come across anything Coolsat 4000, 5000, or 6000 in the $50 or so pricerange that is a good place to start for FTA. The next one I get, unless it is just a bargain basement deal, will have usb connectivity for pvr and timeshift functions, and maybe even a dual tuner.
I'm still in a holding pattern for an HD capable system. Between their growing pains and my ignorance on the subject, I cant make myself commit to the investment......yet.
Check with that guy with the meter, he might have something, or have a line on where you can get just what you need locally and for a good price.
Dont get discouraged.

 

[zamar23]

And I don't feel like learning 47 new languages.

May be its time to reinvest in C-band dish? Your ex was right on the money with it. I did notice your huricane experience, but how your neighbors' dishes manage to withstand those? All along its an interesting and involving hobby, isn't it? See how many people are eager to help you. Your thread is the most popular on the forum - like American Idol. I suggest you to look at HD Receiver - look forward if you want to upgrade, don't collect more dust. I recently bought a brand new receiver only to find out it was too obsolete right out of the box. My TV can't show all its HD beauty with it, just a small piece.

 

[Dee_Ann]

HD? Oooo.... I would like that. Is there any HD stuff on satellite?
If so, how would I find it. And what type of tuner would I need?
Is there like one that will pick up everything?

What about a dish that can get whatever is there?
I see there are a lot of satellites but they are all different. Some are free and some are pay. I wouldn't mind paying for a few things if they are *reasonable* (unlike FTV :rant

Can you buy an HD tuner and dish that can work on free and pay satellites?
I see there are at least three kinds, maybe more, C, KU and KA. Why are there so many different types? Why not just one kind for everything? Surely it can't be a scheme to make you buy a special tuner box for each different kind! They can't be that evil! Can they??

Really, I don't want a room full of boxes and a yard full of dishes. One of each is plenty. Smaller is better. I really don't want some big monster back there again.
The one we had a long time ago broke all the time and was nothing but trouble. And it was just ugly. I really need something I can manage alone. 30lbs is about as much as I can pick up. I bought some cement last year to make some stepping stones, the boys at home depot put it in the trunk. When I got home I could not get the bags out of the trunk. I had to cut the bags in the trunk and use trowels and coffee cans to get the stuff out.

I watched the ex put up that big one back then. He put like 6 or 8 bags of cement in the hole. The hole was so big I could stand in it and just barely see out. The pipe took two men to carry it, I tried to help him but there was no way, he had to get a friend over to help him. And putting that thing up on the pipe, no way.

A small one near the ground would be good. There's already a pipe in the ground now and wire is buried out to it. I would like to just use that.

To be honest, I really want to do this for two reasons. One, to prove to myself that I can do something so techy by myself and two, to prove to my BF that I'm not helpess and dumb. :neener

Yes, I may be in over my head but now that I've dipped my toes in the water I might as well swim. Right?

Sorry for asking so many questions, I hope I'm not being a pest. If I don't ask questions how will I learn?

Thanks guys! Y'all rock!