Looking to get an FTA system, but have a few questions

[bruin95]

I have a few questions before I decide to purchase an FTA system. The main reason I'm interested in getting one is for the sports backhauls. I'm interested in college football and basketball, MLB, and, to a lesser degree, the NBA. I have browsed other sites, especially Yahoo groups, that list sports backhauls as they are happening, and it seems most of the listings are for C-band sats. Most of the time when a game is listed on a Ku-band sat, it's a women's basketball game or college hockey or something of that nature. I have zero interest in those. So my first question is how many games should I expect to find on Ku band on a given night? I'm sure it varies day to day. Take MLB for example. On a day when there's a full schedule (15 games), how many should I be able to find on Ku? Is it 6 or more, or more likely 2 or 3? If it's the latter, then FTA might not be for me.

Also I, unfortunately, live in a condo, so I'm kind of restricted about the size of the dish I can get. The biggest I will probably be able to get is 31". I live in Las Vegas. Will this size dish be big enough? Will I have problems getting some of the birds out there? Also, I will not be able to do the install myself, even if I wanted to. Tenants are not allowed to venture onto the roofs of their condos, only hired, professional contractors. So how do I find someone here in Vegas that can do the install? I've searched the net and looked in the local phone book to no avail. I cannot find any FTA dealers here in town. I know there has to be someone here that does this, but I'm having no luck finding anyone. Anybody here from Vegas that can help in this department? Sorry about the long post. I just need to know certain things before I can pull the trigger on a system.

 

[Mr Tony]

I have a few questions before I decide to purchase an FTA system. The main reason I'm interested in getting one is for the sports backhauls. I'm interested in college football and basketball, MLB, and, to a lesser degree, the NBA. I have browsed other sites, especially Yahoo groups, that list sports backhauls as they are happening, and it seems most of the listings are for C-band sats. Most of the time when a game is listed on a Ku-band sat, it's a women's basketball game or college hockey or something of that nature. I have zero interest in those. So my first question is how many games should I expect to find on Ku band on a given night? I'm sure it varies day to day. Take MLB for example. On a day when there's a full schedule (15 games), how many should I be able to find on Ku? Is it 6 or more, or more likely 2 or 3? If it's the latter, then FTA might not be for me.

It depends on what kind of games you are looking for. The one thing to remember is with FTA you kinda "take what you're given".
MLB is pretty simple. Most games are fibred so they're not on FTA. The only ones that do pop up are the ones on some teams OTA markets and they are C-Band. Lots of pre-season but the regular season its sprinkeled about. Once in a blue while you'll get a KU game.
For CBB there are a fair amount of small college/conference games on KU and C-Band. It depends on who holds the rights to the game. If its a local broadcast, then the odds of it being on KU are pretty good. National (ESPN, CBS) most often not. The ESPN + games are on both C & KU (last night I saw 3 ESPN + games on KU)

Also I, unfortunately, live in a condo, so I'm kind of restricted about the size of the dish I can get. The biggest I will probably be able to get is 31". I live in Las Vegas. Will this size dish be big enough?

yes a 31" dish would be fine for most of the satellites

 

[jayelem]

I know your interest is Sports via backhauls , but on another note several FTA Channels are for regional markets, so you'll be adding different regions affiliates and that means that you'll have different games to watch than those available to you , and yes that would include MLB , NFL , and more.

 

[mastermesh]

Too bad you didn't post here about 2-3 years ago, and too bad I wasn't on here back then. My little brother used to be stationed at Nellis AFB, in North Las Vegas... Anyways, yes, you can do it yourself... yes, it's not too hard, just frustrating at first... yes, the otard should allow you to install even if you live in a condo.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the fly boys over at Nellis aren't in to this sort of stuff... Also, there's tons of Mexican type folks (both legal and illegal) around vegas, so go driving around town looking for oddball sized dishes on roofs or wherever. There has to be some folks down there that are in to all of this stuff...

Also, please don't spend all your money on the strip. Off strip places like Texas suppossedly give you better odds.

 

[bruin95]

Too bad you didn't post here about 2-3 years ago, and too bad I wasn't on here back then. My little brother used to be stationed at Nellis AFB, in North Las Vegas... Anyways, yes, you can do it yourself... yes, it's not too hard, just frustrating at first... yes, the otard should allow you to install even if you live in a condo.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the fly boys over at Nellis aren't in to this sort of stuff... Also, there's tons of Mexican type folks (both legal and illegal) around vegas, so go driving around town looking for oddball sized dishes on roofs or wherever. There has to be some folks down there that are in to all of this stuff...

Thanks, but I would prefer to have a "professional" who does this stuff for a living install the system. There has to be a company here in town that deals with FTA. Has to be. I'll find them eventually. I cannot do the install myself. As I stated in my original post, my condo association strictly forbids any tenants from going up on their roofs. A safety issue I suppose. Installing the dish is not an issue. I know they cannot prevent me from getting one as I already have a Dish 1000 installed up there. I am just forbidden from doing it myself, as long as it's being installed on the roof.

Also, please don't spend all your money on the strip. Off strip places like Texas suppossedly give you better odds.

I'm assuming you think I'm new to Vegas, but I've been here for over 20 years. I learned not to give ANY casino my money a long time ago.

 

[bruin95]

Well, it's beginning to look like I won't be getting a system. I really can't believe that there is no one in the entire city of Las Vegas that does not deal with FTA systems and could do an install for me. I decided to go through the entire phone book and call every satellite dealer here in town. More than half the places I called didn't even know what FTA was. The ones that did said that they only do DBS installs and had no one with experience with motorized dishes. A BUD dealer probably could have helped, but I don't think there are any left here. Some told me, "FTA? Aren't those things illegal?". Whatever. It would have been nice to have. Guess I'll have to move then if I'm to get one.

 

[clayface1000]

I would suggest Googling the major manufacturers of FTA receivers and seeing who distributes them in your area. I did it myself a few minutes ago and found a couple of places that carry Fortec in LV. You can probably just call them and ask for a recommendation for a local installer.

 

[Anole]

It seems to be the roof that is the stumbling point.
Any chance you can mount the dish lower?
Maybe on your patio?

And you might start out without the motor to get a feel for things...
...that would make it more self-install-friendly.

 

[bruin95]

It seems to be the roof that is the stumbling point.
Any chance you can mount the dish lower?
Maybe on your patio?

And you might start out without the motor to get a feel for things...
...that would make it more self-install-friendly.

Not possible. I wouldn't see any birds from the balcony as it faces north.