newbe qn's about C-Band Digital & Analog

[b1gmoose]

Greetings,

I live too far out for cable TV and have not gone with satellite TV in quite some time.

Right now I have a 27" SDTV with a Samsung DTB-H260F digital ATSC receiver hooked in via component cables for OTA. The TV will do 16:9 by actually shutting off the upper & lower portions of the screen instead of just drawing black at the top and bottom. So digital programming does look very sharp, and eventually, I will get a HDTV/Digital TV..

I would like to receive digital and possibly some analog C-Band programming, but I'm unsure if I want to go with the 4dtv DSR922 / HDD200 or the DSR410.

I'm not really interested in receiving lots of movie channels or HDTV programming.

I'll be grabbing a dish from my neighbor, it's in good condition and is 8.5'.

Ideally, I need to keep the setup as simple as possible (within reason) for the Wife and Kids.

From your experiences, what are the pros/cons of either the DSR922 / HDD200 or the DSR410?

What would I need to receive analog C-Band signals? I'm looking at the channel charts to see what's up there right now.

Price is important, but if I invest in a 4dtv I'd like to think it'll be around for a good 5+ years, or maybe more digital/HDTV options will come down the pipeline in a couple years for C-Band.

I just don't like the TOS and customer service for DN or DTV and living in VT, 18" pizza pans get snowed in pretty easily.

The channel options for digital via the DSR922 or the DSR410 are quite reasonable and prices are to my tastes.

Thanks,

~ryan

 

[Lak7]

What would I need to receive analog C-Band signals? I'm looking at the channel charts to see what's up there right now.

Subscription Analog Channels end at the end of the year, don't worry about them.
Though most of them have moved to Digital.

Price is important, but if I invest in a 4dtv I'd like to think it'll be around for a good 5+ years, or maybe more digital/HDTV options will come down the pipeline in a couple years for C-Band.

To me it seems, that most C Band HD is available FTA with an HD FTA receiver.
There are just a few 4DTV HD channels that are not Movie Channels.
I would consider Slaving an FTA receiver to a 4DTV.....
Connecting BUD C KU Band dish to one DVB receiver

 

[b1gmoose]

Subscription Analog Channels end at the end of the year, don't worry about them.
Though most of them have moved to Digital.

So that means quite a few analog receivers will be on fleabay in a few weeks then?

To me it seems, that most C Band HD is available FTA with an HD FTA receiver.
There are just a few 4DTV HD channels that are not Movie Channels.
I would consider Slaving an FTA receiver to a 4DTV.....
Connecting BUD C KU Band dish to one DVB receiver

So an HD FTA receiver than can receive C-Band and KU-Band + the DSR922 or DSR410? Can the DSR410 be slaved?

It does look like the HDD200 can be used with the DSR410 which is good. So with that, it's a matter of scanning the skys for FTA HD?

But then again, the HD FTA receivers do have HDMI out and when I get a new TV (couple of years, gonna wait until it burns out), HDMI inputs will be there.



Since most channels are going digital and there will be no more analog subscription, does that mean the long-term use of a C-Band dish for inexpensive programming will continue for a few years?

Thanks,

~ryan

 

[14karat]

I don't think C-Band will be going away anytime soon.
Most analog receivers can be had for a song (or less if you sing as bad as me )
Just my opinion, not sure if I'd spend the cash on the HDD200. The 4D receivers are great for the subscription channels.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the 410 includes dish mover capability where the 920 & 922 will.
You can get the 922 for the subs and moving the dish and slave a HD FTA receiver to that for everything else. That's the route I would take with a single dish.

 

[b1gmoose]

I don't think C-Band will be going away anytime soon.
Most analog receivers can be had for a song (or less if you sing as bad as me )
Just my opinion, not sure if I'd spend the cash on the HDD200. The 4D receivers are great for the subscription channels.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the 410 includes dish mover capability where the 920 & 922 will.
You can get the 922 for the subs and moving the dish and slave a HD FTA receiver to that for everything else. That's the route I would take with a single dish.

Hmm .... lots to think about.

I do like the idea of the $922 over the 410 when it comes to dish moving. But then again, for entry level and the digital programming on W5(AMC18) ..... I might just do it.

I'll have to consult the Wife Factor as she runs the piggy bank right now.


I'm glad that C-Band stuff won't disappear. And I can save a few bucks by paying for a full year of service at a time.

But FTA C-Band and Ku-Band does sound fun and looks like there is a lot out there.

Maybe I'll get the DSR410 for the family TV and then get a HD FTA receiver for the TV in the basement for FTA feed searcing. I use the TV in the basement for OTA DX'ing, though I'm in a bad location, I still pull in Montreal from 140 miles away (not digital though, no transmitters on Mt. Royal yet for digital, all are at the base). I'm located in a valley at 500' +- elevation.

Thanks for the info. Anybody else, feel free to chime in.

~ryan

 

[Lak7]

Do you know if the Dish you are getting already has Ku on it?

Maybe I'll get the DSR410 for the family TV and then get a HD FTA receiver for the TV in the basement for FTA feed searcing.

If you are going to search, you still need a way to move the BUD and control the Polarity.
Almost all FTA receivers, no HD that I know of, can not.

I'm glad that C-Band stuff won't disappear.

Don't confuse Analog with C Band, two different things.
There are plenty on Ku Band, but C Band is where it's at for Live Feeds, weather has little effect on it's quality.

I'd get a known good 920 or 922 and slave an HD FTA(DVB-S2 if possible).
Then add a good Blind Scanning receiver for searching.

 

[dunnsept]

I just picked up 2 4dtv receivers. got one hooked up and programmed through NPS. GREAT picture. Going with a full year of service at a time is a great option. When I look at E* I was dumping $660 a year! Almost the same channels (minus nickelodeon) is like 399! that savings is what I used to convince SWMBO that the price of the 4dtv receiver was justified ;-)

 

[truckracer]

I have two c-band dishes- A 7.5' and 10' sami mesh. Both have C and Ku capability.
I have an analog receiver for dish moving and a few analog feeds that are left.
I use a DSR-905 sidecar for subscription from NPS.
For FTA I use a Pansat 9200 HD with the optional DVB S-2 8PSK tuner board. I just installed the board today. Very happy with it.

With FTA on C-band with a good HD capable box that has blind scan or smart search to scan in tranponder freq's automatically you won't be short on stuff to watch.
We don't post all the feeds in the open forum. Some of us feel that exposing un-encrypted feeds could lead to scrambling. Others don't feel the same way but I am with the "stay on the downlow crowd".

Trust me when I say.....If you get a HD FTA box and a large dish, you won't be disappointed.
You will have to become familiar with scanning and organizing your channel list for your specific receiver. You will have to get used to maintaining your dish and being able to diagnose problems if they arise. There are not many techs who know anything about C-band systems or setting up a dish that tracks the sky with a motor and polar mount.

Your small fixed dish installers will probably know nothing if you ask them.
All of us on this forum will help answer any questions along the way you may have.
Good luck and enjoy the hobby.