I live in central Arkansas. To get PBS with an OTA antenna, I would need a large one sticking way up in the air. I don't want to do this. I have, as far as I can tell, a Dish Network 1000-2 3 LNB setup (uninstalled) with everything except the receiver. Would I be better off buying a new FTA system with everything needed to set it up (satellite finder, compass, etc.) or buying a receiver, satellite finder, and compass to use with the Dish Network parts I have? I assume it would be best to aim at 125W? If it's best to go with a new FTA system, could you guys recommend a good, inexpensive one?
Noob needing advice
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125w needs a good dish. Undersized, and it won't be dependable.
Think I'd opt for a 'package' that will work. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GEOSATpro-m...-DVR-Satellite-System-Satellite-/121069519079
Second option is to purchase separately, a 90cm or 1.0 meter dish, Linear standard LNBF, and a DVB-S2 capable receiver. Then 3Ghz rated RG-6. (But don't think you can best the price of the package deal unless you can find some items free) If going that route, let us know what you find to get comments/direction from the experienced folks here.
Think I'd opt for a 'package' that will work. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GEOSATpro-m...-DVR-Satellite-System-Satellite-/121069519079
Second option is to purchase separately, a 90cm or 1.0 meter dish, Linear standard LNBF, and a DVB-S2 capable receiver. Then 3Ghz rated RG-6. (But don't think you can best the price of the package deal unless you can find some items free) If going that route, let us know what you find to get comments/direction from the experienced folks here.
TO SAT GUYS! So you're looking for PBS but don't want an OTA antenna on the roof? Humm, might be a good idea to let us know exactly what you want to do and what service you have now? Reason I ask is because it's not THAT much more expensive to setup a Ku dish with a motor on it and there's a lot more programming up there on Ku than just PBS, which "should" be available on both Cable or Satellite service?
So give is a few more details and then see what ppl suggest.
What part of central Arkansas are you? I have a few older non-HD recievers and a KU lnbf I would donate to you to help get you started. Not all PBS is HD so you can get standard def PBS with one of these receivers. I am near Conway. PM if interested. It is ironic I cannot get AETN PBS OTA and they are based in Conway but transmit from Little Rock.
Thanks, FaT Air and Lone Gunman
More details. I just moved in so I'm using rabbit ears now. I get Fox, ABC, and NBC reliably. I have to move the rabbit ears around to pick up CBS. The PBS transmitter is about 60 miles away so I can't get that signal. I have a friend about 7 miles away who was getting DirecTV service until he dropped it about a year ago. Just recently, we tried connecting the cable from the dish directly into his tv to see if we could get a signal. We scanned for channels and got 19 of them. So far, even through some rain storms, the signal has been reliable. It was my plan to do the same thing with the Dish Network setup I have. I don't remember if I was aiming at 110W or 119W; however, at one point, I got the message "retrieving data" although it only appeared on the screen for a few seconds before I got the message "no signal". I've tried several times since then to find a signal and haven't been successful. If I understand correctly, LNB's will weaken with age so I don't know if I should buy a receiver, sat finder, compass, etc., and try to cobble together a system that may already have some weak links or just bite the bullet and buy a new FTA system. I don't want to spend a ton of money and don't care about getting foreign channels that I'd never watch. That looks like a nice system you recommended, FaT Air. Lone Gunman, what would be the price for a Ku dish with motor, and what are some of the extra channels I might receive? I appreciate the patience of everyone here. So far, the research I've done on FTA has confused rather than enlightened me. Information overload, I guess.
More details. I just moved in so I'm using rabbit ears now. I get Fox, ABC, and NBC reliably. I have to move the rabbit ears around to pick up CBS. The PBS transmitter is about 60 miles away so I can't get that signal. I have a friend about 7 miles away who was getting DirecTV service until he dropped it about a year ago. Just recently, we tried connecting the cable from the dish directly into his tv to see if we could get a signal. We scanned for channels and got 19 of them. So far, even through some rain storms, the signal has been reliable. It was my plan to do the same thing with the Dish Network setup I have. I don't remember if I was aiming at 110W or 119W; however, at one point, I got the message "retrieving data" although it only appeared on the screen for a few seconds before I got the message "no signal". I've tried several times since then to find a signal and haven't been successful. If I understand correctly, LNB's will weaken with age so I don't know if I should buy a receiver, sat finder, compass, etc., and try to cobble together a system that may already have some weak links or just bite the bullet and buy a new FTA system. I don't want to spend a ton of money and don't care about getting foreign channels that I'd never watch. That looks like a nice system you recommended, FaT Air. Lone Gunman, what would be the price for a Ku dish with motor, and what are some of the extra channels I might receive? I appreciate the patience of everyone here. So far, the research I've done on FTA has confused rather than enlightened me. Information overload, I guess.
Mike's got a list of English Language channels @ Mpeg2-Central by band, C or Ku*. A bit out of date, as they all are, but for the most part accurate. I see 83°W RTV and ND sports on 87°W are still listed. They are gone. *The package deal is Ku.
To add a Ku dish motor will cost less than $100.
OTA - Have you taken a look at tvfool.com to see the over the air TV results for your location?
If your friend gets 19 channels with the TV and connected directly to a 'D15H', which isn't a very effective "TV" antenna, you my reap rewards with a 35 dollar "TV" antenna on the roof, eave, or in the attic. There's also an OTA section of the forum here: Digital Over the Air Television Talk By RabbitEars
To add a Ku dish motor will cost less than $100.
OTA - Have you taken a look at tvfool.com to see the over the air TV results for your location?
If your friend gets 19 channels with the TV and connected directly to a 'D15H', which isn't a very effective "TV" antenna, you my reap rewards with a 35 dollar "TV" antenna on the roof, eave, or in the attic. There's also an OTA section of the forum here: Digital Over the Air Television Talk By RabbitEars
Thanks for the generous offer, rsa2000. My brother actually told me today that he has an older Toshiba receiver that I can have if I decide to try to get my Dish setup going. At this point, I'm leaning toward the purchase of a new FTA system. With my inexperience, I'm thinking that may be the best choice for me.
I just got back into this within the last few weeks. Started with the set up recommended and added a Stab HH 90 for about another $60 and couldn't be happier. The biggest and first thing, is to make sure that your pole is PLUMB. If it is off, you are in for grief trying to get your dish to track the belt. If money is tight, just pick a satellite and set up a fixed dish. You can add a motor later and I'm guessing that you will want one. Good luck in getting a system set up and running.
I just purchased the GEOSATpro microHD M1 satellite system on eBay. Thanks to everyone for the advice, information, and help. Knowing that my first and foremost objective is getting CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and PBS, is there one satellite that would be preferable over the others for my location?
Nope. But a combination of satellites. PBS is on 125 and 87 ku band and 103 C Band.. The others that you've listed in the last post are C band (Big Dish, 6 to 10+ feet across). 99w being one, 95W the other. [ Mpeg2-Central C and Ku English language lists ]
1 network is on 103 on Ku but think only during prime time - I could be wrong.
For networks, locally, have you checked tvfool.com? Then there's the OTA section of the forum for help/recommendations. Who knows, my require less that you think.
1 network is on 103 on Ku but think only during prime time - I could be wrong.
For networks, locally, have you checked tvfool.com? Then there's the OTA section of the forum for help/recommendations. Who knows, my require less that you think.
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Once again I find that I'm totally ignorant as to how these things work. I assumed my friend was getting CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and PBS through unencrypted signals from the satellite at which his DirecTV dish was aimed. I didn't think the dish could be acting as an OTA antenna. The transmitters for CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox beam toward the front of the dish, but the PBS transmission he gets comes from an AETN (Arkansas Educational Television Network) transmitter behind the dish and about 50 miles away even though AETN has a transmitter in front of the dish and about 50 miles away. It may turn out that I should have followed Charlie Harper's advice and just called "the guy".
Since my friend's DirecTV dish is working as a good OTA antenna while aimed at the DirecTV satellite, I guess I will aim in that same direction and see if I can get the channels he receives. Those are really the only channels I want. I am a caregiver for my mom at her place for the majority of my waking hours so I don't watch much television here. If that doesn't work, I'll spring for a motor since the cost is roughly equivalent to an outside antenna which I don't want anyway.
Just out of curiosity, I have another question. As I said, my friend receives ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox from transmitters that face the front of his dish. There is an AETN (Arkansas Educational Television Network) transmitter 50 miles away that faces the front of his dish; however, he receives the PBS signal from an AETN transmitter 50 miles away that faces the rear of his dish. Why is that so?
p.s. The possible answer came to me as I was typing the (?). I assumed both antennas were transmitting at the same power, but maybe they aren't. I'll check it out.
p.s. The possible answer came to me as I was typing the (?). I assumed both antennas were transmitting at the same power, but maybe they aren't. I'll check it out.
Got a feeling your friend has a 'clip on' OTA antenna on the dish.
For the OTA, I'd post your www.tvfool.com report. May only require a small antenna mounted in a window. DIY ANT.
Aim the dish at 125W for all the PBS channels on the microHD. Think your mom will find much to watch there.
For the OTA, I'd post your www.tvfool.com report. May only require a small antenna mounted in a window. DIY ANT.
Aim the dish at 125W for all the PBS channels on the microHD. Think your mom will find much to watch there.
No clip on antenna. Just the dish. I built one of the bow tie antennas once sans reflector, but it worked only slightly better than the amplified rabbit ears I had been using. Mom has cable at her house with probably sixty channels, but she seldom watches anything other than CBS.
Something we liked to call: FM. Freakn' magic ? Or your friend doesn't know, or forgot, about an OTA antenna in the attic? (could be using a diplexer in the coax line- one side to ant, the other to dish, sat receiver is not needed) Or just lucky with nothing but the dish attached. Would be, most likely, omnidirectional.
Repeating:
Have you taken a look at tvfool.com to see the over the air TV results for your location?
If your friend gets 19 channels with the TV and connected directly to a 'D15H', which isn't a very effective "TV" antenna, you my get all your locals with a lot less than you think.
There's also an OTA section of the Satelliteguys forum here: Digital Over the Air Television Talk By RabbitEarsPost your tvfool results there and we'll take a look.
I've got a DIY 4 bay bowtie in a friends window, 4ft above ground, and getting 2 stations at 60 miles with good level.
OK, it's 'flat as a pancake' terrain wise here. But it's below the trees.
Get the PBS on 125 yet?
My friend said no antenna in attic, but he's even more clueless about these things than I am so I looked up there. Sure enough, no antenna. I checked tvfool a few months back. It indicated I would need a larger antenna 30 ft up to get the PBS signal. It's pretty hilly terrain around here. When I saw what my friend was getting with his dish, I decided to try that instead. He is on a small hill, but there are lots of mountains between him and the PBS transmitter. I have the dish set and ready to put on the pole and aim. Just waiting until I have a solid couple of hours to mess with it. "Me" time is hard to come by.
There has got to be an antenna hiding somewhere. Connecting to an un-powered Directv dish, straight out of the back of your TV would be almost like hooking it to a dummy load.
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