Ok what do I need?

[Scott Greczkowski]

Ok guys I am thinking of jumping into the FTA game. I miss scanning the skys like I did when I had my BUD.

I want a good receiver that is easy to use.
I want a receiver which also picks up analog KU band (Is there such a beast)
I want a Horizion to Horizion mount and motor
I want a KU Dish and I want LNB's which can pick up normal KU as well as Dish Network and DirecTV FTA stuff.

So would you gurus please tell me what I should be looking for?

 

[PSB]

I would recommend the Fortec Lifetime Ultra as it is very easy to use and the USALS more or less sets the dish and motor up for you. It also has the much talked about AC3 output and blind scan, a MUST have!

You would need a 2nd receiver for analog KU, they can be picked up VERY cheap.

I recommend the SG2100 H to H motor a solid unit that just keeps going through any weather.

I would stump up the extra for at least a 90cm dish and a DBS LNB can be zip tied or for a few more dollars it can be attached to the dish with a (2 LNB) bracket, then all you would need is a simple 2/1 DiSEqC switch to toggle between KU and DBS LNB, that would be the dream system for me, I am sure you will enjoy it Scott and we can all help you fling it together, I think it will be your BEST holiday season EVER!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

That sounds kind of complicated for me.

The only reason I would like Analog KU is because I know a few audio subcarriers I like to listen to such as the W0KIE Network. But if that requires a seperate receiver then I should forget that for awhile as well.

PSB put something together an PM me.

 

[Wholeshoe]

Okay guys,

If I want to buy an analog receiver off from Ebay what do I get?

I have looked at some and my main concern is picking up wildfeeds off fron KU analog. Can pretty much any receiver be manally tuned for the different KU frequiencies?

Wholeshoe

 

[PSB]

I have a Toshiba TRX-1520, (Thanks Iceberg) I would start with a search for one of those and similar, then you just loop through from your DVB receiver, well worth the $30-$60 price range that most seem to be going for last time I looked, all sorts of stuff still there on KU analog, as for Scott I agree an analog box can be added anytime!

 

[Mr Tony]

As long as it says "C/KU" it will work for analog

I have 3 of them at home
-Toshiba TRX-1420 (the only difference between mine & Pete's is his has UHF remote and mine is IR)
-Uniden Supra
-Uniden 2000 (I think)...its an older model

Just make sure if you get a REAL old one that it can handle KU. I have a real old Uniden that can only do C-Band

 

[Mr Tony]

That sounds kind of complicated for me.

Scott
It really isnt that bad. Once it's set up, you can move the dish to get both KU band and DBS (DirectTv nor Voom do not have anything FTA..they use different scrambling)

The analog can be used but not needed. I use mine mostly on Satursdays for the college sports stuff

 

[WTguy]

Scott, I would second Pete's suggestion of the 90cm dish. That was my first dish and after reading about all the trouble some of the guys here have finding signals with their 76's I am very glad I got it.
As for analog receiver's, I have a couple Pansat kr-600, very basic but also very good receivers and inexpensive. My first one was $99 from emantechnology and my second was off ebay for $30. Warning, it is rare to seem them on ebay.

I also have a Primestar 84 dish (the largest they had) and it works well also but is a little harder for me to aim (it is my traveling dish, if I had it motorized and did not travel with it, it would probably be a lot more efficient)

Also, not sure if it was mentioned but if go with a digital and analog receiver, get a dual lnb. It is two lines but a lot more functional than looping the feed in one rec'r and out to the second receiver.

Good luck, I think you will find it well worth the effort. And if you just want an analog system with a 90cm dish then you should be able to get a system for less than $235.

By the way, I have 3 digital receivers, Pansat 330a (no longer in mfg. from what I have read), Satwork 3618 and Pansat 2500a. I would favor the 2500 because it is a little more sensitive to the weaker signals not as sensitive as the 330a but the 330a is not a blind search.

Once again, good luck.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Not sure how big 90CM is, but I dont want anything much bigger then a SuperDISH.

This dish will be replacing my Dish 500 Dish and will be mounted on the pole which the Dish 500 is currently using. The pole is on the ground and is about 4 feet off the ground.

So PSB is this the kind of stuff you carry and sell? If you do write me up something with everything I will need and PM me with a price.

BTW I do have my old GI-650I receiver still, I wonder if that would work. That's C and KU band.

 

[Mr Tony]

Not sure how big 90CM is, but I dont want anything much bigger then a SuperDISH.

76cm=30"
90cm=35.5"
the dishes are almost round..

This dish will be replacing my Dish 500 Dish and will be mounted on the pole which the Dish 500 is currently using. The pole is on the ground and is about 4 feet off the ground.

that would work

BTW I do have my old GI-650I receiver still, I wonder if that would work. That's C and KU band.

that would work to get KU analog

 

[n0qcu]

35.4 inches

 

[dfergie]

Have a GI 2400R and a Uniden UST-4200 from my BUD days... gonna have to hook em up again... Y'all are giving me the bug...

 

[MikeI]

Someone else still has a Uniden 2200? Mine works great.

Peter - Do you know a dealer that sells motors and can install them on one or two primestar dishes in So Cal? I would need one from SBS 6 or AMC 9 to AMC 4 and then one from AMC 1 or G10 to where IA7 used to be located. Thanks! I have 2 Uniden 9000's and a HTS70 that motors can hook up too.

 

[Mr Tony]

Someone else still has a Uniden 2200? Mine works great.

I was wrong...its a Uniden UST4200 receiver

 

[PSB]

The only people I know that install all over the country are some of the guys from www.dbsinstall.com but not all of them have done KU before, I would try the above web site installer/dealer search and ask them if they have done a KU motorized system before and what kind of meter do they use, let us know BEFORE you hire them and we will let you know if they are worth hiring, if they say they use a small TV hang up on them there and then!

 

[MikeI]

The only guy on the list is for c-band and 4DTV and 40 miles away in Riverside. I sent him an e-mail asking about ku. Thanks for your post.

 

[WTguy]

My 90cm dish (without the mount measurement) is just under 3' wide and 40" tall. The posted size is the smallest measurement.

 

[Stargazer]

Hey Scott, maybe if this site makes enough money off of the advertisements then you could launch a FTA channel.

 

[PSB]

WOW! Now thats an IDEA!

 

[carload]

How much would the satellite fees be for a FTA channel?