Resurrect Old BUD

[bill__powell]

Hello all:

I have an old system. Looks to be a 7 1/2 foot mesh dish (unknown manufacturer), Venture 24", Chaparral Corotor, Panasonic CRD-4500r.

Plumbed the Pole, got the dish up. The dish moves fine, but I get only the onscreen menus, no signals.

Voltages check okay at the dish, so I am temped to blame the old Chaparral, which has sat outside on the dish for some five years.

I would like to replace the Chaparral, and the old Panasonic as well. I am thinking a Chaparral Corotor II C/Ku, and 4DTV receiver. Perhaps a HDD200 as well?

As I am not well versed on this subject, (been reading through posts and FAQs), I decided to ask all you experts for advice before making any purchases.

What should I do to bring this BUD back to life? I am currently a DISH subscriber, but that could change.

My TV is a Samsung HLR5087 DLP, by the way.

Thanks in advance...

Bill

 

[Lak7]

Did you used to use the system? Did you have to re-align everything?

The Panasonic CRD-4500r is an analog reveiver, not much analog stuff up there anymore, everything is Digital now.

Your LNB is probably fine.

If you're looking to subscribe, 4DTV is the way to go, not much HiDef though.
If you're looking for Free To Air, you need a new Receiver.

What are your expectations?

 

[sergei]

Try putting your receiver on Galaxy 4 channel 16 and see if you if you can get the analogy from Shepherd's Chapel network, also its at 99W. This should tell you if the LNB is good or bad its a strong signal.

 

[Mr Tony]

another analog option is W3 TP20...AMC3 at 87W TP20 is Doc Scott

 

[bill__powell]

Did you used to use the system? Did you have to re-align everything?

The Panasonic CRD-4500r is an analog reveiver, not much analog stuff up there anymore, everything is Digital now.

Your LNB is probably fine.

If you're looking to subscribe, 4DTV is the way to go, not much HiDef though.
If you're looking for Free To Air, you need a new Receiver.

What are your expectations?

The system was in use at my previous residence (a rental). The owner retired, wanted to move back in, and I moved 18 miles west, bought a house. The dish went with me. It was in use up until the week of that move. The new house had a dinky dish, so I went with it. I put a car cover on the BUD, and the mount went into the garage. The Panasonic has been on a shelf in my office.

After setting the new pole, when I set the mount, hooked up the cables, and turned it south, the angles looked good with my inclinometer, so I left the settings as is.

After only getting the menus onscreen, I took the equipment out to the dish. (Should have done that from the beginning. I knew better.) When trying to change H/V or channnels, I noticed no sound coming from the Chaparral. Seems to me I remembered hearing it function. After checking voltage at the wires, I removed the LNB, tried the remote, and got no response/movement, and so have assumed it had failed.

My expectations? I did enjoy FTA, and would like to be able to explore that again, but I would also like to turn off the dinky dish and subscribe "a la carte" if that is still done, or perhaps a minimal package.

That said, my primary goal is picture quality.

I will try to locate the suggested targets after the weekend; we own a small hotel here, and it's packed. Just too busy for me to take off before Monday!

I really appreciate all your advice on this...

 

[Mr Tony]

analog channels
87W AMC3 TP 20 V Doc Scott
99W G4/G16 TP16 V Shepherd's Chapel
135W AMC10 TP 9 V QVC
135W AMC10 TP 10 H HSN
135W AMC10 TP 19 V CSPAN2
133W G15 TP 5 H Classic Arts
133W G15 TP 11 H EWTN
133W G15 TP 12 V ShopNBC
133W G15 TP 17 H Inspiration
131W AMC11 TP 7 V CSPAN

125W G14/G5 there is still some scrambled channels on TP 5,6,17 & 22....evens are V

 

[Lak7]

Sounds like the begining of a plan. You can goto www.callnps.com for 4DTV packages. You need a 4DTV receiver, of course. You can find them on ebay for reasonable price, however they are getting old, and an on board battery may need to be replaced "on the fly" just Google it. Besides little HD, the 4DTV receiver can not do DVB, which most of FTA is. So you will want to look into an HD FTA receiver, Pansat, Coolsat, and Viewsat to name a few. I use a Diamond 9000 HD, it's fairly cheap, but lacks "Blind Scanning".

Iceberg gave you a good list of analog channels, that should help you aim. Digital C / Ku Band needs pin point accuarcy.

Enjoy.

 

[sergei]

analog channels
87W AMC3 TP 20 V Doc Scott
99W G4/G16 TP16 V Shepherd's Chapel
135W AMC10 TP 9 V QVC
135W AMC10 TP 10 H HSN
135W AMC10 TP 19 V CSPAN2
133W G15 TP 3 H Classic Arts
133W G15 TP 11 H EWTN
133W G15 TP 12 V ShopNBC
133W G15 TP 17 H Inspiration
131W AMC11 TP 7 V CSPAN

125W G14/G5 there is still some scrambled channels on TP 5,6,17 & 22....evens are V

I believe Iceberg that Classic Arts is on TP5 G15/G1

 

[bill__powell]

EDIT: (sorry; served a customer while typing earlier)

Would a Chaparrel Corotor II be appropriate for the suggested HD FTA receivers? (Or is there a better choice?) How do you like the Diamond 9000 HD? Any opinion on Fortec Mercury II as a replacement receiver?

Thanks again...

 

[Mr Tony]

I believe Iceberg that Classic Arts is on TP5 G15/G1

you're right....I typed wrong number

 

[truckracer]

I have a 7.5' mesh dish myself. I get great performance out of it.
The corotor II c/ku is a good choice . I have that same feedhorn and it is awesome. Strong signals from it.

Your analog box will have to control the servo motor and dish position. You will have to use your analog receiver to switch between horizontal and vertical.

You use splitters to split the lnb signals both c and ku for a free to air receiver.
If you get a 4DTV dsr-922 then it will move your dish and do the servo motor on the feedhorn.

A good Free to air HD receiver will be a big plus on your system. Don't waste the money on an HDD 200. They are a little pricey without much HD on 4dtv.

You will notice the standard def pics from 4dtv are very sharp and crisp.
Many fta channels have stunning pic quality too. Some HD channels are in the clear from time to time on fta.

You will love your system with digital. There is a lot more programming up there now. More than the old days.

 

[bill__powell]

Very good, thanks.

And as Lak7 said, now I have a plan. Again, thanks all for the info. I'll stay out of your hair unless (until?) I run into an issue I can't figure out.

Have a good weekend...

Bill

 

[sergei]

Here something to consider depending on what programming your after, will you need to get a new feedhorn. Will you ever use KU, they just moved most of the KU band channels from X4 back to C on W5. You can upgrade your feedhorn to a LNBF so check out Skyvision web page for deals they have on upgrading your antenna for W5 programming. Also ff you get a 920 or 922 receiver at a good price you can get a lot of more programming at better prices by buying programs from different packages. But if you do buy a 920 invest in a APC UPS , that way no problems with power outages and a dead receiver with battery issues. I have three 920's and planning on getting a MPEG receiver later this summer all on UPS, so out of my four systems the only KU will be my 10 footer.
So go online and check out what digital package/ A-la-Carte programs are offered and what format you need to get them with.

 

[bill__powell]

Here something to consider depending on what programming your after, will you need to get a new feedhorn. Will you ever use KU, they just moved most of the KU band channels from X4 back to C on W5. You can upgrade your feedhorn to a LNBF so check out Skyvision web page for deals they have on upgrading your antenna for W5 programming. Also ff you get a 920 or 922 receiver at a good price you can get a lot of more programming at better prices by buying programs from different packages. But if you do buy a 920 invest in a APC UPS , that way no problems with power outages and a dead receiver with battery issues. I have three 920's and planning on getting a MPEG receiver later this summer all on UPS, so out of my four systems the only KU will be my 10 footer.
So go online and check out what digital package/ A-la-Carte programs are offered and what format you need to get them with.

Will do.

I'm a big believer in UPS devices; I have three PCs, phone system, TV, stereo all on individual units. I am even considering a standby generator for the house. We do get some pretty rough weather here on occasion~

 

[sergei]

After the ice storm we had last year which left us with no power,water,etc and all my UPS ran down I had a generator installed which run off my house propane tank. It's good insurance, now I can look forward to bad weather.