Satellite newbie with inherited equipment.

[jfragons]

I just moved into a new house out in a rural area of NC. There is a 10' mesh dish with a "SuperJack 2" motor on it in the front yard.

In my living room, there is a ribbon cable on the floor. It has two normal rg-6 coax feeds and two sets of wires that I assume run the motor on the dish.

There is no cable tv available out here and I've been recieving catalogs in the mail for satellite equipment.

I'm very interested in playing with the satellite to see what I can get, but I don't know where to start.

I ordered a pansat 2700a from a skyvision catalog. I haven't recieved it yet, and I don't really know what I can get with it once I do get it.

What can I get with the equipment I have? Will I need a seperate device to move the dish or will the pansat reciever control this?

Also, there are subscription programming packages offered in these catalogs. Will I be able to subscribe to channels with this pansat box or will I need different equipment?

I would like to try these programming packages because they are very inexpensive, unlike cable and dishnetwork.. But, I'm not sure that what I ordered will allow me to do it.

Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

You could use the equipment to subscribe to one of the packages from Skyvision-if it works of course. You could then slave the Pansat to the big dish to see more free channels. You will need a 4DTV receiver though for the big dish. The Superjack will move the big dish.

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome

I moved this to the C-Band area. I'll try and help with some of it

I just moved into a new house out in a rural area of NC. There is a 10' mesh dish with a "SuperJack 2" motor on it in the front yard.

In my living room, there is a ribbon cable on the floor. It has two normal rg-6 coax feeds and two sets of wires that I assume run the motor on the dish.

The 2 RG6 cables I assume are for both C Band and KU Band. The ribbon wire controls the actuator (mover) and the polarity

I'm very interested in playing with the satellite to see what I can get, but I don't know where to start.

you found the right place. There are a lot of us working with C-Band and Free to air so we'll help ya out

I ordered a pansat 2700a from a skyvision catalog. I haven't recieved it yet, and I don't really know what I can get with it once I do get it.

There are two types of channels up there. Analog & digital. Analog was the older style and digital is the newer. The big difference with digital is the programmers can put more channels on a space (transponder). The 2700 will pick up free to air stuff (digital programming).
check out www.global-cm.net and scroll down to the MPEG area. Since you have a C-Band dish, one thing that is nice is there are the Networks on there (ABC, CBS, NBC) so if you can't get any stations with an antenna, this helps

What can I get with the equipment I have? Will I need a seperate device to move the dish or will the pansat reciever control this?

The Pansat will not move the dish but I think (keyt work is think..someone can verify) that it can control the polarity. There is a device called a V-Box that will allow you to control a big dish with the 2700. The other option is to find a C/KU receiver on Ebay. That will control it too

Also, there are subscription programming packages offered in these catalogs. Will I be able to subscribe to channels with this pansat box or will I need different equipment?

not with the Pansat. Again, you will need a C/KU receiver or a 4DTV receiver (920 or 922). If you get an analog receiver, make sure it has a VCII board in it. The VCII board allows you to subscribe to programming. The 4DTV, although more expensive, will allow you to subscribe to much more programming

I would like to try these programming packages because they are very inexpensive, unlike cable and dishnetwork.. But, I'm not sure that what I ordered will allow me to do it.

check out www.skyvision.com or www.callnps.com for some programming options. Digital programming would require a 4DTV. Analog is just a regualr C/KU box.

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

Well Iceberg blew away my answer!

You are lucky to have the dish and motor-that's a fantastic thing they left you. As Ice said, all you need is some odds and ends and a 4DTV reciever and you should be golden!

 

[Mr Tony]

even if you don't want to subscribe to alot but maybe the regular cable type channels (USA, TNT, ESPN, CNN) analog would work just fine. (and the boxes are pretty cheap too)

 

[dfergie]

This might move the dish with the Pansat http://sadoun.com/Sat/Products/Moteck/V-Box-II-control.htm

 

[tdti1]

Your best bet is to get the 4dtv dsr 922, Skyvision has them at a great price, you can slave the Pansat to the 4dtv like this:
http://www.dmsiusa.com/add_a_receiver.htm

You will want to ask here on this forum if anyone has a VCII+ board to give or sell you at a good price, this board slids inside the 4dtv and allows you to subscribe to analog channels along with the digital channels the 4dtv gets already on its own.

You may want to see if the feedhorn is C-band only, or if it is both c/ku, if it is only C-band you may want to upgrade the feedhorn with a new c/ku one and grab some nice lnb's at the same time you get the 4dtv.
Good Luck.

 

[jfragons]

Thanks for all the help, guys.

I've checked ebay for some receivers. I think i'll grab an analog receiver for now since they are relatively inexpensive. $300+ for a 4dtv is out of my range for the time being. I really just want to tinker with it right now.

I think my dish is only c-band since only one of the coax lines has a plug on the end.. The other is cut off. How can I tell what kind of feed horn I have?

I don't watch very much tv, so i'm in no big hurry atm.

I just want to get something going before the new seasons of the shield and battlestar galactica start this winter.

Thanks again!

 

[dfergie]

Look at these feedhorns and see if your's is like one of them...

 

[BKP]

The satellite Galaxy 14 has the most analog pay channels .. Check out this link - http://www.lyngsat.com/g14.html

Welcome...




BK

 

[tdti1]

You will need a VCII+ board in the analog IRD, so make sure you get that, and don't pay to much.

 

[Tron]

You made a good choice for your FTA receiver, as the Pansat 2700 will control your polarotor (polarity). It will not, however, control your actuator (motor the dish from one satellite to another). But then, only a couple of VERY expensive FTA receivers can do that.

 

[gizzer777]

VCII Boards

Your best bet is to get the 4dtv dsr 922, Skyvision has them at a great price, you can slave the Pansat to the 4dtv like this:
http://www.dmsiusa.com/add_a_receiver.htm

You will want to ask here on this forum if anyone has a VCII+ board to give or sell you at a good price, this board slids inside the 4dtv and allows you to subscribe to analog channels along with the digital channels the 4dtv gets already on its own.

You may want to see if the feedhorn is C-band only, or if it is both c/ku, if it is only C-band you may want to upgrade the feedhorn with a new c/ku one and grab some nice lnb's at the same time you get the 4dtv. YES POSTED BY ME!
Good Luck.

I have a spare VCII+...but I don't think it is worthwhile as I don't even watch what little VCII subs I have left (will not be renewing this year) except for my Starz and discovery HD stuff. Maybe a small Digital Pak. I have a Pink one (the last VCRS made series) that has the orig battery (a never been opened but I could replace that battery too Battery for these costs about $7.50 and are supposed to be good for 10 yrs...VCII will be long gone by then IMHO....!) and my hot spare blue one (VCII+...no RS which was never implimented)) where I changed out the Battery last dec. Was collecting them last year ..gave me something to save!

If you wish, PM me and we can see about what you are after! I would be willing to let the Pink one with a new batteryt for $15 + fgt...guaranteed working (I would test first) or $22.50 + fgt with a new battery ....tested to be working but I will have to break the seal to do it....big deal in these days! Way back when...a broken seal was a sign of possible modification!

If you really want one of these....at least get one with a new battery! IMHO! (Besides, I have been wanting to crack open the Pink one just to practice..... There is a thread in the Faq where I also saved a DSR 920 last Dec that I keep as a spare, by replacing its battery. VCII+ are a little tougher since you must supply outside power when replacing that lithium job..I kept the 920 powered up when I did the batteryectemy...was easier.! There is also a link in the faq on how it is done!