So is it this easy to start?

[urhstry]

I have an 8 foot dish in my yard that was here when I bought my house. If I buy a tuner such as the Manhattan DJ-1997, I can hook it right in and get satellite programming? My zip is 17824. Looks like the dish is pointed the right way for Galaxy 19.
On another note, I am about to buy a new LG tv and it has a satelliete tuner built in. Would this negate the purchase of the Manhatten Tuner? Or am I looking at things incorrectly? Thanks guys.

 

[KE4EST]

Welcome to FTA!
You do already have the most physically demanding part out of the way assuming the dish is in good shape. It still wouldn't hurt to oil up all the moving parts before trying to get it to move again.
Yes, you will need a receiver such as the Manhattan. However, also so you will need something to move the dish with. Receivers are just not made anymore with built in movers.
You will need something like the Titanium ASC1 or a vbox/gbox. Does the dish have an actuator and motor installed on it? You may have clean it up.
If not you will want to purchase one. You will also need to pop the cover on the dish and see what is under the hood. Pictures will help us help you a lot.
So give us a few more details about the dish and some photos. Also your aprox. location will be nice also.

 

[bpalone]

Some pictures of the 8 foot antenna, would help us to be able to answer a bit better.

That said, you may end up having to replace some things on the antenna, maybe not. If it has an actuator on it, you might want to see if it still works. Not familiar with the LG TV, but the receiver you mention should do fine.

Edit:
I type to slow. but you got good advice from KE4EST above.

 

[Shicks4]

I know samsung had a tv with a built in fta receiver in partnership with SES, but i dont think they were sold in the us. I beleive the target was in africa. Never heard of the lg tv with build in satellite tuner but i can ask my buddy that is a Lg dealer for information.

 

[Shicks4]

I have an 8 foot dish in my yard that was here when I bought my house. If I buy a tuner such as the Manhattan DJ-1997, I can hook it right in and get satellite programming? My zip is 17824. Looks like the dish is pointed the right way for Galaxy 19.
On another note, I am about to buy a new LG tv and it has a satelliete tuner built in. Would this negate the purchase of the Manhatten Tuner? Or am I looking at things incorrectly? Thanks guys.

Do you know what model# LG television this is? I just called my buddy and he is only aware of LG televisions with built in sat tuners marketed in europe for satview, but can work in fta mode.

 

[urhstry]

The TV's I was looking at were in fact made for Europe, but I assume that would still work here in the states.

Pictures of my sat coming up....

 

[RimaNTSS]

I just bought LG for garage. Is has SAT and Terrestrial tuners build in. By now watching only terrestrial as have no coax from sat-antenna.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Speaking about antenna-mover, we have such a positioners for sale. It is in the box wit Diseqc 1/4 switch.

 

[Shicks4]

The TV's I was looking at were in fact made for Europe, but I assume that would still work here in the states.

Pictures of my sat coming up....

that kinda jives with what My buddy was telling me then, I dont know much about European electronics, but I could quiz my son in law who is British.

Honestly im pretty new to FTA, and was only really aware of it early last year when i was visiting some friends that were still using an old c-band dish and were showing me what they were getting. Took me a while to get my to do list, honey do list, and work list whittled down enough that i could actually devote the time into getting started. I would say c-band will be challenging and learn what ever you can. I made the incorrect assumption that having successfully set up a motorized 90cm Ku setup in an afternoon successfully c-band would be a piece of cake.

I assumed wrong. took me the better part of 2 weeks before i had the dish working halfway reliably. If i had it to do over again I wouldnt even start until i had all of the right equipment to start. (known working receiver, asc-1, lnbf or lnb and servo motor for a feed horn, and a known working actuator) I had a lot of success at the top of the arc early on but got frustrated as i tried to scan and lock tp on the edge. I got a LOT of help from people here and reading posts from other people on c-band set up. Now im setting up a c/ku feedhorn and have been a lot less frustrated thanks to learning everything I have learned so far. Still have a tiny bit of adjusting to do to pick up ku from 125w, everything east of there im getting but if i peak 125 in and readjust at my south it should all work, but it may not. Im tempted to leave it like it is now, but its taken a lot of hours to get where i am now. So i would caution you to not think it will be "easy" even if the dish is preinstalled. But you might get lucky.

 

[Titanium]

As a hobbyist, I wouldn't consider a TV with built-in satellite tuner. In a hobby where technology changes so fast that in a few years, the tuner or demodulator will need updating, or it has incompatibilities with certain channels, switches, motors, etc. Best to go with a separate TV/monitor and STB.

 

[KE4EST]

As a hobbyist, I wouldn't consider a TV with built-in satellite tuner. In a hobby where technology changes so fast that in a few years, the tuner or demodulator will need updating, or it has incompatibilities with certain channels, switches, motors, etc. Best to go with a separate TV/monitor and STB.

I couldn't agree with this more!

 

[Shicks4]

As a hobbyist, I wouldn't consider a TV with built-in satellite tuner. In a hobby where technology changes so fast that in a few years, the tuner or demodulator will need updating, or it has incompatibilities with certain channels, switches, motors, etc. Best to go with a separate TV/monitor and STB.

Speaking of tuners within a receiver, what is kind of a general length of time a receiver generally good for before updating? I know some of these receivers are in the $35 to $40 range and some of the nicer receivers are $150 up. Just a general question as to how future proof are some receivers and how long (in general terms)?

 

[Titanium]

In general, every 4-5 years a new modulation or coding seems to come along. HEVC H.265 channels are becoming more common and some of us have been playing with new models for the past year. IP satellite delivery is also becoming more common.

 

[urhstry]

Here is what I have without opening the covers.

 

[Jason S]

Looks like a Winegard dish.

Have you run a tape measure across it?

A few other things to consider (beside the receiver):
- Using string or fishing line, run several strands across the dish to verify the dish is not warped. Run a line from one rim of the dish to the opposite rim. Then run another line perpendicular to the first line, and so one. If the lines touch at the center of the dish, then it should be good. If not, there may be some adjustments needed.
- For the actuator, I would remove it and pull it apart to make sure the motor works and the acme screw inside the tube is in good shape (not covered in rust and pitted). If all is good, then you can lube up everything in the actuator.
- Have patience when setting up the dish. It's a fun hobby, but there is a learning curve (for me at least) to get things going.

 

[urhstry]

I am going to attempt to take it apart and clean it up. At this point I want to get a signal to my tv to see what all I can get and go from there. If the tuner in my tv (that I haven't gotten yet) does not fit the bill, I am going to have to get some sort of tuner. I'm an OTA antenna guy but have no clue about anything with this dish.

 

[bpalone]

I do see that you have one panel that needs to be worked on. But, other than that, you may luck out. If you haven't done it yet, go and spray all the joints and bolts that you may need to undo or adjust with penetrating oil of some sort. I would spray for a couple of days or more. Then when you take the actuator off, manually move the dish to be sure it isn't froze where it is, I would also spray lube on it as I moved it. Then secure it on one side or the other. Don't want to let the wind blow it around and bend it.

You might be lucky with the actuator. But you won't know until you get into it. Good luck and have fun with it all.

 

[RT-Cat]

Nice pictures. Best one with the cat in it. Your actuator looks just like both of mine. You may even get lucky and have mechanical limit switches inside. One of mine did and the other did not. Something you will learn about as time goes by. Welcome to posting and enjoy. I see you have been a member for a long time.

 

[urhstry]

SO... I take it my reception was better than most due to these little 'signals' being put out.

 

[Hockeynut]

I am going to attempt to take it apart and clean it up. At this point I want to get a signal to my tv to see what all I can get and go from there. If the tuner in my tv (that I haven't gotten yet) does not fit the bill, I am going to have to get some sort of tuner. I'm an OTA antenna guy but have no clue about anything with this dish.

Take it for what ya want but you are waisting time and money doing this with a TV....Nice Winegard dish...Much better off hanging around and asking more questions about receivers,dish movers etc...Take ur time and gather info.