Thoughts on DirecWay + Motor?

[TheJesus]

I've been lurking for a long time - and I'm finally ready to move into the world of FTA.

I've read some posts that say that the DirecWay dishes are good for KU stuff. I'm specifically interested in 97W - although I'd be happy to get the Equity content at 123W as well.

So while I suspect that this dish at 39" wide and 23" high will be good enough for getting 97W in a stationary position, do these oblong dishes work well (or at all) with motors?

I've also read that the LNB that was used for direcway will be just fine, I just need to disable/bypass the transmit side?

Thanks in advance!

 

[TheJesus]

Craigslist elliptical dish

Sorry if this is a double post (dont think it is - i can't find the first post I tried to make : -)

I'm getting an elliptical dish off of craigslist for $50. It's 39"x23" - a DirecWay dish with the KU FSS LNB (it comes with the modem which I'll just try to ebay - as I have no use for that). I've done some reading around here, and I understand this to be a dish some of this forum members have used for FTA. I'm interested in receiving the FTA content on 97W mostly.

I'm wondering, however, if this dish would work well with a motor, or if elliptical dishes are suitable only in a stationary position? I'd also like to try to get 123W if possible for the locals provided by Equity - and maybe more as I get more experience with this.

Any thoughts, suggestions, or lectures? It's all appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[Mr Tony]

I havent tried one with a motor and I dont know how well they work as that back bracket is HEAVY. I use to have one (same size 39x23) and it works great
I think if you removed most of the bracket and fabricated something it might work. Folks do that with Primestar dishes all the time

yes the LNB will be fine...just bypass the transmitter. On the LNB itself there should be a coax...lemme try and find a few pics of mine

 

[turbosat]

I have one of those dway dishes, mine's the fiberglass/composite looking material, and tis very heavy. If you were to take off the transmitter, and the mount off the back you could probably make it work. I would take the dish off the mount and weigh it, leaving that azimuth-adjusting part on there, because it is handy for setting the proper 'skew' on the dish. A strong motor like the DG380 would most likely handle it ok, with a home-made bracket. Search the other threads here on "motorized primestar" and you'll see some examples of how people have built their own simple brackets to attach that type of dish, and primestar dishes, to an H-H motor with minimum total weight. And, mine did great on 97, and 123.

 

[TRG]

Any thoughts

Just one thought. $50 is WAY too much to spend on a small dish like that. That's just my opinion though. That and $3 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

 

[melgarga]

If he can recoup most back on the modem, then he is still ahead. Likely the seller wouldnt take less thinking it is marketable for it's original intended service.
Maybe so, I dont know.
Personally I would have checked the going price for the modem before I dropped 50 bucks on it though.

 

[willie8605]

Yes, you definitely want to take off the transmitter; it will shed a few pounds from the setup and will help relieve some stress from your motor. I have a similar set-up I am working on with a HughesNet dish (same as your Direcway dish) except without the motor. I'm going to try and finish mine within the next week or 2. Trying to pick up 123W right now and may add another LNBF later to pick up 125W.

I would like to know how your motor handles this heavy equipment we have. Also, what receiver are you going to use?


Keep us posted on how your setup goes.

 

[TRG]

If he can recoup most back on the modem, then he is still ahead. Likely the seller wouldnt take less thinking it is marketable for it's original intended service.
Maybe so, I dont know.
Personally I would have checked the going price for the modem before I dropped 50 bucks on it though.

I'd save the time and effort and spend the $50 on our new Gold Sponsor's special offer.
WS9036 - New 90cm 36 inch 360inch 90 cm satellite dish antenna for fta satellite dish

 

[Mr Tony]

merged the threads together

 

[TheJesus]

Thanks for the replies guys.

That 90cm dish looks like a great deal. I ended up picking up this dish before I checked the forum again. I think I'll still be ok if I can get somebody to buy the modem. Shipping is also a killer too - cost more than the dish

The dish looks to be in great shape. I'll be hooking it up to my MythTV machine (gentoo linux, twinhan 1020a or nexus-s and an ATSC card).

One question - does 97W broadcast an EIT? E.g. will I be able to get guide data? I know most of it won't be worth much, but what the heck.

Thanks again!

 

[MikeinBaja]

Thanks for the replies guys.

That 90cm dish looks like a great deal. I ended up picking up this dish before I checked the forum again. I think I'll still be ok if I can get somebody to buy the modem. Shipping is also a killer too - cost more than the dish

The dish looks to be in great shape. I'll be hooking it up to my MythTV machine (gentoo linux, twinhan 1020a or nexus-s and an ATSC card).

One question - does 97W broadcast an EIT? E.g. will I be able to get guide data? I know most of it won't be worth much, but what the heck.

Thanks again!

If you do decide to go ahead wit the motor projuct on the old DW, please post updates. I have several of them - have been thinking of the motor idea - but have not yet taken the time to mess with them on the motor.

 

[turbosat]

Thanks for the replies guys.

That 90cm dish looks like a great deal. I ended up picking up this dish before I checked the forum again. I think I'll still be ok if I can get somebody to buy the modem. Shipping is also a killer too - cost more than the dish

The dish looks to be in great shape. I'll be hooking it up to my MythTV machine (gentoo linux, twinhan 1020a or nexus-s and an ATSC card).

One question - does 97W broadcast an EIT? E.g. will I be able to get guide data? I know most of it won't be worth much, but what the heck.

Thanks again!

*There are some channels on 97 that have guide info, some of them are scrambled though, so it doesn't do us much good! And some are in foreign languages, some work at night but not in the daytime, but yes some have a guide. Mostly just curiosity for me to see which works and which don't.