What to buy

[Edmundo]

I really need some help since I have no idea what to buy.

I'm thinking on buying a pansat 3500 and the wave frontier because a friend of mine has it and is very satisfied with it. Unfortunately, I can't see how it works because he lives in Mexico.

My main interest is to point to the following satellites, primarily to view Mexican channels that I'm assuming are free:

Satmex 5 116.8 W
Intelsat Americas 6 93 W
Solidaridad 2 113 W

I live in Rochester Hills, MI 48309 and I need to know what equipment you guys recommend, dish size, etc.

Will I be able to access these satellites?
How good of a picture will I get?
If I already have dishnetwork, do I need to have 2 dishes on the roof or can one do everything?

Thanks in advance

 

[PSB]

Hello and WELCOME to the SatelliteGuys.US FTA forum.

You will need a new dish of at least 30" and a KU LNBF. The bigger the dish the better your signal will be. That does not mean a better picture but if it starts to rain or snow you will hold on to your picture longer.

With FTA satellite digital TV its GREAT picture or NO picture, just like Dish and Directv.

 

[PSB]

Solidaridad 2 is a C-Band satellite you would need a VERY large dish, around 6-10'

A 30-36" dish will work for most FTA satellite.

Here are the angles to the satellites from your area......

Rochester Hills, MI 48309
Latitude 42° 40.008'N Longitude 83° 10.908'W

              Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
-----------------------------------------------------
  12.5°W Atlantic Bird   12.5W 103.4 111.3  5.4 -45.7
            Telstar 12   15.0W 105.2 113.1  7.2 -45.2
          Intelsat 901   18.0W 107.4 115.3  9.4 -44.6
                 NSS 7   22.0W 110.4 118.4 12.3 -43.5
          Intelsat 905   24.5W 112.4 120.3 14.0 -42.8
          Intelsat 907   27.5W 114.8 122.8 16.1 -41.9
         Hispasat 1C/D   30.0W 116.9 124.8 17.9 -41.0
          Intelsat 801   31.5W 118.2 126.1 18.9 -40.4
          Intelsat 903   34.5W 120.8 128.7 20.9 -39.2
           AMC 12/T 11   37.5W 123.5 131.4 22.9 -37.8
               NSS 806   40.5W 126.3 134.2 24.8 -36.3
             Pas 3R/6B   43.0W 128.7 136.7 26.4 -35.0
                Pas 1R   45.0W 130.8 138.7 27.6 -33.8
          Intelsat 705   50.0W 136.0 143.9 30.5 -30.7
          Intelsat 707   53.0W 139.4 147.3 32.1 -28.6
          Intelsat 805   55.5W 142.3 150.2 33.4 -26.7
                 Pas 9   58.0W 145.2 153.2 34.6 -24.8
              Amazonas   61.0W 149.0 156.9 35.9 -22.3
            EchoStar 3   61.5W 149.6 157.5 36.1 -21.8
             Rainbow 1   61.5W 149.6 157.5 36.1 -21.8
              Nahuel 1   71.8W 163.5 171.4 39.4 -12.1
             DirecTV 1   72.5W 164.4 172.4 39.6 -11.4
                 AMC 6   72.0W 163.7 171.7 39.5 -11.9
             Galaxy 12   74.0W 166.6 174.5 39.9  -9.8
                 SBS 6   74.0W 166.6 174.5 39.9  -9.8
               GOES 12   75.0W 168.0 175.9 40.1  -8.8
                 AMC 5   79.0W 173.8 181.8 40.6  -4.5
             DirecTV 3   81.8W 178.0 185.9 40.7  -1.5
               Nimiq 2   82.0W 178.3 186.2 40.7  -1.3
                 AMC 9   83.0W 179.7 187.7 40.8  -0.2
          Brasilsat B3   84.0W 181.2 189.1 40.7   0.9
              AMC 2/16   85.0W 182.7 190.6 40.7   2.0
                 AMC 3   87.0W 185.6 193.5 40.6   4.1
                  IA-8   89.0W 188.6 196.5 40.4   6.3
             Galaxy 11   91.0W 191.5 199.4 40.1   8.4
             Nimiq 1/3   91.0W 191.5 199.4 40.1   8.4
          Brasilsat B4   92.0W 192.9 200.8 39.9   9.4
             Telstar 6   93.0W 194.3 202.2 39.8  10.5
             Galaxy 3C   95.0W 197.2 205.1 39.3  12.5
             Telstar 5   97.0W 199.9 207.9 38.8  14.5
             Galaxy 4R   99.0W 202.7 210.6 38.2  16.5
       DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 205.4 213.3 37.5  18.4
                 AMC 4  101.0W 205.4 213.3 37.5  18.4
            Spaceway 1  102.0W 206.7 214.6 37.2  19.3
                 AMC 1  103.0W 208.0 215.9 36.8  20.2
                AMC 15  105.0W 210.6 218.5 36.0  22.0
           Anik F1/F1R  107.3W 213.4 221.4 35.0  23.9
             DirecTV 6  109.5W 216.1 224.0 34.0  25.7
            EchoStar 6  110.0W 216.7 224.6 33.8  26.1
            EchoStar 8  110.0W 216.7 224.6 33.8  26.1
               Anik F2  111.1W 218.0 225.9 33.3  26.9
         Solidaridad 2  113.0W 220.2 228.1 32.3  28.3
              SatMex 5  116.8W 224.5 232.4 30.2  31.0
             DirecTV 5  119.0W 226.8 234.7 29.0  32.4
            EchoStar 7  119.0W 226.8 234.7 29.0  32.4
 EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 228.9 236.8 27.8  33.6
            Galaxy 10R  123.0W 230.9 238.8 26.6  34.8
             Galaxy 12  125.0W 232.9 240.8 25.4  35.9
         Galaxy 13/H 1  127.0W 234.8 242.7 24.1  36.9
  Telstar 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 236.6 244.6 22.8  37.9
                AMC 11  131.0W 238.4 246.4 21.5  38.8
             Galaxy 1R  133.0W 240.2 248.1 20.2  39.7
                AMC 10  135.0W 241.9 249.9 18.8  40.5
                 AMC 7  137.0W 243.6 251.6 17.4  41.2
                 AMC 8  139.0W 245.3 253.2 16.0  41.9
            EchoStar 1  148.0W 252.3 260.3  9.7  44.5
            EchoStar 2  148.0W 252.3 260.3  9.7  44.5
                      
............................................................
                      
 *** DBS SATELLITE ***
                      
         EchoStar 3/R1   61.5W 149.6 157.5 36.1 -21.8
          EchoStar 6/8  110.0W 216.7 224.6 33.8  26.1
            EchoStar 7  119.0W 226.8 234.7 29.0  32.4
 EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 228.9 236.8 27.8  33.6
            EchoStar 5  129.0W 236.6 244.6 22.8  37.9
          EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 252.3 260.3  9.7  44.5
                      
               Nimiq 2   82.0W 178.3 186.2 40.7  -1.3
             Nimiq 1/3   91.0W 191.5 199.4 40.1   8.4
                      
       DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 205.4 213.3 37.5  18.4
             DirecTV 5  110.0W 216.7 224.6 33.8  26.1
            DirecTV 7S  119.0W 226.8 234.7 29.0  32.4
                      
                      

Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

This will help reading the charts......

http://www.dmsiusa.com/charts.htm


C-band signals have a 4 digit Freq.

KU-Band signal have a 5 digit Freq.

Look at the bottom of this page for the color codes of each satellite in the Lyngsat chart.

http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html

 

[Edmundo]

Thanks PSB, what is your opinion on the wave frontier T90?

 

[PSB]

I have seen one close up. I prefer a single motorised dish, that way the whole dish is pointing at the satellite and collecting signal. Unlike the above dish where the signals have to bounce off the sides of the dish. The above dish is mainly used for DBS satellite, even then special LNB's are sometimes needed.

 

[jayelem]

Alot more Spanish Channels on C-band

Edmundo, I'm also interested in receiving Spanish programming from Latin America, and have looked many times at Lyngsat.

Solidaridad 2 - is not possible unless you live in the southwest and is C-band.

SatMex 5 - has many FTA channels on c-band but very few on ku-band especially from Mexico.

Intelsat America 6- good choice for Azteca Siete and Trece. Ku-band

Galaxy 10R - is good for several Univision and Telefutura channels from other cities. Ku-band

Pas 3R - does have one Televisa Channel (guadalajara) Ku-band , but I don't know if a 90 cm dish can get a strong signal.

C-band is definitely the way to go for channels from Mexico, and other Latin American countries.

Hispasat D has some channels from Cuba which are pretty good, I've watched Cuban Television from Telerebelde and Cubavision, and they show some pretty good movies (even the gringos would like), Cuban Baseball, alot of U.S. TV just subtitled or dubbed.


Stay away from that Wave frontier 90, PSB is right a single motorized dish is the way to go.

 

[Edmundo]

Jay:

How can you tell that the channels in satmex5 are c-band and not ku-band. What dish do you recommend and what type of LNB?

Thanks

 

[PSB]

Look at the bottom of this page for the color codes of each satellite in the Lyngsat chart.

http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html
__________________

 

[Edmundo]

Look at the bottom of this page for the color codes of each satellite in the Lyngsat chart.
http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html
__________________

Satmex is both C & Ku, does it mean the signal is transmitted in both ways?

 

[PSB]

Yes many / most do both C and KU

 

[Edmundo]

I would appreciate if a member with a 30" dish is willing to point to satmex 116.8 w and confirm that they can see the following channels, it would help me convince my wife

Canal de las estrellas
Canal 5
Galavision Mexico

Thanks in advance

 

[jayelem]

Edmundo, heres a great link for FTA from Mexico, channels in Pink are C-band, and the Green ones are Ku-band, the columm on far right will let you know if its DBS , Digicipher 2, or NTSC (analog).

http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/Mexico.html

Want Everything * * * *

How much are you ready to spend, C-band Dishes are expensive, and you still need all the accesories to get it going.

Got a pick-up truck,don't mind traveling hundreds of miles, plenty of people get rid of theirs thru ebay, pick up only, I've seen sweet deals where they could have gotten more for their 4DTV alone than all together w/dish, actuator, LNB.

You need a 4DTV receiver to get Videocipher II Price tag $400 and up + some models will move your dish too. This receiver gets NTSC Analog signal too.

FTA Receiver to get MPEG 2 (DBS) It wont move a BIG Dish, so you still need the above unless you have a Dish Mover, so lets add $150 +

Want to see scary prices for C-band dishes , Feedhorn,LNB, and actuators, go to Skyvision . heres the link http://www.skyvision.com/

Feeling Lucky, Look around town, you might find the dish for free, be polite and ask, alot of people have picked up c-band dishes that way, could save you hundreds of dollars.

Oh by the way these dishes are big, do you have a big yard and a good line of sight to the satellites you want, If you have a lot of trees or tall structures in your way this could be a problem.

 

[jayelem]

It looks like your wife is gonna need some more convincing, because you will need a Big Dish . Antenna Parabolica MUUUUUY Grande.
with 4DTV Receiver for Digicipher 2.

Canal 5 -Televisa ,watch Novelas way before their shown here. Digicipher 2 C-band Dish
Galavision MEX
Canal de las estrellas Mex (same thing)

 

[Edmundo]

Thanks for the info Jay, but there is no way she will approve a big dish and I don't want the HOA knocking on my door.

What is a videocipher receiver?

 

[jayelem]

Motorola technology, you need to buy their reciever to watch that particular signal.
Luckily what you want is not encrypted, you still need a big dish.

 

[Sadoun]

Edmundo

Maybe your best bet would be a motoried KU band only satellite system. You will find some Spanish channels on G10R, Amazonas (61.5W) and Hispasat 30W. At your location, you should be able to reach Hispasat easily. They have quite a few FTA Spanish channels from Spain and other Spanish speaking countries.

 

[Edmundo]

Thanks again for the advice, I will continue to research my options.

I've read the reviews on this forum about the receivers and still think the pansat 3500 is a good option. A local installer recommended a Samsung but I can't find a review on it. Is it a good receiver?

 

[Edmundo]

Edmundo

Maybe your best bet would be a motoried KU band only satellite system. You will find some Spanish channels on G10R, Amazonas (61.5W) and Hispasat 30W. At your location, you should be able to reach Hispasat easily. They have quite a few FTA Spanish channels from Spain and other Spanish speaking countries.

The installer wasn't able to find Hispasat.

I have a Winegard 2076, quad lnb, SG2100 and coolsat 5000. What can I do to get this satellite?

 

[jayelem]

Hi Edmundo, you are using the SG 2100 to motorize your dish, so far what is the the satellite furthest east that you have picked up, and are you using USALS or Diseqc on your receiver ? Do you see a problem with the Line of sight, for instance a tree or building that might obstruct your view ?

 

[PSB]

The installer wasn't able to find Hispasat.

I have a Winegard 2076, quad lnb, SG2100 and coolsat 5000. What can I do to get this satellite?

Make sure you are using a LIVE TP, some that are listed on Lynsat are non LIVE.

After entering the above use 1.2 to motor the dish until you see signal quality, sometimes when you use USALS it will not motor to the far west or east.