What's Ku Good For?

[equant]

Mods, please resist the urge to move this out of the C-Band forum.

Today I was about to drop some cash on a Ku dish and LNB when I decided to look into what channels I'd get (brilliant!). After perusing thelist, ftalist, and global-sm, I decided to postpone my purchase. As a non-religious english speaker, I'm not sure I see a whole lot of value in haveing Ku.

I can't imagine I'd spend that much time watching Ku-band in comparison to C-band. So, for those of you with C-band, what are your opinions? How is your time split between the two? Which can you live without?

I'm sure I'll invest in a dedicated Ku dish someday regardless of answers, but I figured I'd get some seasoned wisdom from you all. For now, C-band is far better than good enough for my needs.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Check these places, they will about anything you want to know:

SatelliteGuys.US - TheList

North & South America - LyngSat

Have fun!!!!!!

 

[Inno]

Before hooking up an old C-Band dish of course I watched all Ku and my Express-Vu subscription. Since C-Band I'd say it's probably a 50-50 split. RTN used to be a mainstay and PBS was right up there.
Since installing a motorized C-Band dish though I'd say I probably won't be on Ku more than 10% of the time for the majority of my watching. For me it'll probably be mostly for PBS on Ku.

The only nice thing about Ku is that you can still get a good variety of stuff without a big dish if you're short of room or live in a place that won't allow a BUD.

 

[voomvoom]

If you can get Ku-Band, it's a Good thing!
If you can get C-Band, it's a Good thing!
If you can get both C & Ku Band, it's Great..!!!!! much much better than just either one......

If you could only get one, personally I would get C-Band if it was a choice between the two. But, lucky me, I don't have any such problem..!!

 

[goaliebob99]

If you can get Ku-Band, it's a Good thing!
If you can get C-Band, it's a Good thing!
If you can get both C & Ku Band, it's Great..!!!!! much much better than just either one......

If you could only get one, personally I would get C-Band if it was a choice between the two. But, lucky me, I don't have any such problem..!!

I wish I had your lack of problems.. For me I can only get ku... But im working on that. BTW its not a dish issue.

 

[Mr Tony]

lots of feeds on KU (news & sports)
RTN on AMC9
Equity channels on G18

 

[Lucky53]

I have both ..Ku and C-band on my 10Ft. fiberglass dish....C-Band is best by far..more stable picture and more HD..for me anyway..my 2 cents worth..

 

[tdti1]

Ku has great feeds I can't do without ku-band.

 

[Inno]

Ku has great feeds I can't do without ku-band.

I've never gone feed hunting on Ku, probably because I don't have a motorized Ku dish..........yet.
Actually I haven't feed hunted in probably 10 years or more, since most things were analog. It was so much simpler back then.

 

[schlever]

Feed hunting is probably the most rewarding aspect of this hobby for me anyhow. Its great to watch a backhaul news feed or sporting event in true HD without commercials. To be quite honest, I rarely watch any of the regularly scheduled channels anymore .....

 

[equant]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their insight. The feedback I got was exactly what I hoped for. My original assessment lacked the Ku Feeds. I'll probably watch Cband programming more, but the Ku will be fun for feed hunting.

Are feeds discussed in the pub-member-forums? Or is there another private area for feed discussion?

 

[14karat]

Are feeds discussed in the pub-member-forums? Or is there another private area for feed discussion?

Um... nope
And um... technically, yes, but nope
(at least that's what I've gathered...)

You'll find more info posted in other threads, but the general consensus is that there is a fear of the word of clear feeds spreading 'too much' so that the transmitter finds their info posted all over the web and scrambles the signal.
I totally agree with this being a problem for us.

I, personally, would love a private group where this is discussed as I currently only have one dish working (I'm getting the other two going soon...) Some of the guys have many dishes with each dedicated to certain birds and with multiple receivers so they can scan a LOT of stuff all at once.
I'm left with position dish, peak signal, scan and wait...
...repeat...
...repeat...

So by the time I find something it is usually going off... DOH!

I WILL get there once I get the other dishes online...