Satellite (1 Viewer)

[alanf]

A couple of really basic questions about TV. In our previous motorhome we didn't have a TV and I don't have a satellite at home so I a bit of a newb on the subject.

In our new aquistion, which we picked up yesterday, it has a roof mounted Satellite dish. The previous owner has stripped out all their TV/satellite recieving gear. The dealer fitted us a a TV/DVD/Freeview palyer and siad that teh dish can work as a TV aerial. I guess I'll go and check that it works later when I have a few moments.

My main question is, is it worth getting Satellite reciever? and if so, what sort?, I see there is a choice of FreeSat and Free to All, but as I said I know very little about the subject, so some opinions welcome.

Thanks

 

[JeanLuc]

Well firstly, I'm not sure about the claim that a Sat dish will work as a Freeview (terrestrial) ariel - I don't think it will.
So, assuming that the dish is for digital reception (some older ones - particularly imports are analogue and no use in UK now) you need a digital satellite decoder box. With a Free-to-Air (FTA) box you can get all the unencrypted channels (BBC / ITV C4 / five and their derivatives) plus many more. The difference a Freesat box makes is that you need it to get the full programme guide as that is broadcast on a different stream from the programme content. If you can live without the full prog guide, any decent FTA box will suffice. Indeed, some provide limited programme guide information anyway; the one we have does so for BBC channels, but often says "no info" for ITV/C4.

This is what we use:
<< Link Removed >>

Might be worth giving RoadPro a call as they are experts and sell a lot of Sat gear.

Philip

 

[lebesset]

I would certainly never again get a free to air box , only a freesat or sky branded one ...I don't pay for a card for the digibox , so I miss 5US , so what

the advantages of the red button programmes and text and the EPG are worth a lot more than the extra money

eg I have just been watching the tennis from queens , and the F1 preview for canada ...both of these were only available on the red button

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[G4GMO]

Freeview vs Freesat

I can assure you the dish will not act as the aerial for a FreeView box. You will need a separate tv aerial for freeview or a FreeSat box for the dish. They can be bought for less than £50 but you need to check that you have a dual band LNB in the dish and not an old analogue one that is only single band.

 

[keith]

A couple of really basic questions about TV. In our previous motorhome we didn't have a TV and I don't have a satellite at home so I a bit of a newb on the subject.

In our new aquistion, which we picked up yesterday, it has a roof mounted Satellite dish. The previous owner has stripped out all their TV/satellite recieving gear. The dealer fitted us a a TV/DVD/Freeview palyer and siad that teh dish can work as a TV aerial. I guess I'll go and check that it works later when I have a few moments. No it wont, freeview comes via an Ariel not unlike the old TV Ariel a sat, dish won't do it. I would suggest the salesman hasn't get a clue about it. Nothing new there then

My main question is, is it worth getting Satellite reciever? and if so, what sort?, I see there is a choice of FreeSat and Free to All, (no free to Air) but as I said I know very little about the subject, so some opinions welcome.
You will need some type of Sat. receiver, either Sky or have a look in Maplins they have a few different ones. As long as your dish has an LNB (the bit that sticks out at the front) it will work with most sat receivers, you don't need a dual LNB.
What make is the dish, is it auto or manual?

Thanks

Keith

 

[pappajohn]

The dealer fitted us a a TV/DVD/Freeview palyer and siad that teh dish can work as a TV aerial.

and these are supposed to be the people to put you on the right path when parting with many thousands of pounds oh::Angry:

a sat dish is just that...a dish to receive satellite signals...not terrestrial digital signals.

anyway.....forget the TV aerial and buy a satellite receiver....you already have the roof mounted dish so use it.....theres no difference in price really.


disadvantage of terrestrial tv.....


1) every time you stop anywhere you need to find the transmitter and set the aerial to point at it.
then you have to retune the tv EVERY time...different transmitters use different frequencies so retuning is a definate.

2) its not always possible to get a signal...you may be in a valley or behind a large hill.

3) can be affected by bad weather so no signal


disadvantages of a satellite system.


1) you do still have to point the dish at the satellite but its always in the same position in the sky so easy to find.

2)some regular digi channels arent shown on free to air satellite.


advantages of terrestrial TV


1) same channels as at home. (almost)



advantages of a satellite system


1) no tuning once the systems set up....same signal everywhere.

2) not usually affected by weather.

3) hundreds of channels both english and foriegn

4) you can still watch uk tv in france and northern spain.

5) too many more to list :thumb:

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[alanf]

Its called an Oyster Digital.

I put the dish up.
I turned the TV on (this is a new TV supplied by the dealer) and by default it was on digtial setup, I let it try to find channels, and as you guys stated (and contrary to the salesman) it found no signal.

So I thought lets just see on analogue, and it scanned through the channels and it found one - Oyster, so I though perhaps that is just the positioning menu. But no - there was BBC1 load and clear on Astra 2.

When you say 'is it automatic' I'm not sure wht the definition is, but i'd guess it was automatic, as turn it on and it goes up, and then starts rotating and pointing at things, and then rotates again etc, and when you select a channel on a differnet satt is says 'repositioning' and the motor activates.

A bit more fiddling around and some how I seem to loose all the Channels except French ones. then I managed to re-gain Astra 2, but with 'poor signal', a bit more fiddling and I seem to get the channels back, but with some big shadows.

So in summary, looks like all the satelite recieving equpiment is there, contrary to the salesman who told me I'd have to get a reciever (what do they know?), and I will have to learn a bit about satellites, transponder and other things that I know nothing about yet, to try and get good pictures!

All in all a pleasing experiment today.

 

[pappajohn]

well arent you lucky...

looks like you have around £1500+ worth of sat dish AND a receiver.:thumb:

there has to be a receiver there somewhere or you wont get anything at all.

UNLESS.....the TV may have a built in freesat receiver if its brand new...which it is. :thumb:

is the aerial plug a normal push-in type or does it screw into the tv or is it connected by a scart lead ?

 

[keith]

Its called an Oyster Digital.

I put the dish up.
I turned the TV on (this is a new TV supplied by the dealer) and by default it was on digtial setup, I let it try to find channels, and as you guys stated (and contrary to the salesman) it found no signal.

So I thought lets just see on analogue, and it scanned through the channels and it found one - Oyster, so I though perhaps that is just the positioning menu. But no - there was BBC1 load and clear on Astra 2.

When you say 'is it automatic' I'm not sure wht the definition is, but i'd guess it was automatic, as turn it on and it goes up, and then starts rotating and pointing at things, and then rotates again etc, and when you select a channel on a differnet satt is says 'repositioning' and the motor activates.

A bit more fiddling around and some how I seem to loose all the Channels except French ones. then I managed to re-gain Astra 2, but with 'poor signal', a bit more fiddling and I seem to get the channels back, but with some big shadows.

So in summary, looks like all the satelite recieving equpiment is there, contrary to the salesman who told me I'd have to get a reciever (what do they know?), and I will have to learn a bit about satellites, transponder and other things that I know nothing about yet, to try and get good pictures!

All in all a pleasing experiment today.

Sounds good, just check there are no trees or any other obstruction causing the weak signal, if not keep playing I'm sure you will get to be an expert soon. :thumb:
As John said a good system the Oyster it will get you a good signal once you get used to it. I have seen them working all over Europe.