Satellite TV for dummies (1 Viewer)

[scotjimland]

When I first looked at getting a satellite system I began by reading lots of posts, but the more I read the more confused I became.. :Sad: and I couldn't justify or afford an 'all singing all dancing' auto system

Too much information and buzz words I didn't understand, .. so in the end I bought a cheap suitcase kit from Maplins and started to play..

Though a process of trial and error I got it working and started to understand what some of the buzz words meant.. eventually I could have this little dish up and running in just a few minutes.. As we were going abroad, I decided to upgrade to a 65cm dish.. nothing fancy, just a plain domestic dish.

This worked great, it clamped onto the rear ladder and still using the same digi box that came with the suitcase we had TV everywhere we went.. then I bought the Maxview crank up.. no more climbing up ladders to align, great reception , but not so good in high winds.. but that's another story..

I like being manual, I don't worry about all the techno stuff, I put the dish up and listen for a signal .. in Morocco I put up the dish and found Nile Sat .. Arabic TV but with plenty of English movies and news..

So, if you are being put off getting a dish either because you don't understand or think you need to spend lots of money.. don't be, you can be up and running for under £100 .. or if you want to spend a little more and have a Maxview dish on a tripod it's still under £200 .

Cheap dishes and digital tuners can be found at Maplins..

 

[gillr49]

Thanks for that post
Yesterday we went and bought the suitcase kit from Maplins £99
Spent last night screwing things together and are just going to brave the cold, well the OH will be outside and I will be inside shouting instructions lol
Wish us luck but at least reading your post I dont feel we've wasted £99

 

[scotjimland]

Thanks for that post
Yesterday we went and bought the suitcase kit from Maplins £99
Spent last night screwing things together and are just going to brave the cold, well the OH will be outside and I will be inside shouting instructions lol
Wish us luck but at least reading your post I dont feel we've wasted £99

Hi

It can be a bit daunting at first.. stick with it, then it all becomes clear as mud
but when you get it working and see all the channels tuning in.. suddenly you are an expert... :Cool:

Good luck, let us know how it goes,

Jim

 

[walburga]

The problem I found with the small dish in the maplins suitcase is the lack of 'degree markings' for the elevation on the support arm / bracket. I've used it in the lakes and got a good picture, and also midway down through France. I now use a redundant sky dish clamped to an alloy broom handle clamped to the rear ladder. I've got the elevation set to 23 deg (I think) and this elevation suits from north lakes down to midlands. I point the dish using a compass bearing to astra 28 and usually get the signal within 30 seconds, although last w/e at grange it took approx 2 mins. I use the maplins decoder which has a built in sat finder, I just turn the sound up on that and with the rear window open slightly I can hear when I've located the satellite.
As long as you get the van some bit level the above works ok.
I've altered the elevation when on the french med, nr st tropez, and still managed to get most channels during the day. Reception did drop off at night though, probably due to the small dish size.

regards
Allen

 

[scotjimland]

I now use a redundant sky dish clamped to an alloy broom handle clamped to the rear ladder. I've got the elevation set to 23 deg (I think) and this elevation suits from north lakes down to midlands. I point the dish using a compass bearing to astra 28 and usually get the signal within 30 seconds, although last w/e at grange it took approx 2 mins. I use the maplins decoder which has a built in sat finder, I just turn the sound up on that and with the rear window open slightly I can hear when I've located the satellite.

Allen, your a man after my own heart .. a true 'bodger' :thumb:


Jim

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[sinbad1]

Thanks for that post
Yesterday we went and bought the suitcase kit from Maplins £99
Spent last night screwing things together and are just going to brave the cold, well the OH will be outside and I will be inside shouting instructions lol
Wish us luck but at least reading your post I dont feel we've wasted £99

I bought one of those couple of years ago for the boat fantastic loads of channels, it can be fiddly to tune it in, i would advise you to get this small meter you'l be able to tune in with ease.

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doesn't matter where you put it as long as there is nothing blocking its path, as a rule in uk just point it south south east the tune it in with your meter.

 

[Road Runner]

I love my telly couldn't be without it.

Sky is super (freesat of course):thumb:

Sad git but honest

 

[dshague]

try this ebay shop .is sat finder is 9.99 maplins 19.99 same one
i can reccomend him
look at the dishs with folding lnb arms.
88cm dish for parts of spain if you want

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[ShiftZZ]

Jim

Tried the Maplin and Aldi Manual systems, gave up, several hours and pi$$ed off better 1/2. Now have a fully automated Oyster. :thumb:

Worth every penny and fitted by Conrad Anderson :thumb::thumb:

 

[geoff1947]

Sat TV

Bought mine from Roadpro at the Malvern show 2 years ago and have had channels as far as the "edge of the world" in Portugal. I get all UK channels as far down as La Rochelle and Sky News and CNN as I go south. Frankly I'm glad to be away from the soaps but do like to keep up to date with current affairs. My system is the Multimo disc and Zender receiver and as I have panel van these fit inside quite well.:thumb:

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[Teasy2007]

I found this site to be excellent Link Removed
This site explained everything very clearly, the section on Aiming your dish is excellent.

We started with the suitcase dish which works ok in UK and France, but then bought a free standing 88 CM dish in Spain. We now take Sky+ and have a great picture on all the sky channels and the facility to record and playback!

I must admit Michael tore his hair a little before we bought a 'proper' Satellite finder the HORIZON USB PLUS DIGITAL SATELLITE METER, it is set to Astra 2 and takes seconds to find and set up, rather than the hours he used to spend before. It cost a lot, but was worth every penny.

Ginny and Mike

 

[walburga]

Looked at the website put on by dshague but couldn't find a folding arm dish. The sky dish I use is a zone 1 approx 45 cm but, I'd be interested in a slightly bigger dish, maybe 60 to 70 cm. I think this would give me better reception on the med coast, and a folding arm would make the back of the van 'cleaner' for travelling. Saying that, when in france I always carry the 125 honda scooter !

And by the way scotjim, I was seriously thinking of the maxview crank up dish, but you've put me off (and who knows probably saved me a lot of hassle).

regards
Allen

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Allen

I thought Maplins had a folding arm dish but I can't find it .. :Sad:

found this one ,,.. looks good

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I see Maplins are doing the Maxview Crank up for £399.. also the Maxview elliptical 66 cm dish with a tripod at £149.99

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EDIT

Just noticed that SDS also sell the Maxview winder and are cheaper than Maplins for the crank up..
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I bought my crank up from SDS.. good service and fast delivery

 

[scran]

When I first looked at getting a satellite system I began by reading lots of posts, but the more I read the more confused I became.. :Sad: and I couldn't justify or afford an 'all singing all dancing' auto system

Too much information and buzz words I didn't understand, .. so in the end I bought a cheap suitcase kit from Maplins and started to play..

Though a process of trial and error I got it working and started to understand what some of the buzz words meant.. eventually I could have this little dish up and running in just a few minutes.. As we were going abroad, I decided to upgrade to a 65cm dish.. nothing fancy, just a plain domestic dish.

This worked great, it clamped onto the rear ladder and still using the same digi box that came with the suitcase we had TV everywhere we went.. then I bought the Maxview crank up.. no more climbing up ladders to align, great reception , but not so good in high winds.. but that's another story..

I like being manual, I don't worry about all the techno stuff, I put the dish up and listen for a signal .. in Morocco I put up the dish and found Nile Sat .. Arabic TV but with plenty of English movies and news..

So, if you are being put off getting a dish either because you don't understand or think you need to spend lots of money.. don't be, you can be up and running for under £100 .. or if you want to spend a little more and have a Maxview dish on a tripod it's still under £200 .

Cheap dishes and digital tuners can be found at Maplins..

got that very same dish but can t get it to work

 

[dshague]

walburga this is there ebay listing for a 88cm dish with folding arm .
if you want to buy more than one item ask for a postage discount .

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[scotjimland]

got that very same dish but can t get it to work

Hi Scran

they can be a bit fiddly at first, I almost gave up, keep persevering.. do you have a sat finder .. ?

If not, buy a cheap audible one, it won't locate a specific satellite, but it makes it soo much easier.. once you get some practice it becomes second nature..

The link given by Teasy in the previous post is a great place for information .. this is a link to the page from the same site for tuning..

www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk

good luck..

Jim

 

[wasp]

I bought mine off E Bay its a bit fiddly at times especially if its cold or raining
but I got used to setting the tripod with the buzzing sat finder.
If I had plenty of dosh I would buy an Oyster system or something but this is fine for us