Where do I begin - please help - Techwatch: Satellite TV forums, FTA, Cable, Hardware, & Tech forums

mikytush · 22-06-06, 03:32 PM

Please help me as I haven't got much of a clue where to start.

I am interested in replacing my current sky + system ( very good though ) with something a bit cheaper in the long run as I'm sure it's not going to get any cheaper. Currently have the full package, movies / sports / discovery & kids stuff etc. So it's about £42 / month. Not bad for Sky over the years ( robbing b@@@ards ).

I've heard about the Dreambox - is this the one to go for?

what size dish do you recommend - live 12miles west of newcastle?

If I want to get more of the same channels that we currently watch do I need a fixed dish or is it just as easier to go for a motorized system?

Will I still be able to pick up any sky channels apart from news & sky sports news?

Obviously I'll beable to get free view, so the kids will be happy with CBeebies.

What type of card will I need to purchase / any idea on cost etc?

Will I have to keep updating the card and if so is it easily to do with a pc or will I need a programmer?

As two years worth of Sky subscription is about £1000, will it pay for it's self?
( As I don't want to keep giving my money to a company that monopolizes the market )

many thanks, please reply to me either this or scarymonster1uk@yahoo.co.uk many thanks again ( a confused idiot )

BGonaSTICK · 22-06-06, 03:49 PM

Hello m8. You've done the right thing by checking out the forum scene for a start.

We are more focused on helping raw beginners at Satellite Help than any other forum I know, so stick around and pick our brains

You cannot get a direct replacement for Sky+. Whatever else you can get is a slightly different proposition really.

If you need a high degree of reliability, then Sky is the best solution really. If you can get away with the basic free channels (and your family doesn't lynch you) then you can top it up with whatever's available at the time.

Sometimes that's more stuff than you can shake a stick at, and other times (like right now) virtually nothing. Last week we had truckloads open, and it can change daily.

Having said that, there is a one very good package open at the moment but only on the Cerebro programmable card, and that's the German Premiere bouquet. Most movies in English, and loads of sport.

I'd probably go for a 90cm or 1m dish where you are, and if you want the most flexibility and viewing than add a motor.

Have a read through our beginners section here and use the search function for plenty of reading, and feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

You can get a basic system for about £250, and go up to maybe £800, so it's not that expensive.

I agree with your philosophy on monopolies, and if you're prepared to be a little open-minded and put in a little regular effort, you can have more viewing than ever.

Hope this helps,

STICK

Jimdefruit · 22-06-06, 04:06 PM

Hi Mikytush, welcome to the forum. Its not quite true what you say ('I dont know where to start').

You have started in exactly the right place. There is plenty of excellent advice here.

You should definitely go for a motorised dish because there is a lot out there besides the 28.2E satellite showing the uk channels. I personally think you should also go for the Dreambox but then I am biased.

Anything you can get on any other receiver, except HDTV, is available on the Dreambox without the use of cams and cards.

Add an official card at a fraction of the Sly costs and you will get plenty.

Have a read and come back with questions and we will try to help.

Mickha · 22-06-06, 11:53 PM

Hi mikytush,
if you're looking for a new hobby, this is a great one , but if you're looking for a replacement to S*y, I don't think your family will thank you !!!! If you're looking for cheaper satellite programming, phone S*y, cancelling your contract, they'll get back to you offering you half price for a few months, hang on longer and you'll get a longer bargain.
I have a friend that regularly cancels S*y in summer and has it for 6 months, at half price, in Winter, you'll be surprised at what they offer you to keep you as a customer.
If you want to try this hobby, check where due South is, if you think that your S*y mini dish is at 28.2 East of South, if you stand facing where the LNB is pointing, and swing 28 degrees to your right, that is where due South roughly is. If possible you are better off with a ground mount, in your garden, providing you have a clear line of sight to the satellites from 30W to 30E of South, and then get a 1.1M Triax or 1.25M Gibertini dish. If not think of where you can put a 90cm dish, and motor, on your wall, to get the same range of satellites.
For initial outlay, you might want to consider the Technomate 1500 + receiver, around £100, before upgrading to a newer, High Definition receiver, next year, when more models, and features become available, the dish and motor will last you a lot longer than that.
Please read the forum and post back with any questions.
Best wishes
Mickha

mikytush · 24-06-06, 09:56 PM

Hello to you all & many thanks for the great advice.

Well I seem to be convinced that it's worth a try, and the end of the day I've got alot of channels that I'm paying good money for and don't actually use. So if I can get some type of package installed then get the majority of what I already use then I'm saving money and I would finally tell sky where they can shove there subscription.

I gather it's probably best getting one of these systems installed professionally or as I'm not a half wit at this sort of stuff do you think it's easily enough a DIY job. I gather as long as you can be certain that you have the full range of line of sight to the East to West then atleast that's the start point?

If I go for a motorized system with the Diseqc motor & the vbox along with at least an 80cm dish, is this all I need externally?

Would the only other item I need be a receiver - I gather from what I've been told and read that the Dreambox has everything built it & there for I would not need a CAM / CARD - is this because I download everything to the Dreambox via a router / ethernet as it's got it's own IP address? ( long question but probably short answer )

But if I go for a very good system receiver like the technomate or similar then you have to buy the CAM / CARD and do you also have to buy a programmer?

Or is the sole purpose of the programmer to hack?

Also If I buy the equipment as above will the software automatically set the system up by finding the satellites etc?

Also is it just worth buying a cheaper version of the Dreambox ( the 500, I believe )

I also gather that even though there is alot of free stuff to watch it is probably better subscribing to one of the packages available, if this is correct which is the best one to subscribe to?

Any recommended suppliers of equipment that you've dealt with?

I've also heard something about card sharing? how does this work? Is this a case of finding 6 or 7 people whom you know and sharing the cost of subscription - something like copies of Windows XP where anyone can use them?. (obviously the magazines don't cover topics like this and if I phoned someone they might not give me all the info required. It doesn't seem to be the case of knocking on someones door who has a monster great sat dish in their garden and asking them about it as people are very skeptical about this!!!.

Would it be possible to use my current sky + box to come through this to the tv and this way it could possibly act as a twin tuner pvr?
( Either way I would sell it on ebay if I got enough out of sat tv).

Anyway I can't think of any more questions at the moment. many thanks - if you need to reply to be either use this one or email me at scarymonster1uk@yahoo.co.uk thanks again

BGonaSTICK · 25-06-06, 12:00 AM

Quote: