Looking to get Technomate 1500 - Newb

[data]

Ok, new to this game so go easy. I've had a read around the forums and faq's but can't find the answers I'm looking for (but have learnt a whole lot more than I knew existed )

I want to get the Technomate for ART sports & Al Jazeera 1 & 2. Does the reciver need to be patched to get these channels? I realise they will need the subscription card which I believe this receiver has room for.

I live just north Liverpool so could you confirm the size of dish required? I was thinking 90cm?

I have a minidish installed but not being used. Could the feed go into the Technomate and provide the FTV channels? Will the channels all be available together (ie from both Satellites) or do I have to change a setting to switch from to the other?

Next question. If I decided to add another LNB for say 19e, how many LNB feeds can the Technomate take? Or is there some hardware that combines all the feeds together and then just one cable into the Technomate?

I'm sure this will lead to further questions after the purchase but I just need to get my head around the basics for now and this forum seems to be the least intimidating place to get it.

Thanks to STICK and the others for everything I've learnt so far!

[Jimdefruit]

Hi Data a big welcome to you.

I expect one of the Technomate specialists will give you full details on that particular receiver.

You can connect several lnbs to the technomate but only through what is called a diseqc switch. The receiver only has one input but with a diseqc switch, the receiver can be made to connect to the appropriate lnb for a particular satellite.

You can use your mini dish to continue to receive fta channels but you will need a sky card to clear the free to view but encrypted channels like channels 4 and 5. I dont think you can make the Technomate read the sky card, so you will need a digibox or a different receiver for that.

[data]

Thanks Jim.

Judging by that I'll just be going with the one LNB for the time being as I'm trying to minimise cost.

Any thoughts on the dish size?

[$ly]

90cms will do the trick, but do consider a monoblock.
I'ts like a double LNB which recieves 13 and 19 E at the same time, your reciever just switches satellites when necessary.


Rgds


L.

[BGonaSTICK]

Yes, a four-way DiSEqC switch is less than a tenner on eBay, so you may as well chuck your Sky dish LNB into it as well. Channel 4, FIVE and Sky Three are the only 'free' channels you won't get from 28.2E

Just leave the Sky dish as it is and run the cable into one of the four inputs on the switch. The single output obviously goes to the Technomate. If you want to do this, I'd go for two separate LNB's on the 90cm dish or it'll get complicated. A monobloc has a 2-way DiSEqC switch built in.

The receiver may run your ART card right in the internal card reader (you may have to load a patch) or certainly with a red Viaccess 2 cam regardless of having a patch installed or not.

Once you have configured the receiver (easy) flicking between four satellites is as easy as flicking between channels. It's done automatically, and with no delay whatsoever.

[data]

Thanks for the help guys.

From what I can tell a shielded DiSEqC switch can be mounted outside and does not require a seperate power supply? The less drilling right through walls the better

Also, no further hardware is required?

[BGonaSTICK]

Yes, that's right.

Choose a dish that has a multi-LNB arm available for it like the Triax TD88. These have two or four LNB arms available - just buy it as a kit. The Raven Gemini 90 is another good VFM dish with multi-LNB options.

An LNB for each satellite, a four-way DiSEqC switch and enough 'F' connectors and cable to make up the short runs to the LNBs. Don't forget to pick up a bunch of cable clips and cable-ties to finish it all off. You need CT100 (or close equivalent) cable for all the cable runs.

The switch is waterproof, so can be mounted outside (you must waterproof the connections with some self-amalgamating tape) and the single output is the only cable to come indoors. Power is provided along the single coax by the receiver.

The only other thing you might need is the Viaccess CAM if the patch doesn't do it (not sure if it will or not).

Good luck!

[data]

Thanks for the help.

I'm going to stick to one LNB at the moment and just pick up hotbird, and wire the sky dish into the diseqc switch.

I found one at Maplins that also takes a terrestrial signal as well as 2 sat feeds. It's 24.99, is that a good price? The technomate has an lnb loopthrough so this should be able to go into the ant in and then feed through to the tv to provide terrestrial?

I think I will purchase from satellitesuperstore.co.uk the following equipment, let me know if it is ok for just picking up hotbird. If I could get away with a smaller dish it would be nice but I want a signal even in bad weather.

Triax TD88 dish (90 cm)
Triax LNB 0.3 dB
64.99 for the set including wall mount.
CT100 cable - 20 meters 5.00
box of f connectors (10) 1.00
a weatherboot to shield the f connector to the LNB 1.00
Coachbolts and plugs for wall mount 6.00
Technomate TM1500 CI+ Super 99.95

This comes to 208.00 incl delivery

Does this seem reasonable? Can anyone offer alternatives?

Anyone have a reliable place that carries the carte sport card at a reasonable price? I don't want to get scammed on that.

Again thanks for the answers so far, looking forward to getting up and running now.... 8)

[data]

Should have mentioned the £208 includes a service to tune the receiver into the hotbird channels to make finding the satellite easier. That is £11.95. Worth it or not?

[BGonaSTICK]

That all sounds like a good deal, but I have no idea what the 'tuning' service is?!?! Don't bother!

You can do that yourself, so shave that off the price. Everything else is good value.

Except the DiSEqC switch. Not sure what that is you've selected (Maplins are generally pants for satellite stuff IMO), but I would definitely keep your satellite and terrestrial separate. Just buy a simple 4 into 1 DiSEqC switch. Don't bother with the LNB loopthrough for now. This can be troublesome, and you don't need the extra complexity while you align your new dish. Play with it later, but only for satellite loopthrough, not terrestrial.

Satellite Superstore do a basic 4 way DiSEqC Switch - Order code DIWITC4 on this page: http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/accessories.htm

Choosing the Triax dish is a good move, as you can go back and add the multi-LNB arm at any time, and know it will fit properly. I wouldn't go for anything smaller than the TD88 personally. You may limit what you can receive.

I think the Carte Sport card can be had for under £150 if you shop around. I don't like to recommend card suppliers really but stick to one of the bigger ones that support the forums. They have most to lose by providing bad service. Satcards.co.uk are normally OK, as are Waferworld.co.uk.

STICK