Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? - Techwatch Support Forums: Digital & Satellite TV, FTA, Cable, Computers, Mobile Phones, Apple and General Tech Forums

MartinFTA · 14-10-06, 04:42 PM

Hello all!

I moved into a house with a dish already installed on the wall. I don't want to subscribe to Sky because I don't watch 'that' much tv. I have a tv with built in Freeview in my lounge and I would like the same sort of setup in the bedroom. I've heard of 'free to air' receivers.. so my questions are:

1. Can I use an FTA receiver in conjunction with the dish and a simple lcd monitor (liker you would use with a computer)? Or do I have to buy a 'proper' tv?

2. Am I right in thinking I can't use a Freeview box with the satellite dish..?

Many thanks in advance!

satsid · 14-10-06, 06:23 PM

hi m8,a ss2 card & pc will work with that,& not cost you the earth.just a thought.
all the best.
from.
sid

arden · 14-10-06, 08:29 PM

heres an idea you could use one of the video to vga converts that console suppliers like lik-sang sell

Ive used lik-sang before and found them first class for service and delivery

BGonaSTICK · 15-10-06, 12:23 AM

Hi Martin.

A couple of good ideas there for you. The SS2 is the 'Skystar 2' PCI card for your PC. Pop it in, load some software, connect your dish and put the output straight into your computer's LCD flat panel!

I've never tried one of the converters that arden mentions, but I'd be very interested to see one in action. I don't know why they don't sell millions of them. I've always thought there should be a little gadget to do that.

As for Freeview (the terrestrial digital service) I'm afraid that the two systems are completely different and incompatible.

Other than a PC and Skystar card, yes there are loads of stand-alone FTA satellite receivers to choose from, or you could just buy a second-hand Sky digibox and use that. The channel package (even without subscribing to Sky) is pretty good for lightweight general viewing, and reception isn't as patchy as Freeview!

If you want to watch Channel 4, FIVE and Sky three (these are known as 'Free to View' channels) you have to pay a one-off fee of £20 to sky for a card, and this will only work in a Sky digibox, not an FTA receiver.

It's a little out of date at the moment, but our sister site www.ftasat.co.uk has all the channels listed.

Hope this helps

Welcome to the forum!

MartinFTA · 15-10-06, 09:13 AM

Hello and thanks for the friendly welcome!

Great advice - thanks. I still have 1 question which is puzzling me...

I have the dish, assume I have the FTA receiver, which I connect to the dish. Can I now attached an LCD flat panel monitor to the receiver? Or do I need a proper 'standlaone' telly?

My logic behind this is that the receiver does all the clever decoding stuff and simply requires a output device - a screen.

I'm sure this is a daft question but I've surfed a lot of sites and no-one mentions what can connect from the receiver - I'm assuming a tv but I thought I'd ask! Can things like video recorders be connected?

Thanks again.

BGonaSTICK · 15-10-06, 12:01 PM

OK, we obviously didn't explain that bit very well

Really, you need a proper TV.

You can connect this to your receiver, plus video recorders and whatnot using SCART leads or RF cables. Standard sort of stuff.

What arden was saying is that there IS a little gadget which you can buy that effectively connects/converts a PC screen so that it can display video normally shown on a TV.

Here's an example: http://www.mediaatlantic.com/product.php/66883/75/

I don't know what the quality is like, and your LCD screen would have to have a 15-pin VGA input and not just DVI.

I think the reason that the converters are not very popular is £££.

Small LCD TVs have dropped so far in price now. I think that's what I would go for in your case.

Hope that clears it up.

STICK

MartinFTA · 15-10-06, 07:34 PM

Thanks very much Stick - that explains EXACTLY what I was wondering. I know what to do now.

Many thanks,
Martin.

14-10-06, 04:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
MartinFTA Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? Hello all! I moved into a house with a dish already installed on the wall. I don't want to subscribe to Sky because I don't watch 'that' much tv. I have a tv with built in Freeview in my lounge and I would like the same sort of setup in the bedroom. I've heard of 'free to air' receivers.. so my questions are: 1. Can I use an FTA receiver in conjunction with the dish and a simple lcd monitor (liker you would use with a computer)? Or do I have to buy a 'proper' tv? 2. Am I right in thinking I can't use a Freeview box with the satellite dish..? Many thanks in advance!

14-10-06, 06:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
satsid Feedhunter Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,814 Thanks: 31 Thanked 86 Times in 62 Posts	Re: Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? hi m8,a ss2 card & pc will work with that,& not cost you the earth.just a thought. all the best. from. sid

14-10-06, 08:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
arden Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 471 Thanks: 4 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? heres an idea you could use one of the video to vga converts that console suppliers like lik-sang sell Ive used lik-sang before and found them first class for service and delivery __________________ tm9100 diablo 2.3 and triax 1.1 motorized cards inc AKTA and Gamma

15-10-06, 12:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Dodgy Geezer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 9,718 Thanks: 3 Thanked 166 Times in 60 Posts	Re: Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? Hi Martin. A couple of good ideas there for you. The SS2 is the 'Skystar 2' PCI card for your PC. Pop it in, load some software, connect your dish and put the output straight into your computer's LCD flat panel! I've never tried one of the converters that arden mentions, but I'd be very interested to see one in action. I don't know why they don't sell millions of them. I've always thought there should be a little gadget to do that. As for Freeview (the terrestrial digital service) I'm afraid that the two systems are completely different and incompatible. Other than a PC and Skystar card, yes there are loads of stand-alone FTA satellite receivers to choose from, or you could just buy a second-hand Sky digibox and use that. The channel package (even without subscribing to Sky) is pretty good for lightweight general viewing, and reception isn't as patchy as Freeview! If you want to watch Channel 4, FIVE and Sky three (these are known as 'Free to View' channels) you have to pay a one-off fee of £20 to sky for a card, and this will only work in a Sky digibox, not an FTA receiver. It's a little out of date at the moment, but our sister site www.ftasat.co.uk has all the channels listed. Hope this helps Welcome to the forum! __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

15-10-06, 09:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
MartinFTA Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? Hello and thanks for the friendly welcome! Great advice - thanks. I still have 1 question which is puzzling me... I have the dish, assume I have the FTA receiver, which I connect to the dish. Can I now attached an LCD flat panel monitor to the receiver? Or do I need a proper 'standlaone' telly? My logic behind this is that the receiver does all the clever decoding stuff and simply requires a output device - a screen. I'm sure this is a daft question but I've surfed a lot of sites and no-one mentions what can connect from the receiver - I'm assuming a tv but I thought I'd ask! Can things like video recorders be connected? Thanks again.

15-10-06, 12:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Dodgy Geezer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 9,718 Thanks: 3 Thanked 166 Times in 60 Posts	Re: Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? OK, we obviously didn't explain that bit very well Really, you need a proper TV. You can connect this to your receiver, plus video recorders and whatnot using SCART leads or RF cables. Standard sort of stuff. What arden was saying is that there IS a little gadget which you can buy that effectively connects/converts a PC screen so that it can display video normally shown on a TV. Here's an example: http://www.mediaatlantic.com/product.php/66883/75/ I don't know what the quality is like, and your LCD screen would have to have a 15-pin VGA input and not just DVI. I think the reason that the converters are not very popular is £££. Small LCD TVs have dropped so far in price now. I think that's what I would go for in your case. Hope that clears it up. STICK __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

15-10-06, 07:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
MartinFTA Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Can I use an lcd monitor with a dish and FTA receiver? Thanks very much Stick - that explains EXACTLY what I was wondering. I know what to do now. Many thanks, Martin.