I need some Help to setup my Satellite System

[usmanmr]

Hi,
I need some help setting up my Satellite system. I live in Lahore, Pakistan and I have a NEOSAT 1600+ receiver and a 6ft dish. I had originally had it setup on Hotbrid. (I had heard that i'll get the maximum # of channels on Hotbird). But it turns out that most of the channels on Hotbird are non-english which is no good for me.

Now i want to update/upgrade my system. and i dont want to repeat my mistakes again.
Basically i want to view some free-to-air english channels. I just want to be able to view the Latest Episodes of the popular T.V. Shows (Like Lost, Prison Break, Heroes, Monk etc.). Is there any satellite/channel which airs those ? We get good reception of Hotbird here.

I cannot afford the subscription. Its too costly in our area.
Can somone please suggest which receiver i should purchase and which Satellite i should use ?

I'd greatly appreciate your Help.

Thanks in advance.

[BGonaSTICK]

Hi there, welcome to the forum.

To be honest, the advice you were given originally is probably correct. Hotbird has more channels which go out with an English audio option than any other satellite than Astra2 at 28.2E. Have a read here.

Astra2 is the location where maybe 90% of all English transmissions happen, but you have no chance of receiving it from Lahore.

The kind of programming you're looking for is unlikely to be shown in English anywhere else I'm afraid

Some stuff of interest may be shown on BBC Prime. It tends to be a re-hash of stuff carried on BBC1 & 2 but there are some interesting bits. It's all in English and on Hotbird.

It's encrypted however, but easy to open with the correct (cheap) receiver. I have no idea what you can get hold of in Pakistan, or how expensive it might turn out to be in Pakistani rupees.

I believe that there is a patch available for your receiver which opens TPS/Multivision. These channels carry many films with English audio, and you can keep the receiver up to date yourself by re-patching once a week.

I can't find a picture of your Neosat, but I have a sneaky feeling that it might be a clone of the Technomate series - which would make your task a lot easier.

So in short, you need to decide if it's worth going down the patched receiver route. I wouldn't waste your money on expensive receivers if Hotbird is all you can receive. If you could mount a second LNB and get Astra1 at 19.2E as well, it will double the amount of programming you can receive, but again - a similarly small percentage in English.

Have a think and let us know if you need any more advice.

Regards,

STICK

[satsid]

hi usmanmr,welcome to sathelp.in Pakistan i heard the footprint had changed for hotbird & most guys there need a bigger dish.(i think this right?)if i was you in Pakistan i would try get hold of this mag(tel satellite international)with this mag there comes a disk for you pc,now load up the software on your pc.then when done use dish trak,just click with you mouse where you are in the world & it will tell you what size dish is needed for all satellites that you can see.as a feedhunter i find this very handy & for fta signels.
all the best.
from.
sid

[SAT-WORLD]

I think this looks like a likely candidate for the Neosat 1600 mentioned:http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...005-25,DVXA:en

[usmanmr]

Thanks for the help guys, i want expecting an answer that fast. I al ready updated my receiver with the patch. and i guess i'll just have to keep using it the same system. I dont think we get the Astra1 coverage.

What'll happen if i get a better receiver ? With card slots ? Can i get some extra channels on that ? I think i can afford a new receiver if that'll show more channels.

[BGonaSTICK]

Yes, I think you might struggle with Astra at 19.2E, but you never know.

If you want more than your patch is giving you, then to be honest the next level up is something like a Dreambox coupled with a technique like cardsharing. If you're on a really tight budget, then a Skystar 2 PCI card can be made to do a similar job. You might also look at the cheap Dream-a-likes like the Relook, or the new Technomate TM-9100 Linux receivers.

You will need a reliable Internet connection and a valid subscription card to share. Other than that, you're getting about as much as you're going to get.

STICK

[SAT-WORLD]

Hi Lahori Usman

The programmes,you've interested in,tend to be on subscription channels,worldwide.
Most of them,are just not available on free to air channels.
Wouldn't a subscription to Star World,on Asiasat 3C@105.5E be your best,and probably the cheapest(If you got a receiver with CI slots(cam/card slot)
Can't you get most of the American programming,you are after on cable in Lahore.
I thought it was available quite cheaply,(or have prices really gone up. )

[usmanmr]

None of those T.V. shows are on Cable. and Cable is still cheap by the way. But they mostly show dumb Hindi Soaps on it. (no offense to any Indian, i just hate soaps).

I guess i'll try to purchase a Dreambox, i've heard of it before. That might do the trick for me.