Satellite novice requires advice/help

[Miklos]

Hello, the name is Mike (username Miklos)
Satellite installations is not my forte so I would like some expertise on the matter!
I have Sky digital on a standard Sky digital dish, with a Pace receiver. Had this for many a year.
Now, I have a foreign wife and would like to surprise her by being able to receive Iranian channels.
Where do I start?
I am aware I need probably a motorised dish (or secondary dish) but could someone give me the full rundown of what exactly is needed (ie receiver, dish etc) and more importantly an estimated cost for supply & fitting?

Is it possible to pick up Hotbird or Telstar channels on my standard Sky digibox by just changing my dish to a motorised dish? If so, what other adjustments - if any - would be required?

I'd welcome ALL options available to me.
Cheers,

Mike

[BGonaSTICK]

Hi Mike, welcome to the shop floor

You'll need a receiver (your Sky box is basically knobbled to be useless for anything other than Sky) a larger dish (though not necessarily motorised) an LNB and a dish mounting bracket.

If you want to keep your existing Sky dish (and I would if you wish to carry on watching your free English channels - best to keep it separate) then you'll also need another cable run, clips etc. too. Your installer will have all this small stuff on the van.

I'm not sure of the Iranian channels available or what dish size you'll require, but I'm sure the chaps here will come up with a number of options for you in no time at all

Of course you could also consider installing yourself with a little support from us. It's not too hard if you're a half-decent DIYer.

STICK

[DJB55]

Hiya Mike,

You could start looking here at lyngsat.com and be looking at the packages Europe 73°E-0°E

Not sure about Iranian channels, but there is a lot of Middle East stuff there.

You might need a largish dish though.

Installation of a motorized system is fairly straightforward, I managed it a few months back and I am no technophobe.

Common sense, practical DIY skills, ability to read a compass, and reading just about everything on this site concerned with the matter are pre-requisites.

[Miklos]

Thanks STICK for the welcome and for the advice/info.

I am pretty decent at DIY and have done some home theatre installations from house to house in my time, but I have never tackled satellites.
I've always moved to a house which just happened to have a pre-installed Sky dish and all I had to do was take my receiver

Sounds to me like it should be a sinch from you're description and probably the hardest thing facing me would be the positioning/aligning of the dish!!!???

I'll have a go at tackling the installation myself. I haven't yet bought the equipment, obviously, but when I do, and if I need step by step guidance I know who to ask

A couple more questions if I'm going to tackle the job myself:

1. (Now don't laugh if this sounds dumb...) Does the dish HAVE to be outside? Could it be positioned in the loft for example? The outside option would be to position it on the garage roof!!! But preferably, and to cut down on the need to have to bury c@bles, I'd like it in the loft if it is possible.

2. Will ALL non-Sky receivers pick up the satellites I want (ie Hotbird & Telstar)? I do I need a specific brand/type?

I think that's about it for now. I have a pretty clear picture in my head what need's to be done. Just need to transfer that from grey matter to practice

Thanks again!

Mike

[Miklos]

Originally Posted by DJB55

Hiya Mike,

You could start looking here at lyngsat.com and be looking at the packages Europe 73°E-0°E

Not sure about Iranian channels, but there is a lot of Middle East stuff there.

You might need a largish dish though.

Installation of a motorized system is fairly straightforward, I managed it a few months back and I am no technophobe.

Common sense, practical DIY skills, ability to read a compass, and reading just about everything on this site concerned with the matter are pre-requisites.

Cheers mate!

I think most of the Iranian channels come from the USA (L.A to be exact), channels like ITV(Iranian TV), Jaam-e-Jaam, IRIB, Persian Music Channel etc.
There are a couple that come direct from Iran that are half decent, but the rest are pish!!!!

I'll check out that site, thanks!

Mike

[BGonaSTICK]

Yes, if you have the patience to do a little reading, can wield a drill gun and a spirit-level, then you'll have no problems. Alignment is the only bit that requires a little skill - well, patience more than skill.

Dish cannot go it the loft I'm afraid as it's view can't be obstructed in any way. Garage roof sounds promising, or mount it at ground level if you have room.

You choice of receiver and dish will depend on exactly what channels you want, so if you know what they are, point us at them on the Lyngsat site posted above

[Robbo]

Hi Miklos,
Here is a couple of links for free to air Iranian TV.

http://www.flysat.com/tv-fars.php
http://www.flysat.com/tv-ir.php

Have a look through there.

The Hotbird ones, you would easily get in the UK. But for the others you would need to click on the last column so see where the beam is aiming. Lyngsat also gives an indication of the dish size needed.

To get digital ku band FTA channels, any standard digital satellite receiver will do the job.

Robbo

P.S It is possible to have a satellite dish behind glass, from reports that I have seen, but not ideally.But this would be a last resort, eg for a flat, or a conservation area or something. Depending which way your garage roof faces, it soonds ideal, you could run the cable up the wall into the loft and down again I presume.

[Miklos]

OK, dorky question time again

Assuming I have bought all the gear, set it up as best I can etc, etc.

Would this equipment http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTORISED-DIGI...QQcmdZViewItem

Provide me with ALL these satellites?
http://www.lyngsat.com/europe.html

Thanks,

[Robbo]

Originally Posted by Miklos

OK, dorky question time again
Assuming I have bought all the gear, set it up as best I can etc, etc.
Would this equipment http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTORISED-DIGI...QQcmdZViewItem
Provide me with ALL these satellites?
http://www.lyngsat.com/europe.html
Thanks,

Hi,
I can't look at the eBay link, as it is blocked on this connection, but the answer to your question regardless is NO.

You have to make sure that the satellite you want is above the horizon, and actually has a beam pointing at your location and that your dish is big enough.

If you click on the last column on lyngsat a footprint map will be displayed.

As a quick guide satellites between + and - 45 degrees of you longitude can normally be picked up (not all of them),
at wider angles, the elevation starts getting low, so that buildings etc get in the way until you go to about 70 degrees either way and they disappear below the horizon.

Have a look at this picture.

http://www.satellitehelp.co.uk/forum...ic,1353.0.html

Robbo

[Miklos]

Originally Posted by robbo71

Hi,
I can't look at the eBay link, as it is blocked on this connection, but the answer to your question regardless is NO.

You have to make sure that the satellite you want is above the horizon, and actually has a beam pointing at your location and that your dish is big enough.

If you click on the last column on lyngsat a footprint map will be displayed.

As a quick guide satellites between + and - 45 degrees of you longitude can normally be picked up (not all of them),
at wider angles, the elevation starts getting low, so that buildings etc get in the way until you go to about 70 degrees either way and they disappear below the horizon.

Have a look at this picture.

http://www.satellitehelp.co.uk/forum...ic,1353.0.html

Robbo

The set on the Ebay link was for the following:
The Full Package Includes

1 x Technomate TM-1500 CI Super + patch cable.

1 x 90cm ISS dish

1 x Wall Mounted Bracket+Fixings

1 x H to H Motor with USALS\DiSEq 1.2

1 x 0.2db LNB

1 x 20M Coax Cable

4 x “F” Connectors

50 Cable Clips

So you're saying a system like this won't pick up all the European satellites?
I mainly want Hotbird 6 + whatever else I can pick up would be a bonus!!

Looks like I'm going to have to pick up a few copies of What Satellite before I start :?

Cheers anyway!