Christmas present...

[georgew77]

Hi ubernoob here

Have absolutely no experience at all with this stuff, but I think getting a motorised freeview kit for my brother for xmas would make an excellent present - he lives in a poor freeview reception area, and is too tight to pay for a subscription service.

I came on to the idea when struggling to think of something to buy him I saw the fortec kit in the local maplin store for £99 which is the right sort of budget.

Maplin > Motorised Digital Satellite Kit

Anyway i'd appreciate it if someone in the know could tell me if its a) any good or b) if there is a better kit available?

I'd like to have everything in a box ready to give him at crimbo so he aint got to wait to set it all up.

Appreciate any help you can give me...



G.

[Robbo]

Hi george, welcome to the forum,

I think it would make a great present.

It is not the best kit available, but for that price, its very good value.

The Maplin kit will only get you free to air channels. If he gets into satellite, he could always upgrade to a better receiver later on.


A budget kit with a better receiver and dish would normally cost more like £200:

Special Technomate Prices

Robbo

[Yorks]

Hi georgew77. Welcome to Techwatch.

As robbo says a decent starter kit.

One thing to bare in mind is that as it currently stands you will not be able to receive channel 4 or Five, as they are not FTA (free to air) channels on satellite. Hopefully this may start to change with the advent of Freesat in early spring next year, as and when broadcasting contracts expire. Watch this space.

_http://www.freesat.co.uk

Yorks

[georgew77]

Ok, i'll go and pick one up tomorrow - if he likes it then he can upgrade and stuff.

I take it he can watch more than just the standard aerial digital recieved channels? The C4 and 5 doesnt matter too much, he could watch those on normal telly...

Thanks for the help!

G.

[southernsatellite]

Why not look to get the MVision S4 80cm Motorised at £129.95! (See eBay item number: 170159923726 in my eBay shop) A patchable and PVR ready by USB kit alot better than Maplins offer, why spend £99! when a bit more get you more!

[Yorks]

Yep. That kit comes with a motor, so providing he has a suitable location he will be able to pick up quite a few satellites besides the FTA SKY stuff. Quite a lot of it is foreign tv. Here's a list of free English stuff.

_http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/United-Kingdom.html

Yorks

[Robbo]

I'd spend the 99 quid, as I'm a tight git

and let him buy his own upgrade if he wants it.

And if wants to know where to get a Technomate from, you'll know where to send him.