Advice needed for Polsat/Cyfra+ and Freesat system

[aleks]

Hi All

I'm completely green on this whole satellite malarkey, so I apologise in advance for any 'schoolboy error' comments!

I am hoping to set up a satellite system which I can get either the Polsat or Cyfra+ packages (both Polish) which I gather is on Hotbird. Subscriptions-wise the Polsat/Cyfra+ pre-paid cards over here cost an arm and a leg, but as I have family over in Poland would it be feasibile to get a standard month-to-month contract paid over there, but send the card over here to be used in a decoder? Will it work? and is it legal?

In addition to the Polish packages, I would still like to get access to Freesat for English channels. My initial thoughts were get a motorised system with something like a Technomate 5400 decoder so I can view Hotbird for Polsat/Cyfra+ and Astra 2 for Freesat, which would also give flexibility to try other satellites for fta. However, when I spoke to a local satellite system installer they said I would need two seperate systems; a 60/80cm dish for Hotbird with one decoder and a 45cm dish with an official Freesat decoder, as this is the only way to receive Freesat. Seems a bit bizarre that something called FREEsat would be so heavily encrypted! Is there really no way I can keep it to just one dish and one decoder? I think I read somewhere that a Freesat patch is available for technomate 5400?

The satellite installer quoted me £275 for an 80cm fixed dish with decoder (not sure which one - probably basic) installed, and between £100 to £200 for Freesat depending on if its SD or HD. I Haven't sought any comparable quotes yet, but it seems a very steep in comparison to DIY-kits. If thats the price then I will probably do it myself.

I live in Sheffield if that has any bearing on anything. According to 'Dishpointer' I should have no problem with Hotbird, Astra2 and numerous others.

Thanks in advance for responses. They will be greatly appreciated, as I have been getting brain overload with all the information out there!

[Rick]

Hi,

What you installer says is frankly crap. You can use a number of recievers to get both sets of channels, there are dedicated freesat recievers on the market which have the chanel numbers set kinda like sky boxes. Though there are many more that will let you put the chanels in any order you want. If you get one with a common interface slot you can use a cam to read the polsat/cyfra card.

As far as dish goes, you could go motorised or with a 80/90cm dish setup 2 lnb's, 1 for Hotbird and 1 for Astra2 (freesat).

I'm not sure about the legalities of the subscription but don't see anyreason why it wont work.

[Analoguesat]

One thing you have to understand - Freesat is only a transmission platform - all the channels on it are transmitted in the clear so ANY digital receiver will allow you to watch them.

However - you only get a full epg on Freesat boxes - generic receivers only give you now & next info. Theres no "patch" for freesat for that receiver - the channels will work, just with limited functionality on the epg.

With a motorised dish you can only watch the channels on one satellite cluster at a time - the one the dish is pointing at. If family members are likely to want to watch eastenders whilst you are watching Polish TV then accept you need a 2 dish setup.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

With a motorised dish you can only watch the channels on one satellite cluster at a time - the one the dish is pointing at. If family members are likely to want to watch eastenders whilst you are watching Polish TV then accept you need a 2 dish setup.

Or multi lnb on a single dish, with dual/quads on to feed boxes in differant rooms.

[Robbo]

If you want a motorised dish and Polsat, I don't think getting a Freesat box would be the best option. The technomate would be good for all the FTA channels on 28e, plus good for all the other satellites too. You would only need one motorised dish.

The only fly in the ointment is that I suspect that Polstat are pairing cards to receivers, if this true, you may need an official Polsat box, I'm sure if you ask any half knowledgeable Polish friend who has Polsat, they'd be able to tell you. Still only one dish though, you could use a twin LNB or use the IF feedthrough on the Technomate.

[aleks]

Thanks all for feedback, and for exposing my local installer for the blaggards that they are! ;-)

Great to know that Freesat is in the clear. Not really bothered about a full epg for Freesat, and just now & next is fine. We only have one tv anyway, so watching programmes from different satellites at the same time is not going to happen.

Done a bit of asking around about Polsat and indeed they are currently "giving away free decoders" with subscriptions, which are actually paired with the cards. On the other hand no such arrangement is in place with Cyfra+ so some good news there.

It sounds like my initial idea of a motorised system with the Technomate 5400 seems to make sense. A few more questions then!:

1. Is there any performance difference between a mesh dish and a solid one?
2. When you say I can "use a cam" to read the Polsat/Cyfra+ card, which cam should I get?
3. Are the components (other then the 5400) in the Ebay motorised DIY kits decent enough, i.e. Triax 88cm dishes, Moteck or SuperDark Motor and BEST or Dark LNB?

Thanks once again in advance for responses.

[Rick]

1. Someone will correct me if i'm wrong on this one but i think a mesh dish will give you slightly less performance on signal but is much better dealing with wind as both pass through the mesh.

2. An aston / seca2 cam would read the cyfra card, as would a diablo I believe. There will probably be others if you do abit of research.

3. The triax dishes are pretty good, I have a TD110 and am very happy with it.