New User (Lot of Questions)

[houman]

Hi Everyone,

I did some search on these forums, so I have some basic understanding on what I'd need. I am looking maybe to get an FTA Dish/Receiver (possibly motorized). In the town home I reside, on the patio, there is already a DirecTV dish mounted on the side wall and a coax comes inside of the house, I was going to remove it and install a M1 type system (unless you think I should leave it and just buy a receiver only).

I want to get Telstar Satellite + Channels in the US. So here come my question.

1) Is there an FTA Satellite + Receiver that would also receive HD OTA signals ? + HD tuner/receiver ready that'd do both jobs ?

2) If yes, would the HD Receiver get both UHF/VHF signals ?

3) I am totally new to installing Dishes, etc. Is this something I can do on my own (pointing the dish, checking the signals, etc), or I'd need to hire an installer ? Is there a list of available installers in Illinois one would recommend ?

4) Is there all in one system motorized you'd recommend ?

The channels I am interested to get are the Persian Channels, Euro News, World BBC News and Most Local Channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN, FOX, etc)

Thanks for any input,
Houman

[wejones]

Originally Posted by houman

Hi Everyone,

I did some search on these forums, so I have some basic understanding on what I'd need. I am looking maybe to get an FTA Dish/Receiver (possibly motorized). In the town home I reside, on the patio, there is already a DirecTV dish mounted on the side wall and a coax comes inside of the house, I was going to remove it and install a M1 type system (unless you think I should leave it and just buy a receiver only).

The DirecTV dish won't receive the FTA channels, other than maybe NASA and GOL. Likewise, although the FTA dish is capable of receiving DTV and DIshnet signals, you can't view most of them because they are scrambled.
FTA is a collection of channels different from what you'd find on DTV or DN.

Originally Posted by houman

I want to get Telstar Satellite + Channels in the US. So here come my question.

Telstar.... OK, but what do you mean by "channels in the US"?

Originally Posted by houman

1) Is there an FTA Satellite + Receiver that would also receive HD OTA signals ? + HD tuner/receiver ready that'd do both jobs ?

There used to be one, called Integra, models 910 and 912. However, there were some minor problems, and they were quite expensive. No longer made.

Originally Posted by houman

3) I am totally new to installing Dishes, etc. Is this something I can do on my own (pointing the dish, checking the signals, etc), or I'd need to hire an installer ? Is there a list of available installers in Illinois one would recommend ?

You'll be lucky if you can find such an installer. Where I live, there is only one fellow in the whole state who installs anything but DTV/Dishnet. A DTV/Dishnet installer wouldn't have a clue with respect to FTA. Best to do it yourself.

Originally Posted by houman

4)
The channels I am interested to get are the Persian Channels, Euro News, World BBC News and Most Local Channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN, FOX, etc)

You will probably be able to find *most* of what you list, although the US networks you mention will not be "YOUR" " local challels", but instead, either a network feed (mostly on C-band) or a local channel from some other city.
I just wanted to make sure that you (and other newcomers) understand that with a FTA system, you aren't going to be able to receive everything up there on sat. There are several different kinds of satellite systems, Analog, VCII encrypted, DCII encrypted, DVB(FTA), encrypted feeds, Dishnet encrypted, Nimiq encrypted, DTV encrypted, and a few other systems. A FTA system will only get the unencrypted DVB signals, and the occasional Dishnet signals (NASA,GOL,MUSIC) that are not encrypted. There are a LOT of channels you can receive, but don't think that you can receive everything up there.

[houman]

Thank you for your responses.

Yeah I know I won't get all channels, and I'll probably will install it on my own with a help of a friend who has some experience setting up dishes.

Houman

[csmith704]

1) Is there an FTA Satellite + Receiver that would also receive HD OTA signals ? + HD tuner/receiver ready that'd do both jobs ?

Check out the Coolsat 8000HD, but no blind scan

[wejones]

Originally Posted by csmith704

Check out the Coolsat 8000HD, but no blind scan

Someone else posted about this receiver, and said that it only does HD for the OTA ATSC, not for satellite. I went to several of their web pages, and I've seen a couple web pages that agree with this conclusion and some other web pages that are ambiguous. I'd be very careful to make sure you know what this receiver is capable of before buying. I can't tell from the web pages.

[elgemcdlf]

If this receiver in question is what Bill thinks it is be cautious with your money. I have a OTA HD receiver and love it BUT in my location I can only get about 10 - 15 channels with it. All is dependant on how many "local" channels you have that are broadcasting HD. I live remote and most television channels are a minimum of 50 miles from me. While I do have a monster antenna it simply can not capture enough signal from channels way out there.

If you live in a metropolitan area you may be ok. I no longer have the link but there is a site that allows you to type in your zip code and then spits out what channels you can receive at your location and the distance away from you they are. Also lists the HD channels.

[Soundwav]

TitanTV - The Definitive Source for Analog, Digital (HDTV), Cable and Satellite TV Listings

[csmith704]

Originally Posted by wejones

Someone else posted about this receiver, and said that it only does HD for the OTA ATSC, not for satellite. I went to several of their web pages, and I've seen a couple web pages that agree with this conclusion and some other web pages that are ambiguous. I'd be very careful to make sure you know what this receiver is capable of before buying. I can't tell from the web pages.

Iceberg did a review on it in another forum website, he received the AMC3 PBS HD channel (the only consistent HD channel, may pick up some wild feeds when they pop up). It appears to be the only one with an HD OTA portion, Fortec is coming out with an HD reciver "passion", but don't know if it will have an HD OTA portion.

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

If you live in a metropolitan area you may be ok. I no longer have the link but there is a site that allows you to type in your zip code and then spits out what channels you can receive at your location and the distance away from you they are. Also lists the HD channels.

AntennaWeb

[houman]

Right now I have a MANT950 Phillips Antenna, that gives me all the local HD channels in Chicago except CBS (CBS is operating in VHF and you need a large antenna which I don't have). I think I'll just settle with a regular M1 Satellite for now.

-H

[csmith704]

Surprised that you can't get CBS, looks like it's right downtown and that antenna does VHF...may want to try placing it in the attic and rotate it to see if you can get it....

I went with the M2 package, there's probably plenty of "classic" users around that can give you feedback on it...

By the way, the HD receiver Fortec is coming out with does not have an OTA HD in it...

[houman]

I am about 35 miles away from them... many of my friends who live a bit closer can get CBS (WBBM) with their rooftop antenna only at certain times of the day (usually toward the night period). I read this about them...

"... Chicago's WBBM-DT is especially problematic to receive given it's low power (3.7KW-4.4KW) and the fact that it uses a low band VHF channel (ATSC Channel 3) which is prone to interference at low power ...."

I contacted their HDTV techs and I was told this:

" ... You will need an outdoor antenna to get our signal. You must have a
VHF antenna section with elements of 8-10'in length. Anything less will
not receive our signal..."

I personally can live w/o CBS

[elgemcdlf]

Originally Posted by houman

I am about 35 miles away from them... many of my friends who live a bit closer can get CBS (WBBM) with their rooftop antenna only at certain times of the day (usually toward the night period). I read this about them...

"... Chicago's WBBM-DT is especially problematic to receive given it's low power (3.7KW-4.4KW) and the fact that it uses a low band VHF channel (ATSC Channel 3) which is prone to interference at low power ...."

I contacted their HDTV techs and I was told this:

" ... You will need an outdoor antenna to get our signal. You must have a
VHF antenna section with elements of 8-10'in length. Anything less will
not receive our signal..."

I personally can live w/o CBS

I dunno that sounds like a really monster antenna. Would dwarf mine. My whole ant. is about 9' long. I can just imagine 9' elements. Also not knowing your configuration are you sure channel 3 is open on your tv? Example: Sat receiver hooked via coax and set to operate on channel 3 being on would cause no CBS on that channel. Depending on the receiver some have operational TV/SAT and some do not. Could also be from a VCR not switched to TV.

[houman]

Oh yeah, been there done that... btw, I do not have a Sat yet (will order one of those MII's one of these days)

I think the only option is one of these...
Antennas Direct | VHF Antennas for HDTV Reception

[csmith704]

Originally Posted by houman

I am about 35 miles away from them... many of my friends who live a bit closer can get CBS (WBBM) with their rooftop antenna only at certain times of the day (usually toward the night period). I read this about them...

"... Chicago's WBBM-DT is especially problematic to receive given it's low power (3.7KW-4.4KW) and the fact that it uses a low band VHF channel (ATSC Channel 3) which is prone to interference at low power ...."

I contacted their HDTV techs and I was told this:

" ... You will need an outdoor antenna to get our signal. You must have a
VHF antenna section with elements of 8-10'in length. Anything less will
not receive our signal..."

I personally can live w/o CBS

I thought the FCC required all stations to ramp up their power by now...

Also their channel frequency may change in the future, according to this list: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf

[houman]

Well the CBS Tech told me also that:

" ... On February 17, 2009 all analog transmitters must turn off in major
markets and only HD signals will be transmitted from that day forward.
As stated previously, we will commence transmitting on Channel 11 from
the Sears Tower. Channel 7 will lose its UHF frequency and have to
transmit on VHF Channel 7..."

We'll see

[wejones]

Originally Posted by houman

Well the CBS Tech told me also that:

" ... On February 17, 2009 all analog transmitters must turn off in major
markets and only HD signals will be transmitted from that day forward.
As stated previously, we will commence transmitting on Channel 11 from
the Sears Tower. Channel 7 will lose its UHF frequency and have to
transmit on VHF Channel 7..."

We'll see

The above is a bit misleading because it suggests that the 2 options here, ie analog and HD, and that isn't the case. The federal mandate is not to leave analog and go to HD, it's to leave analog and go to digital. Digital can be HD, SD or something else, and analog can be HD (although not in the current bandwidth). Analog vs HD is comparing 2 different things. Of course it's likely that most stations will go to HD of some sort, but I think some may choose to provide at least some SD content. Around here, the ABC channel is transmitting an HD channel that pretty much takes up the bandwidth on the channel since it's 720p, whereas the NBC and CBS channels have a 1080i HD channel, which leaves enough room for a 2nd SD channel. The NBC SD channel is an all weather channel, and the CBS SD channel is a SD version of their regular signal.