DVB-MPEG-2 on Dish Network 1000 Dish For FTA

[1881-A]

Here's another thought to throw out here on buying a DVB MPEG-2 receiver.
I have a Dish Network (pizza dish) attached to my home. I was subscribed to D/N up to October. It has dual LNB's. I don't remember what the satellites (numbers)were. So, is it possible that I can replace the D/N receivers with the DVB-MPEG-2 FTA receiver to receive the FTA signals?

The reason I ask this, is twofold.. I have a 10' Unimesh dish (BUD) that is over 27 years old, and has some hail dents. Although, I get good reception on my DSR922 4DTV digital C-band, I don't have Ku-band, and that worries me some, as Ku takes a better condition dish to get the Ku signals. So, can it be done just to add the DVB-MPEG-2 to the pizza dish to get the FTA?

[rainman]

Originally Posted by 1881-A

Here's another thought to throw out here on buying a DVB MPEG-2 receiver.
I have a Dish Network (pizza dish) attached to my home. I was subscribed to D/N up to October. It has dual LNB's. I don't remember what the satellites (numbers)were. So, is it possible that I can replace the D/N receivers with the DVB-MPEG-2 FTA receiver to receive the FTA signals?

The reason I ask this, is twofold.. I have a 10' Unimesh dish (BUD) that is over 27 years old, and has some hail dents. Although, I get good reception on my DSR922 4DTV digital C-band, I don't have Ku-band, and that worries me some, as Ku takes a better condition dish to get the Ku signals. So, can it be done just to add the DVB-MPEG-2 to the pizza dish to get the FTA?

the pizza pan is not big enough to receive FTA channels 30" dish is recommended but I would go with a 36" dish.

[wejones]

You CAN use it though to receive NASA-TV, and the FTA music stations on the 119 sat though. But otherwise I agree that a 36" dish would be better.

Your old dish might be OK though. My dish is REALLY in bad shape. I have dents the size of soft balls in it from knocking snow and ice off in the winter, but it still receives Ku OK. Of course you'd have to upgrade to a C/Ku feedhorn or LNBF. My theory though is that when a big dish is used for Ku, that often only the center of the dish is really being used, because the scalar rings are really only functional on C-band (this is just opinion... probably wrong), so if your dents are out toward the edge, they might not affect Ku that much. That's the case with my big dents, ie they're near the outside bottom edge of the dish, where I banged it with a broom, and they don't seem to hurt Ku that badly.

You can experiment, and attach a ku lnbf along side of your C-band feedhorn. I've done this with a circular lnbf for the more powerful DBS sats. It works, but not very well, first, because there is only one true focal point, and secondly because it's hard to get it at exactly the right place, so it could take quite a bit of experimentation. You have to put the little lnbf on the east or west side, not to the top/bottom. On mine, I'd receive about 10 degrees west of where the main feedhorn was receiving. I eventually took this down and went to a 36" dish with a linear/circular lnbf.

[1881-A]

Thank you for the information, wejones.

It's always best to get advise from someone who's be there, done that.

My BUD isn't all that bad with the hail dents. Although, there are few that appears to be the size of baseballs. However, there are none within 20" of the focal point(center) of the dish. So, you think I wouldn't have any troubles by removing the old C-band LNB, and installing a new Chaparral Co-rotor II Plus feedhorn with new C/Ku band LNB's?

That would probably be my best route... money wise, and less installation costs.

[wejones]

Originally Posted by 1881-A

Thank you for the information, wejones.

It's always best to get advise from someone who's be there, done that.

My BUD isn't all that bad with the hail dents. Although, there are few that appears to be the size of baseballs. However, there are none within 20" of the focal point(center) of the dish. So, you think I wouldn't have any troubles by removing the old C-band LNB, and installing a new Chaparral Co-rotor II Plus feedhorn with new C/Ku band LNB's?

That would probably be my best route... money wise, and less installation costs.

Money wise, one of those BSC621 lnbfs would be a LOT cheaper. The Co-rotors cost more than twice that, and then you'd have to get a Ku lnb, and an extra run of coax. You'd have to have the DVB receiver control the lnbf, and slave your 922, but still use the 922 to move the dish. It would be a little complicated, but you'd probably save a couple hundred $s.

To make sure your dish worked on Ku, you might just invest in a cheap Ku lnbf, and put it up temporarily in place of the C band feed.

[elgemcdlf]

Originally Posted by wejones

...Your old dish might be OK though. My dish is REALLY in bad shape....

Ok if Bill says it is bad it really is bad. This is a guy who has a dish mounted on a cut off tree. Not to the side, the tree is the mast! Has another with a log as a counter weight. Yes Bill the pics really did tell the whole story

If you search the forum here you will find pics of Bill's installs out in the wilderness of Maine.

[1881-A]

wejones, I've heard the #BSC621 LNBF gets poor reception on a large -BUD. Plus the fact, it gets more technical in it's setup having to add the scalar ring, and the Die-electric plate.

I like the idea in buying a Ku band LNB, and remove the C-band LNB, and make the change-over to see if the DSR922 4DTV receiver will except the Ku signal. If it works, than I can proceed with the Chaparral Co-rotor II Plus feedhorn.

You mentioned having the DVB as a slave to the DSR922. I would like to to be the other way... 922 moves the BUD, and gets all the digital channels... the DVB rides piggy-back.

Might as well spend a few dollars more and buy a Norsat 8000 series LNB and if all goes well, the troubles have gone south.

My 10' dish is mounted on a 12' pole, 6' of the pole is in the ground, surrounded by 1/2 yard of concrete. I don't think it will be easy to remove or get out of alignment.