Mixing FTA with Dish Network

SeaDawg · #1 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 07:12 PM

I'm wondering.....

Now that I have my system running, I intended on going to an OTA antenna for our local tv broadcasts but to not want to install a huge yagi so we can get good reception. I've tried the Terk 44 and you can forget that. If we went with the lowest cost Dish Network system to get local programming it will still saves us $30.00 per month that we are now paying in rediculous cable charges.

Is it possible to piggy back a dish network receiver with my FTA receiver and existing 36" motorized dish? It seems I could connect the Dish receiver to the IF feed through from the FTA receiver, use the FTA receiver to move the dish to the EchoStar bird then just use a switch to switch in the Dish receiver. Of course, if I had a receiver that would take the dish smartcard, that would be better. What about the LNBF? I may be all wet on this. Just trying to get Cox Cable off my back. As soon as my town goes WiFi in a few months I can drop the Cox High Speed Internet. Then I'll be truly free!!!

I'd like to hear some comments on this even if I'm all wet.

Thanks.

rainman · #2 (**permalink**) 03-14-2007, 07:07 AM

if you use a qph-031 lnbf on your fta system then it would be as simple as running another coax to your dish receiver.

SeaDawg · #3 (**permalink**) 03-14-2007, 10:16 AM

Yeah, that's what I thought. I posted this to the Dishnet forum as well and that seems to be the response.

I have a QPH301 and have played with the Circ output so it seems all I'd have to do is setup the FTA receiver (Fortec Star 5400 NA) to point at the Echo bird using the circular output from the LNB, then switch in the DishNet receiver that would be connected to the IF feed through from the FTA receiver. The layout would be like this:

Thanks.