Compo 10,328 Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 I am considering buying Freesat. I want to run two televisions from the equipment. Can anyone tell me how difficult it is to install, pitfalls, tricks and foibles, etc., please? Can I receive HD TV on my HD ready set without having extra equipment other than the Freesat set-top box? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 The internet is your oyster, the future of HD television, getcha yersen an Apple2 device!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 I've been watching some great movies over the internet via the Apple2, even watched some of the one day cricket tests too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted June 7, 2012 Report Share Posted June 7, 2012 Re Freesat Compo Get an HD Freesat receiver (unless its a freesat tv). It will run of a sky dish, and that will already be pointing at Astra 28e. If not you will need a dish and good quality cable. You do not need a large dish. The most difficult part is finding the correct satallite. You need a compass and a Satfinder. Ebay is a good source for all. The dish can be at ground level, it does not need to be high because Astra 28e is just off top of the arc of sats. one of the highest in the sky. That is unless your south facing wall is shaded by trees. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dgbrit 258 Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 I've been watching some great movies over the internet via the Apple2, even watched some of the one day cricket tests too. You cant Jailbreak apple Tv 3 so dont buy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Not yet, but ATV2 is still available. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 I watched Mel Gibson in "Get The Gringo" a couple of weeks back on our ATV2, only found out a couple of days later it was only released this year.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted June 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Mick: The angle I require for Freesat is clear of trees but they are putting up loads of wind turbines along the line of sight - this could be a problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Trees cause problems, so steel masts with giant gearboxes/generators plus huge rotating blades will cause a headache. I used to "pirate" three satellites for programming, my biggest problem was rain fade and snow fade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 I woulnt think that would be a problem unles you got one in yer gardin? http://www.euclideanspace.com/physics/mechanics/tableTopPhysics/geospatial/satelliteDish.htm As you can see from my dish, no problem with houses nearby. The sat to you is a little lower in the sky, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Does the cable wire directly into teh back of a standard wall type aerial socket or is there a special socket? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I would suggest the wire goes straight into your receiver. A box would entail an open connection and two additional plugs on a fly lead. All joints lead to losses. Best quality wire and plugs should be used. To find the satellite you can use the receiver itself and a tv to get max signal, with SWMBO shouting directions. I used two walkie talkies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I don't know about "Freesat" but FTA receivers, between the LNBA mounted on the dish use the IF frequency and send it to the receiver, so use satellite quality cables if the same case prevails on Freesat setups. Make sure ALL connectors are tight and waterproofed. The cables will be 98% shield or BETTER!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Yes John, same. My line of thinking is the less connections, the less likeliness of faults occurring. I did see a gash free sky dish the other day chucked in a car park. If you want it compo, its in the car park behind the shops at Hoylake West Wirral, Wales. (The parking is free) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Connectors are no problem Mick, as long as they are applied correctly, many years back, I knew a gentleman who wrote the book, literally on connectors, he wrote a long essay for the military over here. There was and still is a lot of confusion about RF connectors of all sorts, he did a lot of research and found and proved, as long as connectors were applied correctly, losses are so minimal as to be unmeasurable. Exceptions were in the Giga hertz range. His qualifications were, RF engineer, and he knew his stuff, he ran his own communications business and was still a paid consultant to the US air force in RF engineering. Some of the questions we posed, like what would happen in the event of an EMP to military equipment, he refused to answer outright due to security reasons. But back on subject, to prevent "influx of noise" it's ALWAYS best to use high quality double of higher screened cables on all styles of dishes from the LNBA to the receivers, I forget these days what IF frequencies are used, but recall they are pretty high. Any loss could cause "noise" on the picture. One of the big problems over here with cable networks is the installers not fitting coax plugs on the cables properly, the cable companies face huge fines if there is leakage causing interference with licensed facilities. They operate in the 140-150 Mhz range, and can wipe out emergency service communications with leaks... Ambulance, Hospitals, Police etc.. One cable I found "cheap" for satellite installations is the cable used by cable companies, it's heavily shielded, accepts both crimped and screw on type "F" connecters and is extremely low loss. You can usually pick up part drums from cable TV companies for a small to no charge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 BTW, I have a collection of both Dishnetwork and Direct TV dishes out here...LOL They get thrown away. I also strip the "old" receivers for useful parts, like electrolytic caps, fuse holders and switching power supplies. I have one with a hard drive recording system, thinking of using the hard drive as a slave in my computer, it's a Seagate. The missus collects them when renters leave managed property's...She called Dishnetwork up one day and asked them if they wanted them back, they said scrap them....... Ironic as they cost a couple of hundred bucks each. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I've just discovered a major drawback with Freesat: It seems that my favourite channel, "Yesterday" is not on Freesat. Is this correct? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 Try here Compo...http://www.freesat.co.uk/what-you-get/our-channels Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 According to this page they are http://www.ukfree.tv/showchannel.php?id=UKHY Quote Link to post Share on other sites
letsavagoo 963 Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I too am looking into getting freesat. I don't know a deal yet but one thing I have been told is you need a dish with 2 sensors or whatever they are called so you can watch one side and record another. it's not like a standard aerial for freeview where one aerial does all. I intend to go to Maplin and have a word with them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted June 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 I don't have a Maplin within 100 miles so would appreciate any gen you can pass on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Shop on line Compo, I'm putting together a solar generating plant, the two inverters were purchased on line from a company in Washington state, purchased on line. My FTA receiver was purchased on line, Amazon is reliable, but no longer trust "Fleabay" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 Maplin have limited choice of satellite receivers. I dont believe you need a dual LNB for recording on the right receiver. Dual (or quad) LNB is good for feeding receivers in different rooms Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Presently on Directv at least until my contract expires in February next year. Just a question or two for those in the know. Is Freesat free as the name suggests. Why would anyone offer free channels. The name of the game is profit. What type of receiver would I need for it. Is it even available in the USA. Is there some kind of access card as there is with DTV, Dish network etc. Thanks for the info in advance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 We have nothing like it YET!! There is a company working on something similar here called Free Direct Satellite Network. They have been working on this for over two years, here's a link to their site. http://www.freedbs.org/index.html There are numerous ways of getting Dishnetwork via the internet, I have no idea how, haven't really looked into it, I used to be happy getting the latest bin files and uploading them to my FTA receiver, until Dish changed their encryption and started attacking web sites legally, that were posting bin files. It's rumoured that Nagravision3 has been hacked, BUT, nobody dare post the bin file anywhere for fear of being sued. I've also read a while back that a hack is available for DTV, but not been able to locate it anywhere. I do have a few DTV LNBA's lying around and my FTA receiver can be set up for them quite easily. I'm looking for an older 9 or 10 foot dish, I have both LNB's but need a dual feedhorn if I track an old large dish down. There is still tons of commercial feeds and programming up there to receive, plus no chance of rain fade when it pees it down..LOL I was also considering getting a motorized unit for the 18 inch dishes, as there are a couple of birds with plenty of free programming available. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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