Awkward Satellite Set-up?

[Tyke]

Awkward Satellite Set-up?

This may be of interest to those who think that setting up a satellite system is too difficult because of where they live…. or the visibility of satellites in their location is too limited.
Bear in mind that I'm a total beginner with sat... if I can do it, you can do it!

I recently moved to a new house which is a Grade ii Listed (“ and listing”) building. Local Council rules prohibit the use of satellite dishes, so I went for the “all singing” Vermin package - V+ HD Box with premium packages.

I soon got hacked-off with the GUI on the vermin box : the channels take ages to clear and the firmware is as buggy as hell. That, and the fact that I had to call Vermin out to fix the service 3 times in 3 months! I am now on my second V+HD box.

Then, salvation….Commando 12 was released….but I had no way to check it out… So, how to proceed?

The only “official” way would be to use a floor mounted dish in the back yard that kept the dish out of public view.
I did a “site survey” of the sky around the house to see where the satellites were in relation to the back yard.
As you can see the initial finding were not encouraging!!

CAP201011281454.jpg

Above is taken standing in the yard - outside the back door.

At “ground level” I got this view:

CAP2010112711041.jpg

Astra 28.2E was “visible” just above a chimney on the street opposite.

Next I borrowed a mates “mobile” Sat-Dish, tripod, a sat-finder and an old white Amstrad Sky-Box that he uses when he goes on hols in his mobile home/ camper van.
2010-11-27 11.06.36.jpg

This is the view the Dish has of the sky:
2010-11-27 11.07.59.jpg

To my complete amazement it actually worked!

I have just taken delivery of a new DM500S. After a steep learning curve I’ve managed to flash it with Commando 12 and am picking up the FTA channels with Neutrino at last!

Obviously this only shows it’s possible… but not exactly an elegant solution.
I can’t leave a dish smack-bang in the middle of the back yard. The local “scratters” would make-off with it in no time, and the signal would disappear when I hang my under-crackers out to dry!

To get a more permanent solution I thought I would stretch a point and install a flat panel satellite antenna in a position as low as possible on the back wall. “Technically” it’s not a satellite dish (honest!) and most people wouldn’t even know what it was.

I’ve looked at a few and this looks like the best option, but it ain’t exactly cheap!

PULSAT.COM - NEOVIA FLAT ANTENNA NEO-VH350 - SATELLITE TV DISHES & BRACKETS

There are others available (eg Sqish dish) but they have either a single or quad LNB. The one above has a double which should be OK. Gives the option of connecting dual tuner PVR in future.

I’d be interested to hear any opinions from people with experience of these types of antenna. Would it be better to get a quad LNB etc? What is the reception like? I’m quite far north, so maybe need the equivalent of a zone 2 dish? is it possible to use a motor set-up with these and would it be worth it given the limited view of the sky?

I feel like a complete “noob” with satellite stuff so none of this would have been possible without the info gleaned from this site and it’s members.
No doubt I’ll be driving everyone mad with other questions if I ever get the antenna installed.

Cheers!

[tinkertiler]

Looks like you have got your work cut out with that one lol

Never seen one of them dishes before and they look alot better than the normal sky ones lol

[Magnu420]

so what sats do you recieve,ive seen them squish dishes and as you say they fairly dear but you can paint them to match the background where the dish is mounted

after seeing them pixs they must be hope for me

[Satsearching]

Try having a chat with the local council, I have seen some dishes that are transparent, and some with a brick covering that really hide them.

Or look at an LX2000

How many lnb connections do you envisage you will need?

Cracking post though Tyke, keep us all informed how you go on please.

SS

[Tyke]

Originally Posted by Magnu420

so what sats do you recieve,ive seen them squish dishes and as you say they fairly dear but you can paint them to match the background where the dish is mounted

after seeing them pixs they must be hope for me

I haven't got around to sorting out the flat panel dish yet mate. Still dragging out the "portable" dish when I need to use the Dreambox at the moment. Only tried scanning 28.2E so far. I think a proper dish will have to wait until Santa has been this year!

SS ...cheers mate. Already been in touch with the Council and they're not going to play ball... although they are all over the place and it's hard to find anyone who actually knows what your talking about! Not going to let a little technicality like that stop me though.
Can't see me ever being organised enough to use more than 2 LNB's either.....but it doesn't cost that much more for a 4 x LNB, so I'll see when I get around to making a purchase.
I'll update here when I do.

Cheers lads.