The cheapo never worked for!me Roger. Fifteen years on my techie one is so easy and accurate it’s a no brainer. But everyone to their own😉
When I had a dish setup, I used a satellite finder from Lidls and worked perfectly, all for around a £5.
Do you guys use Freesat or a Sky box or some other receiver? Admittedly my cheapo was15 years ago but it definitely didn’t differentiate which satellite it was locking onto. There are a number of satellites around the 28 degs.
Plus with the semi professional one I can do all the alignment next to the dish without have to keep looking at the TV screen diagnostics mode.
I found using the TV screen method there was a time lag from moving the dish to the signal reading . My direct connection method is instant and locks onto which ever satellite I choose.
Are these Lidl latest cheapos preprogrammed to the Sky used satellite?
Plus with the semi professional one I can do all the alignment next to the dish without have to keep looking at the TV screen diagnostics mode.
I found using the TV screen method there was a time lag from moving the dish to the signal reading . My direct connection method is instant and locks onto which ever satellite I choose.
Are these Lidl latest cheapos preprogrammed to the Sky used satellite?
Previously we used a Sky+HD box and currently we use a Freesat box. I think the Sky box frequency is on Ch65? However I used Fringe signal finder to align the dish. made life so much simpler. Once you have set up the alignment for the LNB, then aligning the dish to the satellite becomes a lot easier. However no such worries anymore and simply press one button and it all happens.
My box came from Melksham Satellite Services as part of the kit. It was a generic box, certainly not Sky or Freesat badged. Using the alignment meter in line I rarely had to go back to the tv to check the signal strength and satellite ID. Once aligned then tuning, setting favourites etc was done inside the van. Overall it wasn’t much more complicated than setting up the tv for terrestrial.
Sadly Melksham SS are no longer here. Market leaders in their day.
With the semi professional sat finder the TV and sat box are NOT connected . All the tracking is done instantly at the dish.
Those of you who will remember him , Sproket was the dish signal searching champion. My box of tricks was courtesy of his advice. I can only repeat how simple and fool proof the kit is. If the cheapo works for you fine . Me I’m all for the easy simple stress free life😇
I use a Freesat box - the idea of subscription TV has never appealed so we've never had a Sky box - but if you already have a current Sky subscription, or an old Sky box, then that can be used instead.
AFAIK Sky gets all the Free-To-Air (FTA) channels from the same group of Astra satellites as Freesat although the EPG is a different source
You can buy prevowned Sky boxes from the shops that buy anything electronic for cash. Tyey seem to be in most high streets. Some may even have a card in them. But I’m sure you can buy a card if required for a one off purchase. Alternatively there are cheap Freesat boxes that don’t record etc.
The only drawback with the Sky box is that you cannot record anything or watch previously record programs.
That was also true of the basic Freesat boxes originally - only the more expensive versions allowed recording /playback.
Our Freesat box is a14-year old Humax Foxsat-HDR - receives/records HD but very basic by modern standards!
My response was related to Sky subscription and if you do not have Sky subscription you cannot record. Even if you did have a Sky subscription you cannot watch recordings if you have no signal.
I didn’t know that. So yes in my case we have a subscription so I’ve had no issues . Does this mean even buying the view only card from Sky you can’t record etc? Seems a very mean action on Sky’s part🙀
From memory that card allows you to watch the programs that would normally be on Freesat. I cannot remember if it allowed recordings, but more than likely. I still have the card in the caravan somewhere.
You’re correct👍Seems the “view only “card converts the box to a Freesat only. No recording or viewing etc . Almost pointless . If we give up Sky I’ll check out other boxes 5hat do allow recording etc. Thanks for,the heads up.
We now have a Freesat box and it does most things similar to Sky regarding recordings etc.
We are now at new location and will try the set up today.
Although I did have a go at the old location, had the V8 Finder 2 linked up but was confused if all the LNB etc default settings would all be correct when searching so gave up, probably need to change some..urghh
Need to read up on it more or get some help as some of it is bamboozling me ☹️
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As has been mentioned already - your biggest problem and cause of you spending a fortune so far is this.
You need to plug the f-type connector directly from the dish into the 'SAT IN' port. Do that, point to roughly 28 degrees and use the software on the TV to fine tune.
Not so!!! The satellites are positioned at 28 degrees East in terms of latitude - but you don't point the dish at 28 degrees - more like 140-145 degrees magnetic depending where in the UK you are.
Saxo,
Set your dish up facing SE. Attach your V8 to the dish. Do not attach anything to the caravan yet.You already know the approx angle of elevation.
Following your V8 instructions as you move your dish left / right it should tell you when you are locked onto the chosen Astra 2 satellite. You will see on your meter the level of signal strength and signal quality.
Disconnect the meter.connect the dish to the TV sat socket with an F plug. Assuming the TV has been sat up all the available Freesat programmes should appear.
Enjoy a good day😃
Set your dish up facing SE. Attach your V8 to the dish. Do not attach anything to the caravan yet.You already know the approx angle of elevation.
Following your V8 instructions as you move your dish left / right it should tell you when you are locked onto the chosen Astra 2 satellite. You will see on your meter the level of signal strength and signal quality.
Disconnect the meter.connect the dish to the TV sat socket with an F plug. Assuming the TV has been sat up all the available Freesat programmes should appear.
Enjoy a good day😃
If you buy a used Sky+HD box from, say, Cash Converters it will likely come with a viewing card already in it for your area. If there is no card the box will by default show BBC London and ITV Central West Midlands. You can buy a Freesat-from-Sky viewing card from Sky for a once off £25. The card puts the regionalised programs in the right place, e.g. in Yorkshire BBC Look North will be on 101 and ITV Calendar will be on 103 etc.
You can (if it is still available) record the free-to-air channels by paying a monthly fee to Sky of £10. The control of recording or not is done over air.
If you go long periods between uses of the box you will probably find that some channels have disappeared. All you need to do is leave the box switched on and active and the missing channels will reappear within 48 hours.
You can (if it is still available) record the free-to-air channels by paying a monthly fee to Sky of £10. The control of recording or not is done over air.
If you go long periods between uses of the box you will probably find that some channels have disappeared. All you need to do is leave the box switched on and active and the missing channels will reappear within 48 hours.
Why would he want to buy and power another sat decoder? He has one built into his TV.
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