We been thinking of buying a Satellite dish and freesat box, Saw one on the internet from the company called Screw fix, Had any one brought one of those from them? can't moan for that price at £40, Thanks Trevor
Satellite dish and freesat box
- Thread starter trevor123
- Start date
I've just bought one from B&Q, it isn't "Freesat" it is a FTA sat, you still get everything available on Freesat, but you also get hundreds of other "rubbish" channels too.
At the end of the day though, it is cheaper getting the sat than it would be getting a digital freeview box and aerial.
I'll be trying to set mine up tomorrow.
One thing to remember is you need a method of mounting the dish securely, but it also needs to be removable too.
Jimbo
At the end of the day though, it is cheaper getting the sat than it would be getting a digital freeview box and aerial.
I'll be trying to set mine up tomorrow.
One thing to remember is you need a method of mounting the dish securely, but it also needs to be removable too.
Jimbo
I got my first dish etc from B&q same as Jim ..since then have got a better dis and also ugraded LNB to quad so I acn use SKY+ or SKY HD which ~I have been using this year. Ii also keep original box in van for the odd site where SKY Signal is not available.
below ia a website I have found that lets you look up a location anywhere in the world (google Maps stayle) and the find a given satellite location from that place also shows height of line of sight obstacles and distance from point of interest, and because of the mapping you can look right down to an individual site pitch which you can the work out rough guide for location and direction to point Sat Dish on arrival at caravan site....... hope this helps a wee bit.
http://www.dishpointer.com/
below ia a website I have found that lets you look up a location anywhere in the world (google Maps stayle) and the find a given satellite location from that place also shows height of line of sight obstacles and distance from point of interest, and because of the mapping you can look right down to an individual site pitch which you can the work out rough guide for location and direction to point Sat Dish on arrival at caravan site....... hope this helps a wee bit.
http://www.dishpointer.com/
One point that I would just chip in with is regarding Dish 'Elevation' - I was in Devon recently and went to use my dish for the first time - I had used the Dishpointer website and got all the 'gen'.
I got the Azimuth spot on & the box was saying 73% signal quality (anything over 50% is ok) but I had slavishly followed the 24.7deg. Elevation for the dish angle(even going to the point of having made an Inclinometer) result 0% Picture quality (again you need 50% plus) - spent ages messing, in the end I phoned the manufacturers helpline (Tevion) they told me that the dish is 'Offset' so it doesnt need to lean back at 24deg. and suggested putting it virtually vertical - Bingo 60% picture quality ! Pity that info wasn't in the instructions.
Might not apply to whatever dish you buy but worth bearing in mind.
Cheers
Jon
I got the Azimuth spot on & the box was saying 73% signal quality (anything over 50% is ok) but I had slavishly followed the 24.7deg. Elevation for the dish angle(even going to the point of having made an Inclinometer) result 0% Picture quality (again you need 50% plus) - spent ages messing, in the end I phoned the manufacturers helpline (Tevion) they told me that the dish is 'Offset' so it doesnt need to lean back at 24deg. and suggested putting it virtually vertical - Bingo 60% picture quality ! Pity that info wasn't in the instructions.
Might not apply to whatever dish you buy but worth bearing in mind.
Cheers
Jon
On a recent trip to southern France people were coming across to speak to me on how could I recieve a signal on a 54 cm dish that sat on the ground and was virtually vertical. I agree it doesn't look right does it, but it works.
Other Clive
What you need to remember is most mini dishes are offset, that meaning the LNB isn't central to the dish.
The signal comes down on an angle and reflects off at an equaly opposite angle.
Think of it like looking at a mirror from where the LNB is.
The large dishes tend to have the LNB central to the dish, so they need to point to the satellite.
Jimbo
The signal comes down on an angle and reflects off at an equaly opposite angle.
Think of it like looking at a mirror from where the LNB is.
The large dishes tend to have the LNB central to the dish, so they need to point to the satellite.
Jimbo
We have the CAMUS crankup with twin LNB,most places we have been in UK require about 8 to 9+ turns according to my book , however it never works out that way as the roof of the van slopes plus pitches have never been level so its hit and miss with a cup of tea between times.
Thank you all for your reply, we are still looking into it, we just want somethimg simple to set up and not too many gear to mess about with, Which one would you go for? Thanks Trevor
I was just wondering, we have just got a free sat for the caravan. It has a card slot in it. Two questions
1/ can I use my sky subscribers card when away
2/ do I have to get a free view card to use the box.
cheers everyone.
1/ can I use my sky subscribers card when away
2/ do I have to get a free view card to use the box.
cheers everyone.
Some points about free-sat. If you use a small dish to need a clear view and also it might only work in England and Wales. Go for the biggest dish you can afford and store. In Scotland this year and in Sussex last I was the only person on site to get a sat picture with my Maxview 66. Trees, mountains etc got in the way but my dish managed to gather enough signal to work. It will also work in Spain.
The boxes work on complicated software and you get what you pay for. An example my sat box is Maxview and always works. My Freeview box was
The boxes work on complicated software and you get what you pay for. An example my sat box is Maxview and always works. My Freeview box was
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