Satellite Dishes- Whats the difference???

[DanPaula]

Hi all.

I've been looking at various satellite packages and am a little confused at some of the price differences.

I've seen a small Maxview dish alone in a case for around £90. However there are other kits available complete with dish and receiver all in a case for aroung £70.

Both dishes are the same size and look exactly the same to me apart from one has a Maxview sticker on the front. I'm sure there must be a difference and some of you will explain.

Many Thanks, Dan.

 

[DeliDave]

we have the one from Lidl,also sold at Maplins,no slot for cardhence cannot pic up lots of channels,we use our old sky box.Am intending to buy freeview card and leave house card in sky+ box at home to record in case we dont get signal,wife would be gutted to miss Hollyoaks,emerdale,corry and east benders while we are away. To be fair we have nearly always got signal as long as we take a bit of cable so we can position dish away from trees.I understand Lidl dish works to Spain.had it working in La Rochelle ourselves.It goes for about

 

[DanPaula]

That'll be the same as I'm looking at on Maplin's. I'm not too fussed about loads of channels but It would be nice to get a good picture for a change.

 

[Reg]

The further south you go the bigger the the dish you need...... but!

I use a sky mini-dish I bought for

 

[EmmanuelMuldoon]

I would not go buying any receiver just now, as "Freesat" is about to "launch". This "Freesat" is sponsored by the BBC/ITV and is basically a new receiver for existing Free to Air channels from the 28.2 degrees east satellite, but with 7 day EPG. Existing FTA receivers (Maplin & Lidl=Silvercrest, and all the others; Manhatten, Technomate, Lemon et al) should continue to be ably to receive these signals, but are not as user friendly as the new "Freesat" ones promise to be.

Full details not avaliable for another week or two, but if you look over on www.digitalspy there are loads of threads on this subject.

 

[Reg]

It was looking doubtful that the new freesat will have Ch4 & Ch5 stations as they are still encoded by sky....... unless this has been resolved now.

 

[RogerL]

Channel 4 encryption ended recently, Channel 5 will follow eventually.

Freesat is provisionally due for launch May 12th with equipment in the shops from 30th April.

 

[Reg]

Channel 4 is due to join Freesat in Oct 2008 and no date has been set for Channel 5.

See http://www.astra2d.com/freesat.htm

 

[DanPaula]

Sounds like a freesat receiver could be the way to go. I'm quite happy with the freeview unit I have at home but obviously if I take it away in the van I would probably struggle for a signal most of the time.

Thanks to all for the advice.

Dan.

 

[Reg]

I've just read on digitalspy that Ch 4 will be there at the launch of Freesat and Ch 5 is hoping to join very soon after.

No actual date of launch as yet but May was mentioned.

 

[RogerL]

Freesat is provisionally due to launch on Monday 12th May with equipment at main retailers from 30th April but these dates may change!

 

[waffler]

We have a Maxview 65 cm dish and tripod with a Maxview decoder. Total cost new about

 

[JeremyClarksson]

I rec the satellite suitcase, Maplins are/were doing B grades for