Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

snip

I'll let you know what happens in a couple of days once I've
got the thing mantled, mounted and, hopefully, pointing
automatically in all the 'right' directions.. :))

It'll be interesting to hear about your motorisation exploits!

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

"Andereida" " wrote in message
...
OK, was down at my local Lidl at 8am on the 28th with a small queue of
perhaps a dozen other fellows who were looking for satellite dishes. There
were none at all on display. We all chased after the manager who went into
the stockroom and eventually found them and brought some out for us.
[snip]
Today there is still no satellite equipment on display but apparently
customers are to enquire at the check out.

It might well depend on the location of the store.
Worth taking a look in other stores.
Here...Bournemouth there are a number of stores.
The one in the town centre usually has a maximum of 2 receivers supplied.
(local winos appear to account for a substantial portion of their customer
base - for cheap cider)
The stores on the perifery of the town usually have up to 40 receivers,
dishes etc.

The store at Branksome yesterday- the day after launch day- still had around
8 stand alone receivers, a palate load (about 13) of 80 cm dishes and loads
and loads of LNB's. All these items were in the usual display trays.
I did not see any 60 cm dishes or kits.

Going on previous experience it will still be possible to buy a reciever for
about a week. In fact last time around they did not all sell and the
remainder were removed after a week and reappeared around Chritsmas.

Perhaps sales are not as brisk because its possible to buy a similar priced
unit anytime from Maplin.

Roger

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

Bob Martin wrote:
in 209875 20060829 180334 "Eddie G0EHV" wrote:

Once again, thanks for the help. I wonder if anyone else braved the
Lidl rush yesterday?

I went today, Tuesday, to my local shop.
Nowt left but 1 bracket and a pile of sat finders.
Well pleased though, got all I went in for - a bracket and a sat
finder! Regards,
Eddie

I was there at 0906 on Monday morning and was almost the only person
in the shop. Piles of DVD players and all the satellite gear.

Lidl are now selling cheap flights! £19 each way including taxes. Strange
but true.

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

snip

(1) At least my SL65, on entering my latitude and longitude
in the USALS menu whilst pointing at Hotbird 13E, asked me
to wait whilst it searched for AMOS whatever at wherever!
Perhaps there's a surprised bird that's discovered it's perch
isn't as secure as it thought - or I've gone and blown the box
up, or summat.. I might have to join you yet with a Technomate
- as LiDL have probably run out of SL65s by now... ;))

I'll let you know what happens in a couple of days once I've
got the thing mantled, mounted and, hopefully, pointing
automatically in all the 'right' directions.. :))

Bill, just curious - have you managed to motorise your dish successfully,
and if so how does it work with the SL65?

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

snip

(1) At least my SL65, on entering my latitude and longitude
in the USALS menu whilst pointing at Hotbird 13E, asked me
to wait whilst it searched for AMOS whatever at wherever!
Perhaps there's a surprised bird that's discovered it's perch
isn't as secure as it thought - or I've gone and blown the box
up, or summat.. I might have to join you yet with a Technomate
- as LiDL have probably run out of SL65s by now... ;))

I'll let you know what happens in a couple of days once I've
got the thing mantled, mounted and, hopefully, pointing
automatically in all the 'right' directions.. :))

Bill, just curious - have you managed to motorise your dish successfully,
and if so how does it work with the SL65?

Not yet!

As I mentioned, picked up the Stab HH90 very cheaply from
Maplins, only to find that, from each of two respected
satellite equipment manufacturers and/or installers, the HH90
as a motor is /not/ recommended!

...although, it should be said, that Stab's HH100 and HH120
are perfectly OK - and seemingly the 'quality' end of the
market.

In the event, the HH90 - which didn't work from the outset,
(didn't seem to know where it was going - and mostly sat
and 'shivered' at zero for the few hours we attempted to
work it), is now back with Maplin's for their assessment -
and my refund! Will then invest in a different motor - and
this time one that works, hopefully.

It should, however, be noted that Matt and particularly
Ryan of Myers Sat, www.myerssat.com, have been particularly
helpful - especially Ryan who, knowing that I am not yet a
customer of theirs, was prepared to 'telephone' test the
SL65/HH90 with me helping me to arrive at the increasingly
obvious conclusion that it was the HH90 unit that was faulted
- backed up by later observation that both my friend's latest
SL65 (which didn't work with my HH90 either) and my year or
so old SL65 worked well on said friend's new motorised setup.

(Incidentally, the SL65 appears to be held in very high
techie regard - sort of backed up by the more limited budget
camping SL65/12's leading rating as published in "What Satellite"
this last month).

However - and following these trial/tests with said friend (who
is, by the by, also a recently retired TV Engineer) and his
brand new SL65 which together with my SL65 that has not had,
as yet, any recent software update), we do believe that:

The SL65's USALS is 'good'. Simple to use. Set motor
on perpendicular pole/mount (very, very important for it
to be precisely perpendicular) - start off pointing directly
at/to true south, (here, in the northern hemisphere); motor to
the nearest satellite to true south - I believe recommended to
be Thor/Intel at 1W and ....make the coffee and get the
popcorn/biccies ready! The rest of the satellites should
come in automatically once their 'Edit Satellite' menus have
had their individual DiSEqC choice also set to 'Motor'.

A USALS menu, of course, also needs a User's Latitude and
Longitude - to either one or two decimals - easily gained
from www.multimap.com, among many other calculators. You
will also need the dish elevation for your location - but
this, I gather, varies a little according to the particular
motor that one is intending to use. Full instructions should
come with the motor.

(Using DiSEqC 1.2, however, appears to be as difficult and
cumbersome as it is with any other motor - a mathematical
lexicon combined with a degree in kindergarten astronomical
theory and poo-pile avoidance would, I guess, be an advantage)!

One thought - yet to be tested in my case - is that it could
be helpful to set your motorised channel menus to be sorted
on 'satellite', rather than 'channel' or anything else. Means
that within a band all your channels will be consecutively
renumbered for that satellite - the next band for the next
satellite ..and so on. This will help prevent making a channel
choice and having the dish flailing around the horizon - with,
possibly, the motor count becoming confused in the process.

So, Paul ..and anyone else who's interested ..it'll be a
couple of weeks yet until I get it all sorted out - but I'm
not presently expecting any further problem ..um.. !;'))

Incidentally, just to add to info, Tony Denyer - the GM (UK)
of Comag Handels Ag and the manufacturer/distributor of the
various flavours of LiDL's (Comag) SL65, recommends the use
of a Metronic's Sat Motor, among others, which he understands
works well with the SL65.

Incidentally - and following a comment read elsewhere - I do
believe the SL65, with it's 350ma power output - and with a
consumption of around 180ma continuous and even less in stand-by,
is electronically well up to the requirements of any motorised
setup. It has the same output, in this respect, as any other
receiver on the market that uses single cable USALS/DiSEqC rather
than a full-blown (and expensive) 36v multicable ram-arm positioner...

Trust this covers it all to date - and that the info is useful.

I would, however, like to know if there's anywhere that archives
some info on satellite dishes. (Hard to find in Google)! Many,
perhaps most, consumer dishes are, these days, offset rather
than the large Goonhilly Down/Jodrell Bank type 'polar'(?) mounts.

Although with the latest dishes this 'offset' is already taken
into account when judging the elevation from the 'protractor'
at the rear of the mount - with some earlier dishes one had to
'subtract' the offset - the mount protractor not necessarily
allowing for it. I'm not sure what my 3yr old 85cm, (yes 82/85cm)
LiDL dish coresponds to. Although not a problem, just makes it
easier in the initial setup...

hh :))

Bill ZFC

--
Adoption InterLink UK with -=- http://www.billsimpson.com/
Domain Host Orpheus Internet -=- http://www.orpheusinternet.co.uk/

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

snip

Bill, just curious - have you managed to motorise your dish
successfully, and if so how does it work with the SL65?

Not yet!

As I mentioned, picked up the Stab HH90 very cheaply from
Maplins, only to find that, from each of two respected
satellite equipment manufacturers and/or installers, the HH90
as a motor is /not/ recommended!

snip

I would, however, like to know if there's anywhere that archives
some info on satellite dishes. (Hard to find in Google)! Many,
perhaps most, consumer dishes are, these days, offset rather
than the large Goonhilly Down/Jodrell Bank type 'polar'(?) mounts.

Although with the latest dishes this 'offset' is already taken
into account when judging the elevation from the 'protractor'
at the rear of the mount - with some earlier dishes one had to
'subtract' the offset - the mount protractor not necessarily
allowing for it. I'm not sure what my 3yr old 85cm, (yes 82/85cm)
LiDL dish coresponds to. Although not a problem, just makes it
easier in the initial setup...

Thanks Bill. Pity the HH90 didn't cut the mustard. It will be interesting to
know how the motorisation goes when you finally get a decent motor
installed.

Regarding your other query, you could try posting it on another newsgroup -
alt.satellite.tv.europe

There are some knowledgable people on there, and also with your knowledge
I'm sure you could help others.

I know I previously mentioned that I'd changed my mind and wanted to get a
Technomate 1500, but given the good reputation of the SL65 and the fact that
my brother bought one and really likes it, I think I'll get one too.

I don't think I'm going to have the need (or the time) to watch loads of
subscription TV from abroad, so a good FTA system is all I really need. How
often do Lidl have their sales? If it's infrequent I guess a trip to Maplins
would be in order - they have the same box I believe, albeit a little more
expensive.

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

[..]
As I mentioned, picked up the Stab HH90 very cheaply from
Maplins, only to find that, from each of two respected
satellite equipment manufacturers and/or installers, the HH90
as a motor is /not/ recommended!
[..]
allowing for it. I'm not sure what my 3yr old 85cm, (yes 82/85cm)
LiDL dish coresponds to......

Thanks Bill. Pity the HH90 didn't cut the mustard. It will be
interesting to
know how the motorisation goes when you finally get a decent motor
installed.

Won't be too long! Just waiting on Maplin's reply to
my rejection of the Stab HH90, before investing in
something else. Being a pensioner - hat is held
out with violin playing sorrowfully - and following a
successful heart operation but needing continual meds
to keep the beast pumping, I'm not too steady on ladders.
(Come to think of it, I was never any good on ladders
anyway)! Result is I have to wait for assistance before
mounting motors, dishes etc. and therefore had to forgo
Maplin's 14 day immediate exchange policy for their
more leisurely back-at-base assessment etc policy.
Consumer Standards say that's acceptable - but want to
know the outcome in this particular case of a motor
that was never fully installed...

Needless to say, I may have some reservations about
using Maplins in the future - depending on the quality
of service - which, frankly, has been and is much better
at most of the emporiums I frequent...

Regarding your other query, you could try posting it on another newsgroup -
alt.satellite.tv.europe

Thank you! I hadn't thought of that ..didn't even think
about it... Will consider - but it takes a good year of
reading and tentative posting before even wary acceptance
is the norm. It's taken a couple or more years listing the
gentle and authoritative alt.coffee and even now - with
the purchase of a major industrial grinder and a Gaggia
machine to go with it, my very much junior hanger
on coat tail comments are only almost accepted by a few!

One wonders! ;))

There are some knowledgable people on there, and also with your knowledge
I'm sure you could help others.

Nice of you to say so, Paul ..although I daresay my
lads will make sure that I'm cut down to size. They
are grand 'Dad' levellers! ;))

I know I previously mentioned that I'd changed my mind and
wanted to get a
Technomate 1500, but given the good reputation of the SL65 and
the fact that
my brother bought one and really likes it, I think I'll get one too.
I don't think I'm going to have the need (or the time) to watch loads of
subscription TV from abroad, so a good FTA system is all I really need.

Yes - the model that you may be interested in - and the
one I guess that is most like LiDL's SL65, could be the
Technomate 1000D. It's on Myers' site and costs around
74.00gbp (+vat and +p&p)??

Apart from being purely FTA, it has certain useful features
such as 'blind search', where a satellite group may be
searched for TPs and channels at all symbol rates etc, rather
than manually three at a time as done with the much cheaper
SL65.

The Technomate 1000D is also labelled as a Stab-USALS. One
gets the impression that Myers (and Technomate?) have a genuine
admiration, by the way, for the LiDL SL65, where they perhaps
don't for many much more expensive offerings. (Technomate seem
to have walked away with most of the annual prizes for the last
few years)!

How
often do Lidl have their sales? If it's infrequent

Dunno - it tends to vary according to region - but,
unless there are any boxes left, then LiDL will be
unlikely to have anything to hand until the next
offering - perhaps next year - (but see below.. Comag UK
might just have the odd spare box hanging around, if
they are prepared to or can contractually sell directly
to an end user)..

[..]
I guess a trip to Maplins would be in order -

Maplin's, although useful to many, may not be your best
port of call at the moment. They are only just entering
the satellite market with a visibly cheapy kit, even if
it's a little expensive compared to LiDL's similar cut down
camping version.

By the way - I'm informed by LiDL's customer service that
they call themselves Leeedl, rather than Liddle! Just a
thought.. ;'))

At the price, (dunno what Maplin's version is outside of
Maplins 100.00++gbp kit), but you could be better off
investing just a little more and going directly for an FTA
Technomate 1000D from Myers.

I'd guess that should you need it, then the telephone
support and immediate help from real and understandable
techies may be well worth that extra. :))

As said earlier, as far as LiDL/Comag's SL65 goes, Tony Denyer
is the UK General Manager of Comag Handel AG. I dunno how he
rates his details being spread around the net - so I'll forward
these to you privately, assuming no objection...

You may like to email him and see if he has anything
wobbling around on a dark corner shelf, just waiting
for a caring owner.. ;)) (He's also a very helpful person
as well) - but make your email subject header an obvious
interested party one, otherwise it could go the way of spam...

[..]
they have the same box I believe, albeit a little more
expensive.

Looking at it, it doesn't appear to be the full spec'd SL65.
It's the 'camping' or 'cut down' version ..as sold with LiDL's
portable kit. That may, for you, be as good - although it's
unlikely to have things like RGB or YUV output or, perhaps,
the range of digital sound outputs. Otherwise, I guess it is
as good as the main SL65. (It's a pity that the model numbers
aren't more specific)...

The Maplin cost, even with kit and 57cm dish is, I believe,
around 60pc to 70pc greater than LiDL's offering.

Can't think of anything else - except that, for those still
reading, all the boxes mentioned are DVB, or rather, DVB-S -
so they count amongst the ranks of interesting things for
digital tv'ers!

hh :))

Bill ZFC

--
Adoption InterLink UK with -=- http://www.billsimpson.com/
Domain Host Orpheus Internet -=- http://www.orpheusinternet.co.uk/

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

Bill (Adopt) wrote:

snip

Thanks for all the tips! Myers sounds a better bet to deal with than
Maplin - I'm always happy tp pay a bit more for customer service, especially
after the sale. The Technomate 1000D is a good idea if no SL65s are
available. Don't worry about passing on the Comag guy's email, I'll just
keep my eye on the net for future Lidl sales.

Regarding that satellite newsgroup - as long as you've checked Google Groups
to see if your query hasn't already been covered in the recent past you'll
be fine. People are helpful, especially a chap called 'Jomtiem'.

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

snip

Thanks for all the tips! Myers sounds a better bet to deal with than
Maplin - I'm always happy tp pay a bit more for customer service, especially
after the sale. The Technomate 1000D is a good idea if no SL65s are
available. Don't worry about passing on the Comag guy's email, I'll just
keep my eye on the net for future Lidl sales.

Regarding that satellite newsgroup - as long as you've checked Google Groups
to see if your query hasn't already been covered in the recent past you'll
be fine. People are helpful, especially a chap called 'Jomtiem'.

Thanks, Paul. I've come across Jomtiem's writings in
other groups - mostly to with dvd recorders and suchlike.

I'll let you and anyone else that might have been interested
in our conversation know about the motor outcome - when it
happens. ...or is that whenever it might happen.. ;))

I did get info about the three year old LiDL 80cm (85cm) dish
yesterday, immediately after logging in - via 'www.ask.com'.
Obvious, really.. :)) Still didn't really answer my question,
but did show that I'm by no means the only one with the same
question, even if it remains a not very important one in a
USALS scenario!

Thank you for your helpful pointers.. :))

Bill ZFC...
(The 'other' one from the 'Zimmer Frame Club').. 0:))

...now ..a prayer to Ra, the true southern sun god, in the
shadow of the neighbour's fence post at 12h.00 GMT.. ;))

--
Adoption InterLink UK with -=- http://www.billsimpson.com/
Domain Host Orpheus Internet -=- http://www.orpheusinternet.co.uk/

Lidl Satellite reciever etc. from 28th August
 

Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:
In article ,
Paul D wrote:
Bill (Adopt) wrote:

Hi Bill, I'm another SL65 owner!

snip
(1) At least my SL65, on entering my latitude and longitude
in the USALS menu whilst pointing at Hotbird 13E, asked me
to wait whilst it searched for AMOS whatever at wherever!
Perhaps there's a surprised bird that's discovered it's perch
isn't as secure as it thought - or I've gone and blown the box
up, or summat.. I might have to join you yet with a Technomate
- as LiDL have probably run out of SL65s by now... ;))

I'll let you know what happens in a couple of days once I've
got the thing mantled, mounted and, hopefully, pointing
automatically in all the 'right' directions.. :))

Bill, just curious - have you managed to motorise your dish
successfully, and if so how does it work with the SL65?

Not yet!

As I mentioned, picked up the Stab HH90 very cheaply from
Maplins, only to find that, from each of two respected
satellite equipment manufacturers and/or installers, the HH90
as a motor is /not/ recommended!

Bill, why's that - I've got last years SL65 working with an HH90 driving a
Fortec Star 90cm dish now! Pulls in everything from 42E (Turksat) to 5E
(nothing on the west, but that's either my DIY setup or trees/bushes!)

snip
In the event, the HH90 - which didn't work from the outset,
(didn't seem to know where it was going - and mostly sat
and 'shivered' at zero for the few hours we attempted to
work it), is now back with Maplin's for their assessment -
and my refund! Will then invest in a different motor - and
this time one that works, hopefully.

I had that issue with mine - it wasn't the motor, but the box overheating!!
My SL65 got really hot during the heatwave summer we had. I found pointing
a fan at it soon sorted it out and it could drive the motor with no
problems. I'm now trying to work out how to put a more permanent form of
cooling on it.

snip
However - and following these trial/tests with said friend (who
is, by the by, also a recently retired TV Engineer) and his
brand new SL65 which together with my SL65 that has not had,
as yet, any recent software update), we do believe that:

The SL65's USALS is 'good'. Simple to use. Set motor
on perpendicular pole/mount (very, very important for it
to be precisely perpendicular) - start off pointing directly
at/to true south, (here, in the northern hemisphere); motor to
the nearest satellite to true south - I believe recommended to
be Thor/Intel at 1W and ....make the coffee and get the
popcorn/biccies ready! The rest of the satellites should
come in automatically once their 'Edit Satellite' menus have
had their individual DiSEqC choice also set to 'Motor'.

Yup, I can confirm it all works very well!

snip
One thought - yet to be tested in my case - is that it could
be helpful to set your motorised channel menus to be sorted
on 'satellite', rather than 'channel' or anything else. Means
that within a band all your channels will be consecutively
renumbered for that satellite - the next band for the next
satellite ..and so on. This will help prevent making a channel
choice and having the dish flailing around the horizon - with,
possibly, the motor count becoming confused in the process.

You can download a channel sorter utility from Comag's website - however you
can't change the order of the satellites! Grrr.

Incidentally, just to add to info, Tony Denyer - the GM (UK)
of Comag Handels Ag and the manufacturer/distributor of the
various flavours of LiDL's (Comag) SL65, recommends the use
of a Metronic's Sat Motor, among others, which he understands
works well with the SL65.

Any chance you can send me his contact details - I'd like to pass on my
comments about the SL65 and what a bargain it is!

I would, however, like to know if there's anywhere that archives
some info on satellite dishes. (Hard to find in Google)! Many,
perhaps most, consumer dishes are, these days, offset rather
than the large Goonhilly Down/Jodrell Bank type 'polar'(?) mounts.

Have you had a look at the forums on http://www.satellites.co.uk ? You'll
see all my posts about the SL65 in there!!