Help Re. satellite TV

Michael Chare wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...

snippy

I think you should be a bit more specific about what they are selling.

I'll have to go back to the shop for more details.

If the price includes an 'FTA' satellite receiver, you might want to
decide whether this is really what you want of whether you would be
better off with a 'Freesat' receiver.

Yes, dish, fixings, receiver and cabling. Mmm, Freesat........I've seen
mention on websites. Now you've just complicated matters

Also, what are the pro's/cons of satellite TV?

Satellite has more capacity than terrestrial, including some HD
transmissions. Generally, if you have line of sight to the satellites
it works. IMHO the dishes are not very attractive, but DIY
installation is quite practical.

I'm hoping to mount dish on the side of the house so less obtrusive.
Thanks
--
Pete C
London UK

Java Jive wrote:
Ahem, potentially a slight problem.

(Clusters of) satellites are at most 2-3 degrees apart, so you have to
work to accuracy greater than this to be sure of landing on the right
satellite (cluster). If you don't, for the confusion you may then
receive, may the Lord make you truly thankful!

It is unclear whether such sites allow for the difference between Grid
North and True North, which varies between +-3 or 4deg over the UK.
Also, satellite photos can be subject to significant distortion by
perspective. Take a look at:
http://tinyurl.com/6yukgh
... standing in for ...
http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ent=Google.jpg
.. and ...
http://tinyurl.com/692yc8
... standing in for ...
http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...nt=Google2.jpg

I'm not saying don't use it, it's a clever idea, if it works (please
report back whether it does - that is whether you hit the right sat
first time), but I would advise having a backup plan.

For example an OS map (local library) and or/a compass. In the former
you will also need allow for Grid North, while with the latter it will
be Magnetic North. Both corrections are available from the margins of
OS Landranger or Discovery maps. Compasses are also prone to
deflection by nearby metal objects, such as, well a satellite dish for
a start! Just move away slightly until the needle steadies.

Gonna have another look at kit tomorrow. I'm intending to use a compass for
basic alignment, then I thought a signal strength meter..cheapo one though.
If I buy it, I'll gladly report back.
--
Pete C
London UK

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
Michael Chare wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...

snippy

I think you should be a bit more specific about what they are selling.

I'll have to go back to the shop for more details.

If the price includes an 'FTA' satellite receiver, you might want to
decide whether this is really what you want of whether you would be
better off with a 'Freesat' receiver.

Yes, dish, fixings, receiver and cabling. Mmm, Freesat........I've seen
mention on websites. Now you've just complicated matters

Yes.

But a Freesat receiver won't be so complicated!

If you buy a Freesat receiver (or Sky box) it will use the EPG to find most,
and probably eventually all, of the UK channels.
It will also display the a 7 day programme schedule.

If you buy an FTA receiver it may come with a built in channel list, but if
anything changes you will need to understand how to find and scan the right
transpoder. It is quite possible, but it does require more understanding.
You will just get now and next programme data for UK channels.

--
Michael Chare

In article , Alan
scribeth thus
In message , Geoff Pearson
wrote

try this - gives an aerial view of your house and the line to the satellite.

http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/category/software/




... using Astra 28.2 degrees as the satellite. That's the same cluster
of satellites used by Sky and Freesat (digital) and carries 400+ Free to
air channels including the main terrestrial channels (channel 5 should
be free to air by the end of the year on Freesat).


Wonder if that earlybird wasn't supposed to be Eurobird?...

Which as it happens is on 28.8 East just like Sky/Astra?..

http://www.lyngsat.com/eb1.html
--
Tony Sayer

In article , Pete C
scribeth thus
Michael Chare wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...

snippy

I think you should be a bit more specific about what they are selling.

I'll have to go back to the shop for more details.

If the price includes an 'FTA' satellite receiver, you might want to
decide whether this is really what you want of whether you would be
better off with a 'Freesat' receiver.

Yes, dish, fixings, receiver and cabling. Mmm, Freesat........I've seen
mention on websites. Now you've just complicated matters

Also, what are the pro's/cons of satellite TV?

Satellite has more capacity than terrestrial, including some HD
transmissions. Generally, if you have line of sight to the satellites
it works. IMHO the dishes are not very attractive, but DIY
installation is quite practical.

I'm hoping to mount dish on the side of the house so less obtrusive.
Thanks

As long as it can "see" the satellite and thats a bit higher then the
dish seems to point, it can be on the ground;!...
--
Tony Sayer

tony sayer wrote:
In article , Alan
scribeth thus
In message , Geoff Pearson
wrote

try this - gives an aerial view of your house and the line to the
satellite.

http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/category/software/




... using Astra 28.2 degrees as the satellite. That's the same
cluster of satellites used by Sky and Freesat (digital) and carries
400+ Free to air channels including the main terrestrial channels
(channel 5 should be free to air by the end of the year on Freesat).


Wonder if that earlybird wasn't supposed to be Eurobird?...

Which as it happens is on 28.8 East just like Sky/Astra?..

http://www.lyngsat.com/eb1.html

I'll check tomorrow
--
Pete C
London UK

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
tony sayer wrote:
In article , Alan
scribeth thus
In message , Geoff Pearson
wrote

try this - gives an aerial view of your house and the line to the
satellite.

http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/category/software/




... using Astra 28.2 degrees as the satellite. That's the same
cluster of satellites used by Sky and Freesat (digital) and carries
400+ Free to air channels including the main terrestrial channels
(channel 5 should be free to air by the end of the year on Freesat).


Wonder if that earlybird wasn't supposed to be Eurobird?...

Which as it happens is on 28.8 East just like Sky/Astra?..

http://www.lyngsat.com/eb1.html

I'll check tomorrow
--
Pete C
London UK


Having plugged in own location by postcode, it showed me a location about
a mile away! However I found that I could drag and drop the red pointer
onto my house (having once found it !) and the satellite line followed it.

--
--
Graham W. www.gcw.org.uk Homebuilt Computer cooling. DIY projects
Wimborne. www.wessex-astro.org.uk Society website, meetings,
Dorset UK. location maps and future programs.

lid wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...
tony sayer wrote:
In article , Alan
scribeth thus
In message , Geoff Pearson
wrote

try this - gives an aerial view of your house and the line to the
satellite.

http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/category/software/




... using Astra 28.2 degrees as the satellite. That's the same
cluster of satellites used by Sky and Freesat (digital) and carries
400+ Free to air channels including the main terrestrial channels
(channel 5 should be free to air by the end of the year on
Freesat).

Wonder if that earlybird wasn't supposed to be Eurobird?...

Which as it happens is on 28.8 East just like Sky/Astra?..

http://www.lyngsat.com/eb1.html

I'll check tomorrow
--
Pete C
London UK


Having plugged in own location by postcode, it showed me a location
about a mile away! However I found that I could drag and drop the red
pointer onto my house (having once found it !) and the satellite line
followed it.
--
Yep, I've done that. 166.5 mag, elevation 29.9
polarisation -10......................wassat?
--
Pete C
London UK

On Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:09:23 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

Wonder if that earlybird wasn't supposed to be Eurobird?...

Which as it happens is on 28.8 East just like Sky/Astra?..

http://www.lyngsat.com/eb1.html

Eutelsat Eurobird 1 is positioned at 28.5°E

SES Astra 2A/2B/2C/2D are positioned at 28.2°E

B$kyB is merely a paying customer of Eutelsat and SES Astra,
and neither owns nor operates the satellites, contrary to
the fallacious belief of many people.

lid wrote:

Having plugged in own location by postcode, it showed me a location about
a mile away!

If you give it a postcode it only takes the first "half" of it which, as
you noticed, can be a long way adrift; it is best to give it a street
name and town name.