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View Full Version : Big Satellite Dish


gomercoronel
04-11-04, 04:50 PM
i have a satellite dish sittin in my backyard and i wanted it to work. how do i it? thanks

anxious-in-LA


fewalt
04-11-04, 09:15 PM
gomercoronel,

First question?
Do you have a C-Band satellite receiver?? You can pick up a used, working receiver for maybe $150.

You need power to the motor from the receiver to see if the dish will move. W/O a receiver you can take the motor off, take it to a C-Band dealer and have him check the motor. Extension tubes can freeze up from no lubrication, motor gears can go bad, reed switches and actuators can also go bad. If you are serious about it, also take off the LNB, and the dealer can also test it.

But, since c-band keeps losing wild feeds and other ggod channels, you really need a more expensive 4DTV receiver to receive digital satellite.

Your best bet is to go out and get a DishNet or DirecTV system - just about for free. Or you can come over and remove my motor and lnb from my downed dish. I put a little dish on my big dish post.

fred

gomercoronel
04-11-04, 09:55 PM
i really dont know what i have. bought the house and this huge thing is sitting on the backyard. how do i know if it's a c-band or whatever it is? u saying that am better off getting a Dish or DirecTV system? should i just junk this huge thing? it sounds like it's not worth keeping it. thanks for the advice.


fewalt
04-12-04, 06:12 AM
You guessed correctly.
Here's what to do. Remove the two nuts/bolts holding on the motor. Let the dish swing down easily when you remove the bolts. Cut all the wires at the feedhorn/LNB. Pull the wires back toward the dish post, some are exposed, some are tied to the dish brace or button-hook. Now you can loosen all the 3/4" bolts holding the dish mount to the post. The dish should now swing on the post. Two men can now lift the dish off the post, if it is an aluminum mesh dish. Get more help if it's a fiberglass dish.
Mesh dishes are usually eight separate panels which can be disassembled. You may get a few buck for the aluminum from a scrap dealer.
But now you've got a good mounting point for a lil' dish with cables to feed two receivers(if it had the second RG6 for K-band).
They usually have two cables even though only used one.

fred

stereoguy
04-12-04, 07:26 PM
If you decide to go with Directv/Dish there are several websites that offer really good deals, many with free equipment/installation with a one year contract.

Do yourself a favor and jump on one of the cheap TiVo deals.

fewalt
04-12-04, 08:23 PM
Sorry, forget the websites for dish sales. They provide NO service as opposed to a local dealer. And websites can offer no better deals than the local dealer. So there is no advantage.

DishnNet : Free 3 room system, and one of them can either be a DVR or an 811(HD receiver).

fred

M W
04-28-04, 11:29 AM
I have a big ol C-band "ready to go" too. But it is not "hooked up." I would like to hook it up and see what I get before I junk it. I really think I'll end up junking it but we'll see.
Can you help? I have the dish, it moves via remote, very well. I have an HTS receiver (circa 1996) and remote for it. And the TV....and then I have a "bundle" of cable and wire. This is where I need the help....what goes where?
Maybe if there is something at all on there that interests some member of the family I'll leave it running into the TV in the study or something....?
Thanks in advance
mw

fewalt
04-28-04, 03:55 PM
MW,

Obvoiusly, if the dish is moving for you, the actuator (and probably the LNB) wires are hooked up already. You should have an RG6, standard coax coming in also which needs to be hooked to the SAT 'in' on the HTS sat receiver.
Then all you need is output to the TV, it can be standard A/V cabels(yellow, red, white), or another short coax cable to the TV screw in connector.
If you use a/v cables you need to go to a Video1 or Video2 channel if the tv has them. If you use coax then you use channel 3 or 4.
Once hooked up, try to find a sat video channel by slowly bumping(moving) the dish up or down. If you find a clear channel, try the fine tuning on the remote. If you have success there you're almost home.
Try to find a fairly current guide with all the satellies and channels defined.
I'll try to find out tomo how to store a sat on your HTS), now out of business.

good luck,
fred