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Alan Wrigley

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Apr 1, 2013, 6:53:15 AM4/1/13
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The TV reception in my new home is crap and I'm guessing that at the very
least I need a new aerial as the existing one is almost certainly
pre-digital.

There is a satellite dish on the house with two cables running inside,
terminated by screw-on coax connectors. I've never used satellite so I
assumed the previous owners had a Sky subscription, which I don't want or
need. However, I've just discovered that Freesat uses the same dishes as Sky
and so for the cost of a STB I could have HD thrown in as well, and I doubt
this would be much more than paying a man to put a new aerial on the roof.

So, could someone with Sky please confirm that this sounds like a Sky dish,
and the cables have the right connectors. Is there anything else that might
help identify it?

Thanks
Alan

Chris Hughes

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Apr 1, 2013, 7:15:00 AM4/1/13
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In message <gemini.mkkowr0...@alanwrigley.com>
The Sky dish is the same as a FreeSAT dish.

You have two cables which means you can either watch one channel while
recording another or have a single channel in different rooms.

Depending on how old the dish it you might want to replace it later
for a newer model. But it should work in meantime.

Contact me direct if you want some more help, I know roughly where you
have moved too. :-)


--
Chris Hughes
Come to the Wakefield RISCOS Computer Show - 20th April 2013
http://www.wakefieldshow.org.uk

Alan Wrigley

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Apr 1, 2013, 7:46:21 AM4/1/13
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Chris Hughes <ne...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

> In message <gemini.mkkowr0...@alanwrigley.com>
> Alan Wrigley <al...@alanwrigley.com> wrote:
>
> > So, could someone with Sky please confirm that this sounds like a Sky
> > dish,

> The Sky dish is the same as a FreeSAT dish.
>
> You have two cables which means you can either watch one channel while
> recording another or have a single channel in different rooms.
>
> Depending on how old the dish it you might want to replace it later
> for a newer model. But it should work in meantime.

Thanks Chris. All I really need to know (I think) is that the dish is
actually a Sky dish, though I can't imagine what else it might be. It's way
up on the chimney stack but it appears to look like this one:

http://sky-sats.co.uk/product_images/t/811/Sky_dish_MK4_1___04105_zoom.jpg

I'm assuming that the dish will just work, and doesn't need to be activated
in some way?

> Contact me direct if you want some more help, I know roughly where you
> have moved too. :-)

Many thanks. I suppose you'll be expecting me to come to WROCC meetings :)

Alan

--
RISC OS - you know it makes cents

JTM

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Apr 1, 2013, 9:18:39 AM4/1/13
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In article <gemini.mkkowr0...@alanwrigley.com>,
Alan Wrigley <al...@alanwrigley.com> wrote:
> The TV reception in my new home is crap and I'm guessing
> that at the very least I need a new aerial as the
> existing one is almost certainly pre-digital.
My more than 20 yr old aerial in the loft gives pretty good
reception. Does yours need re-alignment? Do neighbours have
problems?

My more than 35yr old aerial (long before 'digital') in
France is OK too.


> There is a satellite dish on the house with two cables
> running inside, terminated by screw-on coax connectors.
> I've never used satellite so I assumed the previous
> owners had a Sky subscription, which I don't want or
> need. However, I've just discovered that Freesat uses the
> same dishes as Sky and so for the cost of a STB I could
> have HD thrown in as well, and I doubt this would be much
> more than paying a man to put a new aerial on the roof.

> So, could someone with Sky please confirm that this
> sounds like a Sky dish,
Well it sounds like it's a dish! Sky dishes are usually
wider than tall. Everyday satellite dishes tend to be taller
than wide
> and the cables have the right
> connectors.
Sound like normal 'f' type connectors. The central wire goes
into socket on back of box and just screw it up.

Two cables mean you can have two normal boxes (ie �30 bush
box from Argos [ours is fine here in France]) OR a more
expensive box that can (eg) record one channel while you
watch another
> Is there anything else that might help
> identify it?

> Thanks Alan

--
John Mulrooney
NOTE Email address IS correct but might not be checked for a while.

A controlled 'plane crash is usually called a landing.

Chris Hughes

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Apr 1, 2013, 11:18:18 AM4/1/13
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In message <gemini.mkkrd9006d4kd0344.spamhater@keepyourfilthyspamtoyou
rself.co.uk>
Alan Wrigley <spam...@keepyourfilthyspamtoyourself.co.uk>
wrote:

> Chris Hughes <ne...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

>> In message <gemini.mkkowr0...@alanwrigley.com>
>> Alan Wrigley <al...@alanwrigley.com> wrote:
>>
>>> So, could someone with Sky please confirm that this sounds like a Sky
>>> dish,

>> The Sky dish is the same as a FreeSAT dish.
>>
>> You have two cables which means you can either watch one channel while
>> recording another or have a single channel in different rooms.
>>
>> Depending on how old the dish it you might want to replace it later
>> for a newer model. But it should work in meantime.

> Thanks Chris. All I really need to know (I think) is that the dish is
> actually a Sky dish, though I can't imagine what else it might be. It's way
> up on the chimney stack but it appears to look like this one:

> http://sky-sats.co.uk/product_images/t/811/Sky_dish_MK4_1___04105_zoom.jpg

If its like that then its a "sky" dish, mine is like that.

> I'm assuming that the dish will just work, and doesn't need to be activated
> in some way?

No activation necessary for FreeSAT.

>> Contact me direct if you want some more help, I know roughly where you
>> have moved too. :-)

> Many thanks. I suppose you'll be expecting me to come to WROCC meetings :)

Hey thats a fantastic idea! :-)

I'll see you at the show in about 3 weeks anyway.

Alan Wrigley

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Apr 1, 2013, 12:11:30 PM4/1/13
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Chris Hughes <ne...@noonehere.co.uk> wrote:

> I'll see you at the show in about 3 weeks anyway.

Indeed. It's now my 'local'!

Simon Willcocks

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Apr 1, 2013, 2:46:42 PM4/1/13
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In message <gemini.mkkowr0...@alanwrigley.com>
Alan Wrigley <al...@alanwrigley.com> wrote:

> The TV reception in my new home is crap and I'm guessing that at the very
> least I need a new aerial as the existing one is almost certainly
> pre-digital.

There are two parts to the aerial; the dish itself and the LNB, which is the
part the cables go into. There's a good chance you'd only have to replace
the LNB, if at all. You can replace it with one with four connectors, if
you feel like running more cables down, perhaps into the bedroom.

I remember reading that water getting into the cables themselves can cause
problems with reception, so if there are any problems don't rush to blame
the active parts.

> There is a satellite dish on the house with two cables running inside,
> terminated by screw-on coax connectors. I've never used satellite so I
> assumed the previous owners had a Sky subscription, which I don't want or
> need. However, I've just discovered that Freesat uses the same dishes as Sky
> and so for the cost of a STB I could have HD thrown in as well, and I doubt
> this would be much more than paying a man to put a new aerial on the roof.

I have a Humax Foxsat HDR, which allows you to record two programs at the
same time and, if you're lucky, watch a third. It would need both the
cables plugged into it. With an unofficial software upgrade, you can manage
it using a web browser. It also does BBC iPlayer, apparently, but I haven't
tried that.

If you just want to watch telly, there are probably some boxes for about 20
quid (probably no good for HD, though).

> So, could someone with Sky please confirm that this sounds like a Sky dish,
> and the cables have the right connectors. Is there anything else that might
> help identify it?

The connectors will be OK, the only thing will be the LNB. Digital
satellite has been around for quite a while now, though, so there's a good
chance it will work. Try it and see!

Simon

--
ROLF - The RISC OS Look and Feel on Linux.
http://ro-lookandfeel.blogspot.com/
http://sourceforge.net/users/simonwillcocks

John Williams (News)

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Apr 1, 2013, 3:23:04 PM4/1/13
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In article <5a09b13553.s...@stoppers.eternal-september.org>,
Simon Willcocks <simon.w...@t-online.de> wrote:

> I remember reading that water getting into the cables themselves can cause
> problems with reception, so if there are any problems don't rush to blame
> the active parts.

Returning to France, I found, with the help of Rick, that my LNB had its
cover cracked and was full of water!

Initially, I re-made the connections, but the problem turned out to be a
cracked cover and an 'inondation' of water.

I have (had) a 4 port LNB as I had a separate box for R4 - and a few spare!

The replacement was about 10 quid.

John

--
John Williams, Brittany, Northern France - no attachments to these addresses!
Non-RISC OS posters change user to johnrwilliams or put 'risc' in subject!
Who is John Williams? http://petit.four.free.fr/picindex/author/

Alan Wrigley

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Apr 1, 2013, 3:35:17 PM4/1/13
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Simon Willcocks <simon.w...@t-online.de> wrote:

> I have a Humax Foxsat HDR, which allows you to record two programs at the
> same time and, if you're lucky, watch a third.

Yes I definitely want a twin-tuner box with a recorder. Most of the cheaper
ones seem to have been rubbished by online reviewers, and even the Humax
hasn't escaped criticism. However, I'm leaning towards Humax at the moment.

T M Smith

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Apr 1, 2013, 4:21:13 PM4/1/13
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The dish shown is exactly the same as freesat dish.
I put mine up myself without problem.

Malcolm Smith

>>> In message <gemini.mkkowr0...@alanwrigley.com>
>>> Alan Wrigley <al...@alanwrigley.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> So, could someone with Sky please confirm that this sounds like a Sky
>>>> dish,

>>> The Sky dish is the same as a FreeSAT dish.
>>>
>>> You have two cables which means you can either watch one channel while
>>> recording another or have a single channel in different rooms.
>>>
>>> Depending on how old the dish it you might want to replace it later
>>> for a newer model. But it should work in meantime.

>> Thanks Chris. All I really need to know (I think) is that the dish is
>> actually a Sky dish, though I can't imagine what else it might be. It's way
>> up on the chimney stack but it appears to look like this one:

>> http://sky-sats.co.uk/product_images/t/811/Sky_dish_MK4_1___04105_zoom.jpg

> If its like that then its a "sky" dish, mine is like that.

>> I'm assuming that the dish will just work, and doesn't need to be activated
>> in some way?

> No activation necessary for FreeSAT.

>>> Contact me direct if you want some more help, I know roughly where you
>>> have moved too. :-)

>> Many thanks. I suppose you'll be expecting me to come to WROCC meetings :)

> Hey thats a fantastic idea! :-)

> I'll see you at the show in about 3 weeks anyway.




--
T M Smith
Using an Iyonix and RISC OS 5.16 in the North Riding of Yorkshire

Chris Hughes

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Apr 1, 2013, 5:44:04 PM4/1/13
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In message <gemini.mkld2t00n46c90344.spamhater@keepyourfilthyspamtoyou
> Simon Willcocks <simon.w...@t-online.de> wrote:

>> I have a Humax Foxsat HDR, which allows you to record two programs at the
>> same time and, if you're lucky, watch a third.

> Yes I definitely want a twin-tuner box with a recorder. Most of the cheaper
> ones seem to have been rubbished by online reviewers, and even the Humax
> hasn't escaped criticism. However, I'm leaning towards Humax at the moment.

Humax despite some reports are still the best
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