Starting out with FTA

[albo33]

Okay so I kind of just started out today on FTA. I have read several guides and have researched my stuff. I have chosen the Viewsat Ultra Lite as my receiver (Did I make the right choice choosing it over the Sonicview 360 Premier? I was looking for something in the $100-$120 range.)
I moved into this home about seven years ago, we have had cable television for all the years and never touched the dish above our home. Here are my questions:

1. Can I just use my regular coax cables I already have wired or do I need to change something?
2. I hear these talks about "Charlie", "Bev", "B3V", and more what are these? Different types of satellites?
3. Say I would like to "know" how to get D*shNetwork channels, do I have to position my satellite in a certain position?
4. Do I only get a certain amount of channels in a certain range? Or do I get all the channels for DN if I position it right?
5. Are there any other satellite providers I can "learn how to get?"
6. How would I go about getting PPV?
7. I think I have RG-59's in my house? Is that a HUGE problem or just minor? How can I tell?

Thanks everyone for your help, sorry if I made my intentions a bit obvious, I'm still learning. :P

[yamahadude157]

i dont know much about the receivers but viewsat is a great brand, personally i would have got a neosat ipro plus. You cant use rg-59 you have to have rg6. You do need to point your dish, aim for 110/119 to get charlie and u can get the info to point your dish at dishpointer.com hope this helps

[rajiv427]

Originally Posted by albo33

Okay so I kind of just started out today on FTA. I have read several guides and have researched my stuff. I have chosen the Viewsat Ultra Lite as my receiver (Did I make the right choice choosing it over the Sonicview 360 Premier? I was looking for something in the $100-$120 range.)
I moved into this home about seven years ago, we have had cable television for all the years and never touched the dish above our home. Here are my questions:

1. Can I just use my regular coax cables I already have wired or do I need to change something?Just connect the cable to your receiver and see if you get any Signal and quality.
2. I hear these talks about "Charlie", "Bev", "B3V", and more what are these? Different types of satellites?Charlie means Dishn3twork and Bev or B3V means B*ll Express Vu.These are Satellite provider.
3. Say I would like to "know" how to get D*shNetwork channels, do I have to position my satellite in a certain position?Yes,you have to position them.
4. Do I only get a certain amount of channels in a certain range? Or do I get all the channels for DN if I position it right?If you have good signal and quality then you will get the max.
5. Are there any other satellite providers I can "learn how to get?"First get use to the easier one first then go for more.
6. How would I go about getting PPV?110w D*sh got lots of Ppv.
7. I think I have RG-59's in my house? Is that a HUGE problem or just minor? How can I tell?Minor,just change it if you want to RG6 which is better.

Thanks everyone for your help, sorry if I made my intentions a bit obvious, I'm still learning. :P

You will find some useful post here buddy so keep your eyes open and have a look at them.

[chill dawg]

Welcome to ABA!

The viewsat ultra lite is a nice little inexpensive work horse, with good support!

[tb1971]

Originally Posted by albo33

Okay so I kind of just started out today on FTA. I have read several guides and have researched my stuff. I have chosen the Viewsat Ultra Lite as my receiver (Did I make the right choice choosing it over the Sonicview 360 Premier? I was looking for something in the $100-$120 range.)
I moved into this home about seven years ago, we have had cable television for all the years and never touched the dish above our home. Here are my questions:

1. Can I just use my regular coax cables I already have wired or do I need to change something?YES SHOULD BE OK.
2. I hear these talks about "Charlie", "Bev", "B3V", and more what are these? Different types of satellites? THATS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE, ONE IS US SERVICE PROVIDER AND THE OTHER IS CANADIAN.
3. Say I would like to "know" how to get D*shNetwork channels, do I have to position my satellite in a certain position?YES YOU DO.
4. Do I only get a certain amount of channels in a certain range? Or do I get all the channels for DN if I position it right?YOU WILL GET SAT'S 119/110 WITH A DUAL LNB.
5. Are there any other satellite providers I can "learn how to get?"YOU CAN GET BEV WITH ANOTHER DISH.
6. How would I go about getting PPV?THE PPV'S WILL BE THERE ALONG WITH YOUR REGULAR NETWORK CHANNELS.
7. I think I have RG-59's in my house? Is that a HUGE problem or just minor? How can I tell?YOU MIGHT BE OK WITH RG59, DEPENDS ON THE DISTANCE FROM YOUR RECEIVER TO YOUR DISH, THE WAY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL IS SIGNAL QUALITY AND STRENGTH.

Thanks everyone for your help, sorry if I made my intentions a bit obvious, I'm still learning. :P

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS THEY WILL HELP YOU:
GLOSSARY
ABA DSS - Free to Air Satellite TV Community
TYPES OF DISHES
http://www.abadss.com/forum/29-fta-a...ypes-uses.html

TYPES OF SWITCHES/LNB'S
http://www.abadss.com/forum/29-fta-a...itch-info.html

[albo33]

Holy hell thank you some much Rajiv and tb1971, this community is awesome. I will be getting D*sh Network then since it is US based and suits my needs.

A few more questions:

1. Is charlie the only satellite I need to point at?
2. tb1971 is talking about dual lnb, what is this?
3. What is 119 and 110?
4. I can't find D*sh Network satellites anywhere on satellite finder?

[lonster]

110 & 119 are DN sats. 82 & 91 are B3V sats.
If I were you I would buy an elliptical dish w/3 standard lnb's and 1 universal lnb....

This way you can get 82,91,110,118 & 119..... If you decide to go HD you will already be on B3V's HD sat as well as get 3 reg def sats....... When an ecm happens you will be affected but not as much as you would be if you you only hit one provider.

[albo33]

So what if my satellite only has one lnb? Do I only get 110 or 119? Which should I choose?

[lonster]

Well it depends on the programing you want..

go to lyngsat.com and there you will be able to see what each sat has to offer

Yes you will only be able to hit one sat with one lnb, unless you have a universal lnb aimed @ 119 for example, you will get 118 & 119

[albo33]

How do I make sure I hit 119 instead of 118? They seem close. I'm choosing 119 because I read somewhere it is the local channels and the "core" programming whereas 110 is secondary programming.

Also, if I have one lnb does that mean I can only have D*sh it on one TV? Lastly, do I have to have RG-6? Will there be a major singal loss if I already have RG-59?

[tb1971]

Originally Posted by albo33

How do I make sure I hit 119 instead of 118? They seem close. I'm choosing 119 because I read somewhere it is the local channels and the "core" programming whereas 110 is secondary programming.

Also, if I have one lnb does that mean I can only have D*sh it on one TV?No you can use a switch.
Lastly, do I have to have RG-6? Will there be a major singal loss if I already have RG-59?

You should be ok buddy, but give it a try first before you start stringing rg6 cable all over your house

[tb1971]

Originally Posted by albo33

How do I make sure I hit 119 instead of 118? They seem close. I'm choosing 119 because I read somewhere it is the local channels and the "core" programming whereas 110 is secondary programming.

Also, if I have one lnb does that mean I can only have D*sh it on one TV? Lastly, do I have to have RG-6? Will there be a major singal loss if I already have RG-59?

Heres your answer to the section I have made red:Remember..
single LNB...receives ONLY 1 satellite signal and has 1 output to ONLY 1 receiver
Dual............ receives ONLY 1 satellite signal but has 2 outputs for 2 receivers
TWIN....has built in switches..receives 2 sats AND has 2 outputs for 2 receivers
Quad... same as twin but has 4 outputs for 4 receivers

[albo33]

Thanks a bunch tb1971, this should be my last question:

How do I know which coax leads to my satellite?

[tb1971]

Originally Posted by albo33

Thanks a bunch tb1971, this should be my last question:Ask as much as you need to!

How do I know which coax leads to my satellite?

Go to your dish and follow the coax, if you have more than one coax tied with zip ties mark it with tape so you dont lose track of which caox cable your trying to track. I think this is what your asking?

[albo33]

Pssh.. If you say so.

1. Does the Sonicview SV-360 Premier have Dolby Digital 5.1 support because the Viewsat Ultra Lite only support stereo?

2. Which one of those two receivers has a better menu? Or does it steal D*sh Network's menu?

3. Which do you recommend I pick 110 or 119? How do I choose which my satellite picks up, they seem close?

4. What if my Satellite says directv on it, I haven't looked at it in a while, does that mean I can't pick up D*sh?

[tb1971]

Originally Posted by albo33

Pssh.. If you say so.

1. Does the Sonicview SV-360 Premier have Dolby Digital 5.1 support because the Viewsat Ultra Lite only support stereo? No it doesnt.

2. Which one of those two receivers has a better menu? Or does it steal D*sh Network's menu?Uses it's own menu format

3. Which do you recommend I pick 110 or 119? How do I choose which my satellite picks up, they seem close?Depends on what programming you want.

4. What if my Satellite says directv on it, I haven't looked at it in a while, does that mean I can't pick up D*sh?

You can use the dtv dish, but it's alittle tricky, the lnb's that will be attached with it are useless, you will need to replace them with d/n lnb's


Side note: You will eliminate alot of headache since your new to all this stuff, if you dont already have it, buy d/n dish and lnbs. Check on fleabay for these items.

[spyder123]

This is a test, all a test... albo, i know you from somewhere.

[albo33]

Of course this is a test.

So I just checked and it is indeed Dish Network. But if I buy a QuadLNB will I be able to all two B3V's and all two D*sh's? How come no one can pick up D*recTv?

Also how do I make sure I'm hitting 119 instead of 110, they're close.

[albo33]

Also, I have another Dish that says Direct TV on it, it was here when I bought it so I only know that it is at least seven years old. It CAN be older, somebody told that it can be one of those standard lnb's, is that true?

Also, I found out I choose if I want 119 before I do the autoscan.

[cisco123]

[quote=albo33;454055]Also, I have another Dish that says Direct TV on it, it was here when I bought it so I only know that it is at least seven years old. It CAN be older, somebody told that it can be one of those standard lnb's, is that true?

Also, I found out I choose if I want 119 before I do the autoscan.[/q
u can use your old dtv dish for 91 i have saw it done