upgrading from analog ASTRA to DIGITAL

DannyD

Quick Question.

I want to upgrade from analog astra to Digital Astra.I have a regular satellite dish and recieve working in analog.

What do I need to upgrade to DIGITAL ? Just the receiver ? Can I use the old dish ? Do I get EPS ?

thanks in advance.

Tony

hi, you need a digital reciver and a digital/universal lnb if your dish does not already have one.

DannyD

Are you sure about the digital LNB ? I have a dish that is about 4 years old and works fine for analog.I phoned some store in Dublin today and he told me I needed just the receiver.Some mag I read said the same thing.

Tony

well that depends on what lnb you have, if its universal then thats ok but you need to check this. The guy in the store should buy a lotto ticket if he is able to tell you what type of lnb you have without looking at it. I suspect he is just trying to make a quick sale. A digital reciver will work on the low band on an old 975 lnb but whats the point on missing most of the channels on the high band.

Tony

DannyD

Thanks for the answers.

So I think I need a new digital lnb.Any idea how much it will cost to install ? I assume the lnb is around €40 so the installer will round that upto €100 for installation (roof).

Is installing a second lnb for Hotbird expensive ? Anyone recomend a good installer in Cork city ?

watty

LNB types (No such thing as "Digital" really)

1) Standard = 10GHz LO
2) Enhanced = 9.75 GHz LO
3) Universal = 9.75 AND 10.6 GHz L0, switchable via 22KHz tone
4) Telecom = 11GHz LO

Originally Sky Analog used type (1). Later when C5 and Kika, CNBC added they sold ADX boxes to shift channels UP by 500MHz to allow the reciver to tune 500MHz lower. From that point "new" installs had receivers that could tune higher and an Enhanced LNB, so the whole band could be tuned.

If an older receiver got an Enhanced LNB, then an ADX+ box was needed to receive the highest channels such as MTV, CNN and BR Alpha.

Later some new installs and replacement LNB was the "Universal" with the upper setting (tone on = 10.6) ignored.

A Universal is actually required on Hotbird 13E analog to tune in the Greek stations etc at 12.xxx GHz as well as Turkish at the bottom end of the Ku band.

The LO signal is subtracted from the actual Satellite frequency to give the signal on the cable to the Receiver. So 1.2GHz (1200MHz) on the Receiver (Analog or Digital) is EITHER 10.950GHZ OR 11.800 Ghz station depending it the receiver has the 22KHz tone off or on.

LNB type (4) would be used in France or here for French analog TV. A universal LNB with the 22KHz permanently on would work.

Old or basic Analog receivers don't usually have the Tone on/off and thus can't get all the channels on Hotbird Analog.

IF the LNB LO does not match the setting in the Receiver setup menu (again really old or very cheap analog might not have the setting), then the displayed frequencies are wrong and to add a Channel you would need to calculate what to type in.

It's about £20 stg for a really good LNB. I have bought some good ones as cheap as £7stg.

You can have the new LNB for Sky fitted on a 4" to 6" long bracket on the existing analog system. Virtually all the analog channels on 19E Astra are either not available on Sky or Pay TV on Sky. Keep the analog running as well till it dies.. Get a new LNB.

watty

I have added a 2nd and even 3rd LNB to Digibox.
Even made it changeover via the Remote.

BUt it really a waste of time. The Digibox is a monoplistic Sky only system. Add more than 20 or so "Other Channels" and it "forgets" them.

It easily "crashes" switcing from Astra 19 to Sky, though Hotbird to Sky is not such a problem.

C-Span/ VOA TV is at a SR the Digibox can't do. The Digibox only does 22,000 or 27.500. Stations can be any SR from 2,000 to 40,000.

Some stations have wrong PID entries. You need to manually edit them. Can't on a Digibox
Some FTA stations are not even listed at all on a Scan. Manual entry. Can't on a Digibox. I Get ITV-2 free to Air on my PC Card. The channel this is on does not appear on *ANYTHING*. Has to manually added. Can't on Digibox.

You can have a single 90cm dish with Sky, Astra19 and Hotbird LNBs on it. But I 'd use a Palcom, Digenius, Humax or PC Satelite card for the Hot Bird /Astra.

The standard way to select different LNBs is Diseq. Every Digital receiver and PC card EXCEPT the Digibox does this.

SUMMARY

Sky ... Use Digibox
Everything Else ... use NOT-A-Digibox
Up to 3 LNBs on a 90cm is fine and works well.

Tony

Originally posted by DannyD
Thanks for the answers.

So I think I need a new digital lnb.Any idea how much it will cost to install ? I assume the lnb is around €40 so the installer will round that upto €100 for installation (roof).

Is installing a second lnb for Hotbird expensive ? Anyone recomend a good installer in Cork city ?

Seems a bit excessive I would charge 45 for a call out and 29 for a MTI Blue line lnb, unfortunately though I cant go to Cork and the only guys I use down there do sky installs only.

Sorry