DIY Install Of Sky Minidish - Without a safety net!

Or indeed a meter.

Is this possible, easy, foolhardy, plain daft?

I am looking to install my own minidish and LNB and to purchase a second hand Sky box to use without any viewing card to get the Free to air channels (Similar though slightly different list to the freeview offering).

I decided to do this based on the advice here.....

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author is using a pace 12V box and a small dish on a Canal boat and says that once having got the elevation set (which she says was a bit tricky, but she only had to do it once) she then selects a set up menu on the Sky Box, has an assistant swing the dish round, and bingo. She's got the satellite.

But now i've started having a look around for more info on how to do it (having ordered the box), most of the responces to previous posts seem to say don't attempt it, or at least not without a meter.

So, now for the questions.

Has anyone here done this themselves? How did you get on, any tips?

Given that I can look up the correct angle form my place near the south coast to the ssatellite, how does this relate to the angle I point the (parabolic and I hope offset) dish to and how do I set the dish - ie do you sight along the LNB arm? or what?

Can anyone recommend any particular makes or models of digibox?.

Are they all as easy to use as the previously mentioned PACE for this setup excercise? Or are some better than others?

I am tending toward Panasonic or Pace at the moment, but would welcome suggestions.

Reply to
cpvh
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I have self installed a dish, though not a mini dish. I have a particular problem in that my signal is high even when the quality is low, I THINK this is due to the fact that I have electric pylons running just South of me. Anyway the biggest problem was getting the correct satellite, I found that the only way I could do that was to keep checking the Sky box. In the end I set the dish up on a workmate where I could watch the TV while I adjusted. Having got it right I then placed a long piece of wood across the face of the dish and used a compass to measure the line of the wood. The wood was necessary to get the compass far enough from the metal to get a good reading on the compass. I then made a simple inclinometer with a piece of card a length of string and a weight. I then measured the incline of the LNB bracket and marked it on the card. Having mounted the dish in its final place I transferred these reading to align the dish. I received a decent signal and just needed to tweak it slightly. 2 other points, don't forget that there is a few seconds delay between moving the dish and getting the corresponding reading on your box, also twisting the LNB in its holder is another adjustment. If you live in the North Staffs area I could lend you a meter.

Reply to
Broadback

In article , snipped-for-privacy@uk2.net writes

Panasonic seem the have a higher "worthiness" at least over on the satellite forums..

Yes they can be lined up without a meter. ASTRA 28.2 is about the brightest thing in the sky. Just needs to, as you say, get the elevation right which will vary a shade depending in where you are in the country on a North South basis, and some time finding the sat. There is a built in signal and quality meter in the Sky box, but do bear in mind the delays between you moving the box and it changing on the screen.

Done it for Sky and other sats quite often. Isn't difficult though you DO need the TV and sat receiver where you fiddle with the dish and see the results!.

Just place it where you think it should point then move it slowly side to side. If no results then just alter the elevation a shade then repeat.....

Reply to
tony sayer

If it's a genuine Sky box it will have a built in signal strength meter.

sponix

Reply to
Sponix

Thanks for the reply Broadback. (keep em coming folks) and the offer of the loan of the meter. I am down near the south coast, but would consider paying postage both ways, and sending you....

  1. A refundable deposit against it's safe return.
  2. A drinking voucher by way of thanks.
Reply to
cpvh

I have setup both old analog and new digital systems both without a meter.

You need to be in view of the tv while you are adjusting, having an assistant just doesn't work too well.

The hardest part is to get the initial setting of the dish almost there. If you neighbor has a dish it makes it alot easier to guess the starting point.

You can get a meter off ebay cheap.

Paul

Reply to
Paul-S8

It's pretty easy. Here's another Web page that may help; this tells you how to look for the right network ID and TSID (transport stream ID) so that you know that you're on the right satellite:

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's important that the dish is mounted with the major axis of the ellipse truly horizontal. Later dishes have a built-in spirit level for this purpose. Also ensure that the LNB rotation setting (click stops) is in position 3. Align the dish for best signal quality. Ignore signal strength which, for any given dish size & LNB, is mainly related to the length of cable between the LNB and receiver. Cable attenuation reduces the signal strength, but will not affect the quality at all unless your cable run is unusually long (25 metres+ with the usual '100' size cable). The LNB, in effect, acts as a very high gain preamplifier.

HTH

Reply to
Andy Wade

When I moved house I took the Sky dish with me, thinking I could jus slap it on the wall and bingo-bango digital TV. But alas it did no work. (was not subscribed to Sky, but the receiver gives free digita TV when you cancel your subscription)

I went to all the trouble of measuring the angle and alignment of th dish before I took it down and re-erected it to the same alignment, bu could not get a signal for love nor money! The new neighbours dis pointed in exactly the same direction, but no joy. Even with m twidling the angle and the missus checking the signal again no luck.

Whether it got damaged in transit I dont know, but it was promptl condemned for sale at the next car boot sale marked as "fully working :-

-- Cordless Crazy

Reply to
Cordless Crazy

Quite easy! - So long as you have line of sight to the satellite. Often easier than installing a TV aerial for Freeview, since the dish can be lower down, and there is less variation in signal strength. You just get the right size of dish for you part of the country.

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£25 meter which gives an audible tone can be quite useful ut not essential.

also

uk.tech.tv.sky uk.tech.digital-tv alt.satellite.tv.europe

Maybe read 'What Satllite'

Reply to
Michael Chare

Pretty easy. A meter just makes it a bit easier and possibly quicker, no need to be able see TV when up ladder etc.

Another tip is that the sun is roughly in the right direct about 1020 GMT every morning at least for azimuth. The elevation varies above/below the satellites position quite a lot depending on the time of year. The further we are from one of the equinox's the bigger the "error" is.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

They are only about a tenner on ebay!!

Reply to
Steven Campbell

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