AsiaSat 4 - can I get it with a Sky dish??

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frozen001

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Topic # 30519 11-Feb-2009 13:20

Hi - this is my first post and until 2 days ago this was all an unknown area. Thanks in advance for any advice given.

So I have bought a Topfield TF5050CI sat receiver and will connect this to a Samsung Plasma 42 in. TV. I have looked at a lot of info but its all very confusing. Have not actually had hardware delivered yet so just preparing in advance.

http://www.lyngsat.com/asia4.html tells me that I want to get this (AsiaSat 4) satellite because its got the channels I want to view for free.

http://www.freetv.co.nz/channels.html tells me that with a 60-75cm dish I can get AsiaSat 4.

Then it gets tricky - main thing I note is different angles horizontal and vertical to get different satellites - and there is other things people talk about that I have no idea of.

I am just wondering if I can get AsiaSat 4 easily with my Sky dish - do I need to swing it round a few degrees or is this not necessary and what other stuff will let me receive AsiaSat 4.

Cheers - Lance

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507 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 31

Reply # 195313 11-Feb-2009 14:14

No friggen idea dude.

Have seen a couple of houses in christchurch that have got sat dishes in the garden the size of a garden shed.

One wonders what they are picking up with them????

Id be interested in knowing what asian channels you can get for free with certain dishes etc as it would stop the mrs using all my data cap to download her hong kong tv shows lol

The force is strong with this one!

frozen001

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 195316 11-Feb-2009 14:20

LMAO - I have the same challenge with my Asian partner - let you know how I get on - cheers

allstarnz

1677 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7

Trusted

Reply # 195337 11-Feb-2009 16:34

you'll need to move your dish 20 degrees to the right if it's pointing to the Sky satellite (Optus D2). I can't get AS4 as a tree is in the way.

You won't be able to get a lot of Ku-band stuff on Asiasat 4 though by the looks. Most of the stuff seems to be c-band, which you need a much bigger dish for. (these are the 4 digit numbers). Also not sure if the BSS beam streches this far.

If you want foreign TV on a small dish, you're better off to move your dish a little to the left to get Optus D2.

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 31

Reply # 195340 11-Feb-2009 16:44

http://www.totalconnections.co.nz/page.php?id=5

This might help. Seems pretty pricey, but its a one payment deal and the rest is free to air i assume?

The force is strong with this one!

kbrophy

11 posts

Geek

Reply # 195344 11-Feb-2009 17:01

Hi,

I have a 1M dish pointed at AS4 - but to be honest - theres only 2 FTA channels on it.
Daai and HZ. They are both Chinese language (pardon my ignorance if not).

From when I initally set up a few years ago - a 1M dish was the minimum to receive AS4 reliably.

There are some other satellite feeds as well which happen intermittently - but if you can find them - they are usually sports for Fox Sports in AUS.

As for other asian channels FTA - IS8 has MacTV (taiwanese) and Arirang (South Korean), Arirang seems to be mostly english but does occasionally speak Korean.

Optus D2 seems to have a Vietnamese channel that hasnt been encrypted yet - VTV4 or sumthing.

while i remember - the bit about http://www.lyngsat.com/asia4.html - just make sure the channels you wish to watch are in the "Australiasia" beam. as AU/NZ cannot receive any of the other beams.

cyril7

6267 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 280

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 195345 11-Feb-2009 17:02

Hi, the BSS beam is pointed at Hong Kong, and cannot be seen here, the Australian beam can be recieved here but only a couple of channels are FTA, Cband has a lot more.

Cyril

frozen001

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 195352 11-Feb-2009 17:16

Ok - I'm getting the picture now (or my future lack of a good picture on AsiaSat 4). So anybody any good ideas on any satellites I can get FTV (Fashion TV), MTV, E! (Entertainment Channel) and some Philippino channels - and if I'm really lucky still using my Sky dish??

Thanks for all your input

Cheers

Brunzy

657 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 56

Trusted

Reply # 195402 11-Feb-2009 21:19

No,no,no,no and yes..........subscribe to sky

frozen001

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 195404 11-Feb-2009 21:31

I subscribe to Sky now but they are not value for money so - hence - my quest to unfetter myself from their sticky tentacles.

allstarnz

1677 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7

Trusted

Reply # 195416 11-Feb-2009 22:27

On UBI there is a Filipino package, $30/month for two Pinoy channels, plus Al Jazerra and Euronews

http://nz.ubiworldtv.com/

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 31

Reply # 195460 12-Feb-2009 08:45

discussing this last night with some friends and the conclusion we came to was that a C band setup was definately the go for longer term value for money, however most of the "good" asian shows screen around 8pm at night.........being 12-1am here. Unless you are a real night hawk(or student) it might not be that practical.

Sky seems to be a lot less value for money but delayed broadcast so that shows screen at the same time and it makes it altogether easier.

The force is strong with this one!

frozen001

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 195463 12-Feb-2009 08:49

Thanks this UBI looks pretty good acually - great advice - Thanks Lance

frozen001

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 195466 12-Feb-2009 09:33

Thanks Rossmnz - being a complete newbie on sat TV I will hook up and see what I can get for free - then move to swinging the dish around with a meter to see what satellites I can get (and learn about stuff) - then might try a subscription to UBI and see what its worth - if any good I will can SKY. If still not satisfied and feeling that C Band is not beyond my technical capabilities - I might have a play with this.

Thanks for your advise - Cheers Lance

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 31

Reply # 195487 12-Feb-2009 11:17

scour the chinese language newspapers in your area for deals on installation.

I only know of one guy in chch who can install C band dishes etc and he does it as a weekend business.

However Auckland is a different story. Have a look at those Queen st apartments and every 2nd one has a C band dish!!

I dont know how difficult installation will be, but aslong as you have the right amount of bracing for the monster dish and the wiring done correctly i dont see it being a problem.

Good luck, let us know how you get on

The force is strong with this one!

nav2u

42 posts

Geek

Reply # 195501 12-Feb-2009 12:18

Hi,

I am just wondering if I can get AsiaSat 4 easily with my Sky dish

Unfortunately no! The satellite is too far away and requires a bigger sized dish to collect the weak signals for your LNB to pick up.

I have a 2.8m (or is it 3m...not sure) dish currently pointing at Asiasat 3S (get about 150 channels all different languages including radio stations, channels from India, Pakistan, China, Singapore and theres lots more...I can't remember over the top of my head, check lyngsat). The smallest dish you can get away with is a 1.8m dish (as I understand it...) however you greatly increase the risk of rainfade signal loss.

I have also seen someone use a 2.8m dish to receive ethnic channels from Asiasat 4 and now I'm planning to install a motor or maybe a dual LNB on my dish to receive channels from Asiasat 4 as well.

Just yesterday I successfully setup Freeview|HD and Asiasat 3S on Windows 7 Media centre machines but adding channels from a second satellite (Asiasat 4) will be challange (specially if i end up using a motor)

kbrophy: Hi,

I have a 1M dish pointed at AS4 - but to be honest - theres only 2 FTA channels on it.
Daai and HZ.

There are a lot more channels on this sat, not sure why you only get 2 FTA channels. Have you tried manual singal transponder scanning?

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