Best option for Freeview (strange situation ahead)

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DravidDavid

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#49098 17-Nov-2009 23:59

Well, ever since I worked out you can buy PCI satellite cards for your computer, I have become more interested in Freeview Satellite. However, I am plagued with an odd situation.

My family run a small Motel in Wellsford. We have Sky Television, however it was set-up in the strangest way possible. We have 3 Sky decoders (One for each channel: Sky Movies, Sky Sport, Discovery) We have eight motel units and if you plug the standard signal cable into the wall (don't know the official name for it) you would use for analogue TV, you can pick up Sky, in any room.

This makes for an odd situation. To receive Freeview, must I purchase a separate dish to attach to my PCI satellite card...Or can I use the existing dish?

I was investigating duel LNB's, but it seems they are used mainly to get the signal from both Optus D1 and D2 satellites. Is it necessary to purchase an identical LNB to the one we have and fix it next to the one used to pick up Sky in a duel bracket? (if that makes sense?)

There seems to be several splitters coming out of the decoders left right and centre, so I think a separate dish is the best option. However, I am confused as to the size of dish I should purchase. Is a 50 dollar 60cm dish with Ku band LNB sufficient to pick up Freeview? Or do I need a bigger dish...Like a 90cm dish for example. I think the gain of the LNB is the most important thing when buying a satellite dish, correct?

If anyone could enlighten me to a better solution for receiving FTA channels, please let me know! Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated!

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#274085 18-Nov-2009 00:55

DravidDavid: My family run a small Motel in Wellsford. We have Sky Television, however it was set-up in the strangest way possible. We have 3 Sky decoders (One for each channel: Sky Movies, Sky Sport, Discovery) We have eight motel units and if you plug the standard signal cable into the wall (don't know the official name for it) you would use for analogue TV, you can pick up Sky, in any room.

Pretty standard setup. I remember quoting a motel that had 8 decoders in the main office. Sky certainly know how to make their money off businesses.

DravidDavid: This makes for an odd situation. To receive Freeview, must I purchase a separate dish to attach to my PCI satellite card...Or can I use the existing dish?

You can run Sky and Freeview off the same dish at the same time.

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DravidDavid

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#274090 18-Nov-2009 01:52

Do I need to run another cable from one of the splitters? Or do I need to buy a seperate LNB and connect that to my computer?

And yes...It costs us 450 a month for 3 sky channels. We where told we needed to buy 13 additional Freeview decoders in order to distribute all 13 Freeview channels though to the units, so I just want it for my computer.

Brunzy

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#274123 18-Nov-2009 08:28

DravidDavid: Do I need to run another cable from one of the splitters? Or do I need to buy a seperate LNB and connect that to my computer?

And yes...It costs us 450 a month for 3 sky channels. We where told we needed to buy 13 additional Freeview decoders in order to distribute all 13 Freeview channels though to the units, so I just want it for my computer.

Easier to reconfigure your system
and give each( ie 8) unit their Freeview STBox

cyril7

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#274133 18-Nov-2009 09:14

Easier to reconfigure your system
and give each( ie 8) unit their Freeview STBox

Hi, for just 8units its worth getting a FreeView box for each unit. Another thing you might look at, is to offer all Sky channels. I have just rewired a Motel here for Sat to each room and the owner has done a deal for a Sky box in each room. Initially he just did this in the large family units and his business has picked up somewhat with customers stating that the motel around the corner has installed freeview in each room, but how the hell do I see sport on that, so now he's extended it to all rooms.

I seem to remember it works out something like $1.70 per night per room to have a Sky box in the room, and you get all 60odd channels with it rather than the FTA + 3Sky.

Cyril

sbiddle

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#274150 18-Nov-2009 10:15

Any idea if card theft is an issue with a setup like this?

I just wonder if people are dumb enough to think they could steal the card and somehow get free Sky..

cyril7

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#274152 18-Nov-2009 10:16

no different to them stealing the microwave from the room

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Deev8

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#274159 18-Nov-2009 10:40

sbiddle: Any idea if card theft is an issue with a setup like this? I just wonder if people are dumb enough to think they could steal the card and somehow get free Sky..

cyril7: no different to them stealing the microwave from the room

I've never tried it, but I imagine it's more difficult to slip a microwave into a pocket and leave without anyone noticing it.

DravidDavid

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#274161 18-Nov-2009 10:44

Thanks for your replies guys!

The Sky setup really doesn't both me. I am going to university next year, so it would be nice to record my favorite shows in digital quality! :)

There are three decoders leeching off the same dish...won't an added freeview box or three for the living areas in our house somehow over-load the dish degrading the signal?

If there is a free slot on the splitter, I can just connect to that and connect my PCI satellite card in my computer in order to use the dish? If there isn't a free slot on one of the splitters, I will probably need to buy a new splitter, right?

Cheers!

cyril7

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#274179 18-Nov-2009 11:40

You should have no problems splitting a the feed 4ways without recourse to any amplification. I would assume the dish is a 1m one (typical for commerical installs) so there is plenty of C/N so even if the signal gets down in the mid 50's (which a 8way split would do) it would still be all fine. I recommend a DC pass all ports splitter if you change it.

As for the card being nicked, you have details of who rented the room so your libilities are covered even if you cannot find them, and the card details are recorded with Sky so easily shut off.

It is becoming more common for up market motels/hotels to have decoders in the room, so either this is not a problem or just dealt with.

Cyril

DravidDavid

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#274186 18-Nov-2009 12:18

There are so many little intersections in our set-up, I will have to take a photo of it some time. The dish looks to be about a meter.

My other issue is distance. I am over 30 to 40 meters from where the splitter would be. What is the max length a coaxial cable can run for without needing a repeater of some type?

I will have to take a picture of the setup we have. Because even if I had the splitter, I wouldn't know where to plug it in so all the Sky stuff is unaffected.

CYaBro

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#274198 18-Nov-2009 12:36

Deev8:
sbiddle: Any idea if card theft is an issue with a setup like this? I just wonder if people are dumb enough to think they could steal the card and somehow get free Sky..

cyril7: no different to them stealing the microwave from the room

I've never tried it, but I imagine it's more difficult to slip a microwave into a pocket and leave without anyone noticing it.

You would just keep all the Sky cards at reception and hand them out when people check in wouldn't you.
Then make sure they are handed back at checkout.

DravidDavid

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#274285 18-Nov-2009 17:55

Ok, there are three decoders, some black box that says something along the lines of "Model 5435 Digital Modulator" about three splitters. Two splitters look like they are only three way and one looks like a 4 way splitter.

My understanding is, I would need to put yet another splitter in before the first splitter I find leading down to the Sky setup in order to avoid messing all that up?

I've probably got it all wrong, but I will put some pictures up tomorrow.

DravidDavid

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#274570 19-Nov-2009 19:41

I have pictures!

This is the dish:
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q131/13CentKiller_Sniper/Personal%20Pictures/DSC00923.jpg

This is the front:
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q131/13CentKiller_Sniper/Personal%20Pictures/DSC00932.jpg

This is the back:
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q131/13CentKiller_Sniper/Personal%20Pictures/DSC00936.jpg

Can I put a splitter directly under the LNB? Or do I have to follow the cable down though the roof and split it before the first intersection I find?

I'm really green at this, but want to learn the most I can so I don't spend money where it ain't needed.

Thanks!

DravidDavid

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#275285 22-Nov-2009 20:48

Sorry to triple post in one thread...But I believe I have something that could end it.

I just realized. Before we where told we couldn't get digital, because the decoders weren't in the house, so we would have to put up with an analogue signal for our 50" plasma TV. Since the place is rigged to put satellite out all the RF jacks in the house already, I should be able to purchase a decoder, plug it into the wall via the RF jack and tune the decoder to pick Freeview up with a digital signal and all.

Or have I got something seriously wrong.

cyril7

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#275289 22-Nov-2009 21:00

All depends on whats wired, but if the Lband satellite signal (one from the dish) ends up at just the Sky decoders in the motel service area and only UHF RF is distributed from there on out then you wont be able to get a decoder (Sky or FreeView) to work without changing that or running a new run.

Cyril

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