Satellite TV Guide - article discussion

I can understand you wanting to keep a getting started article simple but this reads like you Googled some basic info then stuck it all together without any real understanding of some of the content.

The combiners/splitters/multiswitches part is the worst offender and is muddled and just plain wrong, if I'm reading it correctly.

There is a wealth of info on the forum in this satellite section and no doubt a few regulars who wouldn't have minded assisting...

Glad you got the pic of the 'HD' dish in there, that's really important. :D
 
Hi Kev

It's really supposed to be just a basic guide and, as I said in it twice, there is a wealth of information and expert assistance available on the Forum. In fact, part of the idea of it was to highlight that very fact.

If you would like to message me with your thoughts on how to make that section less muddled and easier to follow it would be appreciated and we can get it updated.

Thanks

Mark
 
Great articl/guide, thanks.

I think BT Sport have stated they are hoping to have UHD football at 50fps and will come down the Internets.

I think sky will have one UHD sports channel and maybe one other UHD channel over the satellite, the rest will be cloud based I reckon as people aren't going to pay massive amounts for 4tb hard drives in sky boxes and sky won't give them away.
 
You've just reminded me I have a full dual quattro lnb dish setup in boxes in the garage, really need to get that up on the wall!
 
Glad you got the pic of the 'HD' dish in there, that's really important. :D
Shame, I've only got an SD dish, but it seems to work on HD as well, as does my old analogue aerial with digital broadcasts.
 
If you would like to message me with your thoughts on how to make that section less muddled and easier to follow it would be appreciated and we can get it updated.

Some thoughts:

Dishes:
The picture is misleading, there is no such thing as an 'HD' dish.
Difference between Sky dish and 'normal' not discussed.
LNBs:
LNBs are also available in quad (4) and octo (8) outputs.
All LNBs for UK/euro TV are dual band, this has no relevance to a beginner guide.
Multi-LNB is not a type of LNB, it is the use of multiple LNBs on one dish.
LNBs are connected to tuners, not device/room/zone. For a newbie this should make it clear 2 feeds are required for a PVR if wanting to record two channels at a time.
Dish Mounting:
DirecTV is a US sat service, potentially confusing newbies with the factory multi LNB setup.
Freesat:
Difference between Freesat and FreesatFromSky not mentioned.
Receivers & Recorders:
SD TVs work fine with HD receivers with SD outputs.
High Definition Receivers/Recorders:
All receivers are 3D capable, satellite 3D is side by side...
Connectors:
Push fits not relevant IMO.
"Some equipment only has Coaxial connections" - Really???
Doesn't mention buying the appropriate size of connector for the cable in use.
Cable:
Copper only, forget the rest. WF65 for under 20M and WF100 for over should cover most domestic installs.
Alignment Tools:
On screen meters can be used too, several different TPs need testing, search for guides.
Combiners/Splitters/Multiswtiches:
Splitters cannot be used with multiple tuners if they are to be used independently, search the forum.
"To distribute a signal from a dish to multiple receivers, requires a Quattro LNB with a multiswitch" - only if you want more than 8 tuners... and don't want two dishes... Multiswitch systems need size up of dish to overcome signal losses in the system and you've not told us what a Quattro LNB is.
"This is something that people often like to do with their Sky connections as it means you’ll only need one box, provided you’re happy that all your TVs will be showing the same programme." - As I read it, this statement relates to the use of a multiswitch, but it does not... I assume you mean outputting the video from the Sky box to other rooms but this is never mentioned.
The plural of multiswitch is multiswitches.

That was longer than I thought... my invoice is in the post. :D

Edit: Posts don't show tab indents but the post editor does?
 
Does Freetime let you search for upcoming programs by name like the Sky interface does? It's one of the main things that puts me off FreeView at the moment, because I use the search by program name most of the time to look for things.
 
LNB Types, and Combiners/Splitters/Multiswitche(r)s need a re-write, with less emphasis on splitting and more on RF2 Out and i/o Devices.
 
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Puzzled - Freesat+ and Freesat+ freetime pvrs and Freeview+ pvrs all allow search for a programme name within the current 7 day ahead epg. It's kind of a fundamental requirement of epg driven recording boxes.
 
The Panasonic PVR and bluray recorder I have don't allow searching at all. All you can do it scroll through the guide as far as I can see.
 
It's not normal. What model is the box ?
 
The bluray recorder is BWT735, I can't remember the model number of the PVR but it was about 2 years ago I bought it and it had a 500GB hard drive. I gave it away as I was fed up of not being able to search for programs.
 
Many thanks for the article. As a total beginner I found this useful as my new 4K TV has dual satelite inputs and I was interested in receiving something to watch in 4K that isn't 'timelapse' and thought that maybe continental satelite broadcasts may be the answer, but didn't know what kit was required, so thanks. As you mentioned in the article, I still need to know what is broadcast on which satelite and when, in order to actually watch anything!
 
I still need to know what is broadcast on which satelite and when, in order to actually watch anything!

Just demo loops at present nothing worth investing in, the first real 4k channels will almost certainly be subscription based.
 
v+ solo 4k sat receiver is supposed to be released soon which I found suprising. Havent checked the full specs though.
 
Just demo loops at present nothing worth investing in, the first real 4k channels will almost certainly be subscription based.
A Fransat card and CI+ plus cam is available for about £50. They encrypted just before showing tennis from Rolland Garos. Still encrypted now but my Sony tv doesn't tune it in correctly :( The other channels though work flawlessly. Cam and card last a life time, just hope there is a fix so my tv can tune into the 4k channel.
 
The answer to what and when of 4K on satellite is AFAIK practically nothing for the foreseeable future.
The Internet has rather more.
 
The answer to what and when of 4K on satellite is AFAIK practically nothing for the foreseeable future.
The Internet has rather more.

Actually the First Free 4K UHD channel will be German shopping Channel 'Pearl.TV' launching in September on Astra1 19.2° east, Just for those who love German speaking shopping channels will now be able to enjoy it in 4K
 
Should have a photo of your typical normal dish.......... DSC00878.JPG
 
Search is not in the Freesat etc. specifications if I remember correctly.

Never seen a Freeview+ recording box without epg search. All the non recording SD freeview boxes I have ever used also have epg search.

I cannot imagine any of the current twin tuner terrestrial pvrs Freeview+, Youview and Freeview play don't have this capability.

The new triple tuner Humax FVP 4000T Freeview Play box has triple tuners so can record 4 channels and watch a 5th across 3 MUX (Not yet in the shops but should be soon)

Humax FVP-4000T Digital Video Recorder | Product overview | What Hi-Fi?

Over the years had

Humax 8000T (single tuner), Humax 9200, Topfield 5800 and Humax HDR FOX T2. Current TV

Certainly Freesat+ and Freesat+ freetime units have epg search.
 

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