Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I was on the point of getting a new dish with a quad LNB for our house in 17 to allow TV in several rooms. I think I'll hold off purchase of the planned zone 2 dish (which will likely still be OK) until we learn more.Grateful for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 [quote user="Jako"]The Astra2D is almost end-of-life: launched in 2000, 12 year lifespan. [/quote]15 year life span for 2D. (see SES's website) And that's what's so odd, if anything needs replacing you'd think it would be 2A they'd start with (launched Aug 1998, but still two years to go in an ideal world).A lot of the sites are showing a whole-scale transfer of 2D transponders onto 1N sometime very recently but many of us (perhaps wrongly of course) have our doubts. The point of launching 1N to the "wrong" position was - according to Astra - to provide more narrow beam capacity rather than replacing one of the other craft. Of course 1N can do both, but even so.Affaire a suivre, as they say..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 [quote user="Jako"]The Astra2D is almost end-of-life: launched in 2000, 12 year lifespan. They are just replacing the satellite. Imagine a painter going up there and paint "1N" over "2D": no effect on the ground. This is routine, all transponders will simply move to the 1N and then the 2D will retire. As this is 1N 's temporary job, the same will happen again when 1N moves on to 19.2 east. But 1N has more transponders so it will do more than just take over 2D's tasks. [/quote]Copy of an email received by someone on Digital Spy<<<<<Dear Sir,this is to confirm that NO ASTRA 2D transponders has been transferred to ASTRA 1N.C4 and ITV will start on 1N in the coming days. This will be completelytransparent to consumers as there will be no change in frequencies.Best regardsYves FeltesVP, Corporate Media Relations>>>>>So we need a few more days before there are any concrete results. But as I said I think it's unlikely that 2D is going anywhere in the near future.Lyngsat are looking a bit silly now..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 So Martin are you saying that some of the channels may already be on 1N already according to "A lot of the sites" and if so do we know what they are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Kingofsat, lyngsat etc. already emptied the Astra2D satellite. They report all transponders moved to the 1N. I think they are mistaken though. [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I have an email from M. Feltes this morning (27th) which is still in the future tense: "...all programming that will be transferred to 1N will continue to use exactly the same frequencies."So maybe the transfers haven't happened yet.OK Jacko you were right.... don't gloat.p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I can't say for certain but I don't think ANY channels have yet moved to 1N.My best guess is that Channel 4 will move first, but maybe just the ones that aren't yet on "freesat"'s EPG.There's no TECHNICAL reason for anything safely housed elsewhere and already free to air to move, although the politics and rights issues are different and channel four and five (and their spin offs) are likely prime suspects.All I can suggest is to keep an eye on Digital Spy. But I'll add that I wouldn't worry about the footprint too much, as others have said an 80 cm dish will probably go on working fine even in southern France, although I'm guessing that the odd dish may need yet another tweak to the skew of the LNB.We'll know soon enough.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Sam Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Yes, we'll know soon enough as you say Martin! One thing's for sure, there's one helluva lot of very conflicting information out there. I've noticed from another source of information, a 'techie' is saying that; "due to the BBC economising on satellite space, BBC News has relocated to another part of the Astra 28 satellite, with some residents in the South of France likely to be affected by changes taking place recently and in coming months and some people may lose BBC channels altogether!"Plenty of other mentions of proposed "cuts to the service", yet no mention whatsoever of 1N.Rumour control is rife and is it no wonder people get confused?[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Well the bit about BBC News is true. Having (once upon a time) been on 2D it went over to 2A/B along with BBC Radio (as there were no rights problems) but with the BBC giving up one transponder altogether on 2B they've shuffled BBC News back to 2D to make room for a few of the streams that were on the transponder they've given up. 11954 MHz was a fairly wide beam (so News and Radio had a wide coverage area) but now News is back on 2D some people far away may miss it.But if one gets BBC 1 OK then News should still be available even after the move.If you see what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 [quote user="Martin963"]15 year life span for 2D. (see SES's website) [/quote] Indeed, that is what is on the website now. However, it was originally designed for 12 years, maybe the website is currently not accurate.The original info is still visible on the Astra2d wikipage and is pointing to the original source: http://www.ses-astra.com/business/en/news-events/press-archive/1999/26-07-99/ Unfortunately, this 1999 document does not seem to exist anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I'm fairly certain they quote the minimum life span. Generally it's the amount of fuel on board for the rocket boosters that limits the life of a craft, the electronics (solar cells, transponders etc) will last far longer. So if they can refrain from moving the craft about they can eke things out considerably, and they often then use craft that won't quite keep still enough for broadcast for other communications purposes. As 2D has stayed where it is throughout its life I imagine it's still going strong for a few more years... I'm not certain when the information you saw was "suppressed" but at the same time I have never seen any mention anywhere that 2D would be at end of life next year.... Don't believe everything you read on Wikipedia, it's written by well-meaning but sometimes ill-informed people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Yes, they will definitely use the Astra2d for several more years, just not on one of the prime locations (19, 28). Ageing satellites are usually used to provide backup service or feeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 There is a channel4 HD test transmission on Astra 1N :11123 V 22000 DVBS2 8PSK 2/3Strooooong signal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Well I get the BBC News channel OK and the Parlimentry one as well. I did notice skiping through the radio channels that some come up with no signal i.e. LBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Only the mentioned Channel4 HD test transmission is currently on Astra1N, all other channels are still on 2D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty Sam Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Thanks Martin. Your explanation makes perfect sense.Jako, tried to tune into the test transmission - then I noticed the settings are for 'HD' ! Whoops, not much use without a 'HD' facility over here. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 [quote user="Salty Sam"]Thanks Martin. Your explanation makes perfect sense.[/quote]It's times like this I wish there was a "like" button. As usual, a good, concise, polite, un confrontational comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Thanks.....Those six months spent a long time ago in BBC Engineering Information Dept weren't entirely wasted then......Satellites for broadcast back then consisted of Astra 1A and the ill-fated British Satellite Broadcasting craft at 30 deg W from what I remember.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 [quote user="Martin963"]Thanks.....Those six months spent a long time ago in BBC Engineering Information Dept weren't entirely wasted then......Satellites for broadcast back then consisted of Astra 1A and the ill-fated British Satellite Broadcasting craft at 30 deg W from what I remember....[/quote]Those awful Squarials, aaaaaaagggh !!p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonia Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 31 West.Now that brings back memories!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 [quote user="Antonia"]31 West.Now that brings back memories!![/quote]D-Mac - or was it D2-Mac? and LNB's with a noise figure of about 5db ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 [quote user="Antonia"]31 West.Now that brings back memories!![/quote]D-Mac - or was it D2-Mac? and LNB's with a noise figure of about 5db ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonia Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Now you're taxing the old grey matter.I'm sure it was D-Mac. D2-Mac was Scandinavian amongst others.remember "It's smart to be square" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jako Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Reception reports from all over Europe are excellent. If this really is the Astra1N spotbeam nobody needs to worry. In the UK reception is incredible, one might even try to use a dishless lnb...[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Some people think that what we're (or rather you - where I am sojourning at present my view of 28.2 deg E is obstructed by a huge cedar tree, although I can see 19 deg E round to 5 deg W) seeing is the wide beam, although it seems odd to start on that if one's going to move to the narrow beam. Time will tell.I think the IBA wanted C-MAC originally but didn't get it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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