French and UK TV

[bixy]

A simple question, I hope. Is it possible to receive both French and UK TV via satellite using one dish and two LNBs, or do you need two completely separate set ups? A supplementary - how easy is it to set up satellite using the kind of systems on offer in the average bricolage - any make that is recommended?

Patrick

[Martin963]

The problem that one is up against is that in order to "see" two satellites with one dish,   one of the "views" is not going to be optimised -  generally a dish has a "sweet spot",  which is normally pretty much  the middle (although slightly off in the vertical sense for the customary "offset" dish).   The wider the angle between the satellites one desires,  the more disfavoured one of them (the one that isn't on the sweet spot) becomes.

So generally one option is to obtain a little horizontal arm which is designed to attach to the main LNB support and which itself supports a second LNB beside the main one,  which is carefully adjusted to pick up a second satellite.

Now if the sats aren't too far apart (eg 6 degrees,   Hotbird and Astra 1) this works a treat.    In fact monobloc LNB's are manufactured with two LNB's fused together side by side at the preset distance, optimised for a 6 degree setting,  thus obviating the need for the little support arm.

The problem with Astra 2 (ie the "British" sat) is that it's 9 degrees east of the next useful one (Astra 1) which means a bit of care in buying the extra support arm,  which has to be capable of a nine degree separation,  AND has to fit the dish for which it's intended.    In addition,  nine degrees (whilst do-able) does mean that one will need an 80 cm dish to make sure both work fine.    I don't think anyone makes a 9 deg monobloc,  another example of how the British are isolated from the rest of Europe by using their "own" satellite.

But what do we find in French on Astra 1 - plenty,  except most of it is scrambled.    So a Canalsat sub or a TNTparSat box is going to be needed for the set up to be worthwhile.   But this has been done,  there was a thread about it some months back.

You won't get this method (additional bracket) to work for the analogue French Sat bird which is 5 deg W -  too far away for this method.   Which is annoying as it also carries the public service channels in FTA digital.   However,   if you select a Visiosat dish with care then you "might" be able to get both Astra 2 and AB3 on one dish,  they are an elegant but more expensive solution......  I haven't got the documentation to hand and it may be that 5W to 28E is simply too big even for the top of the range Visiosat.

As to how easy -  the first time you do a sat installation you think you're never going to find the damn thing.   After a few you develop a sixth sense.    And confidence.  I find the main problem is getting the fixing bolts into hard French walls!    And a Sky box is the least easy to use to find a satellite,   almost any other box reacts faster and more helpfullyin terms of the on screen displays.

Please come back if anything is not clear.

[bixy]

Thank you for that very comprehensive reply. In view of what you say I think I will go for separate systems. This is actually for a friend. I have set up my own system for UK TV without too much trouble. This was using a Technomate box brought from the UK. What worries me is trying this with a French box bought from a bricolage. The reason I say that is that I have just spent the afternoon trying to reorientate the friend's dish from the French analogue channels to Astra 2D, and totally failed! In fact we couldn't even get back the French channels. I would like to be able to at least get them the UK channels. They are complete technophobes and have been quoted 230 euros for a box and set up by a local firm, whereas I know you can get a kit for around 70.

Patrick

[tj]

just buy a motor and have it all, for 80 euros

[Martin963]

Ah.    Anton's trick of marking everything and knocking in a post in the garden to mark the correct direction so that you can come back to it spring to mind.   How very very annoying for you (and the friend!)

Sometimes one can't find Astra 2D channels if the box has never used them before.   I always set up a new box on my working Astra 2 dish BEFORE taking it round to the "victim" so that I *know* that some channels are correctly memorised and can be used to show the signal status.

Not sure what to suggest in your case, the AB3 analogue signals are quite a bit "higher in the sky" than 2D and whilst it's not a huge difference if you lowered the elevation of the dish whilst looking for Astra 2 you'll need to raise it again for AB3.  

I do hope you get it sorted and if any of us can be of any further help......

[bixy]

Thanks once again. Your idea of loading channels using my own set up is an excellent one.

Patrick

[Gyn_Paul]

Leroy Merlin is selling a floating ball-type compass (like the one that used to be sold to stick on a car windscreen) however, this is marked off in both degrees and satellites positions, by name. And - while it's not very big, and so therefore the positioning is a little vague - it certainly puts one in the right direction. Comes with a sort of saddle clamp to fit it to the LNB arm while locating the bird.

paul

[Anton Redman]

Slight downside the instructions include corrections (you turn a bezel on the compass) all the common satelittes which broadcast French channels they do not cover the Astra cluster which Sky and freeview use.

[Tim]

Just a thought, is the only way to get the French channels via satellite?

Have you explored the terrestrial route? It may be easier than a satellite installation.

As I said - just a thought.

Regards - Tim