Does anyone else have a set up for watching FTA (free-to-air) channels on the Galaxy 19 satellite? I lived in the Middle East until recently and I watched FTA satellite channels exclusively there off of the Arabsat and Hotbird satellites. I brought two FTA satellite receivers back to the USA with me, one HDTV and the other not.
FTA on Galaxy 19
- Thread starter wbswetnam
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I watch several of the FTA satellites. What issues are you having?
Who are the principle suppliers of satellite equipment in the USA, ie, the dish (for Ku band, I know that C band requires a much larger dish), motorized dish rotor, etc.
Also who can I call locally to help set it up correctly? Maybe an off-duty dish installer for DirecTV?
Thx!
Also who can I call locally to help set it up correctly? Maybe an off-duty dish installer for DirecTV?
Thx!
Well, I get most of my equipment from Sadoun Enterprises LLC (1-888-519-9595) Houston, TEXAS, USA. I got my dish and LNB from WS International Wholesale Free To Air (FTA) Satellite Distributor, Supplier and Importer of MPEGII, MPEG4, DVB-S and DVB-S2 Satellite TV and Radio Equipment World-Wide . The best receiver, even though it does have some work-aroundable bugs, is the AZBox. I got it from gofastmotorsports.com.
I have no idea where Vulture Gulch, Arkansas is. Its not on mapquest, so Im guessing its a local slang name. Im in North Little Rock...dont know how close that is to you. I would think a DirecTv or Dish installer MIGHT be able to get one aimed, but they are a lot more difficult to set up than either DirecTv or Dish if you want to track the belt vs a stationary install. The mounting pole absolutely has to be plumb, and the receiver needs to be preprogrammed with a few key stations in order to aim the dish correctly, and get it to track right.
Ill be glad to help as much as possible, but Im the primary caregiver for my elderly mother who is on oxygen and lots of meds...so if I leave the house for more than a couple hours, I usually have to get someone to sit with her while I am gone.
What channels are you interested in picking up?
I have no idea where Vulture Gulch, Arkansas is. Its not on mapquest, so Im guessing its a local slang name. Im in North Little Rock...dont know how close that is to you. I would think a DirecTv or Dish installer MIGHT be able to get one aimed, but they are a lot more difficult to set up than either DirecTv or Dish if you want to track the belt vs a stationary install. The mounting pole absolutely has to be plumb, and the receiver needs to be preprogrammed with a few key stations in order to aim the dish correctly, and get it to track right.
Ill be glad to help as much as possible, but Im the primary caregiver for my elderly mother who is on oxygen and lots of meds...so if I leave the house for more than a couple hours, I usually have to get someone to sit with her while I am gone.
What channels are you interested in picking up?
I'd like to get Galaxy 19 at least and possibly Star One C2, because of its lineup of Brazilian channels. My father was born and raised in Brazil and I'd like to let him watch Brazilian television, which is impossible to get on local cable. I understand about your mother's situation, my mother was also in poor health until she died this past July.
You will be able to get Galaxy 19, but the footprint of Star One C2 is pointed at Brazil and there is zero chance of getting anything from it. Its just pointed the wrong way. http://www.satbeams.com/footprints
Galaxy 19 is actually one of the easier ones to get, and several of the distributors have special G19 kits that include the dish, mount, lnb, and receiver for it.
Galaxy 19 is actually one of the easier ones to get, and several of the distributors have special G19 kits that include the dish, mount, lnb, and receiver for it.
Yeah, I see that now. Which ones do you monitor, besides Galaxy 19?
It's too bad that Al-Jazeera English is now encrypted on G19. I watched it and CNN International (which is very different from the USA cable version of CNN) when I lived in Oman.
It's too bad that Al-Jazeera English is now encrypted on G19. I watched it and CNN International (which is very different from the USA cable version of CNN) when I lived in Oman.
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FTA
Howdy
We use FTA and the G19 bird for Southeast Asian TV at about 180 degrees on the azm and around 54 degrees elevation as I recall.
Lyngsat has all the varuios FTA channels listed and also Sat locations so you can get online and research your Lon-Lat and determine azm and elevation to tune in various FTA sats.
Go to Galaxy 19 at 97.0°W - LyngSat
I have a PanSat receiver that works well and newer models have auto Transponder discovery. I use a 1 Meter KU band dish, upgraded LNB mounted on a steel fence type post and only lose signal in very strong storms-hail-rain with the 1 meter dish/upgraded LNB unit.
Hope this helps.
Bill
Howdy
We use FTA and the G19 bird for Southeast Asian TV at about 180 degrees on the azm and around 54 degrees elevation as I recall.
Lyngsat has all the varuios FTA channels listed and also Sat locations so you can get online and research your Lon-Lat and determine azm and elevation to tune in various FTA sats.
Go to Galaxy 19 at 97.0°W - LyngSat
I have a PanSat receiver that works well and newer models have auto Transponder discovery. I use a 1 Meter KU band dish, upgraded LNB mounted on a steel fence type post and only lose signal in very strong storms-hail-rain with the 1 meter dish/upgraded LNB unit.
Hope this helps.
Bill
Basically, I use mine to watch sports feeds. Most of those are on C band, however. There are quite a few college football and baseball games on KU band. Al Jazeera English quit broadcasting to the USA when AL Jazeera America launched, but you need a cable/sat subscription to get it now. Sky News is available on Roku streaming, however, and is a good substitute. 99% of what I watch is on C band though, so I really dont know much about the 24/7 channels available on KU.
Darth_vader
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My receiver's been out of the DVB game since sometime in early November when my LNB croaked. Guess I might as well go up and pull my dish off the roof tomorrow and relegate the Pansat to ATSC busywork, since the dish was parked on G19 primarily for Al-Jazeera.
According to Lyngsat they're using Viaccess. Fortunately, from what I understand Via's such an incredibly weak system that cracking it shouldn't be too difficult for a modern half-decent off-the-shelf receiver to handle on the fly.
According to Lyngsat they're using Viaccess. Fortunately, from what I understand Via's such an incredibly weak system that cracking it shouldn't be too difficult for a modern half-decent off-the-shelf receiver to handle on the fly.
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Im thinking of setting up an FTA system for G19 in the shack maybe through my computer. Question would I need a TV tuner card for my PC and run the receiver directly to the computer to accomplish this? Any suggestions on a good tuner card?
I use the TBS 6925 for FTA on the computer. It works great for all of the DVB-S2 news and sport feeds, IPTV, data decoding, etc.
TBS6925 DVB-S2 Professional TV Tuner PCIe Card-Internal TV Tuner Card for PC
Pair it with a program like EBSPro it works really good for feed hunting and sending the video over to VLC player.
TBS6925 DVB-S2 Professional TV Tuner PCIe Card-Internal TV Tuner Card for PC
Pair it with a program like EBSPro it works really good for feed hunting and sending the video over to VLC player.
Thanks Brandon! So with the card do I still need a satellite receiver? Or is it just a line from the dish to the PC?
Just a 75 ohm coax from the LNB on the dish to the F connector on the card.
Awesome thanks Dave! Now I just have to wait until all the snow melts. The way this winters going Im not getting up on the roof until spring.
You can find all the equipment on amazon and also eBay. setting up the system is very simple.
Here are some links.
FTAList.com - Galaxy 19 (97.0 W) channels
Galaxy 19 at 97.0°W - LyngSat
Satellite Finder / Dish Alignment Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com
FTAList.com - Getting Started
You want Full DVB-S2 & MPEG-2, MPEG4, H.264 compliant * Conax 7.0 CAS embedded * Auto scan function (Blind scan function) * DiSEqC Control (DiSEqX 1.0, 1.2,1.3 (UASALS)) all the other features like wifi and you tube are just extras so you don't need to spend a lot of money so for around $100 or less you can have a good receiver.
Also on G19 you have a fair amount of free radio stations to listen to.
Here are some links.
FTAList.com - Galaxy 19 (97.0 W) channels
Galaxy 19 at 97.0°W - LyngSat
Satellite Finder / Dish Alignment Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com
FTAList.com - Getting Started
You want Full DVB-S2 & MPEG-2, MPEG4, H.264 compliant * Conax 7.0 CAS embedded * Auto scan function (Blind scan function) * DiSEqC Control (DiSEqX 1.0, 1.2,1.3 (UASALS)) all the other features like wifi and you tube are just extras so you don't need to spend a lot of money so for around $100 or less you can have a good receiver.
Also on G19 you have a fair amount of free radio stations to listen to.
I have been watching FTA Galaxy 19 for about two years. When I first heard about it, I went on line to find someone who could install it. I had a man from Portsmouth NH set it up for me (I live in NH).
I like to watch Middle Eastern channels (Al Etejah - Iraq, Nile TV - Egypt and Press TV - Iran). I enjoyed Al Jazeera until it left Galaxy 19. Besides the foreign broadcasts in English, I enjoy watching and listening to the music of other cultures.
Don't forget, they are quite a few foreign radio stations on Galaxy 19, also.
I like to watch Middle Eastern channels (Al Etejah - Iraq, Nile TV - Egypt and Press TV - Iran). I enjoyed Al Jazeera until it left Galaxy 19. Besides the foreign broadcasts in English, I enjoy watching and listening to the music of other cultures.
Don't forget, they are quite a few foreign radio stations on Galaxy 19, also.
I got my first one from emantechnologies waayyyy back in 2001? Had to be 2000/2001 as I distinctly recall watching Arabic channels during/after 9/11. Wow- what a cool machine this is- I am rather surprised and disappointed that FTA is not as well known in USA as they are in other countries. There are radio stations galore and the tv shows are a scream! Its not on anymore, but "Win Your Weight In Gold" (Arabic called Wazthnik Dhahab) was a real, honest to God game show out of (dubai? one of those nations) funny watching those contestants get on the scale- then the hostess wheeling out a cart with actual gold bars on it for the winner. There are tons of interesting channels to watch- Galaxy 19 at 97.0°W - LyngSat Press TV out of Iran is in English! There are many English language channels available. FYI, Michel "de" Rosen, the big boss of Eutelsat *hates* Press TV and wields enormous power to suppress reception of that one station all he can and wherever he can. I put the honorific "de" in quotes sarcastically as I don't believe he is honestly entitled to that name add-on.
Get Press TV while you can- whether you like their programs or not it is a delight to live in a free country where we have choices to say or hear what we want to. The Beauty of satellite FTA tv, like shortwave radio or amateur/VHF dxing etc is that *no one* can check your IP or download history to see what you are watching or listening to and it requires no monthly contract or sign up- it is totally free if you have the equipment. PLUS- your reception is not dependent on your download speed. It is available 24/7 and ANONYMOUS.
I am all for reception and monitoring of all things TV and radio. I am elated that this FTA thread was resurrected.
Another popular seller is Sadoun.com, I have used them a couple times and both times have had issues but they were resolved. There ARE more online sellers! GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS**** ON is one although I have not used him. That guy was featured in a global satellite mag tele-audiovision with a nice spread about sat DXing. It is GREAT fun to dx using satellite and there are many *secrets* and hidden gems on sat and some rather obscure, yet fascinating, listening/watching tricks using sat eqpt not generally known.
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