FTA satellite systems, capturing too

[lordsmurf]

Does anybody have any information on FTA satellite systems for North America? I'd like to get one. I'm mostly interested in the DVB or Ku ones, with dish no larger than 30 inches. Preferably just DVB if it exists FTA. I need a good "dummies" article to read for how to get started, things I need to know etc.

Also, along with this, I want to know if there is any way to directly download the FTA streams, assuming FTA exists as DVB of some kind. Looking for good PCI card and software to do it.

This is my next course of learning. Don't know squat about it at this time. Hoping somebody here could give me a shove in the right direction.

I want satellite stations in English that are free. I only want to buy a receiver. And I want it to be legal. Supposedly, there's a whole world of free tv I'm missing on. A channel list would be nice. I know there are lots of sats out there.

[lordsmurf]

Nobody?

[phelix]

Are there any FTA DVB broadcasts in the US? I thought all FTA here was analog cband, with digital stuff being encrypted.

Anyway, it's been a long time since I looked a this stuff. You may find some info in the newsgroup rec.video.satellite.tvro. A quick google search for "cband" brings up some decent links. Even though you're not looking for cband stuff specifically, this is a good starting point in your search.

[lordsmurf]

Ku apparently has some open digital signals, and we can grab low-to-the-horizon signals too. They come in DVB MPEG2. Uses a 30-inch dish and FTA receiver for the MPEG2.

Cband is still most popular, but I cannot afford/place a 6-footer here anywhere. Just a small 30-incher on a pole or the roof.

My knowledge pretty much drops off after that, as far as FTA goes.

Thanks for the newsgroup, time to get a reader again, it's been a while. What I'm hoping to find is a "newbies" or "dummies" guide, or a primer or FAQ.

It was only late last year I learned Dave and Charlie don't own the whole sky over N. America like they want you to believe.

[SatStorm]

Of course and DVB transmissions exist in the USA / Canada.

The problem is that they are only few.

Basicly, to receive satellite DVB transmissions in USA, the minimum you need is a 1.80cm Dish with both C and KU band reception, capable to scan all the satellites (moving dish - I don't know how the call them in English).
But the most interest channels need a bigger dish, about 3 meter.
The equipment is not that expensive as it use to.

Since you are located in USA, search for a DH dish or a second hand 3 meter Channel Master (the best dish ever). The cost is about 3000 - 5000 $ (use to cost trimple). Of course there are much cheaper dishes, but not as good as those
For a satellite receiver, you have plenty to look for. The cost goes between 80$ to 1000$. Basicly, you gonna have to import from Europe a good one. Currently, good receivers are those from TopField (TopField 5000PVR). The arabs like some receivers called Humax, personally I hate those (bad picture, bad factory quality, broke easy, etc). The best solution for what you wish to do, is the old good Nokia receivers, with DVB2000 firmware. I talk about the models Nokia 9500, 9200, 9600 and D-Box 1. Those offer a SCSI connection, and you can rip direct any DVB stream (even HDTV) to your PC. Even a timer exist for those (just like setting up a VCR)
A much cheaper and equal solution, are the latest PCI DVB cards. Currently, the best choice is SkyStar 2 (from Technisat). Amazing 3rd party support from Central / North Europe for this small wonder. In the English speaking side of Europe, they are using Hauppauge products, which IMHO are far inferior (I have them all). SkyStar 2 blows them all!

In East USA and most of the Canada, you gonna be able to receive channels from Latin America and Mexico (plenty cartoons on those) and some European ones. In the West Side of USA, you can receive channels from Asia, including Japan of course.

An example of the channels you may receive if you are in the east / center east coast:

http://www.lyngsat.com/ab2.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/t12.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/nss7.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/hispa.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/i903.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/sc1.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/t11.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/nss806.shtml (the best source for FTA channels from Latin America)
http://www.lyngsat.com/pas3r.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/i805.shtml
http://www.lyngsat.com/pas9.shtml (Here transmits Sky Mexico, a good source for uncencored cartoons, a subscription through internet is easy, but the reception in only possible to south USA)

The following satellites are receivable from all USA
http://www.lyngsat.com/america.shtml

Here is a list off all the "official" USA DVB channels (not all receivable to USA)
http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/United-States.shtml

Good luck on this

[fmctm1sw]

Hmmm, very imteresting. I've been under a rock for a while on this one. Looks like I'll do some reading up as well...

[dunamis]

Here's a web site that has some good information and links that may be helpful to you. I'll be interested to know what you eventually decide to get and how it works out for you. All the best!

http://www.110220volts.com/Frame/Main/Freeairchanel.htm

[buick]

lordsmurf
You might to get a account on this forum has alot of good reading about new finds and equipment and so on. http://forums.satforums.com/SatForumMaster/start/login.php?webtag=mpg

I use a dvb pci card that you can pickup on ebay from $30.00 to $300.00 which does on board mpeg2 decoding, the cheaper ones do decoding threw software. I am using a 3 ft dish with a sg2100 motor which is like a rotor. You can find alot of this equipment is sold on a site like http://www.sadoun.com/ . Good luck hope this helps some.

[lordsmurf]

I'm wanting to do this within 12 months, preferably this coming fall. I'm moving somewhere else in 3-4 months (unknown where at this time).

So far, most of this is really good stuff.

[Vanderlow]

Satstorm: So you have tried the Twinhan VisionPlus 1020A and you prefer the Skystar2 to to it? If so why, out of curiosity? I assume they both work with mytheatre? A must I assume. I hear the pci cards can get HDTV (using some graphs) and the receivers can't? Is this right? I also hear they will be coming out with receivers that will do 8PSK as oppose to Q*** that allows them to do HDTV and they will be out in the next few months, not sure if this is encryption method or an HDTV decoding method.

I've heard of some popular FTA receivers called Blackbird and Silverbullet. I believe these are legal receivers, but they do have someway of hooking up to your computer to program for certain Sats.

I'd like to get one that does FTA and OTA HDTV all in one box

dvbnetwork also has a forum that offers some info.

I believe this upcoming products do more then what's out there now, but not sure what.

http://www.skyseeker.tv/products.aspx

[lordsmurf]

I think BLACKBIRD is a JTAG/combo replacement for swiping Nagra channels. It's probably illegal. But I too have heard it does FTA.

That's the little I heard on it, at least, for what's it worth (maybe nothing, not even 2 cents).

[SatStorm]

Skystar 2 (60 euro) + ProgDVB + ProgDVB plugins + Phoenix smartmouse =

Anything first develops on the SkyStar 2 cards and then ported for other cards. With the DVB transmissions in Europe, the who does something first is what it counts. A week later, is very late! The "why" on this, can't be answered on a legal forum.

[vhelp]

Hi guys,

@ smurf,

I'm with you on this endeavor. No nothing, but am willing to learn.

I've ben hearing lots of these unknown stations that we can watch, and I'd
like to learn more and see if I can obtain such too, but by using my satellite
disk that I already have from DirecTV.

* Is this at all possible, to use my igisting dish ?

* what receiver would I have to get ?

I hope you don't mind my following along, smurf :P

Thank all,
-vhelp

[vhelp]

@ buick,

any recommendations on a perfered DVB card to get (ie, your pci one) on ebay ??

* what brands to search on ebay ??

* where on ebay (can you give a link, as a starter) ??

Thanks,
-vhelp

[Vanderlow]

Try this ebay link for one type of PCI card:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&krd=...&query=twinhan

On the Blackbird (or Silverbullet) I don't think it's illegal if it's shipped with no hacking software (which is how I think it's done), after all it can be used to get FTA channels.

Can PCI cards get the 8PSK HDTV channels? I think there will be newer receivers that get HDTV so if that interest you then you may wait receiver wise.

[lordsmurf]

Hi guys,

* Is this at all possible, to use my igisting dish ?
* what receiver would I have to get ?
I hope you don't mind my following along, smurf :P
Thank all,
-vhelp

Be glad to have you along for the ride.

I know two things I'll share:

1. No, The 18-inch dish is useless. You have to have at least 30 inches for Ku FTA. And then like 6-foot (3-meter) or so for the C-band. I've only got room for the 30-inch, and I know where to get one. I'm only going for DVB Ku. DirecTV has been known to stock those in the past ... so if you've got a 30-incher, you're set. And we've got to get some motorized things to mount on, so the dish can move around to change positions for the different sats out there. Unlike Dave and Charlie, FTA is not in one place, but many.

2. I hear the words "Nokia" a lot on receivers, but there are others. I'm going to go pretty cheap if possible. I've seen a lot of good things in this thread, and links found on pages linked in this thread. I don't plan to buy anything until after I move, which will be during the summer I think. I just met somebody here near me that has a family member with FTA, so I may make a day trip in coming weeks to take a look at their setup, if I can.

[SatStorm]

Just to clearify: Only the old Nokia receivers have SCSI 2 and can use dvb2000 firmware. There are also the only satellite receivers capable to find authomatic Symbol Rate (automatic FEC is more usual).


The DVB cards with built in decoders, can't show HDTV channels. But the cheap DVB cards which depend on the CPU for decoding HDTV signals and use the elecard (!) mpeg 2 codec, don't have any problem to show and record HDTV transmissions.
SkyStar 2 and Hauppauge DVB Nova are among those cheap PCI cards.

[ctech2004]

you need a 30 inch dish for FTA, but its seems all the FTA channels are forgien language or pretty lame, if you are a cheap skate like myself get the skystar2 (around $100 us) if you have more flow get the nexus-s (around $200) both work for FTA and other systems

[ctech2004]

oh yeah, the vision plus can do HDTV, but some new cards are comming out in the following months, so I would wait on HDTV scene, the nexus can do HDTV too but only in software mode

[ctech2004]

Vanderlow

there are some 8PSK cards on the horizon, they are in testing now

[Vanderlow]

Ok what does a 8PSK do differently then say a Twinhan 1020A? Is the 8PSK meant as an add on to an older receiver or meant to incorporate in the newer receivers aka Blackbird, Fortec Ultima, etc? I'm a little confused.

[nullsmack]

Ok what does a 8PSK do differently then say a Twinhan 1020A? Is the 8PSK meant as an add on to an older receiver or meant to incorporate in the newer receivers aka Blackbird, Fortec Ultima, etc? I'm a little confused.

8PSK is a different type of modulation. Most of the DVB-S signal on ku band (and c-band I think?) are in qpsk, but there are increasing numbers of signals showing up in 8psk. In USA, ATSC (terristrial HDTV) uses 8vsb and cable's version is usually 64qam or 256qam. Unfortunately, it's not anything you can add to a receiver unless the receiver is built to be upgraded. Similar to how the dish6000 receiver can take a hdtv module in the back to allow 8psk support for echostar's hdtv channels.

IMHO, I'm looking forward to skyseeker's oasis receiver, it seems to be supporting more things. http://www.skyseeker.tv/specs.aspx

[RazorFire]

: )
FTA is alive and well in North America.
Not only can you get c-band channels with FTA receivers
but you can get ALL the Dish Network programming as well including
ppv, porn and all.
Fortec, pansat, and blackbird are very good receviers to start out on.

[Cyrax9]

OK, I know this sounds lame as a reasn to want FTA TV, but I'm trying to see at least one season of "POwer Rangers" on ABC without the annoying station bug. >< From what I understand, FTA Wild Feeds allow this -- even if theya re "Textless at tail" (No Credits) and are usually unencrytped.

Here's what I want:

1. LEGAL, the set-up MUST be LEGAL I have no interest in piracy just in viewing the d*mn show.

2. The BARE MINIMUM Equipment needed to recieve DVB of "Power Rangers" on Wild Feeds in Decent quality, at the most minimal cost.

3. A Dish that WON'T make my nighboor's think I work for the FBI/CIA/NSA or any other three-letter agency "beaming" signals to the middle of nowhere, in other words, something that DOESN'T scream NORAD on top of my roof, or simply put, SMALL!

4. High-Quality, no exceptions.

If someone knows how to set this up as I am a COMPLETE n00b to FTA TV and am only starting to try and get into sattelite I'd appreicate your help, a price estimate would eb good for equipment as well as the aldder to mount the Dish on the roof. Also, do Wild feeds that are unencrypted cost money to recieve sans whatever it costs for the equipment? I know the F in FTA is FREE in FREE TO AIR, but I don't know if it means the company airs it for FREE and YOU pay or if ther's some catch that's going t cost me later on, I just ant something better than Digital Cable, and this pay through the nose TV.

Also, stupid question, but can I get FTA Wildfeeds wihtout a Dish? Legally, if I charged a show to my Check/Credit/Debit card, could I download it through a standard PC Modem, or do I need the DIsh to recieve it? I'm trying to figure out how to make this work, I no nothing about FTA except that it's usually unbugged it conmtains the Tape slates for shows, and a lot of Wild Feeds are unencrypted, I want those unbugged, unproccessed Wild Feeds rthat are unencrypted, so obviously I'm trying to find a way to dot his cheap, since i'll probably have to rig up another High-End PC to CAPTURE video onto! In theory it also is void of commericals and I'd pay a little more to remove bugs adn baners and the usuall riff-raff from the screen, how do I get started, as everything but the sattelite links for ABC and the lattitude & longitude degrees look like greek to me? I want to recieve a decent TV Singal, nothing more, nothing less, I hould be able to record it to my Set-Top DVD Writer although I would settle for simple access to an FTA System at a price that doesn't require refiancing my home anda second mortgage.

[nixie]

There are many news feeds on FTA in the U.S. It's a great way of getting video that they never show on the news shows. Telstar 6, AMC 1, and Galaxy 11 and others have many news feeds. There are also a numbre of radio stations on FTA.

The Fortec Lifetime Ultra has the blind search feature which can scan an entire satellite and find channels without having to know that transponder frequency, polarity, and symbol rate.

There used to be a website dvbwave.com, but it has been down for many months. It had much info about FTA and DVB. Maybe someone has an archived version somewhere on the web.

Lyngsat is a good site for FTA listings.