Testing satellite dish feed?
Discussion
I've had a wok attached to the back of my house since we moved in over 5 years ago, apart from a brief SKY usage for a couple of weeks initially (until the previous sky subscription ended and the cable setup was installed) I haven't used the dish.
Having bought a new TV just before Christmas I have been looking at getting an HD source - I already have an HD media player, but the HDMI port going spare is a cause of concern for me! I was originally waiting for the new VM TiVo box (I missed out on getting one before the holidays, sadly) but have been idly surfing the web and found that with a freesat box I can get most of the channels I watch, and also the HD BBC and ITV channels. As the installation and activation for the TiVo would be between £50 and £150, and a freesat HD box starts at £80, it's worth having a look.
I don't want to waste my money though, so is there a cheap (read: free) way to test the satellite feed in my living room before I go and buy a set top box? As I say, it's not been used for 5 and a half years, but as far as I know it hasn't been moved either.
I suppose my next thread will be about recommendations for a freesat HD receiver ... not that bothered about PVR functions to be honest, but I do like the fact that iPlayer and ITV player will be available over the net on the same box though!
Having bought a new TV just before Christmas I have been looking at getting an HD source - I already have an HD media player, but the HDMI port going spare is a cause of concern for me! I was originally waiting for the new VM TiVo box (I missed out on getting one before the holidays, sadly) but have been idly surfing the web and found that with a freesat box I can get most of the channels I watch, and also the HD BBC and ITV channels. As the installation and activation for the TiVo would be between £50 and £150, and a freesat HD box starts at £80, it's worth having a look.
I don't want to waste my money though, so is there a cheap (read: free) way to test the satellite feed in my living room before I go and buy a set top box? As I say, it's not been used for 5 and a half years, but as far as I know it hasn't been moved either.
I suppose my next thread will be about recommendations for a freesat HD receiver ... not that bothered about PVR functions to be honest, but I do like the fact that iPlayer and ITV player will be available over the net on the same box though!
Not easy without a meter, you could borrow a Sky box from a friend maybe?
Alternatively can you access the dish? If so check the connections are good and not waterlogged, maybe remove the 'F' connector and re make, you could use a multimeter to buzz out the cable and check for shorts. If there is a a problem it is not that expensive to fix, a new LNB is only £10-20, cable is cheap, it will just need installing!
Alternatively can you access the dish? If so check the connections are good and not waterlogged, maybe remove the 'F' connector and re make, you could use a multimeter to buzz out the cable and check for shorts. If there is a a problem it is not that expensive to fix, a new LNB is only £10-20, cable is cheap, it will just need installing!
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