Had a terrible motorised dish install :(
dazn12
Posts: 6,912 Forum Member
✭
My first step into the pan-European TV world hasn't gone well 
A few weeks ago I took the plunge and decided I wanted my 80cm fixed dish motorised. It's something I wouldn't feel comfortable doing on my own so went on the hunt for an installer. I was surprised how many places actually refused to carry out a motorised dish installation but in the end found a satellite/aerial installer who agreed to do the job.
I have an Openbox V8S receiver which I knew was compatible and bought a brand new LNB. The installer took down the dish and pointed out that I had a hole at the top of the dish, most likely caused by the weather. At this point I thought he'd try and get me to buy a new one from him but surprisingly he didn't.
After about an hour, I noticed he was trying to locate a signal from Thor 0.8w but from what I could see (and hear), he wasn't having any success. The box was showing 45% signal intensity / 10% quality. About an hour later I heard a signal and realised he'd tuned in Astra 28.2. He then moved the motor and it picked up Hotbird & Astra 19.2. Things were looking good I thought.
When he left, I noticed the picture on Hotbird started breaking up and not all of the channels were there. I know there's around 1000 FTA channels that I should be seeing but I was only getting about 100. The signal quality was terrible too, only 22%. I switched to 19.2 and most of the channels came through - 55% quality. I then tuned to Turksat 42E (I'd told him specifically that this one was a must) and I was getting all the channels at about 65% quality. I initially thought the hole in the dish would have caused the low readings, until I switched to 28.2 and saw it booming in at 95% SNR.
So I tried tuning in other satellites. 0.8w, 4.8e, 9.0,e 10.0e gave me absolutely nothing. It managed to find just one channel at 16.0e and that was only coming in at 30%.
A friend of mine suggested I try manually changing the Hotbird position to 13.5e to see if it would pick up the missing channels and that seemed to work a treat, I now had around 1000 (mix of FTA & scrambled) but quality still only peaking at around 49%.
I then checked the receiver and low and behold, in the motor setting screen the latitude and longitude figures were both set at 00.000 which even I knew couldn't be right.
As well as this, I don't think the motor connections are very secure. It's a Technomate TM-2300 and for the past 2 days, when I've tried to change the satellites I get the "Moving dish.." message on screen but nothing happens. If I go outside and just tug the cable connectors, the LED light will flicker and the motor will start working. I don't think there's anything wrong with the device itself as it was brand new and the green light has been showing.
I guess I just wanted to let out my frustration. Does anyone know of any experienced motorised dish installers in the Essex area that might be able to sort this? Would it require the whole thing to be taken down and started again from fresh or could it be something that can be tweaked? The annoying thing is, I have a clear line of sight for all of the east sats and at least up to 12W.
Here are some images I took of the dish/display:
http://i.imgur.com/1UGJ7I8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/nJLrH4f.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AxMn6OY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kjHq0lH.jpg
A few weeks ago I took the plunge and decided I wanted my 80cm fixed dish motorised. It's something I wouldn't feel comfortable doing on my own so went on the hunt for an installer. I was surprised how many places actually refused to carry out a motorised dish installation but in the end found a satellite/aerial installer who agreed to do the job.
I have an Openbox V8S receiver which I knew was compatible and bought a brand new LNB. The installer took down the dish and pointed out that I had a hole at the top of the dish, most likely caused by the weather. At this point I thought he'd try and get me to buy a new one from him but surprisingly he didn't.
After about an hour, I noticed he was trying to locate a signal from Thor 0.8w but from what I could see (and hear), he wasn't having any success. The box was showing 45% signal intensity / 10% quality. About an hour later I heard a signal and realised he'd tuned in Astra 28.2. He then moved the motor and it picked up Hotbird & Astra 19.2. Things were looking good I thought.
When he left, I noticed the picture on Hotbird started breaking up and not all of the channels were there. I know there's around 1000 FTA channels that I should be seeing but I was only getting about 100. The signal quality was terrible too, only 22%. I switched to 19.2 and most of the channels came through - 55% quality. I then tuned to Turksat 42E (I'd told him specifically that this one was a must) and I was getting all the channels at about 65% quality. I initially thought the hole in the dish would have caused the low readings, until I switched to 28.2 and saw it booming in at 95% SNR.
So I tried tuning in other satellites. 0.8w, 4.8e, 9.0,e 10.0e gave me absolutely nothing. It managed to find just one channel at 16.0e and that was only coming in at 30%.
A friend of mine suggested I try manually changing the Hotbird position to 13.5e to see if it would pick up the missing channels and that seemed to work a treat, I now had around 1000 (mix of FTA & scrambled) but quality still only peaking at around 49%.
I then checked the receiver and low and behold, in the motor setting screen the latitude and longitude figures were both set at 00.000 which even I knew couldn't be right.
As well as this, I don't think the motor connections are very secure. It's a Technomate TM-2300 and for the past 2 days, when I've tried to change the satellites I get the "Moving dish.." message on screen but nothing happens. If I go outside and just tug the cable connectors, the LED light will flicker and the motor will start working. I don't think there's anything wrong with the device itself as it was brand new and the green light has been showing.
I guess I just wanted to let out my frustration. Does anyone know of any experienced motorised dish installers in the Essex area that might be able to sort this? Would it require the whole thing to be taken down and started again from fresh or could it be something that can be tweaked? The annoying thing is, I have a clear line of sight for all of the east sats and at least up to 12W.
Here are some images I took of the dish/display:
http://i.imgur.com/1UGJ7I8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/nJLrH4f.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/AxMn6OY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kjHq0lH.jpg
0
Comments
I didn't use usals but surely the whole point of it is to put your long and lat in. If the installer couldn't find 1W my alarm bells would have been ringing as you start on the most southerly satellite and work from there.(or you do if you are not using usals)
Which lnb did you buy? I use an inverto and it was an inprovement on the technomate I had previously.
Pedro - over to you.
I 'm just sorry he's had a bad experience, motorised satellite is fantastic ... when it's done well but the opposite if it's been done by someone like that.
It's like anything else, if you were employing a builder/ roofer etc,, - you need to get real customer references & lots of them, make sure they are genuine & see genuine examples & avoid mates saying their mate's good.
There's a wide range of quality of installs too from that which isn't really an install more a dodgy dish fitter's pile of cr@p & usually er.. er's yer free gift to mediocre to the top end [just like builders really]
We do install in Essex, for a small job like that it would be just tied in with other installs there or en route, but I'd love to turn that nightmare into a joy & that lasts.
A note of caution, that loose connection you have discovered 'can' damage a motor long term & permanently so ... because it is receiving intermittent & on/off voltages & random 22kHz command codes that can either mess the PCB's circuits perhaps into a loop or damage a component like a regulator, so I'd not use it until they've been made good.
A new LNB was installed by the installer. I believe the LNB is this one, having seen the box.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003M8IXQU/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003M8PEM6&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1RT7002456DJVJ6NGNKS
Pedro, it would be fantastic if ever in the future you are installing in the Essex area and were free to pop round. I'm based in Romford. A friend of mine spoke very highly of you as you helped him with his motor install.
Regarding the motor, I haven't dared attempted to move the dish and its currently set to 28.2. Usually when I go outside to look at it, there is no light on the LED until I very gently tap it with a long piece of wood which is when it turns to green. Only once did it start flickering between green/orange/off. When the motor moves, it pretty much glides smoothly so I guess the installer also didn't secure the rubber end connections properly.
Folks will also be very happy to be receiving full signal on Turksat with no break ups at the slightest spec of rain.
So thanks so much once again Pedro. I can now properly start to experience the range of satellites I'm not receiving!
Thanks, couldn't leave you like that ... (just happened to be doing a broadcast job in London yesterday & literally passed by within 20 minutes - not that unusual tbh same sort of thing happened a few days ago on the way back from one in N Wales)
The dish did really well (after a bit of tlc), it was about 70 x 80 ish? .. should pull in 6-700 channels off 7.3w / E7WA & all of BADR 4 at 26e with pretty good margins on the main free movie channels & the free beIN Sports HD channels on E7WA after deleting the stuff you don't need & the arc was well into the 60s east & west with c. 40-50 sats/ total number of channels over 10000 -
well you should get most of this lot 68.5e 66e (maybe - subject to trees) 62e 57e 53e 52e 47.5e 46e*45e 42e 39e 36e 33e 31.5e[inc] 30.8e[inc] 28.2/5e 26e 23.5e 21.6e 19.2e 15.8e 13e 10e 9e 7e 5e 3.1e 0.8/1w* 4w 5w 7.3w 8w 11w 12.5w 15w 18w 22w 24.5w 27.5w 30w 34.5w 37.5w 45w ...... & maybe feeds off 47w*55.4w 61w.
That seems like a more impressive list than I'm most managing to pull also on a 80cm, in fact could even be 90cm!, eg I'm now not really receiving 26 East anymore and 7 West I don't think I've ever managed, if you're ever in South Wirral maybe we could do something!
I like getting as much out of smaller dishes not just the big stuff.. just done one of about the same size c. 70x80 not far from you which looked similar as far as the satellites & their range but kargo's was on the eastern outskirts of London where certain signals are markedly better...
4w is very good there compared to where you are where it really drops off & you can see why from the footprints,
7.3w E7WA is better too there, kargo's dish will probably beat a 1.1 or even a badly installed 1.2 where you are but I'd get some of 7.3w on 70x80 there, maybe Fox Movies Fox etc.. but I wouldn't loose sleep if I couldn't or get the free beIn sports Hd channels or the likes of Dubai Racing HD, & the full service from bein needs a much bigger dish with their box anyway.
26e is a % better in the SE but I got 26e near you on 70x80 a few days ago although I've had a customer with a zone 2 at that latitude tell me he routinely watches Dubai One on 26e on a zone 2 I installed lol
If you've got a TD88 (85cm x 95cm), that should pull in 26e with good rain margin on the movie channels & Fox Movies Fox etc.. on 7.3w. most of the other sats will come in with clear line of sight except 4w - some like 10e may have some low or too low.
I love this forum sometimes and here is one example of why!
Almost did one today on a Channel Master 1.2 but there was too much to do to make it right just for Ku & the incline actuator on the 1224 is just not ideal for that / needs a serious mod or two, got down 68.5e Ku though ...
there's info HERE for what you could get on a 1m [needs an update but it'll give you an idea].
On a good arc a 1.2 will get 10-20 sats & several hundred channels on C band, maybe over a thousand so not like Ku band's 1000s but you can get certain live sports & definitely stuff you don't see on Ku & it stays on ijn the rain - depends what you want - nice to have.
Yes definitely, its great to read as motorised satellite truely is fantastic when it all comes together :-)
I've been particularly enjoying the clean Rugby feeds over the last couple of weeks.
I think I've also passed on the interest to a relative and friend of mine. They popped over and I showed them just how much was accessible. Before they left, they both said they wanted to have one installed soon. I referred them to your site Pedro so you may be hearing from them soon - like me, they live in the Romford area.
The Technomate TM 5402 HD M3 looks like a good upgrade to the Openbox. This may be a silly question to ask but is it just a case of unplugging the coaxial cable from the Openbox and plugging it into the Technomate, then inputting the longitude/latitude settings that were in the Openbox? Or is there another step I need to take for it to continue tracking the arc correctly?
Once a motorised satellite system is set up for USALS you can connect any satellite receiver with USALS & just switch to USALS in the motorised settings & input you longitude & latitude, just worked on a Humax beIN sports box being used that way & it worked fine.
I would advise loading a ready made channel list in the TM5402 M3 to begin with to set up all available satellites & populate channels - there's one HERE that's quite popular but others are available
The Technomate TMF3/5 is almost the same receiver as the 5402 M3 btw- but without some extras - eg minus 1 x USB, 1 x CAM, 1 x IR RC magic eye. 1 x Scart - I think that's it & the S/W releases are different versions of the same s/w releases.
Was doing an install in Richmond when England played Australia - took forever to get to the job & leaving was worse with the road blocks & traffic gridlock lol
I'm 90% going to go for a Technomate - either the 5402 HD or the TMF3/5 as Pedro suggeted. The only thing is, there's a feature that the Openbox has that I don't know if is available on the Technomate.
Build quality -PSU -chipset/s etc- tuner -case etc..
Picture quality on all outputs [& more outputs]
software intuitiveness & stability
sw support & 3rd party sw support [eg phantompatches]
recording- play back - pause rewind live tv- record timer options & use etc..
7 day EPG
IPTV
other net based services [essentially apps like youtube & several other similar services - weather app- graphic search- net radio- google earth type app- iptv ]
far better motor control [than almost any other stb inc' E2 stb] plus is STAB USALS approved
server support with direct downloads of sw/ patches / iptv lists etc..
multi card- cam support
channel capacity
satellite capacity & arc capacity
The Openbox's blind search scans in data feeds - useless normally but I find them handy as a beacon say on an otherwise tv dead sat but most would find that fills up the memory - the TMs ignore them - a more intelligent scan.
I think you'll find the word you are looking for is humour and I also think you'll find they are called replies. Do you expect people not to respond when someone replies to their post? I see you only have 60 or so posts yourself so maybe you aren't too familiar with how forums work yet.
Also ever heard of proof reading?
Reminds me of Dave_Wiggly1 and James_Brown1...... Both banned users too!