Free Sat installation

[Jefftav]

I am thinking about installing free sat and just wondered the following?

Is the size of dish important?

The dish needs to have a an uninterupted view to the sky in a south east direction but will tall trees, interfere with the signal. I want to mount the dish on the chimney and there are some trees about 15m away and I wondered if these would cause problems with the signal.

Maplins do a motorised dish this seems to give more channels but has anyone used this and is it worth the extra £££'s

I have an existing co-axial cable from the loft to the tv point/s is it possible to buy an adaptor so that the cable coming from the dish can be joined to the existing co-axial to save any upheaval in running new cables to TV points

Thanks in advance for any help.

[MarkyB]

There is loads of info online,
http://www.freesattvdish.com/freesat_tutorial.html

I'd suggest having a good look at the condition of the chimney as you will be adding load to it, especially when it's windy.

Keeping the old coax is almost certainly a false economy.

[Jefftav]

MarkyB thanks for the site that is useful. The chimney is fine to fix to and the coaxials were run out to the TV points about 10yr ago and and I really could do with out having to install new cables all through the house as this would be a headache.

Thanks again, Jeff

[bmcecosse]

I looked into this Jeff a while back. Up where you are - you probably need an 80cm dish - and the trees will wave about in the wind and cause some break up - even heavy rain etc can do that! Just chop down the trees - plenty more about........ Screwfix were doing a complete satellite kit last week for £30, deal may still be on - I very nearly bought one - but was 'warned' I would NOT be drilling a hole in the wall or the window frame to bring the cable in..............And to have the window open slightly in winter is not really practical. I don't think 'Dave' (WRC + Top Gear) is on freesat anyway - but is on freeview - so I'm working on making a better aerial that will work indoors.

[Jefftav]

Thanks BMC, teh more I look into it free sat becomes less appealing like you I might just go for a decent digital aerial. Cheers, Jeff

[bmcecosse]

My M-in-Law has an ancient set top aerial - that works really really well on freeview! It's way before digital TV was invented (probably dates from black and white) - but boy does it work! I bought one of these 'amplifier' aerials ~ £25 - useless - completely hopeless.... Currently I have a £1 aerial (yes - Poundland) dangling out the window - one leg vertical and the other horizontal - it works 'ok' on most channels - but I'll be in trouble when it gets spotted - and no use in winter. Hence the search for an acceptable indoor aerial. The spider's web of wire I had in the ceiling was deemed unacceptable a while back...... This freeview set is upstairs in my 'den' - the main set is on Sky - and for some reason only receives Jewellery channels...........

[Jefftav]

"and for some reason only receives Jewellery channels" Mmmmmm funny our TV has the same problem?? When I am not being dragged out to shops I get it on TV. Thank goodness the TV is on the blink at the moment which is what has instigated all this freesat stuff. I am hoping for some dry weather soon so I can go and fettle the Morris and tidy up the building site we call a garden.

[RogerRust]

I think I can advertise this because it has nothing to do with Minors

I just bought a kit from Southern satellites Google will find them.
£100 for every thing you need for HD and I pestered the guy into throwing loads of extras.

[RogerRust]

I looked into this Jeff a while back. Up where you are - you probably need an 80cm dish - and the trees will wave about in the wind and cause some break up - even heavy rain etc can do that! Just chop down the trees - plenty more about........ Screwfix were doing a complete satellite kit last week for £30, deal may still be on - I very nearly bought one - but was 'warned' I would NOT be drilling a hole in the wall or the window frame to bring the cable in..............And to have the window open slightly in winter is not really practical. I don't think 'Dave' (WRC + Top Gear) is on freesat anyway - but is on freeview - so I'm working on making a better aerial that will work indoors.

I've seen a flat coax adaptor!! on ebay to go through windows in caravans. I just drilled a hole through the wall behind the furniture.

[bmcecosse]

You can advertise anything you like - just as long as you don't say anything negative about it. Yes, thanks - I've seen the flat adapter cable - and I would get caught if I drilled a hole in anything - I'm on my last warning........

[Jefftav]

Is the flat cable thin enough to go through a opening window and then close the window without crushing the cable??

[bmcecosse]

That's the idea Jeff - someone posted it up for me - either here or on the other forum. Maplin product ~ £9 I think. Here it is ! http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... &U=strat15

[beero]

I found trees to be a real problem. I installed a freesat dish last winter and it worked fine till the leaves grew back!
Can't wait till autumn!!!!