Small Sat Dish-Test Results

Bob,
Without actually seeing measured test results it is difficult to formulate a
worthwhile theory. Did you record the actual signal strength and quality
figures for each configuration ?
It is very important to determine the relative signal strength and quality
in relation to this dish and its integrated LNB. Any small dish will work ok
in Sydney, the question is how will it work in whoop-whoop ?
I have not been able to find much detailed information about this UEC Model
DSD 910 decoder however it appears to have 2 CI slots. Being a low-end
model, I suspect that one is blanked out which means that if you wanted to
take your pay-tv card from home and also use your Aurora card, you would be
constantly swapping cards and that is a real pain in the neck, not to
mention that the card connections will soon wear out. It is far better to
have 2 functioning CI-CAM slots which is available in decoders costing
around $100 more.
What is his price for this dish ?
David

Turist, I and others do require a complete setup, and some like us do not have an land based residence to use to obtain a Foxtel system or any other paid system. I am please that you would not hesitate to purchase Shayne's system. Can you tell me the difference in the two decoders you tested? Is the 910 more sophisticated or newer? Are most Boggers using the 710 because it came with the Abrolga? In a previous post, or perhaps in a conversation, I recall Pete suggesting that if he were to purchase a system today, he would have the Abrolga provide a more sophisticated decorder - one that had a hard drive in addition to other bells and whistles. Pete? Since I am getting a new system from scratch, any suggestions from anyone to arrive at an optimum system would be appreciated. Dave? As an aside if anyone is in the market for a flat dish I have two suggestions for them: 1. I have a Dick Smith 15" flat screen with TV tuner and speakers that works both as a computer screen and a TV that I purchased on sale for $698.00. I had planned to use it in a different layout in the BT; however I am now purchasing a 20" and SIM has agreed to purchase the 15" from me at my cost as part of the total package. If one of the Boggers would like this 15" screen at the $698 price I will be bring it to Sunshine Coast in April/can bring it to Copeton. 2. Sharp has just release their 2004 line and their 20" dish is a beauty! The pic is great and it has all the options you could possible want including TV tuner, speakers, teletxt, S Video connection etc. I can purchase it from Betta Electrical for $1735. That is the best price I have found for that size and quality. I have queried SIM about this screen. Cheers, tgintl/jay

There is an informative reply posted in the Caravan Forum. Whole setup $500 and from the information posted they got recomendations to stay away from the flat sat dish. I will phone that company in the post on Monday and purchase a setup.

Excellent recommendation for those who only want to receive Aurora channels.
David

Dave
Signal strength on Shaynes decoder was around 85% course tune and 95% on fine tune.
On my decoder the flat panel had 48% course tune, zero on fine tune. The picture was poor and at times faded right out.
When connected to my small Foxtel dish I get 70 % course tune. I forgot to check fine tune. Picture is perfect.

To others interested.
The test was done in Sydney, this does not mean that you will get perfect results in the far north.
The normal requirement is for a min 90 cm dish in those areas at the edge of the footprint.
The manufacturers claim that this small electronic flat dish is equivilent to an 85 cm dish in signal gathering power so it may be ok.

Regards
Turist

Nothing on the Attisat manufacturers website to say the dish is equivalent to anything. I would have imagined if it was equivalent to a larger say 85cm they would be blurting it out. The flat panel aerial can be purchased for $110.00 from Globalsat so it is not at all expensive. With the setup posted on the Caravan forum and the Attisat flat panel aerial it would still only come to approximately $560.00. That is a difference of $400.00 from Travellers Satellite website which is significant. I am going to phone that Globalsat first thing tomorrow morning and order a system. I did manage to get a mate on his mobile today who has a sattv system and uses a 65cm dish. He said in Northern Aus it is not terrific but picture is still most definitely watchable. In Southern Aus where he spends most of his time he says because the Aurora signal is digital the picture is perfect. I am going to purchase a 65cm dish and make some brackets so it will mount on the back of my van under the towel rail.

Bob,
The numbers tell it all. I would suspect that the LNB Local Oscillator (LO)
frequency selection on your decoder was not correct. It could still result
in a weak signal which is what you experienced.
As you say Bob, the test was done in Sydney which is a piece of cake for a
60 - 90cm dish. A meaningful test needs to be done in fringe signal
location. As I have said before, Ku-band signals in Europe and the US are
far stronger than in Australia which makes dish size and LNB tuning more
critical in fringe reception location.
David

Guys If you think I had trouble with the Anderplug thingy, whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The Globsat dish is 65cm and if I understand what is being said, he barely acceptable if your are going to use it six months of the year in the Northern or Western half of Australia - leaves about 1/4 of the big island with a good pic!? If you want full coverage, does that mean that the Abrolga is still #1 given its size? For someone who is going to travel all over - what is the general consensus? 65cm or the larger Abrolga or something else? Thanks tgintl/jay

Tgintl/Jay if I find the 65cm dish unsatisfactory then I will purchase a 90cm dish. The LNB remains the same, so it is only the cost of the dish itself in only $60.00. For the majority of the time I would rather cart around a 60cm dish over a 90cm. I spoke to another mate tonight that is presently in Nyah (near Swan Hill) and he only uses a 65cm dish. He said because Aurora is digital you can use a smaller dish. He said when they were on the old satellite and it was analogue you had to use between 90cm and 120cm dishes. He goes up to Geraldton next and says he gets a great picture there with the 65cm. Saturday and Sunday nights are busy now with everybody on free mobile phone calls. It is great everybody keeps in touch so much more.

Carry as large a dish as possible, 90cm offset as a minimum. I carry a 120cm
offset dish on the roofrack bars on my LC, takes 1 minute to take it down.
You will find a 60 cm dish losing signal immediately in fringe locations
with cloud cover.
I don't know where the notion comes from regarding analog signals on the B3
satellite but it is untrue. All pay-tv transmissions on Ku-band have been
digital for many years, nothing new about that. Perhaps it is less known
that the signals emanating from the newer C1 satellite are stronger than
from the superseded B3 satellite leading to the impression that a new
digital signal is stronger.
David