Alsace - satellite installers?

Tech, TV, Mobile, Internet and Geek Corner
1
Hello,

I hope this isn't too far off topic (geographically speaking) to cause any problems on the forum.

I will soon be moving the Basel region - actually - my girlfriend (and me too soon) works in Basel, but we will live 1km over in the French side (Hegenheim).

I am looking at preparing what I need to install a dish for receiving both the TNT French channels and the UK FreeSat channels.

I've done quite a bit of research regarding what is required, but would still like some recommendations if possible of any installers in the Basel region (or in Alsace) etc who might be able to assist if my DIY installation doesn't work out!!

Eventually we will purchase our own home, so I'd like to be able to take the equipment with me

If I summarise what I plan to do here - maybe some of the resident experts can confirm it is possible?

I would install a 88-90cm dish with a quality LNB (maybe dual or quad) facing the correct location to pick up the Astra 28.2 and 19.2 transmissions.

That way I would receive both French TNT and the UK freesat channels, correct?

Also - as I have a linux MythTV computer - I would be using a Hauppauge NOVA-DVB-S card to receive the signal.

I realise most people use some sort of set-top box (I might use one of these just to ensure the signals are working ok etc) but are there still requirements for a Card to receive Channel 4/5 and Sky 3 ?

Does anyone else live in the Basel region (north west etc - close to France) that has had experience in setting up their Dish that has any advice )

Thanks again for any advice or recommendations.

Alessandro

2
Yes Multisat is what you want. ie receiving more than one satellite on one dish. Also set up can be tricky without a good satellite meter, to optomise both signals.

You are correct, go for a minimum of a 80cm dish

Dish http://www.satshop.ch/product_info.p...oducts_id=1030

Mount http://www.satshop.ch/product_info.p...c4ce87adb95641

This is a compromise solution, since I find that best results are obtained when the dish is directly pointing at the UK Astra 2 and Astra 1 and or hotbird are reflected.

I saw today that an installer (Not me) had got away with using a mount for hotbird and Astra 1 and used it for Astra 2 and Astra 1. The client wasn't picking up all the UK channels, but an simple modification did the job. I was called in to sort it out. The Swiss installer had recommended a 1M dish to solve the problem, but this wasn't necessary.

I could help if you get stuck, but I'm 1.5 hours away from Basel.

TNT boxes (freesat from France www.tntsat.fr ) from France are poor quality, but you don't have an option if you want the French channels without subscription.

3
Hey there! Thanks for the reply.

Actually - I'm getting a little ahead of myself - won't move in until 1st July or so this year !!

Thanks for the tips though, there's a good chance I'll be calling you to help out for sure.

Not sure if you know about PVR's etc? But I was actually going to use a NOVA-Plus-DVB-S PC card in a Linux box (running mythtv) to receive and record the channels.

So, actually I wouldn't use any decoder box at all - just the PC in fact. However, I think I might have to end up getting one just to use during the setup to make sure the signal is receiving ok etc....

As the Pound sterling is still low against the Euro, and I'll have a half empty little van when I move out there, I'm hoping to buy the equipment before I move out there.

Another question - if I use a Quad LNB - does that mean I need (or could) run 4 cables down into the house (eg 2 into living room, 2 into other rooms) so I could have 4 different decoders working of the same dish?

What I mean is - have 2 feeds down into living room (one into Myth box to record TV, one into a box to TV (so not for recording but to watch live etc) and other two feeds to other rooms (with decoder boxes) ?? Or am I off track here?

Thanks again!

Alessandro

4
Actually - I might be lucky enough to pick up TNT from Digital TV in the area?? I have heard the Alsace is one of the first regions to go fully digital soon?? So, if that is the case - my myth box already has a DVB-T card in it - and I could simply pick up those channels via DVB-T (plus my TV has a digital tuner built in already too) and use the dish to point just directly at 28.2E to grab the UK channels without a compromise?

5
There are different ways of doing things. As a basic if you have an LNB with 4 outputs, you can run 4 receivers independently from this LNB. With a multi channel receiver you can watch TV and record another channel at the same time and still have two inputs free.

There are different LNBs - so the ones for 4 outputs are here.

http://www.satshop.ch/index.php?cPath=34_68

Use 0.1 or 0.2 db Lnbs - ie best signal / noise ratio.

You can also route the signals through a multiswitches but here you need a bit of knowledge and knowhow. http://www.satshop.ch/index.php?cPat...fe344eac86c2cb

Buy your TNT sat equipment in France at a hypermarket.

Hope this helps.

6
Could you move it somewhere closer to Florida? (sorry, couldn't resist :-)

As for the sat dish: there's no need to get a large dish for the British freesat channels. The greater Basel area is in the middle of the (somewhat strange) footprint of Astra 28.2E.

We're using a very small antenna (this one: http://www.technisat.com/index07c1.h...units,en,54-23 ) - it's only 45cm in diameter, won't cause trouble with your landlord or neighbors and is relatively easy to set up. It offers very good reception of all relevant Astra satellites and also Hotbird in all but the most severe weather where bigger antennas (unless they're SERIOUSLY big) won't offer anything better, either.

You can get one of these in Mediamarkt in Basel for around 300 Fr. Installation is fairly easy but takes a while. We set up ours on a simple balcony mount. You basically just align it with Astra 19.8E and the rest of the satellites are automatically set up as well. It offers two outputs only, though. There's also a bigger (and not so sexy :-) version of it offering 4 outputs: http://www.technisat.com/index1905.h...units,en,54-14

Peter

7
I have found a TNT SAT receiver for French satellite TV with DiSEQC switching. The VISIOSAT TVS7500

http://www.tntsat.tv/files/TVS7500%2...%20produit.pdf

8
hi helpful folks!

I have an update about the quest for UK TV in France!

We have now found the house we'll be renting, it's in a little village called Sierentz not that far from the border with Switzerland.

The other great thing, is that there is already a working (as far as the person renting the house knows) Sat dish on the roof !!

The only problem is - the house has a quite high sloping roof, and the dish is right at the top !! So, not exactly easy to be align to Astra 28.2

From the way it was facing and a bit of research on dishpointer.com - I think it looks more likely to be pointing towards hotbird sat.

I guess before I layout any cash on the alignment, I will test if it is actually aligned ok with a freesat box and a scan to see if I'm lucky !!

However, if it's not aligned for 28.2 - would you suggest getting in someone with the correct equipment (ladder, harness etc) for the job to align it??

I'm hoping it will be pretty much aligned anyway - but at least the expense should be less just to get aligned correct instead of buying all the gear.

Besides, never was that fond of heights!!!

Anyway - thanks for all the suggestions, and I'll be back to report how it goes and more than likely maybe need some more help!

Oh yeah, one more thing - whats the best way to test it actually works?

Get a cheap free sat receiver and plug it and scan for channels??

In the end I'll be using a PC with a DVB-S card to receive and watch/record anyway - but a quick way to test is via sat receiver?

ok - thanks again folks

Alessandro

9
If anyone's looking for someone to go up on your roof and do the installation for you here in Saint-Louis...

Artronic is a small shop that does a good job...but I wouldn't expect them to speak English...

Although they do speak German...and of course French...

They did ours. They were very helpful and friendly.

You can find them on the main road that runs through the middle of Saint-Louis. Just follow that road towards LeClerc (old Rond Point).

They are in a small shopping center near Intermarche.