Slingboxing or home network streaming of FTA signals + 2 newbie questions - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

tdu911 · 2012-06-06, 07:36 PM

Hi,

I'm in a house in the Bloor/Dufferin area in Toronto, with pretty decent south-facing sightlines, and I'm looking to install a FTA satellite and device to complement my OTA antenna.

Can anyone recommend any Slingbox-like DVB-S/S2 devices? The Elgato Netstream Sat device, technically-speaking, looks like it should work (I may have to buy a North American AC adaptor), but after some Google searching, I can't find anyone else using it here. I may settle for a USB device, however nothing seems perfect, so I might just settle for a non-HTPC FTA receiver.

I have a few other questions:

There is lots of chatter about various FTA receivers, but I'm just looking for a simple unit, with DVBS2 support, HDMI, decent-looking GUI/menus, and fairly quick channel changing. Does anyone have any favourite brands? Everything out there seems like it's fly-by-night companies that repackage OEM mainboards.

While I understand that FTA can be addictive, I don't intend on grabbing signals off more than 1-2 satellites. What's the smallest dual LNB dish I can get away with? Anything more than 30" seems a bit large, and I worry that this project will get vetoed by the wife if it's overly visible.

I am really liking the Dr Sat KU band motorized HD StarterPak. Seems like it's money well-spent for someone who's not very handy.

Feel free to PM me if you're interested in hooking it up, and what your rates are.

Thanks!
John

cyberham · 2012-06-07, 08:04 AM

I've heard good things about this company's HDHomerun. I have no personal knowledge of any products. I notice they have don't sell their products in any stores in Atlantic Canada.

I'm curious which 1-2 satellites you are thinking of receiving. Aside from 97W, each individual Ku satellite doesn't carry so much anymore. You really need a motor to be able to scan the whole arc to get best value from your Ku satellite system.

I notice the Elgato North American site does not show the satellite receiver you mention; only the International site shows it. It would appear they don't ship it to North America. Probably the unit isn't certified for use in the U.S. and Canada.

Get a larger dish than 30". If you go that small, you're inviting loss of signal when the weather gets poor. A larger size is the same amount of work to install and really doesn't look any bigger after installed.

Classof83 · 2012-06-07, 04:28 PM

So the Elgato Netstream Sat device actually connects to your satellite dish via RG-6? I have a SlingBox, and I just output the component out from my receiver into the SlingBox. The SlingBox just passes through the video, regardless of whether it's DVB or DVB-S2 - that doesn't matter to it.

I also have the SlingCatcher, and it can "catch" the signal from the SlingBox to another TV in the house, and I can change channels via an RF remote - it works great. Too bad they don't sell the SlingCatcher anymore.

tdu911 · 2012-06-07, 07:45 PM

Cyberham:

Thanks for the tip about there being few channels per satellite. This is very helpful.

---
Class:

You've got it, the Netstream device has a connector for RG6 that goes straight to the dish. It does DiSEqC 1.0 and MiniDiSEqC as well.

It seems great on paper, I'm just afraid to jump into something that may not work, moreso because all this FTA stuff is new to me, and I don't want to be out a few hundred bucks.

Import challenges and power adaptors aside, it really does seem like it will work fine, I just wish I knew of other people here in US/CAN using it in any way.

I'm not sure if links get filtered, but here's the link to device's page on the Elgato website:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/int/mai...oduct2.en.html

In the end, I may just go for an Openbox unit like yours.

Thanks for your replies.

2012-06-06, 07:36 PM	#1
tdu911 Rookie Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 2	Slingboxing or home network streaming of FTA signals + 2 newbie questions Hi, I'm in a house in the Bloor/Dufferin area in Toronto, with pretty decent south-facing sightlines, and I'm looking to install a FTA satellite and device to complement my OTA antenna. Can anyone recommend any Slingbox-like DVB-S/S2 devices? The Elgato Netstream Sat device, technically-speaking, looks like it should work (I may have to buy a North American AC adaptor), but after some Google searching, I can't find anyone else using it here. I may settle for a USB device, however nothing seems perfect, so I might just settle for a non-HTPC FTA receiver. I have a few other questions: There is lots of chatter about various FTA receivers, but I'm just looking for a simple unit, with DVBS2 support, HDMI, decent-looking GUI/menus, and fairly quick channel changing. Does anyone have any favourite brands? Everything out there seems like it's fly-by-night companies that repackage OEM mainboards. While I understand that FTA can be addictive, I don't intend on grabbing signals off more than 1-2 satellites. What's the smallest dual LNB dish I can get away with? Anything more than 30" seems a bit large, and I worry that this project will get vetoed by the wife if it's overly visible. I am really liking the Dr Sat KU band motorized HD StarterPak. Seems like it's money well-spent for someone who's not very handy. Feel free to PM me if you're interested in hooking it up, and what your rates are. Thanks! John

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2012-06-07, 08:04 AM	#2
cyberham Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 422	I've heard good things about this company's HDHomerun. I have no personal knowledge of any products. I notice they have don't sell their products in any stores in Atlantic Canada. I'm curious which 1-2 satellites you are thinking of receiving. Aside from 97W, each individual Ku satellite doesn't carry so much anymore. You really need a motor to be able to scan the whole arc to get best value from your Ku satellite system. I notice the Elgato North American site does not show the satellite receiver you mention; only the International site shows it. It would appear they don't ship it to North America. Probably the unit isn't certified for use in the U.S. and Canada. Get a larger dish than 30". If you go that small, you're inviting loss of signal when the weather gets poor. A larger size is the same amount of work to install and really doesn't look any bigger after installed.

2012-06-07, 04:28 PM	#3
Classof83 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 882	So the Elgato Netstream Sat device actually connects to your satellite dish via RG-6? I have a SlingBox, and I just output the component out from my receiver into the SlingBox. The SlingBox just passes through the video, regardless of whether it's DVB or DVB-S2 - that doesn't matter to it. I also have the SlingCatcher, and it can "catch" the signal from the SlingBox to another TV in the house, and I can change channels via an RF remote - it works great. Too bad they don't sell the SlingCatcher anymore.

2012-06-07, 07:45 PM	#4
tdu911 Rookie Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 2	Cyberham: Thanks for the tip about there being few channels per satellite. This is very helpful. --- Class: You've got it, the Netstream device has a connector for RG6 that goes straight to the dish. It does DiSEqC 1.0 and MiniDiSEqC as well. It seems great on paper, I'm just afraid to jump into something that may not work, moreso because all this FTA stuff is new to me, and I don't want to be out a few hundred bucks. Import challenges and power adaptors aside, it really does seem like it will work fine, I just wish I knew of other people here in US/CAN using it in any way. I'm not sure if links get filtered, but here's the link to device's page on the Elgato website: http://www.elgato.com/elgato/int/mai...oduct2.en.html In the end, I may just go for an Openbox unit like yours. Thanks for your replies.