[stecle]

A friend of mine owns a small apartment block in a rural area where there is no cable service. The building is wired so that the tenants can receive Shawdirect with their own receiver. The dish feeding the system is a 60cm elliptical with the stacked 2 beercan LNB's. The setup works ok except when it rains hard. A tenant recently purchased a HDPVR 630 and is having problems with pixilation.

I suggested that the best way for him to go is to use 2 separate dishes given the fact that this is a commercial application. He has 2 - 76cm round Starchoice dishes that are new in the box that the tenants didn't need since the building was already wired. We will remove the existing 60cm elliptical dish and use a 76cm round Starchoice dish for each satellite.

This is where I need some help. My understanding is that Shawdirect uses a stacked and a non stacked system. If your hardware is stacked you must you the Classic channel line-up. If your hardware is non stacked you must use the advanced channel line-up. Is this correct? The reason I ask is that all the receivers in his building receive the classic channel line-up. There are many seniors in his block and he doesn't want to change the line up to advanced as they are used to having their programs on a certain channel number.

The 76cm round Starchoice dishes that he has are missing the LNB's. If I remember correctly these dishes used the single flashlight LNB. Are these flashlight lnb's stacked? Are these LNB's still available? If not can anyone recommend an aftermarket stacked LNB that would work. I sincerely appreciate any help.

Thanks

Steve

 

[classicsat]

You should be able to choose Classic or Advanced regardless if you have a stacked or non-stacked system. There is nothing about advanced which would preclude it from working.

As for LNBFs, there are stacked style Flashlight LNBFs.

However, I would call Shaw about that. They are on the verge of changing out LNBFs for the G1 satellite which will launch next year or so.

 

[stecle]

Thanks for the info classicsat! If Shawdirect introduces a new LNBF for a third Satellite it will only compound his problem. He will then need 3 dishes since he wants to get away from multiple feeds on one dish.

If anyone has any stacked style Flashlight LNBFs for sale please let me know.

Thanks

Steve

 

[QCK]

Well his problem will be compounded regardless, the new satellite will be in the same location as Anik F1R @ 107.3W but it will just use a different frequency range and at that time he will for sure be wanting to use a the new LNB head from Shaw Direct to get the channels broadcast on Anik G1. It is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of next year.

I would complain to Shaw Direct about the signal problems and have them change the 60E dish out with thier 75E dish, this will allow them to change over to the advanced channel lineup as well.

 

[classicsat]

Actually, it will be a wide band LNBF of some sort to work with existing satellite locations, not another satellite location.

The new satellite will be co-located with one of the existing satellites Shaw Direct currely uses (I think at 107.3), and for the transponders Shaw will have access to, they will be in a band 250 Mhz below the regular Ku band they use.

Becasue of that, I doubt you could get a single style LNBF for your system, and most likely not in stacked. Shaw likely will only offer Quad extended band LNBFs.

 

[stecle]

http://www.telesat.com/File/BD3DD86FFE6947009DCE9151B407CF75

According to this Telesat release it seems that the new G1 will replace the existing F1 leaving a 2 satellite system like we have now. I also noticed a huge South America footprint. Good news for those Canadian expats living in South America!

I think I will wait until Shawdirect sorts this out before I do anything with my friends MDU.

Thanks for the info everyone.

Steve

 

[QCK]

G1 is using extended Ku-band to add capacity for the Canadian market. It will be in addition to what is offered by Anik F1R right now at 107.3W, G1 is not replacing F1R.

There is no reason for you to wait if they are having signal problems. Shaw Direct should upgrade the dish being used right now at no cost. Why not have the problem fixed, and at the same time allow them to have the advanced channel list if they so wish. It seems like a no brainer for me.

Anik F1 is only for South America:
http://www.telesat.ca/File/6b220eb1addf47f1aefe400945846299

 

[ScaryBob]

I recommend changing to a 75e dish as well. Doing so will also require a new LNB due to different spacing for the 75e.

I also noticed a huge South America footprint.

That will carry South American services. Using multiple satellites at the same location that have different footprints and carry different services is quite common.

 

[SD 630 Support]

There is no reason for you to wait if they are having signal problems.

Absolutely. Give the Commercial Services team a call (I assume that's who you're set up with if it's servicing an apartment building) and they'll be able to let you know your options and arrange replacement parts if necessary.

 

[stecle]

Absolutely. Give the Commercial Services team a call (I assume that's who you're set up with if it's servicing an apartment building) and they'll be able to let you know your options and arrange replacement parts if necessary.

Thanks for the reply. My friend only supplies the satellite feed to the suites and the customers deal with Shawdirect individually, which is exactly the way he wants it.

On a side note do you have any info on the new LNBF?

Thanks

Steve