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Thread ID: 108240	2010-03-20 08:08:00	Freeview: self-install or serviceman install?	braindead (1685)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
868667	2010-03-21 07:06:00	almost there billy ;) LNB is short for "low noise block converter" it converts a "block" of frequencies (ie a set range). don't forget lnb needs aligning to and that depends on what voltage you set the box to. those install instructions say turn it to "Step 5: Fine tune the skew of your LNB to achieve maximum signal quality." it tends to be more accurate adjusting it to the lowest noise (rather than highest signal) when its on the opposite voltage. the big failings i used to see was poorly mounted to house, often into non structural timber. seen quite a few houses with boards ripped off by the dish. bolts not done up tight enough (watch for pole crush, you may have to fit packers if they don't come with any) also no water proofing on connectors.	tweak'e (69)
868668	2010-03-24 05:01:00	I assume the satellite receiver itself provides the DC supply to the LNB without the neccessity of a separate supply such as is used with masthead amplifiers ?	Terry Porritt (14)
868669	2010-03-24 07:35:00	I assume the satellite receiver itself provides the DC supply to the LNB without the neccessity of a separate supply such as is used with masthead amplifiers ? Correct.	pine-o-cleen (2955)
868670	2010-03-24 09:20:00	almost there billy ;) LNB is short for "low noise block converter" it converts a "block" of frequencies (ie a set range). Dead right tweak'e, but we don't call them LNBC's (why I don't know, I guess it was just a lazier acronym) so I stuffed the conversion concept in later on. I've been leaning towards Freeview satellite myself lately, but have decided to go UHF instead because it is HD, plus the whole house is wired bigtime for VHF/UHF distribution and I'm not sure (haven't looked :blush: ) whether I could pump the satelite signal around (read: into my office :D) without adding some extra hardware. I've kinda got a bit out of touch with satellite technology in recent years. I guess it is at UHF and I think my cable quality was low-loss and good enough to do the job. Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
868671	2010-03-24 09:28:00	... I've been leaning towards Freeview satellite myself lately, but have decided to go UHF instead because it is HD, plus the whole house is wired bigtime for VHF/UHF distribution and I'm not sure (haven't looked :blush: ) whether I could pump the satelite signal around (read: into my office :D) without adding some extra hardware. I've kinda got a bit out of touch with satellite technology in recent years. I guess it is at UHF and I think my cable quality was low-loss and good enough to do the job. Cheers Billy 8-{) For satellite you are supposed to use "Quad sheilded" RG6. My in-laws place only had rg59 and we managed to get freeview working there.	pine-o-cleen (2955)
868672	2010-03-24 20:20:00	no need for quad shield cable, but its a little better. just a matter of having sat rated cable thats all. rg59 generally isn't and theres really only been a couple of brands of sat spec RG6 cable in NZ. tho i suspect since freeveiw came on there will be tones of cheap crap being imported from china. tho sometimes if the signal is nice and strong (maybe use a small amp) and run isn't to long you can shove sat down poor cable and its works.......just. i've seen sky installers use "high loss" (old thin smaller than rg59, not even uhf rated, vhf only cable) that worked......for a few weeks. power supply, most will run just off the receiver. but on big systems its better to run a separate power supply which powers the lnb. especially if you run multiable receivers. sat power can get a little interesting when running multiable receivers off 3 phase buildings, better to isolate the outlets and run a single power supply.	tweak'e (69)
868673	2010-03-24 23:53:00	ok now im confused . . . . . . . . . . . . . doesnt take much nowadays . . . . . . . you cant use normal tv cable ? and if i use the sky dish, what does that mean i am able to get? can some one explain types? uhf / hd or digital? is that 3 options? and with a sky dish what can you get, and does that alter what freeveiw i would have to buy? and i may have to get the place rewired cos i ripped out one lot of sky wire as it was in the way and i didnt realise i needed it for freeveiwa/ or is that wrong . . . . . . . . . totally lost . we dont have a tv with cables in lounge anyway, no reception from current aerial / cables getting thro anyway . the idea is probably to get up in roof again . . . . :( and look and make a new hole in ceiling and poke some cable and test i guess . . . . . . . . tv on opposite side of room to tv plug in wall . why is everything so difficult . . . . . :p beetle	beetle (243)
868674	2010-03-24 23:58:00	You can get these on satellite. Click on Sat (www.freeviewnz.tv). Altho, depending on where you are, some channels are only available in some areas. UHF as in normal TV (prime etc). HD and digital, its clearer than analog (normal TV). Thats why you need the box for freeview (or a TV with a built in HD / freeview tuner in it). And if you get satellite, it doesnt support HD	Speedy Gonzales (78)
868675	2010-03-26 10:13:00	The important thing about the feed cable from dish to decoder, and any other sat feeds around the house, is to use good quality cable with a SOLID CORE. Multi-strand core introduces way too much capacitive effect which ruins efficient signal transfer. And, as someone on this thread said earlier: stay away from rip-off merchants such as Dick Smith, Noel Leeming etc. Even their so-called "specials" are greedy. These guys (www.freeviewshop.co.nz) are very helpful and have great prices. For example, a dish and noise filter from them is about a third of DS's price for roughly the same product. But hey, don't take my word for it. Shop around :)	braindead (1685)
868676	2010-03-26 20:29:00	ok now im confused.............doesnt take much nowadays....... you cant use normal tv cable ? Depends what you mean by a normal TV cable? and if i use the sky dish, what does that mean i am able to get? As in channels? With freeview you will be able to get these: www.freeviewnz.tv There are other satellite TV services, but they are mostly non-english or religious. can some one explain types? uhf / hd or digital? is that 3 options? and with a sky dish what can you get, and does that alter what freeveiw i would have to buy? There are 2 options, HD and 'standard' definition. HD is transmitted via UHF, but is only available in some parts of the country (main centres mostly). 'Standard' definition is satellite fed and this is what you will get if you use your sky dish. You need a satellite set top box for using a satellite dish, and a UHF set top box for HD. and i may have to get the place rewired cos i ripped out one lot of sky wire as it was in the way and i didnt realise i needed it for freeveiwa/ or is that wrong......... Not sure exactly what you've ripped out. Does your Sky still work? If so, then you have all the cables you need. Basically you need one cable going from the satellite dish to your set top box, which then connects to your TV. If you have more than one TV, then it gets a bit more complicated. why is everything so difficult.....:p It's not! Just have to ask the right people! And err, don't go ripping out cables! lol.	pine-o-cleen (2955)
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