Satellite dish already install but not connected to anything, how to make it work for cheap ?

[rech]

hello,

 

A house has the big satellite dish installed but it is not connected to anything.

Is it possible to use it for Thai channels at least or not anymore ?

 

I do not know how is called the box that is between the dish and the TV, and how much it costs, can you help me ?

 

I know that an Android box as Xiaomi box is better, but for an aging person a simple TV remote to change between Thai channels is needed.

 

Where to buy and how much costs the box to put between satellite dish and TV to receive the Thai channel without any monthly fee ?

 

Thank you for your help.

 

 

[CharlieH]

You would need to contact your local supplier of satellite equipment and see what boxes are suitable. If you take a photo f it he will probably know instantly what will or wont work etc. Usually they are Thai only channels and not expensive box, he will probably come set it up for you too.

[johng]

A cheap satellite receiver like this will most likely work.

https://psisat.com/กล่องรับสัญญาณ-psi-s2/

 

Not knowing  of course, if the dish is C or Ku band and pointing at which satellite..it would be a small job for a "technician" to realign the dish to look at the correct satellite.

[NCC1701A]

17 hours ago, rech said:

A house has the big satellite dish installed but it is not connected to anything.

yes you can get a huge amount of Thai channels for free.

 

https://www.lyngsat.com/Thaicom-5.html

 

and a Ku band (small dish) LNA can be used on a big C band dish simultaneously.

Thaicom 5 would be the first sat to look at.

You can buy a completely new C band dish with a HD receiver for about 1500-2000 baht.  

And apps for your phone to help you point it in the right direction. 

but labor is cheap here so maybe find a local sat shop and ask how much.

 

 

[tweedledee2]

   I've got a big car. How much money to fill the gas tank? Like your post, the question  can't be answered without more detailed information. 

   It's been a couple of years, but a complete PSI system costed me less than 2500 baht installed. 

[KhunBENQ]

Is the TV set HD compatible (HDMI connector)?

Still a lot of aging devices with "composite video" input only.

Can be used with the HD receiver but still rough picture quality.

[rech]

On 1/9/2020 at 6:31 PM, CharlieH said:

You would need to contact your local supplier of satellite equipment and see what boxes are suitable. If you take a photo f it he will probably know instantly what will or wont work etc. Usually they are Thai only channels and not expensive box, he will probably come set it up for you too.

 

Nobody needs any local supplier. I just need to buy the cheapest receiver'tuner and connect it.

 

 

[rech]

13 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Is the TV set HD compatible (HDMI connector)?

Still a lot of aging devices with "composite video" input only.

Can be used with the HD receiver but still rough picture quality.

 

 

sorry, do you mean that not all satellite dishes are similar with similar connectors ?

 

I have now found receivers on lazada for 500 thb, they should be enough to receive thai channels

 

 

 

[CharlieH]

3 hours ago, rech said:

 

 

sorry, do you mean that not all satellite dishes are similar with similar connectors ?

 

I have now found receivers on lazada for 500 thb, they should be enough to receive thai channels

 

 

 

Would you try and fit any old  gearbox to a specific make of engine ?

How do you know the LNB on the dish even works ? 

You can't just grab any digi box and hope for the best....55555

 

For the sake of a few hundred baht you will save yourself money in the long run, you can't just go buy anything as it could be totally incompatible and you end up buying again.

"Up to you'" .

[Langsuan Man]

Why is Thai Visa this way ?

 

OP asks a question since he obviously does not have any knowledge of how a Satellite dish works, five members try and answer his question, and he argues with them

 

No good deed goes unpunished here at Thai Visa  

[johng]

6 hours ago, rech said:

I just need to buy the cheapest receiver'tuner and connect it

Well that might work..if

1: The dish is properly aligned to see the correct satellite, it needs to be precisely pointed ..the bigger the dish the more precise it needs to be pointed, nowadays with digital transmissions its even harder to point "willy nilly" ( you almost could with analogue ) as digital signal is either there or not..by the time the tuner has almost found a signal you have moved the dish again.

 

2 The LNB

 

and coax cable running from LNB to receiver are working correctly...spiders/insects like to nest in the LNB and the coax cable can suffer from water getting in to it which kills any signal.

[NCC1701A]

6 hours ago, rech said:

I have now found receivers on lazada for 500 thb, they should be enough to receive thai channels

OK, hook it up and let us know how it goes.

 

if it is a C band dish it should have a C band LNB (hopefully that still works)

and maybe the dish is still pointed in exactly the correct direction. 

and coax that is still good.

 

keep in mind trouble shooting a satellite system can be a real pain in the ass.

i would replace the coax and order a LNB with a receiver because the cost is very small and that will insure compatibly so when you are trying to figure out other problems during setup you will not be driven mad by a bad LNB.

 

a sat signal meter is a good tool to help with finding sats.

 

 

 

 

[tifino]

We had a longer used big old dish... 

 

Two things were helpful after research: 

 - the Bearing and Elevation (assuming no one had moved it after decommissioning) 

 - who (nationality/heritage) lived there before you? 

 

I'm our case it was for/by Indian tenants, and for one of those old analog sysyems. 

 

Could have been worse... could have been Russian!  

 

For Local the AE could be close to vertical 

 

 

Something far off Europe, it would be pointing west and low angle 

[NCC1701A]

6 hours ago, rech said:

sorry, do you mean that not all satellite dishes are similar with similar connectors ?

what will you be plugging the sat receiver into?

A TV/monitor with HDMI connector?

or "old" style RCA composite/component?

   Keep in mind older Standard Definition only receivers are super cheap now and most likely only have RCA connectors. Also see if the receiver you order has a HDMI cable with it. It can be a additional cost if you don't have one.  

[NCC1701A]

26 minutes ago, tifino said:

We had a longer used big old dish... 

 

Two things were helpful after research: 

 - the Bearing and Elevation (assuming no one had moved it after decommissioning) 

 - who (nationality/heritage) lived there before you? 

 

I'm our case it was for/by Indian tenants, and for one of those old analog sysyems. 

 

Could have been worse... could have been Russian!  

 

For Local the AE could be close to vertical 

 

 

Something far off Europe, it would be pointing west and low angle 

yes and this is why I suggested the op start with Thaicom 5 as a starting point. very common.  

but in fact now the dish could be pointed at any sat. 

a free sat pointing app would help the op to get a basic idea of which way the dish is pointed.

 

 

 

 

[Crossy]

With the advent of digital terrestrial covering most of Thailand a lot of the satellite stuff has become redundant. Boxes and antennas are cheap (most modern TVs won't need the box anyway) and setup isn't difficult.

 

We ditched True several years back, Madam has more Thai channels than she can watch using a simple yagi pointed roughly towards Bangkok, I use our decent internet connection and a VPN if necessary.

 

[johng]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

With the advent of digital terrestrial covering most of Thailand a lot of the satellite stuff has become redundant

I wouldn't say redundant (yet)..there are still a lot more channels available via satellite VS the terrestrial antenna..recently a few of those terrestrial broadcasters returned their licences and stopped broadcasting..of course Internet Protocol Television 

(IPTV) is the latest and "bestest"

[KhunBENQ]

9 hours ago, rech said:

 

sorry, do you mean that not all satellite dishes are similar with similar connectors ?

No, I was referring to the television set (telly).

It will work with older TVs but picture quality will not be up-to-date (HD).

HD: high definition. Many Thai TV channels via satellite come in full HD.

Nothing to worry.

[KhunBENQ]

On 1/9/2020 at 6:27 PM, rech said:

A house has the big satellite dish installed but it is not connected to anything.

I try a restart from the beginning

 

There is the house with the dish.

A cable is running from the dish into the house and ends with such a connector?:

 

If yes, buy the cheapest sat receiver (set-top box) and connect it.

Connect sat receiver and TV set with appropriate cable.

Switch on both and fiddle with the TV remote (selecting input source) until you see some picture from the sat receiver.

The sat receivers here will usually scan for the correct satellite setup automatically.

 

If not, you need help onsite

If all fails you lost a few hundred Baht.

[NCC1701A]

"Spock you get that sat dish working yet?"

"Negative Captain. This is extremely primitive technology."

"Hurry up. Thai boxing is on soon." 

[johng]

On 1/11/2020 at 1:47 PM, NCC1701A said:

Thai boxing is on soon.

It's TV Jim  but not as we know it.