Hotbird 6 13E free channel receiver - Sky

scrffls · 07-04-2005, 22:55

I am new to satellite TV.

I'm looking to get fired up to receive free Russian channels (and whater else is out there) via Hotbird. Aerial company looking after our block said they could connect me for £200. I am not particularly interested in pay per view, so my question is what receiver would be best for me for free channels. I guess reliability is important for me and functionality. I would also like to be able to record programmes - a hard drive receiver if it's not too expensive or is it viable to use my computer hard drive (I guess that will require some tweaking and software).

Another question - what happens to terrestrial channels I receive now - the five channels - BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Five? Will I still be able to view them with a satellite connection? Actually, I would also be interested in viewing Freeview - will I be able to receive some of that type of channels?

Any advice would be more than appreciated.

Thanks
scrffls

07-04-2005, 23:00

contact your local satellite dealer

you should be able to get a digital FTA satellite reciever for under £100 and a 60cm for £20-30. I wouldnt bother with ebay. The Hotbird 13e channel lineup can be found here: http://www.digitalsat.co.uk/hotbird_13e.html

If you wanted to view the terrestrial channels you would need a sky reciever and a dish pointed at the sky satellite which is Astra 2 28e.

jediknight007 · 07-04-2005, 23:07

Well, Lidl may be doing a cheap deal soon where you get a FTA receiver, a dish and the works and it should be enough to receive Hotbird. Anyways, I'm receiving Hotbird at the moment and I think the costs were:

FTA Digital Receiver - £55
80cm Dish with LNB arm - £30
Wallmount - £10
LNB - £15
Cable - £8
F-Connector x 2 - 30p
Self-amalgamating tape - 50p

So I would say £120 - £150 for a good setup to receive Hotbird. I ordered my stuff from Satcure, except the receiver which I bought off ebay. It's a Technomate 2500D one btw. Also, a 60cm dish is enough for Hotbird but I went for 80cm instead since it wasn't more much and I didn't want to risk it, lol.

Note: if you only want the free channels, then any cheap receiver will do but if you want to be able to watch some of the encrypted channels later on, you will probably have to pay a bit more to get one with a CI slot.

Finally, as far as I can remember, I have seen 2 Russian channels at the moment. One's RTR but I can't remember the other one. Check out www.lyngsat.com for all the free satellite channel info.

I dunno anything about recording programmes though. You could get a FTA satellite card for your PC instead of a receiver and then record programmes onto your hard disc.

scrffls · 08-04-2005, 20:39

Thanks for advice. Did I understand you correctly - I won't be able to receive the five terrestial channels once I get connected to Hotbird? How annoying if true. We do have a regular aerial on the roof of our block to which I'm connected. Can it be both - Hotbird dish and the aerial?

malcom · 08-04-2005, 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrffls

Thanks for advice. Did I understand you correctly - I won't be able to receive the five terrestial channels once I get connected to Hotbird? How annoying if true. We do have a regular aerial on the roof of our block to which I'm connected. Can it be both - Hotbird dish and the aerial?

If I understand your circumstances correctly then yes you can continue to use your (block) aerial as normal.

For Hotbird you will need a dish and free to air digital reciever. You will also probably need permission in writing from your landlord to have a dish installed. Important you do so or you may be asked to remove it if anyone complains and the landord was not aware that you installed one.

Once installed you can watch either terestrial or digital Hotbird satellite channels. Your Hotbird reciever simply plugs into your TV via a scart socket while your normal tv aerial remains in position.

I am not aware that Hotbird is very strong on Russian channels!!!!! Mainly..Eastern with some Spanish/Germain and of course a string of H/C porn channels.....

Pop down to a large newsagent and get you self a copy of "What satellite TV" magazine. Which will give you some idea as to what is needed including ones with a hard drive and at what cost.

Don't just accept your block aerial company's quote without getting quotes from other installers first. If the £200 quote includes a reciever and dish and installation then that is not bad. £200 for an installation without equipment being supplied sounds like a rip off!!! However I don't know the circumstances and dangers for an installer involved with installations on you block.....So it may not be a rip off.!!!!!

TVDX · 09-04-2005, 16:25

[quote=jediknight007]

Finally, as far as I can remember, I have seen 2 Russian channels at the moment. One's RTR but I can't remember the other one. Check out www.lyngsat.com for all the free satellite channel info.
[quote]

The other one is ORT 1 Russia.

scrffls · 09-04-2005, 19:48

Thanks for advice. Yes, I know it's expensive. What's more there is already a 80 cm dish on the roof which was used by one of the residents for an Arab satellite connection but is unused now (he moved out). It only has to be pointed to Hotbird. It's a five storey block, so I guess they will also need to run a new cable down to my flat on the ground floor. There's one already so it shouldn't be too difficult. But they are the approved aerial installer for our block and I don't want to upset anyone.

I'll get down to newsagent to get a copy of "What Satellite". I know of those two Russian channels on Hotbird.

07-04-2005, 22:55	#1
scrffls Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4	Hotbird 6 13E free channel receiver I am new to satellite TV. I'm looking to get fired up to receive free Russian channels (and whater else is out there) via Hotbird. Aerial company looking after our block said they could connect me for £200. I am not particularly interested in pay per view, so my question is what receiver would be best for me for free channels. I guess reliability is important for me and functionality. I would also like to be able to record programmes - a hard drive receiver if it's not too expensive or is it viable to use my computer hard drive (I guess that will require some tweaking and software). Another question - what happens to terrestrial channels I receive now - the five channels - BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Five? Will I still be able to view them with a satellite connection? Actually, I would also be interested in viewing Freeview - will I be able to receive some of that type of channels? Any advice would be more than appreciated. Thanks scrffls

07-04-2005, 23:00	#2
modern Posts: n/a	contact your local satellite dealer you should be able to get a digital FTA satellite reciever for under £100 and a 60cm for £20-30. I wouldnt bother with ebay. The Hotbird 13e channel lineup can be found here: http://www.digitalsat.co.uk/hotbird_13e.html If you wanted to view the terrestrial channels you would need a sky reciever and a dish pointed at the sky satellite which is Astra 2 28e.

07-04-2005, 23:07	#3
jediknight007 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London Services: 1.2Ghz iBook,Nokia 3100,Labgear Freeview,GBASP,Gamecube,PS2,Sony NetMD,Plusnet 512k,80cm Hotbird Posts: 474	Well, Lidl may be doing a cheap deal soon where you get a FTA receiver, a dish and the works and it should be enough to receive Hotbird. Anyways, I'm receiving Hotbird at the moment and I think the costs were: FTA Digital Receiver - £55 80cm Dish with LNB arm - £30 Wallmount - £10 LNB - £15 Cable - £8 F-Connector x 2 - 30p Self-amalgamating tape - 50p So I would say £120 - £150 for a good setup to receive Hotbird. I ordered my stuff from Satcure, except the receiver which I bought off ebay. It's a Technomate 2500D one btw. Also, a 60cm dish is enough for Hotbird but I went for 80cm instead since it wasn't more much and I didn't want to risk it, lol. Note: if you only want the free channels, then any cheap receiver will do but if you want to be able to watch some of the encrypted channels later on, you will probably have to pay a bit more to get one with a CI slot. Finally, as far as I can remember, I have seen 2 Russian channels at the moment. One's RTR but I can't remember the other one. Check out www.lyngsat.com for all the free satellite channel info. I dunno anything about recording programmes though. You could get a FTA satellite card for your PC instead of a receiver and then record programmes onto your hard disc.

08-04-2005, 20:39	#4
scrffls Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4	Thanks for advice. Did I understand you correctly - I won't be able to receive the five terrestial channels once I get connected to Hotbird? How annoying if true. We do have a regular aerial on the roof of our block to which I'm connected. Can it be both - Hotbird dish and the aerial?

09-04-2005, 16:25	#6
TVDX Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,314	[quote=jediknight007] Finally, as far as I can remember, I have seen 2 Russian channels at the moment. One's RTR but I can't remember the other one. Check out www.lyngsat.com for all the free satellite channel info. [quote] The other one is ORT 1 Russia.

09-04-2005, 19:48	#7
scrffls Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4	Thanks for advice. Yes, I know it's expensive. What's more there is already a 80 cm dish on the roof which was used by one of the residents for an Arab satellite connection but is unused now (he moved out). It only has to be pointed to Hotbird. It's a five storey block, so I guess they will also need to run a new cable down to my flat on the ground floor. There's one already so it shouldn't be too difficult. But they are the approved aerial installer for our block and I don't want to upset anyone. I'll get down to newsagent to get a copy of "What Satellite". I know of those two Russian channels on Hotbird.