Portable Dish Alignment

[chdoud]

I have a 5th wheel camper that I carry along a portable dish on a tripod. I have rigged it with a Phase III dish and SL3 LNB for 99, 101 & 103 sat. It is hooked to a H21 to a HDTV. When I only used an 18" dish was not a real hastle to go to the door and look at the signal meters while aligning. But now will be going back and forth quite a bit while aligning 99 & 103.

I do not have a signal meter so I am trying to come up with a better solution Do you think this will work?
I have a 19" LCD PC monitor not being used with DVI input. I am thinking of buying a 35' HDMI-DVI cable from Monoprice ($25.00) and run that from the
H21 to the monitor during dish alignment. I can then have a monitor outside while aligning dish and only have to go back in while changing sats. When finished aligning dish unplug HDMI-DVI to monitor and hookup TV to H21 with short HDMI cable.

[Luck255]

Sounds like a plan and if you get an RF remote you should't even have to go back to change sats!

edit: Before you purchase the cable I would make sure the monitor supports a resolution the receiver puts out. I use a PC monitor in my bedroom and it only supports 480/720p so I'd assume some monitors wouldnt work at all.

[chdoud]

Sounds like a plan and if you get an RF remote you should't even have to go back to change sats!

edit: Before you purchase the cable I would make sure the monitor supports a resolution the receiver puts out. I use a PC monitor in my bedroom and it only supports 480/720p so I'd assume some monitors wouldnt work at all.

Thanks.... I will check that. I had the monitor running something like 1280x1024.... But will verify to make sure....

[n6nfg]

I have the same setup, and find I can usually locate the dish next to a window that I can see the TV from. This also lets me send IR signals from the remote through the window to the TV for changing satellites. As long as have the dish plumb and don't travel more the 100 miles or so from my last location, the elevation and tilt settings can be reused, and I generally only need to adjust the azimuth to dial in a usable signal on 99, 101, and 103. Usually takes less then 5 minutes.

[chdoud]

I have the same setup, and find I can usually locate the dish next to a window that I can see the TV from. This also lets me send IR signals from the remote through the window to the TV for changing satellites. As long as have the dish plumb and don't travel more the 100 miles or so from my last location, the elevation and tilt settings can be reused, and I generally only need to adjust the azimuth to dial in a usable signal on 99, 101, and 103. Usually takes less then 5 minutes.

Thanks.... I will be leaving tomorrow for a 6 week trip so give the IR through the window a try

[clev]

I have been using the same set up but the 3-lnb no longer receives HD transmissions. Yes, they used to a few months ago, but now all HD is transmitted on 119 (I think) and the 3 LNB does not receive them. I'm currently fabricating a mount/carrier for a 5 LNB and am looking for advice on a good (not break the bank) signal meter.

[texasbrit]

clev - I assume you are referring to the Phase III dish with its original LNB. The few HD channels that were on 110 are now gone, so the LNB does not receive any HD channels. Note the OP fitted the phase III dish with the SL3 LNB which receives the HD satellites OK.

[clev]

You're right to an extent and I do apologize. However, the HD reception on the S/Line 3 depends on where you're located. For instance, we take our RV to the mountains outside Sante Fe, NM and a 5 LNB is required in that location; the ka/ku 3 LNB will not work properly. I'm currently working on a dish for myself and have verified this with DirecTV. If the op travels quiet a bit in his RV, as we do, he should check to see if the areas he travels to will be covered by the 3 LNB setup.

[carl6]

You're right to an extent and I do apologize. However, the HD reception on the S/Line 3 depends on where you're located. For instance, we take our RV to the mountains outside Sante Fe, NM and a 5 LNB is required in that location; the ka/ku 3 LNB will not work properly. I'm currently working on a dish for myself and have verified this with DirecTV. If the op travels quiet a bit in his RV, as we do, he should check to see if the areas he travels to will be covered by the 3 LNB setup.

The 3 LNB Slimline will receive all of the national SD and HD channels. What it will not receive is 110 or 119. What that means is that some local SD channels (which are on 119) can't be received with the 3 LNB. Also you won't get the Spanish language programming package (most of which is on 119), and a couple of other very obscure channels.

As far as traveling in an RV, if you have an RV account with DNS channels (LA or NY), then the 3 LNB is all you need. If you travel close to your home and don't have an RV specific account, and you want to get your local SD channels, and your local SD channels are on 119, then you need a 5 LNB.

One other possibility is that you travel and switch your service address to the current local area for those specific local channels, then again (for SD) you would want to have a 5 LNB because some local SD channels are on 119.

No local HD channels are on 110 or 119. If you only need HD locals, a 3LNB is all you need.

[texasbrit]

You're right to an extent and I do apologize. However, the HD reception on the S/Line 3 depends on where you're located. For instance, we take our RV to the mountains outside Sante Fe, NM and a 5 LNB is required in that location; the ka/ku 3 LNB will not work properly. I'm currently working on a dish for myself and have verified this with DirecTV. If the op travels quiet a bit in his RV, as we do, he should check to see if the areas he travels to will be covered by the 3 LNB setup.
No, the Ka/Ku SL3 LNB will receive all the HD channels wherever you are in the U.S. The SL5 gives you 110/119 as additional satellites but there are NO HD channels on those satellites.

[clev]

OK, now "I'm" confused. I talked with the DirecTV 'expert' at SolidSignal inquiring about a signal meter. When he asked about the dish, I told him the DTV installer had just dropped off the new SlimLine 3 HD sat dish.
He asked about my DTV service, listed below. When I mentioned traveling, he informed me that I should call DTV to bring a 5-LNB, because the 3 would not work for me in some locations. He was not specific as to what would not work. He wasn't trying to sell me a dish, so I had no reason to doubt him. I would prefer the 3, as it's smaller and lighter.

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[doctor j]

Carl6 response is correct.

The SL-3 LNB (99/101/103) is acceptable for any place in Continental USA.
The SL-5 LNB (99/101/103/110/119) adds spanish package and SD LIL's for about 50 to 60 DMA's. All HD LIL's are at 99/103.

Either of these LNB's can be attached to a slimline dish.

The weight difference is minimal.

If you are talking the 3 LNB Phase III dish, this is a different animal.

However even that can be modified with little effort to accept either an SL-3 or SL-5 LNB. It is lighter but MUCH more sensitive to alignment. Even at it's best is not always acceptible for all the sats at the same time.

Also remember 2 variations of SL-* LNB's. SL-3S & SL-5S SWM (one output & PI Needed)LNB's.
SL-3 & SL-5 (4 output & power from receiver) standard LNB's.

Doctor j

[clev]

The one they dropped off on Friday is the ka/ku SL-3 with 4 outputs.

[doctor j]

The one they dropped off on Friday is the ka/ku SL-3 with 4 outputs.

As above, unless you want spanish package and/or setting up within 100 miles of your home base and that is a DMA with SD locals on 119 and insist on receiving those 119 SD locals , I don't see how you cannot receive 100% of for what you are eligible!

Does than explain your needs?

Doctor j

[clev]

It certainly does doctoryj and carl; I appreciate your help.