Complete satellite newb.

**thrax187** · 28-02-08, 10:18 PM

Hey guys, as the topic shows, I have no idea whatsoever about satellite TV - at least not in the last decade, and I'm looking for some information. Hopefully some of you here can fill in the blanks for me.

So a person I know (oddly enough, not myself) has a fox dish from a previous installation (as many people do these days) and claims to have a supply of "cards that give you everything" for around $600 - So my assumption is that they have whitey's. However they are now trying to source a suitable receiver so that they can get the whole kit and kaboodle operational.

Going off the horribly small amount of details I've been provided and thus provided to you good people... who can fill in the blanks and give me a run-down on what sorta of equipment is needed to complete this picture (working solely on the idea of f@xt3l)?

From the last ... 35 mins that I've been rumaging around the forums and the net, my assumption is that a Dreambox should be all that is required, but knowing nothing about satellite TV I'd rather put the question out there to the people who know what they're talking about!

Will a dreambox take the white card and be suitable for receiving f0x? If not, what would be required? Is there a better recommendation for the situation etc? If anyone would like to go into full details and draw me a nice metal image of what's what in the satellite tv world it would help me along a bit

Post here or PM is fine... hopefully someone can help me out!

**fandtm666** · 28-02-08, 10:21 PM

dream box is not a noob toy and will only work with a phoenix connected on the rear comport, best just get a humax or alike and will work just by putting it in.The cards will show you austar not fox , in saying that the channel line up is the same except you will not see the channels 7-9-10

**thrax187** · 28-02-08, 10:57 PM

can you explain to me what a phoenix is?

From what I saw on the Humax site they sell STB's but don't have a card reader in them? Can you maybe recommend a model or a starting place that I can read about them?

So you're saying you can't receive fox with any kind of card, it's actually austar? (just confirming details here..)

**JIT** · 29-02-08, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by thrax187

can you explain to me what a phoenix is?

From what I saw on the Humax site they sell STB's but don't have a card reader in them? Can you maybe recommend a model or a starting place that I can read about them?

So you're saying you can't receive fox with any kind of card, it's actually austar? (just confirming details here..)

You need to do a few google searches.

A white will not work in a dream card slot, but there are other STU's that it will work in. But your posts. Yor are not interested in how, you just want it to work. So go and talk to the bald guy. He can provide a $600+ package

Cheers

**johnbarry** · 29-02-08, 01:24 AM

Keep it simple, get a Humax 5400z or Strong 4653x.

They are both simple, easy to use and will work with a whitey (unless its a rare one with the heat issue). I have 1 Humax and 3 Strongs, only one Strong has the heat issue.

I've had my Humax for years and i got the Strong boxes from itech world for $110.

Do an ebay search for Strong 4653x, maybe you can find one closer to your location.

Good luck.

**thrax187** · 29-02-08, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by JIT

You need to do a few google searches.

A white will not work in a dream card slot, but there are other STU's that it will work in. But your posts. Yor are not interested in how, you just want it to work. So go and talk to the bald guy. He can provide a $600+ package

Cheers

Thanks for being no help there buddy. Googling "phoenix" isn't the easiest thing to do and dreambox + phoenix didn't yield anything obvious. Anyway.. moving on... Primarily I am interested in knowing the hardware to get my particular scenario to work - In case you missed the part where I said this person is not me... it's not me... and they're not interested in other packages or other cards etc, they have asked me to source boxes that will work with their configuration and that's why I asked here.

In my first post I said it would help me out if someone where to go into details explaining how it all works, so don't be ignorant and say I'm not interested. Seeings as this is a discussion forum I figured people here where more knowlegable and could provide more direct help then googling countless other tech forums on this stuff when I don't understand the terminology to begin with (makes it hard to figure out.).

Thanks for the useful reply johnbarry

You've given me an answer that will get me going - now if anyone wants the write up a 101 guide to sat. tv I can continue learning, or anyone got handy links to sites that already have it explained?

**Min** · 29-02-08, 09:41 AM

get yourself a Humax 5410z /5400z or Strong 4653x/ 4658x.
If any of the above do run hot for you on a whitey their are simple voltage drop mods that can be done to the units. Me personlly, I would recommend the Humax 5400z as it has 2 cam slots and they are a very easy going system. I`ve had mine for about 6-8 years now and it has never given me any problems. I have done a voltage mod to it just to be on the safe side.

Cheers

**BillyGoat** · 29-02-08, 09:49 AM

Try some more reading and less demanding.

**fromaron** · 29-02-08, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by thrax187

In case you missed the part where I said this person is not me... it's not me... and they're not interested in other packages or other cards etc, they have asked me to source boxes that will work with their configuration and that's why I asked here.

Right thrax,
This forum doesn't support sellers, even if you are not selling these cards. You are assisting them which is in our eyes the same thing. The forum is for hobbiests, not organised syndicates looking for free advise. Ask your friends to share their knowledge or if no knowledge then software tools with us in exchange you'll get advise from forum members, how about such deal?

**thrax187** · 29-02-08, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Min

get yourself a Humax 5410z /5400z or Strong 4653x/ 4658x.
If any of the above do run hot for you on a whitey their are simple voltage drop mods that can be done to the units. Me personlly, I would recommend the Humax 5400z as it has 2 cam slots and they are a very easy going system. I`ve had mine for about 6-8 years now and it has never given me any problems. I have done a voltage mod to it just to be on the safe side.

Cheers

Thanks Min

Billygoat: I havn't demanded anything? I'm asking questions on a discussion forum... If you don't want to provide helpful info then why waste your time replying at all?

fromaron: Hardly an organised syndicate... a friend from work asking me to figure out the missing piece because I'm the IT guy. I have nothing to do with their cards or anything else like that, the idea of satellite TV in general honestly doesn't interest me personally, but that's not to say I don't want to know what I can about it so I can be helpful when others ask me. My starting point for learning was to get an answer for this person at work, which I've now been provided by the helpful members here. If at some time I decide to look into sat. TV for myself then I'm sure I will ask more and learn more - I don't understand why half of you are so negative to try and help someone who's never dealt with satellite tv before learn a bit more.

**fromaron** · 29-02-08, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by thrax187

I don't understand why half of you are so negative to try and help someone who's never dealt with satellite tv before learn a bit more.

Because of the bad experience in a past. People tend to learn on their own mistakes much quicker then on someone else's.

**SatGuRu** · 29-02-08, 03:30 PM

hi,
thrax187. by the way welcome to the forum. Best bet is humax as they are good reliable boxes. You can usually pick one up off ebay for around $100-200 generally. Ex-fox dish will be fine, should still be on the right satellite too, if you don't move the dish, plug the coax into the box & put in the setting into the humax & away you go.

By the way johnbarry, seems like the strong's from itechworld only have the issues. I beleive these boxes also had startup issues when first powered up.

**SatGuRu** · 29-02-08, 03:31 PM

Oh & I wouldn't be paying $600 for a card either....15 months worth of subscription there, and by that time they might not be working.

**LeroyPatrol** · 29-02-08, 03:42 PM

Hmmm I can't work out the other guys responses either.

Anyways you have been given good advice on the receivers to use. Head to ebay.
You say your friend has a dish already on the roof. It's more than likely pointing at the Optus C1 satellite. All you will need to do is connect the box up and do a 'blind' scan of this satellite if using a Strong. If you buy a Humax check out for the Transponders on the sat. If you scan in 12305 with nework scan on or a settig to that effect it should scan in all the channels for you. You should see a couple of channels that are free to air like the shopping channel and foxtel help channel. If you can see them stick your card in and select a scrambled channel and wait for pics. Good luck.

We're all not hostile!

Leroy