Easy Tuning of VAST for Travellers

[Bob&Chrissy]

Hi All,

First up apologies if this has come up elsewhere. Travellers are usually not too familiar with tuning and VAST is harder than Aurora as everything falls out of the boxes brain all the time as travellers cant remain hooked up to 240 volt. There have been massive advances over the last few months and anyone can now find C1 very easily indeed. In fact its far easier than it ever was with Aurora. The secret is to use fantastic little programs called "apps" on your smart phone or IPad. All are very inexpensive and those mentioned here work brilliantly for those who hate technical gadgets!

iSatFinder

When arriving onsite we look at the GPS for a rough idea where north is. Turn on iSatFinder app available for your phone or iPad ($2.49), press find position then “calculate”. It then displays elevation, azimuth and skew.

Is There Anything Blocking the View of the Satellite?

Unlike a satellite phone, to receive TV your dish must be able to see the sky. Now it only needs a tiny “window” but it can be hard to find in dense forests. Also watch out for swaying branches. For $23.99 you can get an app designed for use by installation technicians. It’s truly a dream to use as it contains absolutely everything you need – elevation, compass bearing and LNB skew. However it has one of the cleverest things we have ever come across. If you point your smart phone or iPad2 at the sky in the general direction of north you will see a red arc. Move around until you see 156 E. This is the exact position of the VAST satellite. Now as you are using the camera if there is a tree, building, another RV blocking the view to the sky it will show up on the screen. All you do then is move a pace at a time until you get a clear view! Simply stunning technology. Once again though we unnecessarily bought the dearest! RVers only need the standard version at $12.99. Remember to tick Optus C1 156E (near the bottom of the page). This will work way out in the bush as it does not require phone signal or internet access. It’s never been so easy to check satellite reception.

Aiming the Dish Using a Landmark

Using Google satellite maps Dishpointer Maps ($9.99) shows your exact position and draws a bright yellow line showing the direction of the satellite. The idea is you look along this line for landmarks then aim the dish. It also gives you azimuth, elevation and skew. This system is used by just about all TV crews doing outside broadcasts as alignment is super critical on uplinks. You do not need this if you have DishPointer Augmented Reality. You MUST have internet connection for this one to work.

Sorry there are no screen dumps As I dont have attachment rights. If anyone likes to email me I will send them for posting here.

Our best advice is to get into VAST right away as it is simply fantastic! For those who can’t camp without their TV fix, whether it is the news or your favourite weekly series, to date this is the ultimate solution. Once you get used to the new set up, you will wonder why someone hadn’t told you about this before. Technology keeps changing and we need to be prepared to get out of our comfort zone to enjoy its benefits whilst on the road! It IS totally worth the effort.

Take care

Bob

[mtv]

Bob,

You can upload pics via ImageShack, at the bottom of the screen.

[Rodnic]

Does this mean I have rush out and buy an Iphone or Ipad

[gordon_s1942]

just check where your going first that the area has mobile reception because oddly enough the 99% of the population covered DONT live on 100 % of the land mass and you dont have to be out in the Mulga to be in a non covered area so NO rodnic, I wouldnt be wasting money on one when a compass, Sat Finder and a list of Azimuth and elevations of where I proposed to travel.

[mtv]

Azimuth & elevation numbers are a guide only.

You will still need to 'sweep' the dish to locate the signal and then make small adjustments to the dish position AND the LNB skew for optimum reception.

I agree, a rough idea of where to start pointing the dish and a simple satfinder works well for most people.

Like anything, the more practice you get, the easier it becomes.

Obviously, for those who find the iPhone Apps useful and can access them, then by all means use them.

[Bob&Chrissy]

Does this mean I have rush out and buy an Iphone or Ipad

No Mothers Day is coming up so give one to the little lady!

Seriously a couple of the apps are available on the Android platform so they will work in cheaper Smart phones. We are only at the tip of the iceburg at present to where all this is going. There are over 6500 apps for the iPad alone. Once you have an iPad for the day you will never go back to clunky, sloooooow Windows. Fantastic for the over 60's as you just cant stuff anything up or lose your work. A dollar a day gives you 3 gig of data which is better than most phone plans. Skype works very clearly. Fully functional GPS without the need for internet or phone with "Karen" talking to you is only $29.95. Accuracy beats Garmin plus for all us oldies it comes with all the dunnies onboard! Karen nags you if you exceed the speed limit - no one else has that yet at any price. Also has several free inclinometers so you can super accurately set the angle of your sat dish.


Bob

[mtv]

..... This system is used by just about all TV crews doing outside broadcasts as alignment is super critical on uplinks.....

Ummm noooo... we use spectrum analysers for critical alignment.

This is starting to smell like SPAM, Bob.

[sparky145]

vast is crap you'd think they'd make a signal strengh meter and a quality meter in the altech uec DSD 4121 i urge tourists not to buy until uec boxes are taken off the market as tunning is immposible with out high end technical equipment and yes Aurora pvr was abolished when they switched to vast no vast pvr's yet dont dispair it is posible to modify aurrora boxes with a bit of programming to receive vast by reprograming the eeprom on the board which connects to the pirate smart card it just a mater of reading every chip on the circuit board until you find the right one next read the conditional access eeproms on circuit board of vast box now copy this to the aurora box eeproms modify the software before copying to eeproms to remove serial number lockout now copy vast smart card modify card to access every state remove any serial number lockouts before making new smartcard and your done vast is easy to crack like all technology none is secure.

[toxicwaste]

vast is crap you'd think they'd make a signal strengh meter and a quality meter in the altech uec DSD 4121 i urge tourists not to buy until uec boxes are taken off the market as tunning is immposible with out high end technical equipment and yes Aurora pvr was abolished when they switched to vast no vast pvr's yet dont dispair it is posible to modify aurrora boxes with a bit of programming to receive vast by reprograming the eeprom on the board which connects to the pirate smart card it just a mater of reading every chip on the circuit board until you find the right one next read the conditional access eeproms on circuit board of vast box now copy this to the aurora box eeproms modify the software before copying to eeproms to remove serial number lockout now copy vast smart card modify card to access every state remove any serial number lockouts before making new smartcard and your done vast is easy to crack like all technology none is secure.

So your basically telling me if, my modifying the smart card reader my 7 year old Aurora box (which is a DVB-S box)I will be able to receive and demultiplex a DVB-S2 service.

dont think so.

[LeroyPatrol]

vast is crap you'd think they'd make a signal strengh meter and a quality meter in the altech uec DSD 4121 i urge tourists not to buy until uec boxes are taken off the market as tunning is immposible with out high end technical equipment and yes Aurora pvr was abolished when they switched to vast no vast pvr's yet dont dispair it is posible to modify aurrora boxes with a bit of programming to receive vast by reprograming the eeprom on the board which connects to the pirate smart card it just a mater of reading every chip on the circuit board until you find the right one next read the conditional access eeproms on circuit board of vast box now copy this to the aurora box eeproms modify the software before copying to eeproms to remove serial number lockout now copy vast smart card modify card to access every state remove any serial number lockouts before making new smartcard and your done vast is easy to crack like all technology none is secure.

I think you've had one too many zaps Sparky!

Leroy

[bigfella08]

vast is crap you'd think they'd make a signal strengh meter and a quality meter in the altech uec DSD 4121 i urge tourists not to buy until uec boxes are taken off the market as tunning is immposible with out high end technical equipment and yes Aurora pvr was abolished when they switched to vast no vast pvr's yet dont dispair it is posible to modify aurrora boxes with a bit of programming to receive vast by reprograming the eeprom on the board which connects to the pirate smart card it just a mater of reading every chip on the circuit board until you find the right one next read the conditional access eeproms on circuit board of vast box now copy this to the aurora box eeproms modify the software before copying to eeproms to remove serial number lockout now copy vast smart card modify card to access every state remove any serial number lockouts before making new smartcard and your done vast is easy to crack like all technology none is secure.

Best you get ready for some reply's to those comments........

Are you related to a particular Dj from Tassie

[mtv]

Come back and tell us after you've managed to make all that work, sparky.

Surely if you can do all you claim you can do, you could modify the VAST box tuning/capability.

Methinks you've had your head some place that's deprived you of oxygen.

BTW, the VAST PVR function is getting closer.... currently being trialled.

I also hear another manufacturer is expecting to release a model soon.... but there again, I've been hearing that for a while now.

[mtv]

you'd think they'd make a signal strengh meter and a quality meter in the altech uec DSD 4121 i urge tourists not to buy until uec boxes are taken off the market as tunning is immposible with out high end technical equipment.

That statement is wrong.

You obviously have never used one, as they do have metering, it just doesn't show until the box has signal, which you must obtain first by other means.

It certainly does not require high end technical equipment to locate a satellite, especially C1/D3.... a very cheap sat finder will do the job, just as they always have for those travellers tuning Aurora, etc.

Sure, expensive professional instrumentation is faster and accurate, but with a bit of practice, very basic tools like a sat finder will work, then once you have signal to the VAST box, then you can make fine adjustments with the meter 'scales' it has.

There is no satelllite or terrestrial tuner/decoder that has accurate signal strength/quality measurements. They are a rough guide only.

If they were as accurate as professional signal measuring equipment, they would cost thousands of $$ more... each.

I do agree that the only current VAST box is limited with functionality and not as simple to align a dish with one compared to others, but it can be done fairly easily with a bit of practice.

[Rodnic]

I have a travellers auth and find it easy to set up. Look up the direction, elevation and skew, set them and fine tune with sat finder. Then watch whichever program. Only takes a few minutes for a novice like me. I don't know where Sparky is coming from. Just go and get one.

[heith1]

Bloody site easier to install motorised dish on caravan or motorhome. Terrific and quick alignment on pressing one button.

[LeroyPatrol]

Bloody site easier to install motorised dish on caravan or motorhome. Terrific and quick alignment on pressing one button.

And how much did it cost you?????

.....Leroy

[gordon_s1942]

A bit more than $30 for a 'Sat Finder'
Just a thought to those with 'fixed' dish's as a travelling friend pointed out that you cannot always pick your spot in a caravan park or Bush Camp to get the best view of the sky.

[K&FT]

Bloody site easier to install motorised dish on caravan or motorhome. Terrific and quick alignment on pressing one button.

That is true UNTIL you are allocated a site with no view of the sky(sat). and is why I kept my tripod system and my sf3000.

with a long enough lead I can usually see the sky

avagreatday

frank

[toyboy11]

That is true UNTIL you are allocated a site with no view of the sky(sat). and is why I kept my tripod system and my sf3000.

with a long enough lead I can usually see the sky

avagreatday

frank

Yes until you get a strong gust of wind and over she goes------new lnb please, or someone wants to park where you set up.

[gordon_s1942]

After watching the Tour d France and the 50,000 campers lining the route, I think 'Self Aligning' dish's wont be so far away here as a 'Standard' as people seeing these will ask, 'Why don't we have them too'? which hopefully will bring the price down.
If you take a TV and the needed generator set to go camping (Tent), then you you could take a portable collapsing dish too without too much trouble.

YES, I know those Campers moved to each main location so we saw the same ones several times over but there was a hell of a lot of them and many were flying the Australian Flag.