Painless DIY VAST system setup. Save money!

[Sunshine Coast]

Does anyone have Jay's email address (he's Mr Humax in Australia)?

Never mind, I'm documenting my customer service experience with Humax Australia here

[th37sk]

I realise you've fully resolved your situation and indeed found the most painless DIY VAST install/setup via Foxtel, but I will add my experience...

So now, here I am, needing a VAST system. There is already a jack in the wall and coax going up to the tin roof, so I suppose all I need is

1. official permission to install VAST system (some sort of PIN number or smartcard I believe?)
2. a good dish (local guy wants an absurd $600 to install a Hills 85cm dish, which he claims costs $135 and does not rust at the arm like all the "cheap" imports)
3. an arm to hold the dish
4. a decoder with a PVR twin recording function (NOT the Humax) ... maybe the UEC DSR-4639?

Thanks!

I was new to Satellite; albeit 20 years intrigued with the technology, before setting up VAST. Having a mild interest, and being a consummate tinkerer, I setup everything on my own including install without issue. Worked first go. I live inner city Melbourne, in the shadow of a 20-story commission flat. The flat exactingly blocks my line to digital services where I'm clearly a candidate for black spot certification. Like you, I didn't want to throw hundreds of dollars at the project including $certification, just wanted tele and clear reception for the local news, SBS, etc.

A person up the street had discarded a 90cm dish with LNB, mounting posts and hardware (on their nature strip). It had sat for the better part of a week with other rubbish. Each day I walked past it thinking, there's probably not a damn thing wrong with the dish, etc. and if nothing else, the setup would be worth $omething on eBay. Finally picked it up, ordered a UEC4121+Satellite Finder. I think total cost was low $200's in total ($229 delivered best memory). I grabbed a spool of RG6 quad shield cable and fittings from radioparts@ minimal cost. Popped on the roof and with the assistance of free Android apps/GPS & was able to get a ballpark idea of alignment (or could have simply emulated the rough positioning of my neighbours satellite dish) and utilising the sat finder, dialed in signal first go. I didn't know my LNB from my ass, nor how to correctly mount a dish etc. and had strong signal, crystal clear pics without issue. Even ran RG6 from the dish down two storeys through a couple of rooms to my living room TV.

I am registered on a travelers' card and a simple calendar reminder in my phone bi-annually keeps me renewed (manual submission). My total cost was $250 range but better, I had the satisfaction of learning how the system worked. All was painless. First time in my years of 'tinkering' that everything worked 'first go.' Was unbelievable, really and totally painless.

The point of my post is not to disrespect installers, but to encourage tinkerers to have a go. This ain't rocket-science and if you're absolutely clutching straws by the end of it, ring a bloody qualified installer to show you where you went wrong!

Cheers and have fun.

[Sunshine Coast]

Just FYI to anyone else contemplating changing from a Foxtel to VAST setup, I now have both the Foxtel and VAST (Humax) STBs running concurrently, without a switch of any kind. But then I do have two cables emerging from the Foxtel plate on the wall (LNB1 and LNB2).

I'll be sending the Foxtel STB back in a few weeks (and good riddance — it's a noisy piece of junk that keeps resetting itself, stalling, hanging etc).

[mtv]

Just FYI to anyone else contemplating changing from a Foxtel to VAST setup, I now have both the Foxtel and VAST (Humax) STBs running concurrently, without a switch of any kind. But then I do have two cables emerging from the Foxtel plate on the wall (LNB1 and LNB2).

For Foxtel iQ, you still need two connections from the dual output LNB, so if you wanted to add a VAST decoder to an iQ setup, you'd still need a multiswitch to add the extra connection for the VAST box (or a quad LNB, but a multiswitch is better).

[Sunshine Coast]

I don't have the iQ function AFAIK ... it still records etc fine.

[mtv]

I don't have the iQ function AFAIK ... it still records etc fine.

You mightn't but as you were advising "anyone else contemplating changing from a Foxtel to VAST setup" I was setting the record straight for them, 'if' they have iQ.

[viewer]

Nice to have seen you come the full circle with this.

Let's hope other newbies pick up on this, and it comes out so cost effective, and professionally done.

Sometimes paytv has it's benefits...just gotta strike when they run their free installation specials/6 month signups!