Hey, y'all! I've seen references to Sat C. I assume it's a high-def satellite. I don't have an HD tuner, just three DirecTiVos. Will they receive HD signals at standard def?

Besides a second dish, which I have (a dual-LNB, still in the box), what would I need to see this new bird? Also, I've seen people mention receiving something free for the asking. What's it all about, Alfie?

What else can you tell me about DirecTV that a well-rounded pro-sumer (yes, a real one) should know, that I am not aware enough to ask about?

Thanx,
Larry
www.fineelectricco.com

HEY LARRY,

The sat c kit is for the 110 bird to receive Showtime HD. It doesn't use a regular lnb. It uses a big dish type but in a small dish footprint. I believe it is a different polorization used in conjuction with a combiner. If you sub to DTV and to that channel they will send you the kit. I bought one off Ebay. I don't believe a non HD receiver can view those channels. I know my Hughes and Mitsu non HD IRD's lock up when tuned to those. Without an HD receiver there is really no point. I happen to like DTV better then cable or Dishnetwork. I believe it is just a matter of preference no right or wrong.

Larry, I think you can get an adaptor kit from Channel Master. Try O'Rourke Bros. out of Chicago. If you put in any of those dishes with the multiswitch in the neck of the dish, though, expanding to Sat C might just buy you a garden ornament.

Eslob is mostly right.

Sat C basically adds channels to the Sat B input to an HD (and maybe ParaTodos) receiver. A regular (2 gHz)splitter is used to combine the Sat C LNB signal with the 18V signal coming from the SAT B LNB; downstream the wiring is a regular HD setup. It also looks to the naked eye like it is a regular LNB. Oh yeah -- I put up a dish that came with three LNBs, and you could use any one for A or B or C, so they are all the same.

I'm not sure what Eslob means by "big dish type." Ten foot C-band?

I set up a non-HD Sony receiver, and it had a choice for two LNBs or three, so I think there are some non-HD signals coming from it. Again, maybe ParaTodos.

On the Sonys, you have to tell it that you have all three LNBs. How did the Hughes and Mitsu receivers lock up? Is there a place to choose the third LNB? I have not had any problem with any generation of DSS receivers (again, mostly Sony) dealing with any generation of LNB signal. I happen to have a five year old Sony on an HD dish with all three LNBs, with not problem. Of course, it does not see the channels that could come to it from LNB B and C because it does not have the 22 kHz tone to choose them because that was not used when it was made..........

Ernie I assure you they are not the same lnb's. Small dish's have I believe circular polarization and buds (big ugly dishes)have horizontal and or vertical polarization. I regular small dish lnb won't work on the 110 slot for DTV. In my post I was saying that the 110 lnb acts or works like a bud lnb but in an 18" dish footprint to fit on the lnb arm.

The Hughes and Mitsu's don't lock up for selecting 2 or 3 dishes. They lock up when tuned to an HD channel 199,509. These are not HD ird's. If you run across one of these try it.

I know in the past DTV had a few locals on the 110 besides Showtime HD. I don't know if they moved them to one of the other birds. Other then that there were no other channels for Para Todos or anything else.

ECHOSLOB,
You are correct that they aren't the same as a regular LNB but they don't act like a BUD LNB either. I did a quick search and found the info:
"The LNB receives the high frequency signals from the satellite and converts them to a lower frequency compatible with the DirecTV receiver. Although the receiver software and displays accurately depict the 32 transponders at 101 and 119, the receiver is receiving signals from the 110 location as if they were coming from 119. To further complicate matters, the tranponders licsensed to DirecTV at 110 and 119 are in the same range. The Sat C LNB converts the signals from 110 to appear as if they were transponders 8, 10 and 12. These are transponder numbers allocated to Dish Network at the 119 location. The special combiner filters out the Dish Network transponders from the Sat B (119) LNB and combines what is left with the converted signals coming from the Sat C LNB."

Also D* had NC locals on 110 until Dec 27 '01 when they moved them to the spot beam sat at 101. Until Showtime HD was added this spring, the sat was sitting idle. There are still two free transponders on this sat and sometimes people report test channels on them.

-Robert

About the "free" question. If you were one of the lucky ones with locals on 110, you could probably get the C LNB for free from DirecTV. Maybe you can still if you simply want to get the HD channel if you talk a CSR into it. But you'll still need an HD IRD for receiving these channels.

If you agree to subscribe to a Total Choice package (HBO & Showtime) for one year, Direct TV will give you a free oval dish and free SAT-C kit, ($14.95 shipping) and free "professional" installation. You have to buy your own HD SAT receiver. This offer is good for both existing and new subscribers. I called Direct TV last night and got this deal. I hope to have it up and running by this weekend.