Astra 1N tests - latest chat

[satesco]

No lock on any of the DVB-S feed frequencies here.

Thanks for trying!I can say now,until proved otherwise,that those transponders are on standby.
BTW,it's a kind of ironic after so many interventions,at least on this forum,the results are below expectations.Until now, we can say,with a famous expression, "Too much ado about nothing".No satellite raised so much interest, but that seems to disappoint us all.I hope I am wrong.

 

[Analoguesat]

Below expectations?

Not so - too many people had unrealistic expectations of what was going to happen.

Astra 1N was NEVER going to rapidly fill up with dozens of new channels across multiple frequencies. I think we are doing well to have 2 transponder fired up at the moment. More will be lit up in the next few weeks & months.

At the moment 1N is doing what many folks wanted - bringing extra narrow capacity to Freesat UK - the C5 extra channels should go clear on 10964H in the next few weeks bringing 5 new channels to Freesat plus all the encrypted C5 macro advertising regions.

 

[skomedal]

My question relates to CH5 on the 10964 frequency-is this still encrypted?
Cheers

Yes but rumored to be FTA soon!

Regards

Ps congrats with new box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-righton

 

[welshman234]

Yes but rumored to be FTA soon!

Regards

Ps congrats with new box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-righton

Cheers Mate
Its not the most easy thing Ive used but Im getting there.....my Samsung Sky HD box will still take pride of place in lounge and VU+ in bedroom..

 

[M60]

Below expectations?

Not so - too many people had unrealistic expectations of what was going to happen.

Astra 1N was NEVER going to rapidly fill up with dozens of new channels across multiple frequencies. I think we are doing well to have 2 transponder fired up at the moment. More will be lit up in the next few weeks & months.

At the moment 1N is doing what many folks wanted - bringing extra narrow capacity to Freesat UK - the C5 extra channels should go clear on 10964H in the next few weeks bringing 5 new channels to Freesat plus all the encrypted C5 macro advertising regions.

Fully agree, I'd expect to see possibly another DVB-S2 TP illuminated for ITV1HD regions before Christmas, also the ITV1 SD regions moved over but don't expect to see anything else. Maybe in the new year we'll see a few more TP's illuminated but these will happen over a few Months and not all in one go!

Saying that it does surprise me a bit that all the imminent transponders haven't been illuminated pretty much straight away as the uplink providers have had enough warning 1N is on it's way!

 

[Gefiltefish]

My Humax Foxsat HD inconveniently died on me just before 1N testing began. I have held back from buying a new one until I could be fairly sure we were going to get reception of UK services on 1N (or continue to do so on 2D). Has the time arrived to buy? My SKY box does bring up the test card on the 7704 label (which we assume is going to be Channel 5). Is this enough evidence as yet that I might "safely" invest in a new box for now (the Humax gave much better results than the SKY before its parting)?

 

[M60]

My Humax Foxsat HD inconveniently died on me just before 1N testing began. I have held back from buying a new one until I could be fairly sure we were going to get reception of UK services on 1N (or continue to do so on 2D). Has the time arrived to buy? My SKY box does bring up the test card on the 7704 label (which we assume is going to be Channel 5). Is this enough evidence as yet that I might "safely" invest in a new box for now (the Humax gave much better results than the SKY before its parting)?

Problem is that if your using a Sky STB to check this, as has been discussed further up the thread, as the TSID is identical on 10964H to that of 12422H the Sky STB will look at the existing 2A and not the new 1N transponder. I would imagine you'd be ok in Granada with 1N, what size dish have you got?

 

[Gefiltefish]

1.20 dish.

 

[M60]

1.20 dish.

I reckon you should be fine with that. Probably best waiting until C5 has moved over fully to 10964H though before just so your sure you can test it with your existing Sky hardware.

 

[welshman234]

The new VU+ solo I bought is ok but the software a bit odd, but for someone on the fringes of this hobby I would recommend it. I have so far found all the 1N sevices I should find with comparative ease. The SKY HD box and Freesat boxes are best avoided for serious monitoring and searching...

 

[yan75]

The Sky tests must have been on one of the two widebeams.

So my next question is why would Sky be testing on the wide beams? Does this mean we may get some sky channels on the wide beams?

 

[park_gate]

My Humax Foxsat HD inconveniently died on me just before 1N testing began. I have held back from buying a new one until I could be fairly sure we were going to get reception of UK services on 1N (or continue to do so on 2D). Has the time arrived to buy? My SKY box does bring up the test card on the 7704 label (which we assume is going to be Channel 5). Is this enough evidence as yet that I might "safely" invest in a new box for now (the Humax gave much better results than the SKY before its parting)?

Fringe reception is always a gamble as things can change unexpectidly at any time.

You can still use the Pace to check the signal strength of C4HD. Go into engineering mode and do a manual tune / signal strenth test. Can't rember the exact option but I've done it on my Pace for BBC HD.

Astra 2D should run for about another 2 years so you can use the Foxsat HD for the current HD channels for at least 2 years.

Terry

 

[welshman234]

So my next question is why would Sky be testing on the wide beams? Does this mean we may get some sky channels on the wide beams?

This is the $64,000 question. It is logical to assume that Sky sprts etc will remain on widebeam for the 1.1 million expats in Spain and France..... but when has logic ever come into it

 

[BLUEPLATINUM]

So my next question is why would Sky be testing on the wide beams? Does this mean we may get some sky channels on the wide beams?

One would imagine that the spot beam TPs are charged at a premium. As Sky is encrypted, why would they pay the extra?

 

[M60]

I installed a Zone 1 35mm elliptical dish today, first install I've done since 1N launched. Here in Manchester with fine tweaking I'm getting 93% quality and 12.5dB C/N on 2D, a whopping 15.3dB C/N and 100% quality doing a 1N custom channel check using a Horizon HDSM Sat meter.

 

[Railway]

I installed a Zone 1 35mm elliptical dish today, first install I've done since 1N launched. Here in Manchester with fine tweaking I'm getting 93% quality and 12.5dB C/N on 2D, a whopping 15.3dB C/N and 100% quality doing a 1N custom channel check using a Horizon HDSM Sat meter.

35mm?

 

[park_gate]

As long as there are Slingboxes, VPNs, or iPlayer there is no point spending millions on new spot beam technology just to try to deny access to a handful of expats.

Don't forget bittorents, local re-broadcasters, internet providers with their own set top boxes and external hard drives.

I once worked with an Australian who on her working trips to the UK would fill up an external hard disk with British TV to take back to Australia.

The only reason the broadcasters use spot beams is so they can say that they have restrict reception outside of their territory for people with normal satellite receiving equipment.

They did it this way as they wanted to cut costs and avoid paying Sky to encrypt the signal. It didn’t matter how effective it was they just need to be able to stand up in court and be able to say they had restricted access to avoid breaking copyright law.


The fact that the rights hold have not objected after 10 years of Astra 2D means it is OK despite some people getting very excited about it in forums like this.

So Astra 1N, 2E, 2F and 2G will carry on doing the same job.

Terry

 

[timo_w2s]

35mm?

Now I know Astra 1N is pretty powerful, but....

 

[trigger]

Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Tecatel 1.2M dish, sharp cheap lnb (not the good one, the skinny thin one)

10964 H 22000 5/6 QPSK DVB-S - no lock

11127 V 22000 2/3 8PSK DVB-S2 - about 5db which is about what I would expect on this size dish for the current Ch 4HD and the ITV 2,3 & 4 HD transponders.

Cheers

 

[park_gate]

Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Tecatel 1.2M dish, sharp cheap lnb (not the good one, the skinny thin one)

10964 H 22000 5/6 QPSK DVB-S - no lock

11127 V 22000 2/3 8PSK DVB-S2 - about 5db which is about what I would expect on this size dish for the current Ch 4HD and the ITV 2,3 & 4 HD transponders.

Cheers

So is 1N the same as 2D for you?

Do you have trouble with the horizontal on both 2D and 1N?

I always thought the problems with 2D and the horizontals were due to the satellite so is this a coincidence or is something else going on?

Terry