Make my Hotbird sing again.

[Deepseadata]

Hey everyone,

Well it looks like I'm finally going to kiss Sky bye-bye. We'll be rounding Corfu and headed to Turkey in a couple days...

I'm about to swap in 22 Samsung receivers for the Sky boxes currently gasping for signal. I see in my Crestron system has Hotbird programmed in there. All I need to do is push a button and it steers both my dishes to 13E (in Theory) but that's for another thread.

These Samsung receivers have been in service before but it was probably a year or two ago. Imagine you dusted off an old reciever to put it back in service. What would you do to make it show some useable hotbird channels? I know I've started on this topic before in another thread but this thread will be dedicated to using Lyngsat to freshen up Hotbird channels (I almost sounded like I knew what I was talking about there.. hehehe)

I did a google search for "how to use lyngsat" and it's amazing how many people are like me - don't know how to use this wonderful tool.

To understand lyngsat page -- On the main page, you will see popular _http://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-video/439230.html#"][COLOR=#009600 ! important][FONT=inherit ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]satellites[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR] on the left... If you click on the satellites under "frequencies" it will show you a list of frequencies(TPs) that the satellite transmits on. If you click on the satellites under "packages", it will show you a list of channels for that satellite. This is normally what you want so you can figure out what channels are available on what satellite. If you want a complete list of satellites you want to go the middle and select the area you live in. It will bring up all the satellites that you can receive for your area. From this list you can select each satellite to see what is available. For example...if you live in the US and want to know what channels are available on Echostar 3, from the main page, click on America in the packages row. A list of satellites will be displayed. Now select Echostar 3. A table listing frequencies and who the owner of that frequency is displayed. To see what channels are available, click on the white box with a P in it (fourth column that has two boxes one with A and one with P). That should display a list of channels that are available on Echostar 3. The first column is the TP(frequency) and the 2nd/3rd columns show the channels that are available on that transponder. That goes on for each transponder. There are usually a maximum of 32 transponders per satellite. If you look at each row, the 3rd column is the channel name. The 4th column has an A and when you click on it, you get the physical address of the channel(we don't use it much). The 5th column has "nagravision 2" or something else which tells you the type of encryption that is used for that channel. The 6th column has the SID = Station ID. This is normlly the channel number that is displayed on subscribed receivers. Next two columns have the APID = Audio PID and the VPID = [COLOR=#009600 ! important][FONT=inherit ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]Video[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR] PID. APID and VPID define the video and audio streams for that channel. Since there can be multiple channels on a single transponder, the APID and VPID identify the MPEG digital streams for each channel. Next column shows where the channel can be received -- conus = Continental United States = US. The last column indicates when a change was made and by whom -- shows the name and date the change was made. A blue color indicates a recent/new change.

Then a guy asked:
Could you provide detail instructions how to add missing channels/transponders on DN for CS 6000.


You can not add missig channels manually.
Scan the TP or the TPs that carry your missing
channels.

HOW TO ADD A NEW (TP) TRANSPONDER

-Press OK after selecting a satellite.

-Select Edit TP and then the Transponder
list will appear.

-Press the OK key after selecting "NEW"
from the Transponder list.

-Enter the Down frequency, LNB Polarity (H) or (V) and the Symbol Rate (SR)

-Press Exit or OK and the new Transponder
information will be stored.

Now for my question: I assume that Hotbird 6, 8, and 9 are stacked like the Astras at 28.2E. If there's a max of 32 transpoders per sat. Am I supposed to look at 96 transponders at the same time and then pluck a few desired FTA channels out of each transponder and make a favorite channel list so my guests only see the good?

Did I just make myself look like a dummy again?

Thanks for reading this far! That was a fist full of typing.

 

[Mickha]

Just add the transponders, of the channels, you want to receive. Are you just after the FTA channels?

http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html

Also check the beam maps to see if you can receive the channels at your new location.

 

[Robbo]

Yes, if possible, just add the tPs for the channels you need. You can either use favourites, or re-order the channels so that the ones you want are at the top of the list.

To make life easier, many receivers have the capability to clone the channel list from one to the other, either via a null-modem RS232 lead or a USB stick. Worth checking, as it could save you a bit of time.

 

[Deepseadata]

Sweeet!

I'm just diggin for a pdf for these receivers. I've got some cables and sticks ready to go if I have that option.

Thanks for the tip, Robbo!

 

[Deepseadata]

So to sum it all up (for some lucky person in the future)


I will setup one receiver for Hotbird by:

1)Point dish at 19E
2)Ad a bunch of transponders that host my channels
3)Tell receiver to autoscan every transponder I've added one by one for viewable channels (does that sound right?)
4)Pluck out the channels I want and put them into a "favorites" list.
5)Connect a nullmodem rs232 cable and clone the receiver to the other 22 I have to install.
6)Look for people to give a high 5.

My guests are still onboard and I can't point the dish at 19E till tomorrow. Hope it goes to plan!