X-Mailer: NMail (1.1.0)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Date:         Thu, 30 Jul 1992 00:53:27 EDT
From:         Gary Bourgois <flash@LOPEZ.MARQUETTE.MI.US>
Subject:      Re: Need help in selecting satellite dish
X-To:         dish <HOMESAT@VM1.NoDak.EDU>

>I'm looking to get a satellite dish system to replace our current $30/month
>excuse for cable service.  There are several dealers in my area, but I have
>no idea what to get.  (Computers I know, satellites I'd like to work on).

These are addressed in the FAQ and also the SCROUNGER'S GUDE both available
through this group, or by emailing me.

>I'd like to share the dish between two TVs.. can I do that?  (I assume they'd
>have to be looking at the same satellite).

Yes you need two receivers, and two LNB's if you want to watch opposite
polarities, again addressed in the FAQ.

>The Satscan guide shows 4 Detroit stations as using OAK scrablers.  What
>will it take to view them?  (Antenna reception is rather poor here).

The Detroit stations are only available in Canada, sorry, but if you don't
mind watching DENVER, then NETLINK can set you up.

>A few must-have premium channels: HBO, CNN, CNN Headline News, CNBC, C-Span.
>How expensive will it be for me to get them?  (Another reason to get the
>dish: our cheapskate cable company sends their satellite channels in mono.
>Bleah).  Are most common cable-delivered channels scrambled on satellite?

Yes most cable stations are scrambled, and if you MUST have them all, it will
cost you ALMOST as much as you are paying now for cable, though the pictures
will be far superior, and ALL the sound will be in stereo.  However, don't
discount the benefits:  About 100 additional channels that are NOT on your
cable which you may find are a lot more entertaining than what you have now.
Indeed, I don't watch ANY of the cable-type services any more (and I have
FULL FREE CABLE SERVICE FOR LIFE as part of my deal with creating the local
cable company).  Not to mention 100's of audio services, which are also
free for the taking.  AND when there is NEWS, you get it FIRST by satellite,
and it is much more gripping.  And if you don't want the KEN AND BARBIE type
news, the raw news feeds will grab you.

In short, you THINK you know what you want, but once you have a dish, you
will quickly learn there is so much MORE available to you that you will not
be able to imagine how you ever lived without it.

>Are there any particular brands I should look for/avoid?  I've seen ads for
>dishes by Drake, Channel Master, and Toshiba locally (haven't made a serious
>search yet).  I'll probably finance the dish in payments close to what I'm
>paying for cable now ($40/month no-money-down is a common ad; probably
>that much with a hefty down payment for what I'll want), so I'm willing to
>pay for a high-performence system (just as long as I can say "But it's not
>much more than we're paying for cable..").

You might consider USED equipment.  The scrounger's guide can help you.  You
can add a decoder if the system you scrounge does not have one, and come out
WAY ahead.  There are several people in the group who have done just that.

>Many thanks for any help..

We hope you join us.  THERE IS NOTHING ON EARTH LIKE SATELLITE TV!  Hitch
YOUR TV to a star and you will never go back....

--
    /   Gary Bourgois, WB8EOH, The Birdwatcher: Marquette Michigan  USA   \
   ([-o ~ Tune FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE!  S3/21 6.2. Fridays from 9-midnight ~ o-])
    \  Now a snazzy new DOMAIN address!  flash@lopez.marquette.mi.us      /
        GEnie: SIGNALS   FAX: (906) 228-7477    GWN BBS: (906) 228-4399
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite