HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: luciw@apple.com (Bill Luciw)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: A trip to the local satellite dealer
Date: 13 Jan 93 00:54:46 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.

During my lunch hour, I took time out and stopped at a local satellite
dealer.  I had a time limit so I had him cut to the chase instead of the
usual sales routine.  Here are some of the high/low points:

- I asked him about the Chaparral Monterey 90/95.  It turns out that this
was the dealer that didn't have many nice things to say about the Monte. 
He told me that the units we unreliable and required many service calls. 
I asked him about the nature of those calls and he mumbled something
about reloading the computers memory.  Huh?  He also said that the
difference between the 90 and the 95 was about 167 bug fixes in hardware
and software.  And he added that Chaparral almost discontinued the line
entirely.  All this was starting to get a bit hard to swallow ...

- I asked him to recommend a top IRD.  Without hesitation, he pointed me
to the Zenith 7000XL.  I asked him if the unit was just a Drake OEM
[thanks to the net for that tidbit] and he said well, yes, but Zenith
does all the final assembly and uses better parts.  Hmmmm ....  Does
anybody out there own a Zenith 7000XL IRD?

- Then I asked him about dishes.  In point of fact, I asked him about
Winegard's Pinnacle and he said that in my area [he had a complete area
map with TI hot spots marked out; very useful], I'd be better off with a
QuadStar since it's a flatter dish and has more gain than the Pinnacle. 
Hmmm ... I don't believe that's entirely correct, but he was on a roll
... Does anybody know if this is accurate?

- Next came mounts.  I asked him about horizon to horizon mounts and he
said it was unnecessary.  I asked him to explain *any* advantages to a
H-to-H mount and all he came up with was more power to move heavier
dishes.  Is this the full story?

- It turns out that they want about $700 to install and tune the system. 
If I dug the post hole myself and got the dish up on the pole, ran the
cable and trenched it, then they would *only* charge me $100 to make the
final connections and tune the system, thus saving $600.  But it seems to
me the final hookup and tuning process isn't *that* hard, so I would be
tempted to just finish the job once started.

- He told me that they use 30K C band LNBs.  At this point, I had to
leave, so I bid him farewell and padded out of the store with a color
glossy of the Zenith IRD.  Mail order is looking better and better all
the time!

Any comments and clarifications would be welcome!


-- Bill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill Luciw                      Voice: (408) 974-3845
Newton Products Group           Fax:   (408) 974-1794
Apple Computer, Inc.    
1 Infinite Loop  MS: 301-2D     AppleLink:  Luciw
Cupertino, CA 95014             Internet:   luciw@apple.com

"Second star on the right and straight on till morning."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Date:         Thu, 7 Jan 1993 08:44:57 +0100
From:         Roger.Wennstrom@LU.ERISOFT.SE
Subject:      Monterey 20

Scott McIntyre writes:
> I have the opportunity to buy an ex-demo Monterey 20 and Nokia D2-Mac decoder
 for about
> 700 UK pounds and am seriously thinking about it, but would like some feedback
 from
> current users of either system.

> In addition to whatever people can tell me about the Monterey 20, I'd like to
 know how
> difficult it is to hook it up to external decoders (such as VideoCrypt, etc).

I have a Monterey 40 hooked up to a separate Filmnet decoder and the process
is not too difficult. There are lots of connections at the back of the
receiver. The mod 20 and 40 are basically identical (except for a display on
the front). I am myself considering buying an extra sparate D/D2-MAC decoder.
At the moment I am using a second Luxor (Nokia) receiver for D2-MAC channels.

Now some general comments on the Monterey receiver. Suprisingly I still think
the old Luxor receiver is better in some aspects. You can set the skew
(polarizing) separately for each channel (upgrade the software in the Monterey
to ver. 7 and you can to the same).
Scanning through all frequencies (not Transponders) for a sat is *A LOT*
easier on the Luxor unit. So I'm now considering keeping it for DX purposes
only. I've heard that I can upgrade it to D/D2MAC for SEK 500 (approx $70).

Onscreen graphics is a nice thing to have but for weak signals I wish i could
switch them off and use the display on the front of the receiver instead.
I have also noted some funny bugs in the software so I'm thinking of upgrading
it to a newer version. I think the processors could be a little faster too.
Screen updates are not too quick...

Generally however the Monterey is a wonderful receiver with lots of features
and lots of connectors at the back (no SCART however).
But 700 Pounds with the D2-MAC decoder is quite an acepptable price.

If anyone in the US perhaps could fill us Europeans in the differences between
the different Monterey models ?

 ----------------------===========================---------------------------
 Roger Wennstrom                    | INTERNET: Roger.Wennstrom@lu.erisoft.se
 Erisoft AB                         | VOICE:    +46 920-42819
 Box 10033, S-951 10 Lulea, Sweden  | FAX:      +46 920-97545
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
From: steveg@iplmail.orl.mmc.com (Steve Gabrilowitz)
Subject: Uniden receivers - good, bad?  
Organization: Martin Marietta
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 19:01:34 GMT

I'm considering getting a satellite system and have talked to several local
vendors, most of who seem to favor Uniden for their low end systems.  One of them
however (who charges quite a bit more than his competitors BTW) tells me that the
Uniden units are of decent quality when new but the long term reliability isn't
there.  Is he feeding me a line or is everybody else trying to lowball him with
inferior equipment?

-- 



I think
I think I am
Therefore I am!
I think...



                            Steve Gabrilowitz
                            Martin Marietta, Orlando Fl.
                            steve-gabrilowitz@orl.mmc.com
                            Fidonet 1:363/1701 (407-380-1701)
From: ycao+@pitt.edu (Yousheng Cao)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re: Looking for Cheap C-band system
Date: 4 Jan 93 17:07:57 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

Call (412)621-4214 or Fax(412)687-4663 to Hannah & Hanson Newtech, Inc.
They have NewYear's sale items such as PanSat BR1100 at $139, Uniden 2300
at $189, Uniden 4200 IRD at $299, H&H 35K lnb at $40,...
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Date:         Tue, 22 Dec 1992 18:39:03 CST
From:         Jorge Picazzo <ROXETTE@VMTECSLP.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Data via Satellite ?
              22 Dec 1992 22:25:10 GMT from <knoche@DESERT-RAT.WEST.SUN.COM>

On Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:25:10 GMT Bill Knoche SUN Phoenix SE 602-275-5537 x24 sai
>Sorry for the totally niave questions...
>New to the satellite world.
>
>I have seen others post about getting netnews via satellite
>and other data services.
>What kind of services might be avaliable?
>What do you need to connect? Modems?
>Pointers? Pointers to pointers?
>
There was a message on this list about 6 months ago about receiving netnews
via satellite. I inquiried about it and the information came by mail about
two months later. It was a brochure from ISS Engineering Inc. in Paloalto,
California, with the information about the equipment they sell, and the fees
for the service. They were also requesting for programmers interested in
developing netnews software, with specials discounts for them. You can reach
them at:

                   ISS Engineering, Inc.
                   992 San Antonio Road
                   Paloalto, CA 94303

                   (415)424-0380
                   Fax: (415)424-0405
                   E-Mail: pagesat@pagesat.netsys.com

Disclaimer: I'm not related in any way with ISS Engineering. I'm just posting
the information I got from them when I requested it.

J Picazzo

+-------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
| Jorge Luis Noyola Picazzo           | The shortest distance between two  |
| ROXETTE@VMTECSLP.BITNET             | nodes is usually closed for repair |
| ITESM Campus San Luis Potosi        +------------------------------------+
+-------------------------------------+ If you can't convince them,        |
| Here the fun never ends...          | then confuse them.                 |
| ...well, it actually never begins   |                                    |
+-------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
From: luciw@apple.com (Bill Luciw)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Opinions wanted on Monterey 90/95
Date: 10 Jan 93 17:39:54 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.

Rumor has it that a local dealer here has said there are quite a few
'bugs' with the Monterey 90/95 and is telling customers to wait for the
next version.  How do owners of this model feel about this?  Have you
experienced any problems with your Monte you'd like to share?

Thanks,

-- Bill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill Luciw                      Voice: (408) 974-3845
Newton Products Group           Fax:   (408) 974-1794
Apple Computer, Inc.    
1 Infinite Loop  MS: 301-2D     AppleLink:  Luciw
Cupertino, CA 95014             Internet:   luciw@apple.com

"Second star on the right and straight on till morning."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: sher@bbn.com (Lawrence D. Sher)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re: Mixing Dish & Antenna Inputs to the TV
Date: 5 Jan 1993 13:18:32 GMT
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

In article <199301042221.AA03730@proponent.com> Monty Solomon <monty@PROPONENT.COM> writes:
>> From: Michael_E_Weber.HENR01B@XEROX.COM
>>
>> I use both my dish and a local roof-top antenna as inputs to my TV, using a
>> mechanical switch to choose which one is the active input.  Is there a way to
>> "Y" the inputs so I don`t have to switch them?  In the ideal world -- using a
>> TV remote control --  when I choose Channel 4 I would get the dish, and when I
>> choose other channels, I would get the broadcast TV stations in my area
>> without having to switch input lines at the back of my TV.

> He can do it with a Channel Plus Modulator.  They are available from satellite
> dealers as well as mail order from DBS and others.

Another solution: Radio Shack sells a $60 box called "Video Distribution
System."  It accepts broadcast, satellite, and VCR and puts out
broadcast on their normal channel numbers, satellite on ch. 65, and VCR
on channel 14, 15, or 16.  In effect, it makes you a cable head end, but
with only one dish.  The picture quality is excellent.  This box is a
simple and effective solution for me.

Possibly important caveats:

1. Channels 64 and 66 may become unusable; there is a warning in the
   fine print suggesting that there may be an adjacent channel problem.

2. Since I am distributing to monophonic TVs in other parts of my house, I
   have not verified that stereo sound is distributed correctly.  

             .---------------------------------------------------------------- 
            /Internet email: sher@bbn.com
Larry Sher <        US Mail: BBN, MS 6/5A, 10 Moulton St., Cambridge, MA 02138
            \     Telephone: (617) 873 3426    FAX: (617) 873 3776
	     `----------------------------------------------------------------
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 17:07:23 EST
From: Robert A. Sobczak <SOBCZAK@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re: American Top 40


In article <HOMESAT%93010410223085@VM1.NODAK.EDU>, Jorge Picazzo
<ROXETTE@VMTECSLP.BITNET> says:
>Does anyone knows on what satellite and transponder can I get the live
>broadcast of AT40 (and the frecuency of course) Thanks in advance.
>

I don't believe AT40 is on the bird.  It is available on vinal or CD.  If
it were available in the sky, I would almost bet it would be on SEDAT or
DATS bacause of the ABC Radio Net affiliation.  I'll check at the station
to see if I can find out anything.

Rob
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
content-length: 385
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Date:         Fri, 8 Jan 1993 15:03:23 PST
From:         Vijay Vaidyanathan <zycad!yoda!vijay@SUN.COM>
Subject:      Anyone out there with new SuperGuide (SG-10) and Monterey 50/90?
              5 Jan 1993 23:02:12 GMT <9301081837.AA14126@Sun.COM>

[details of horror story in dealing with SuperGuide deleted]

Thats sounds terrible! However, SuperGuide was bought out by STS,
did all of this happen before the buy out or after? If it happened
before, then perhaps (??) things have changed. If it happened
after, then thast really worrying ... anyone else have such bad
experiences with STS?

- Vijay
-------
vijay@netcom.com
-------
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
X-Mailer: Mail User's Shell (7.2.3 5/22/91)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Date:         Tue, 5 Jan 1993 12:10:54 MST
From:         Bob Wier <rrw@SUNSET.CSE.NAU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Installation of Dish
              Dish" (Jan  5,  6:17pm)

Larry - Can you describe the set up for your "leveling bolts" on your
concrete slab?  The next installation I do, I might want to include something
along those lines.

THANKS

- Bob Wier

---------- insert favorite standard disclaimers here ----------
        maintainer of the MC68HC11/16 mailing list
      Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff Arizona
  Internet: rrw@naucse.cse.nau.edu | WB5KXH | fax:602 523 2300
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
From: roberts@triton.unm.edu (Robert Smathers)
Subject: Where did.... go? as well as a few of my obs...
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 93 21:29:34 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Distribution: na


One fellow reader asked where KCNC went.  It is still there on C1/14
-- I guess the transmitter may have been down for maintenance if
the reader didn't see KCNC.

Another asked about the Health and Sciences Net.  I knew it left
S1 weeks ago, and I thought it moved to KU.  I just checked Ku
band and its feed wasn't there.  I think it may have gone digital
video on the same xponder on GSTAR1 where there are digital medical
and law services.

Now a few of my own...

I saw a Sportschannel on C1/12.  I don't know which one yet.

I noticed SC LA is gone as promised.  The Independent Broadcasters
Net is now on an ASC of Court TV (at least when I compiled my last
SS chart v2n1).

Robert
roberts@triton.unm.edu
From: archer@access.digex.com (hunter)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re:Re-entering TVRO Market and need input
Date: 8 Jan 1993 01:55:21 GMT
Organization: United Engineering Collaborative, York, PA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com

I'm sorry if this is a FAQ, but I need a little net wisdom.
I currently own a TVRO system. I bought it about 10 years ago
more as an experimental toy than out of need for programming,
but in those days the idea of free HBO..etc, was appealing. Shortly
after the purchase everybody went scrambled and I have just used the
system for ST:TNG feeds and a few others. 

However, I am now moving to an area that has NO cable and I'll need
the dish for plain daily programming. Since I have not kept in touch
with the new technology I find myself with a few questions.

1. When I was up on this there was just plain VC descrambling. I now notice 
there is VC, VCII, VCII+, and VCRS. Whats the difference? If I need to 
subscribe to a service, which do I need?

2. Back when I bought my system C band was about all anyone spoke of, now
they seem to mfg. feedhorns that accomodate both C and Ku. Is this correct?
do you require 2 LNA/Bs for this, or are they integrated? Same for the IRD,
do you need two units, or are they integrated? Since my system is a bit
out of date I will probably upgrade (I have a 85deg LNA, no descrambler)
any suggestions for an IRD, if possible one of these integrated units
that also controls the positioner (yep, I got a seperate box for that).

Again, I apologize if these topics are regularly covered, or FAQ, but I
cant seem to find any good TVRO product info anymore (there were lots of
magazines on the subject 10 years ago, now all I can find are service
provider adds in on-sat, and orbit)

Please mail any info, or suggestions to me direct at archer@access.digex.com

Thanks to all

ARCHER 
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Date:         Sun, 10 Jan 1993 22:40:20 MST
From:         "Darwin L. Mecham W-7211 BD9A/752"
              <mecham@VANDAL.EBR.ANLW.ANL.GOV>
Subject: Re: transcript of Sun Jan 10, 1992 IRC chat is available

Robert,

Pleast e-mail me the transcript.

Thanks & TTFN...

Darwin Mecham
Hip deep in snow in Idaho
mecham@vandal.ebr.anlw.anl.gov
From: roberts@triton.unm.edu (Robert Smathers)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re: Satellite Labels
Date: 6 Jan 93 00:16:30 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <726199078snx@montage.UUCP> platinum@montage.UUCP (Doug Swallow) writes:
>
>Beginning this year, satellite programmers have agreed on a renumbering
>of satellites to keep designators that match what are on most satellite
>receivers.
>
>Basically, this means that:
>Satcom C5 becomes F5

(rest deleted to save space)

Do you mean satellite programming guides or professional broadcasters?

As for me, I'm going to continue posting using the designation to
the left on all of those -- my old tracker uses the ones on the right
hand side, but I do the conversion in my head because I like to call
them by their given name, not some junk satellite guides give them.


Robert
roberts@triton.unm.edu
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
From: gvahe@cs.ulowell.edu (Gerry Vahe)
Subject: Unscrambled Channels??????
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Lowell Computer Science
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 16:47:30 GMT

Does someone out there happen to have a list of the unscrambled channels?
Someone gave me one, but somehow the "received" file in my unix directory got 
deleted.  Thanks
-gerry
From: luciw@apple.com (Bill Luciw)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Comparing IRDs and Dishes
Date: 8 Jan 93 19:22:25 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.

I've been trying to select both a top of the line IRD and a dish.  For
IRDs, here are the candidates:

- Monterey 95 [alway the most expensive]
- Drake 1524
- Toshiba TRX-2200
- DX 200  [anybody out there actually own one of these?]

I would prefer S-Video output and auto satellite locating and auto
dish/feed horn peaking.


For Dishes, here are the candidates:

- Orbitron SX10
- Winegard QuadStar 10
- Winegard CK-105 [same as the Pinnacle 10?]

Thanks in advance for any and all opinions and comments!

-- Bill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill Luciw                      Voice: (408) 974-3845
Newton Products Group           Fax:   (408) 974-1794
Apple Computer, Inc.    
1 Infinite Loop  MS: 301-2D     AppleLink:  Luciw
Cupertino, CA 95014             Internet:   luciw@apple.com

"Second star on the right and straight on till morning."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
From: dlb@sunloaf.dazixco.ingr.com (Dave Buehmann)
Subject: Re: Comparing IRDs and Dishes
Reply-To: dlb@dazixco.ingr.com
Organization: Intergraph Electronics (Dazix)
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:25:55 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.192225.11187@gallant.apple.com>, luciw@apple.com (Bill Luciw) writes:
|> I've been trying to select both a top of the line IRD and a dish.  For
|> IRDs, here are the candidates:
|> 
|> - Monterey 95 [alway the most expensive]
|> - Drake 1524
|> - Toshiba TRX-2200
|> - DX 200  [anybody out there actually own one of these?]

I owned a Toshiba TRX2200 for close to a month before I concluded
that it's programmability left much to be desired.  I returned it
and now have a Monterey 90 (very similar to the M95) which I'm quite
happy with.

The video on the Toshiba (using RCA jacks) is very slightly better
than the Monterey; the Toshiba allows "skip tuning" which allows you
to skip through all transponders with the same polarity; the Toshiba
has a better remote (IMHO), and the Toshiba has S-Video jacks.

IMHO, *everything* else on the Monterey is better: more configurable, 
easier to use, and more flexible.  The only nit I have with the M90:
only 100 programmable channels, which I believe has been extended
to 300 on the M95.  The surround-sound feature also has horrible
fidelity (100-1000 Hz) and produced a lot of hiss.  They claim it's
only useful for "surround effect".

I also did research into the Drake, but couldn't find one to look at.
It seemed comparable to the Monterey 90 (but without surround sound
or picture-in-picture), though I think the favorite channel mechanism
was slightly less configurable.  Some have claimed the Drake has 
better video than the Monterey.

There has been debate here whether having S-video jacks yields better
video.  I've seen a noticeable difference with S-video vs RCA jacks
using the same TRX2200 receiver with a 5' big screen.  There was no
detectable difference on a 35" Toshiba big tube.  People with technical
expertise explain this is not due to having S-video output per se,
but because of differing signal conversion schemes in the receiver
and the monitor.

BTW, if you're going to go mail order, avoid DBS mail order.  They're
great to work with until you return something (despite their promise
of "money cheerfully refunded").



Dave Buehmann         Voice:    (303) 581-2318
Intergraph (Dazix)    Fax:      (303) 581-9972
5101 Spine Road       Internet: dlb@dazixco.ingr.com
Boulder, CO  80301    UUCP: Broken for no technical reason whatsoever
From: epeas@abds7.aberdeen.chevron.com (John Peach)
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite
Subject: Re: Sky going to encrypt Sky One and Sky News..
Date: 11 Jan 93 13:30:59 GMT
Reply-To: epeas@aberdeen.chevron.com
Distribution: rec
Organization: Chevron (UK) Ltd.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are mine; _not_ those of        
            the company I work for.

In article <1993Jan11.121200.4694@decuk.uvo.dec.com>, alberter@untadi.enet.dec.com (Ludwig Alberter) writes:
|> 
|> In article <HUOPIO.93Jan9173943@kyy.cc.lut.fi>, huopio@lut.fi (Kauto Huopio) writes:
|> |>
|> |>Now when Sky is going to encrypt also Sky One and Sky News, is there a
|> |>possibility to subscibe these channels also outside UK?
|> |>
|> 
|> The January edition of the German satellite magazine INFOSAT prints an answer
|> from BSkyB to a German person that wrote a letter to them, asking why they 
|> would encrypt SKY ONE and SKY NEWS and if they know that there is a significant
|> amount of watchers outside of the U.K.
|> 	The answer was that they are aware of non-U.K. watchers but they are
|> not a pan-European news channel - their focus is on the U.K. and Eire; for their
|> movie channels they buy movies only with rights to broadcast those in U.K. and
|> Eire and therefore are not able to accept subscribers from other countries.
|> 	However they said, they've currently NO PLANS to encrypt SKY ONE and
|> SKY NEWS, but they cannot promise this to stay forever. 


The January edition of the UK magazine "What Satellite TV" states
categorically that they will encrypt those channels from July this year
and suggests that they are looking to build a basic subscription package
with one or more from UK Gold, The Childrens Channel, Discovery. I can't
remember who else was listed and I would have doubted Discovery as they
have turned down Astra in the past as being too expensive....

|> 
|> The letter was dated beginning of December 1992 (I think). 
|> 
|> --
|> 
|> regards,
|> Ludwig
|> 
|> 		          ^  ^  ^ 
|> 		 EXTRA   / \/ \/ \ NULLA
|> 		BAVARIAM \ /\ /\ / VITA
|> 		          v  v  v 

-- 
                               John Peach
                           Chevron (UK) Ltd.
   Ninian House, Crawpeel Road, Altens, Aberdeen, AB1 4LG, Scotland.
   Internet: epeas@aberdeen.chevron.com       Phone: +44 224 242637
Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite