10/30/09

WHAT IS FREE TO AIR (FTA)?

FTA or "Free To Air" simply means that the signal is not encrypted.  Most cable type programming is encrypted.  Where did all of these FREE TO AIR receivers come from?  While the U.S. and Canadian Cable industry distributes their programming largely via products sold  by Motorola and a few others,  the rest of the world chose the MPEG-2 format.  Granted, even though, the Motorola Digicipher II has some MPEG-2 attributes, it nevertheless remains a totally proprietary platform.  Who has chosen MPEG-2 as a platform? Dish Network, Scientific Atlanta, and the rest of the world.  Even DirecTV is a early version of MPEG-2.   MPEG-2 is a digital platform that allows several digital broadcasts to be compressed onto one frequency or channel.  Without MPEG-2, Digicipher, or other compression  platform, it would not be possible to have direct broadcast television services like DirecTV or Dish Network.  Equally important is the way the programmers get the their product to their retail outlets such as DBS and cable.  They too have chosen compressed digital transmissions largely due to cost. PAX on GE-1 is an example of this.

What does MPEG2-FTA mean? MPEG stands for Moving Picture Experts Group.  It is a method for compressing data. FTA stands for "Free to Air"- meaning that the signal is not encrypted with conditional access. Smart Cards or Conditional Access Modules,  are generally used to decode scrambled signals.  In the U.S. there are a number of channels that are available via MPEG-2 FTA receivers that have indicated that they
plan to remain in the clear or are believed to intending to stay clear. These include Saudi TV, Abu Dhabi, Thai  TV, Kuwait TV, Syria TV,
Taiwan, Iran, and as we go to press, Bloomberg TV all on Telstar 5, ku, which can be received on a .7 meter dish.

MPEG-2 is not an encryption method although encryption can be added. Dish Network uses the Nagra system of encryption, DirecTV uses a News Data system, and  full view big dish primarily uses the Digicipher system. Transponder time has become so expensive that with the exception of the preachers, the porno channels, and the home shopping networks, it doesn't make sense to place only one channel on one frequency.  With HBO, and Discovery Networks planning 25 channels each, it would take over two C-Band birds to air their material the old fashioned analog way.

How to setup 101,110, 119 in one dish

Here is what you need.....
A: 1-18”, 24” or 33” inch Digiwave dish

B: 3-LNBs. Using the Digiwave LNBF will work the easiest.

C: 1-Digiwave Super Mount I or Digiwave Magic Mount III

D: Measuring device. I used a tape measure. A ruler that can measure out 1/2 inch.

Here is what you do......

Connect all 3 Lnbf to Digiwave Super Mount. Now move it so it is about 1/2 inch higher than the first. Move it so it is about 1/2 inch higher than the second. The 1/2 inch does not have to be exact, but fairly close. Digiwave Mount has Ruler mark. Hopefully, between reading and looking at the pictures, you'll make it work. First time setup took quite some time to get it figured out.

The LNB on your right will be looking at Sat. 101, the middle one 110, and the left one
Will be 119. Mount the LNBF back to a dish. Mount the middle one to dish just like normal. As for tuning, hooked up Directv to the 101 LNB and tuned it till had signal. You could also hook up DISH to the 119 LNB and tune it in. Once you have one of them working, the other two LNBF WILL be seeing signal at its respective Sat. You will probably have to compromise on signal strength depending on where you are and what you are watching.

This is working for Dish Network 110, 119, 121 too. But, between 119 and 121 will more close and almost on the same level.

This is working for BEV 82, 91, 97 too.

We can add more Digiwave Super mount finger in order we can add more LNB to dish and receive more satellite in one dish. For example, we can put Dishnet 110,119,121, Bev 91 together. Or combine with FTA LNB and receiver DSS satellite and FTA satellite together.