A bunch of doubts...

Hello all.
First post; been in the activity only a few months.

Am aiming at Galaxy 16 - 99W and receiving well. -I think- Should my dish aimed there be capable of receiving also nearby Galaxy 19 - 97W without moving it ?

What conditions or symptoms tell the receiver 'files' needed to be renewed ?

Does a TV downlink from a satellite must coincide perfectly with those parameters shown on the receiver channel particulars ? :
If a channel disappears, and does not show after a re-scan, is it because changed frequency, polarization, rate, PCR, video or audio payload identifiers ?
Can editing a parameter/PID into my receiver restore reception ?

Is PCR = Program Clock Reference ? -- What does/how works ?
Is 'Rate' = Symbol rate or signal rate ? -- What does/how works ?

Thanks.



Toys ----> H to H 2m mesh dish + C/Ku BSC621 LNBF + cheap X2-M1 mini receiver + composite video on display.
 
"Am aiming at Galaxy 16 - 99W and receiving well. -I think- Should my dish aimed there be capable of receiving also nearby Galaxy 19 - 97W without moving it ?"

If you aim your dish in between 99 and 97, depending on your location you might be able to receive the strongest transponders from both sats. Remember that 4 degree spacing is required between sats. The lnb feed horn diameter in your signature, is too wide to allow two lnbs mounted to receive 2 degree spacing. Your other option is to mount two lnbs with skinny necks and smaller diameter feed horns and aim for 98 degrees. But this defeats the purpose of having a H to H motorized dish. Not the best setup. You might also try aiming at 99 and add another lnb and manually adjust the mount location on the dish for the best reception of 97W when it is aimed at 99W.

"What conditions or symptoms tell the receiver 'files' needed to be renewed ?" In the U.S., they change transmissions randomly, so blind scan is your best friend.

"Does a TV downlink from a satellite must coincide perfectly with those parameters shown on the receiver channel particulars ? :
If a channel disappears, and does not show after a re-scan, is it because changed frequency, polarization, rate, PCR, video or audio payload identifiers ?" Not too many consumer receivers out there that will replicate the parameters of the advertised downlink info.
If a channel disappears.... might be because they changed parameters or moved.... time to blind scan or manually edit the transponder parameters if you have the correct info. Or, your dish aim setup may be off and time to re-tune.

"Can editing a parameter/PID into my receiver restore reception ?" Sometimes, depending on the receiver and if the channel hasn't moved. Again, blind scan.....

In regards to the other questions, check Wikipedia for definitions and explanations.
 
Thank you.
The lnb feed horn diameter in your signature, is too wide to allow two lnbs mounted to receive 2 degree spacing. Your other option is to mount two lnbs with skinny necks and smaller diameter feed horns and aim for 98 degrees.

Too wide... skinny necks ¿? Both are in the same neck. A lot more I need to learn then. Am receiving C and Ku ~77% quality.
Well, this is it ----> http://www.dmsiusa.com/documents/621-manual.pdf
Do i need something different ? Is this a no-no ?




Toys ----> H to H 2m mesh dish + C/Ku BSC621 LNBF + cheap X2-M1 mini receiver + composite video to display.
 
The scalar ring for that lnb is too wide to accommodate two lnbs for what your are trying to accomplish on C band. Like I mentioned earlier, you will have to play with a second lnb and the scalar ring (modify, cut or without) and manually adjust the second lnb on the dish to get fairly decent signals.
 
Here's a setup I've been using for over a year where I can receive 97-99-101-103. But, a BIG but, some days the signals will fluctuate on certain days (thunderstorms, heavy water clouds) and time of day. Doesn't really matter to me if I lose certain channels as long as I receive the ones I am interested in watching. If I really need to access the missing transponders, I just tune the center feed to the appropriate sat position.
 
Am aiming at Galaxy 16 - 99W and receiving well. -I think- Should my dish aimed there be capable of receiving also nearby Galaxy 19 - 97W without moving it ?
Which band? C or Ku? 99W has some very strong transponders for c band, and they will bleed over a little bit to other satellites that are close by (101w,97w) on my 2.3 meter dish that is setup near Atlanta, Ga.

What conditions or symptoms tell the receiver 'files' needed to be renewed ?
Renew files? You need to explain what you are talking about a bit better because there are tons of files.

Does a TV downlink from a satellite must coincide perfectly with those parameters shown on the receiver channel particulars ?
Pretty much so. It just depends on what channel you are looking at, but most of the channel information has to be set correctly, else you will not receive the channel. The same goes for transponder information.

If a channel disappears, and does not show after a re-scan, is it because changed frequency, polarization, rate, PCR, video or audio payload identifiers ?
Hard say. When you are dealing with fta or free to air, channels may be turned off at anytime. Some channels are very dependable, but nothing is certain. This is about all I can tell you without more information, such as specific channels, their associated transponder, and satellite.

Can editing a parameter/PID into my receiver restore reception ?
Depends on the situation. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Is PCR = Program Clock Reference ? -- What does/how works ?
What is PCR??? Where do you see this abbreviation???

Is 'Rate' = Symbol rate or signal rate ? -- What does/how works ?

What is Rate??? Where do you see this word???
Simply put, The Symbol Rate for a transponder tells us how much information the transponder can contain.
Usually, transponders with Symbol Rates under 2,000 will contain only one tv channel at best, but it may also contain one or more radio channelsor other typres of data services.


The BSC621 lnb that you have chosen does not work very well when compared to a two dish system that has a dish for each band. I have spent a lot of time trying to get lnbs like the BSC621 working correctly for both bands. I could do pretty good on the c band with that lnb, but Ku reception was poor.
Signal Quality does not mean much. This is a measure of the satellite signal, plus the unwanted noise. While it is better than nothing, Signal Quality does not tell you what percent is noise, and what percent is actual signal from the satellite.
Different fta receivers will produce different quality percentages when connected to the same antenna. One receiver might show 70 percent quality, while another shows 100 percent!
 
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Thanks for your patience, gentlemen.

Trying to clarify some interrogants from you:
----> If I replace the scalar ring with a plastic one, will it work better to receive a couple or more nearby satellites without moving the dish, both C and Ku ?

----> I watch both C and Ku. When I flip the 22KHz on at the receiver settings and do blind scans, the Ku signals show up for Galaxy 16-99W and for Galaxy 19-97W
(The dual LNBF has both sensors inside its single feedhorn)

----> Perhaps bad wording... By 'renew files' I mean receiver firmware. How to tell it is time to do an update ?

----> 'PCR' and 'Rate' show in attached pictures. The numerical parameters can be edited in my receiver. But I cannot find where to look for which are the correct figures to input when/if a channel changes them and reception is lost.

Example : I received NBC Wyoming for a while. Then it dissappeared. Did a re-scan and reappeared titled 'Service 1' as in the left picture. A couple of weeks later, reception died again and did not get back by re-scan.



Toys ----> H to H 2m mesh dish + C/Ku BSC621 LNBF + cheap X2-M1 mini receiver + composite video to display.
 

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A plastic scalar ring will not work because a piece of plastic has little or no effect on the satellite signal. The job of the scalar ring is to illuminate the entire dish. If the scalar ring is not set properly, the lnb may "see" all of the dish, plus some of the ground behind the dish, thus driving the noise up. Or if the scalar ring is not set properly, all of the dish will not be illuminated, thus cutting the amplification of the satellite signal.

Are you using separate lnb settings for the c/ku bands? (Should probably be 5150 for c, and 10750 for ku.)
LNB settings need to be entered correctly for the equipment used, else your transponder information will be wrong.

Fta receivers usually do not need updating. usually updating consists of enhancing or adding features, or fixing existing problems. Updating the receiver will very rarely if ever allow you to receive more free channels. I have fta receivers that have not been updated in 10 years that still work. A good rule of thumb for fta receiver updates: Do not do it unless you know why you are doing it.
Updating some fta receivers may cause them to become inoperable or "brick" if the update is corrupted or does not install correctly.

For PCR information, see these two links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG_transport_stream

http://www.broadcastengineering.info/viewtopic.php?t=3205

I have not a clue where NBC is located, or was located.(Edit: I see it now in your picture.)
When asking for help with channels, please provide the satellite and the transponder information for the channel in question. There are many free channels up there, so you need to specify which one you are looking for. It should be noted that, FTA channels come and go. It has always been this way with free channels. You can always ask if a channel disappears and you would like someone to check and see if it still works for them.
 
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Externet, if your referring to KCWY-TV Casper, Wyoming at 99°W, it's been gone for a while now. Was nice while it lasted. Might be available with IPTV streaming.
 
Good ! Thanks, am learning.

The plastic (transparent to radio frequency) scalar was mentioned as in post #5 suggestion, would allow both LNBFs to be very close to the focal point.

So the post #2 was not about the horn; "The lnb feed horn diameter in your signature, is too wide to allow two lnbs mounted to receive 2 degree spacing." Was about the scalar ring. Cleared. :th_thumbs20up:

Yes, am using separate receiver settings for the C portion and the Ku portion of my single LNBF that has both C + Ku inside.

OK, PCR is Program Clock Reference, synchronizes audio to video. One less doubt. :th_thumbs20up:
Rate is 'Symbol' Rate. another cleared.

OK, NBC Casper-WY in 99W is permanently gone. No more head scratching.
Thanks, the fog is cleared.




Toys ----> H to H 2m mesh dish + C/Ku BSC621 LNBF + cheap X2-M1 mini receiver + composite video to display.
 
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