Getting Started with FTA:
OK, you have read or heard about all the great things you can do with a FTA receiver, but you have no idea what you have, or what you need or what to do
I am hoping this will help you get started.
First you need to hook up your receiver to a TV.. and go thru the menu choices, to get familiar with the receiver.. before doing anything to it
do not put any files on it until you are real familiar with it.
Once you are familiar with it.. then it is time to go ahead and put the 3rd party file on it..
A 3rd party file is a file written by a coder team of whatever brand you purchased. it is not a facotry file, that came with the receiver... 3rd party files are intended to get certain providers signals... 3rd party files are also either numbered.. or dated... Coolsat for an example uses numbers for thier files.. the higher the number.. the newer the file.. coolsat file (CS6000Norw_Group_196_20090212) see the 196 in the file name.. again, the higher the number the newer the file....
Viewsat uses dates.. example the Viewsat Ultra uses letters and the date to determine which is the newest file.. the newer the date the newer the file.. Example( PFTAUSW090203U.PGM) Year= 09...........Month=02...............Day=03 so that is how you determine which is the most current file... you can install a file. either with the null modem cable that came with your receiver... or if you were wise enought to purchase a USB capable receiver.. you can load it via flash drive.. I cannot stress enough to read all of the how to's for your model of receiver... before putting on any file.. to make sure you know what you are doing.. if you are stumped.. stopped and ask in the appropriate discussion area of that receiver.
Now, you need to know, what kind of lnbs you have on it
and what kind they are
There are 2 kinds of LNBs
there are Legacy LNBs and there are Dish Pro LNBs.
Legacy LNBs. Will say nothing at all on the backside of them.. or will say Dish Network. With Legacy LNBs you use one of these choices.. depending on your receiver.. it is not standard on all of them
Single-Standard-Normal For LNB Type
Dish Pro LNBs. Will say.. either in very dark black lettering
Dish Pro.. or DPPlus both are DP lnbs With Dish Pro(DP) LNBs you will select OCS-DP on most receivers.. some only have OCS as the choice and on Nfusions , it is Single DPLNBF or Twin DPLNBF For LNB Type.
Here are pictures of LNBS.. you need to know what you have
to set it up correctly. It also helps us to help you.
This picture below is a Single/Dual LNB
DishProDual_small[1].jpg
This picture below is a Twin LNB It has an Internal Switch no need for an external one
dp_plus_lnb_small[1].jpg
This picture below is a Quad LNB It has an Internal Switch, no need for an external one
dp_quad_small[1].jpg
Now for your settings. When you are in your setup page.. for your receiver setting up a satellite
and I will presume you are wanting to setup for DN or BEV. You would use these settings.
Not exact on all receivers.. but gives you a good idea of what to do.. I am going to use a Viewsat Ultras setup page for the setup.. of DN 119 and 110 satellites again.. not all receivers are in this order or this exact wording.. which is why you need to get familiar with your receiver first
before doing anything with it..
SATELLITE
119
.110
LNB Power
ON For Both Satellites
LNB Type
.Will be either for (Legacy) Single/Standard/Normal or (Dish Pro) OCS-DP or OCS or Single DPLNBF or Dual DPLNBF or Quad DPLNBF
LNB Freq
11250 for all circular satellites such as 110 and 119
unless you have the special 118 LNB.. then it is 10750.. and also on 121 you use 10750. I have read where people posted they got signal using 10600.. or something other than 10750 or 11250
you can only use the correct LNB Frequency
to get all channels.
22KHz
.Off on all satellites unless you are using a switch such as a Zinwell switch that has a 22KHz powered side to it.
TP Freq
12239
.12224
DiseqC
Port 1 or LNB 1
..Port 2 or LNB 2
This is when you have a Twin or Quad LNB or you are using the DiseqC switch that came with your recveiver and you do not use the external switch on the Twin or Quad, because they have an Internal switch in them. When using the DiseqC switch make sure you connect your cables correctly for 119 on port or dish 1 or LNB 1 and 110 on port or dish 2 or LNB 2
Motor
Off on all satellites, unless you are using a motor.. and I will not go into that., because most newbies to the hobby.. do not jump right into a motor setup.
Legacy SW
Unless you are using them, which would be a very old setup by DN, it is None
If you are using them
Then you have Legacy lnbs. then it would be:
For 119
..SW21 Dish 1, SW42 Dish 1, SW 44 Dish 1, SW64 Dish 1
For 110
...SW21 Dish 2, SW42 Dish 2, SW44 Dish 2, SW64 Dish2
You do not use both diseqc and Legacy switches unless you are trying to connect more than 2 lnbs together.. such as trying to get 119, 110, 91 and 82 for an example.
Now.. when you are ready to setup a satellite.. you need to have 2 things.. before you can go any farther,
1. You need to have as strong as possible Q(qualty) meter signal.. preferably in the high 90s
2. You need to see verification of the exact same satellite as the one you are setting up
it can be in the upper right hand corner.. across from the satelllite you selected or even above the Quality Meter, depending on the receiver you have.. once you have those 2 things.. then you are ready to do an Autoscan of that satellite.. You always do an Autoscan of a Ciruclar LNB
you only do Blindscans of Linear LNBs
Now you need to go into your menu and set the correct time zone for you area
EST-5:00, CST-6:00, MST-7:00, PST-8:00
For your guide to work correctly you need to have the correct time zone..
To load up the guide
and you have 119 as one of your satellites.. you would go to channel 239 (WGN) and let it sit there for 5 to 10 minutes
to load up a 7 day guide, if your receive will do a 7 day guide..
That is on TP 12472 you can also go to channel 200 (CNN) to load a 2 day guide. That is on TP 12486
If you only have 110, then you would go to TP 12516 Channel 163, 207, 309, 321, 329, 330, 347. Any of those channels are on TP 12516 and should load up a guide if you only have 110 as a satellite
You can go here and get more info on the TPs for other satellites.. but if you have 110 and 119.. you just go to the 119 choices
to load up a guide for both satellites.
http://www.ftaconcept.com/showthread.php?t=21800
You also need to go into your menu and setup your local channels for your area. don't forget to to do that.
Now that you have gotten familiar with your receiver and setup the Satellites you are ready to install the 3rd party file for your particular receiver.. Pay attention to all of the How To', for your brand and model, before doing it..and make sure it is the correct and latest dated file for it.. also.. put your cable that came with the reciever in a place you will remember.. eventually you will need it.. if you have a receiver that uses USB...
This, should get you up and running, if you took the time to read all of the How Tos about your receiver. And you really know what kind of lnbs you have and what kind of switches if any
If you still have questions, please post in the appropriate discussion area of your receiver... Good Luck, txsgent
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F. Lee. Bailey - "Everyone has the right to their own opinions, but NOT their own Facts."
Anything I discuss on the subject of satellites, is strictly, hypothetical and in theory, and on an educational basis. I do not condone, recommend, nor do I practice the theft of any signal from any Provider of Satellite signal, txsgent