Strong vs Dreambox Satellite Receiver.

Howdy All,

Just after alittle feedback in regards to the pro's and con's of these 2 systems.
Have been trolling the Forums for the past few hours reading the various threads on Sat Tv for on the road.

Am looking at setting up my own system with dish etc and hopefully using my Foxtel Digital card from home when we travel or setting up the SelectTV system and using an Aurora card as well as I understand Select doesn't give u "Freetoair" channels. Am wanting to set up for 240/12v.

Any positive feedback would be greatly appreciated as I have absolutely no idea what would be the better way to go.

Thanks again
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Reply By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 13:30

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 13:30
I have a Dreambox, set up by a friend on his PC. It can take my Foxtel card and gets free to air. But it seems to me that they are more trouble than they are worth.

The FTA channels get scrambled regularly and the box has to be re-jigged on the computer to sort them out.

I am actually taking my Foxtel box from now on and using that. The free to air doesn't bother me much, it's all rubbish anyway.

With Fox I can get the WA ABC news and anything else I care to watch.

Honestly, I prefer to be sitting around the campfire telling lies.

I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
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Follow Up By: 60series_adventurer - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:07

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:07
Gone Bush,

As hubby says "don't let the truth get in the way of a good story" !! He is a campfire regular and each story gets better each time it is told. lol
What sort of dish are you using with your Foxtel box ? Could just take our Foxtel box I guess.
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Reply By: 60series_adventurer - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 13:34

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 13:34
If u r using one, what model is it??
AnswerID: 383772

Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 13:38

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 13:38
Don't know.

It's in a cardboard box somewhere.

I tried to answer your question using only one letter for each word, but I couldn't (except for two of them).

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Reply By: Dunco (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:11

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:11
SelectTV and Free to air (Imparja etc) are different satellites and you would have to change direction of sat dish to change from one to the other.

Foxtel should have the free to air channels from your area such as 10,9,7 etc.


AnswerID: 383780

Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:29

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:29
Dunco,

only SBS and the ABC have signed agrements with Foxtel so far.

Ten, Nine and Seven haven't done anything yet.

It would be good if they did. SKY, in the UK, has all the FTA channels on board. You don't need to flick around between various inputs that way.

I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:37

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 14:37
Gone Bush,

I had Foxtel last year and all Free to air stations were re broadcast through them...except the new digital ones like Go! and One.

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Follow Up By: Member - Teege (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:09

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:09
Dunco
Unfortunately Foxte only provides 7,9,&10 to their cable customers. Sat customers don't get them.

teege
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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:34

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:34
Teege,

Did you read my previous message ??
I will repeat it for you mate as you seem to know better than me....

I Had Foxtel last year and all FTA stations were there....and it was SATELLITE.


Here is a quote I found on a website rearding this ssue...just for Channel 10 as it was the LAST channel to be re broadcast...dated 2006 !!!!!!




In a boon for viewers, Network Ten (TEN)'s signal will be retransmitted on the FOXTEL digital platform.

The agreement was announced today by Grant Blackley, TEN's chief executive officer, and FOXTEL's chief executive officer, Kim Williams.

Consumers will be able to view TEN's digital signal seamlessly through the FOXTEL platform and access TEN's schedule and program details via FOXTELs electronic program guide (EPG).

For the first time, TENs signal will be available to FOXTEL satellite subscribers in Brisbane, Melbourne and Geelong, Sydney and the NSW central coast.

FOXTEL cable subscribers will also soon gain access to TEN's digital signal in Adelaide, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The target start date for the new satellite and cable retransmissions is September. Currently FOXTEL cable subscribers receive an analogue-only retransmission of TEN. There is presently no satellite retransmission of TEN on FOXTEL.

TEN's High Definition (HD) service will also be retransmitted via cable when FOXTEL launches its own HD offering planned for 2008.

You can also read this message Here
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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:00

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:00
Dunco,

I'm in WA and can only go on what happens over here.

Only ABC and SBS on Foxtel satellite in WA.

Unfortunately that will still be the case even if I'm travelling out of the State, too.

I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:07

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:07
Well please don't tell me I am wrong...

Once again, so many experts ....and It is in Perth !!


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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:12

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:12
What do you mean,

"It is in Perth"?
I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
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Follow Up By: 60series_adventurer - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:52

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 18:52
In QLD we have 9,10,ABC1,ABC,SBS on Satellite. No Channel 7. Good to know what happens in other states as well.
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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 19:06

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 19:06
Channel 9 in WA used to be a privately owned entity that had a program sharing arrangement with Kerry Packer. It was bought out by (I think) WIN and they still have that arrangement but, because they are a separate entity to Packer's Nine they need a separate arrangement with Foxtel.

That hasn't happened yet.

If you travel interstate with your Foxtel box you will only get what gets broadcast by Foxtel in your home State. If we are in NSW we will see the WA ABC news but at 9pm local time.

And we will only get the ABC and SBS as free to air channels.



I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
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Follow Up By: Member - Teege (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 07:59

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 07:59
Dunco
Sorry if I upset you. Being a poor country subscriber it never dawned on me that you city slickers would be getting a different deal to me. Guess I'll have to research every post I make in the future to ensure that my contributions apply nationally. Or then again, perhaps I should just forget about contributing and let those of you who know all do the lot.

teege

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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:01

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:01
This post has been read by the moderation team and has been moderated due to a breach of The Personal Attacks Rule .

Forum Moderation Team
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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:11

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:11
What do you mean,

"It is in Perth"?
I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
- Augustus McCrae (Lonesome Dove)

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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:17

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:17
I may have been wrong there, so if I am I apologise.
Funny thing...I can apologise, can you ?


I haven't seen anything from you in this regard ?????

After all I did say I had FTA on SAT Foxtel and also said Foxtel SHOULD have FTA in your area...SHOULD !!!

You said....
"only SBS and the ABC have signed agrements with Foxtel so far.
Ten, Nine and Seven haven't done anything yet"

In others words another person telling me I was wrong without checking....



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Follow Up By: Member -Paul M (WA) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 17:28

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 17:28
I thought when going camping the tv stays at home

how much tv do you want out bush
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Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 18:04

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 18:04
Paul,

We don't all do what you want old mate.

I have been on the road now for nearly 5 months, so a little TV with football, cricket, Tour de France to mention a few things....are there to watch as I enjoy them....

In other words, I will watch as much TV as I want...you can do whatever you want....that is why living in AUS is so good as we have choices and we don't have to listen to someone telling me what NOT to do.


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Follow Up By: Member -Paul M (WA) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 18:19

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 18:19
It Wont be long when Photonics is on the market by cudos team
Then we can all watch tv from any station in world
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Follow Up By: 60series_adventurer - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 19:34

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 19:34
Paul,

There is a difference between "camping" and "travelling". We will be "travelling". I'm with you Dunco.
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Reply By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 15:50

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 15:50
Hi
In our caravan and home systems, I use a dual output LNB's on my dishes. One output goes to my "Strong" Sat Box, for Optus Aurora, and the other goes to my Austar box.
The "Strong" box works from 12v in the van (240v power pack at home) and the Austar box works through a small pure sine wave inverter, when in the van. I then mix the two UHF outputs from the boxes with terrestrial signals from the normal tv ant. Seams to work for us.
Image Could Not Be Found

Cheers
Neil
AnswerID: 383806

Follow Up By: 60series_adventurer - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 16:24

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 16:24
Neil,

What model Strong are u using? and for Dish?
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Follow Up By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:32

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 10:32
Hi
The model of my Strong box is SRT4654X and the dish is a 65 cm dish with a removeable lnb arm, the arm is easily removed by a screw knob, similar to the one in the attached picture.
Image Could Not Be Found
Cheers
Neil
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Follow Up By: 60series_adventurer - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 15:49

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 15:49
Neil,

Does your dish run off 12 or 240v or both? What brand/model is your dish? It all starts to get alittle technical !! lol
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Follow Up By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 19:51

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 19:51
Hi
The LNB (Low Noise Block),which is the antenna, that is held in front of the dish with the arm and receives the satellite signal actually powered by the satellite box, through the coax cable.
The "Strong" satellite box runs on 12 v dc, either via a 240 v ac to 12 v dc power pack, or from the caravan battery via cig lighter lead.
The dish I have, doesn't have a brand name on it, but it came from Satplus in
Edithvale, a suburb of Melb.
There web site is :
http://www.satplus.com.au/index.htm
Satellite tv is a little confusing at first, but you learn as you go.
If I can be of any further help just ask.
Cheers
Neil
res.q.guy@westnet.com.au
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FollowupID: 651707

Reply By: paulnsw - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:46

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 17:46
only a masochist would buy a Dreambox

go for the Strong or Homecast Black Box which survive travelling and available for 12v.
Both are simple to drive which is important and have Blind Scan which is a must have feature. The Homecast is a little more expensive and is a superb product. I would pay the extra money for a Homecast but honestly both Strong and Homecast are good easy simple to drive receivers.
AnswerID: 383822

Reply By: TrevorMR (WA) - Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 21:23

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 21:23
If you are in or around Perth, I bought a setup from a place in Wangara last week. Did some research and prices looked very competitive especially if you pick it up rather than get it mailed. eg 80cm disk with LNBF, pickup price was $65 and $66 for a substantial aluminuim tripod.

From research on this site, the Strong seems to be the preferred option. They have the 12/24/240v Strong with ability to record (USB port) for $185 and the 240v only model is $120.

They know what they are talking about and are very helpful - a friend had a problem with his set at home and when he phoned and told them the problem, they were able to resolve the problem over the phone.

Haven't had time to set it up as yet.
AnswerID: 383856

Follow Up By: 60series_adventurer - Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 15:42

Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 at 15:42
Could you give me the details of the shop please?
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FollowupID: 651666

Reply By: TrevorMR (WA) - Monday, Sep 21, 2009 at 01:04

Monday, Sep 21, 2009 at 01:04
The name is Sciteq Pty Ltd. Their website has all the models, prices etc. www.sciteq.com.au The price of the dish and the 240v Strong box turned out to be less than what they listed on the website.

Phone no is (08) 9409 6677
AnswerID: 384002

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