# Ku High Definition



## ZandarKoad

Does anyone bother with High Definition on a Ku setup? I mean, it seems like it's kinda pointless, as there are just a few channels and you need a motorized system to reach most of them...

Most people I know only have 97W.

I really want to want a HD receiver, but with no content, there's not much point.


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## Davenlr

About the only HD on KU is on the PBS satellite and some sports feeds


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## Xizer

PBS alone is worth the cost of admission. You can get SD anywhere. Many of the feeds on Galaxy 19 you can stream online. Al Jazeera via satellite doesn't look much better than online streaming. Internet streaming has advanced enough to provide comparable SD quality. So a lot of the feeds on that bird really aren't that special anymore.

But pristine quality NBC and PBS HD... now those are a treat you can only get in one place. Plus you get Pentagon HD which is fun to play around with for a little while as well as frequent HD wildfeeds. A motorized Ku dish is fantastic if you like high definition concerts.

I don't see why anyone with a single Ku dish wouldn't want to motorize it. Motors are only $75. Fixed dishes I can understand when one has a dish farm, but it's silly to restrict oneself to only 10% of what's out there by not having a motor. It'd be like subscribing to DirecTV, and then only being able to watch five channels.


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## P Smith

You missed the requirement of fixed dishes - multiple receivers working simultaneously (in different rooms, archiving, etc).


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## sadoun

If you can't get PBS using OTA antenna, it is worth it to get thru satellite in HD. Otherwise, most KU is SD signal.


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## jestwaitn

Xizer said:


> But pristine quality NBC and PBS HD... now those are a treat you can only get in one place. Plus you get Pentagon HD which is fun to play around with for a little while as well as frequent HD wildfeeds. A motorized Ku dish is fantastic if you like high definition concerts.


since i'm new to fta and want to convert from dishnetwork to fta, i don't know the answer to "can only get in one place". where is this one place?


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## PrinceLH

Yes, Pentagon was OK, in HD. I still hope to see more HD on Ku, going forward.


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## jestwaitn

PrinceLH said:


> Yes, Pentagon was OK, in HD. I still hope to see more HD on Ku, going forward.


so Ku is the "one place"?


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## P Smith

do you checking www.lyngsat.com ?


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## PrinceLH

jestwaitn said:


> so Ku is the "one place"?


C Band is a good place to go, if you want some HD! Anik F1, 107w has a number of int the clear CBC affiliates. Just keep checking around.


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## jestwaitn

PrinceLH said:


> C Band is a good place to go, if you want some HD! Anik F1, 107w has a number of int the clear CBC affiliates. Just keep checking around.


this is what i'm trying to understand. some say Ku. some say C.

all i want to do is drop paid satellite and pickup ABC, CBS, NBC, and whatever else i get now for free in HD (mostly) even if i have to watch a UK FTA station to get CNBC.

and i need to know whether Ku or C band is the right choice to do this? and if C band, then fixed or motorized?

thanks.


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## P Smith

OTA would be best and much cheaper and space/time/money constrained


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## jestwaitn

P Smith said:


> OTA would be best and much cheaper and space/time/money constrained


sorry. i live rural with a lot of trees. too far from city for good signals. paid satellite is just fine. but want to save $ with FTA satellite.


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## P Smith

Install a tower with long beam antenna(s) and a motor.


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## jestwaitn

P Smith said:


> Install a tower with long beam antenna(s) and a motor.


nearest major town is ~45 mi.


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## jestwaitn

jestwaitn said:


> this is what i'm trying to understand. some say Ku. some say C.
> 
> all i want to do is drop paid satellite and pickup ABC, CBS, NBC, and whatever else i get now for free in HD (mostly) even if i have to watch a UK FTA station to get CNBC.
> 
> and i need to know whether Ku or C band is the right choice to do this? and if C band, then fixed or motorized?
> 
> thanks.


also want (HD) PVR recording capability.


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## kingofku

jestwaitn said:


> nearest major town is ~45 mi.


But where are the transmitters?


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## kingofku

NBC on AMC-1


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## jestwaitn

kingofku said:


> But where are the transmitters?


about the same.


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## P Smith

jestwaitn said:


> also want (HD) PVR recording capability.


CM-7000Pal or DTVpal DVR


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## P Smith

jestwaitn said:


> nearest major town is ~45 mi.


That's OK. Get antennaweb.org or rabbitear.info or tvfool.com; find out what antenna you'll need and go for OTA : best source of FREE HD TV programs.

I had SFO at that distance, but got more then 50 stations


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## jestwaitn

P Smith said:


> That's OK. Get antennaweb.org or rabbitear.info or tvfool.com; find out what antenna you'll need and go for OTA : best source of FREE HD TV programs.
> 
> I had SFO at that distance, but got more then 50 stations


tv fool shows an antenna height of 10' and various transmitter distances from 41 to 107 miles.

only problem is that there are trees on my property that are over 50' tall.


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## P Smith

trees are not big deal for OTA, you are mistaken , it's not blocking like sat signal
you can get reception - try and tell

10' ... you will get taller then that if you will use your roof edge to hold a mast 10' with antenna; I'm surrounded by tallest trees (perhaps 60-100') and getting strong signals from rooftop antenna (Terk T-55)


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## PrinceLH

jestwaitn said:


> this is what i'm trying to understand. some say Ku. some say C.
> 
> all i want to do is drop paid satellite and pickup ABC, CBS, NBC, and whatever else i get now for free in HD (mostly) even if i have to watch a UK FTA station to get CNBC.
> 
> and i need to know whether Ku or C band is the right choice to do this? and if C band, then fixed or motorized?
> 
> thanks.


C Band has allot more options, then Ku band. 101w has MeTV and THIS TV, oldies stations, in the clear. 87w has RTV and a bunch of their affiliates, in the clear. You can find some of the big network affiliates, if you look around. Check out Lyngsat, for more information.


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