Need a receiver that can power a motorised dish

OMENDATA

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Hi guys hope one of you Sat experts can help

I have had a Skybox F3 for years but to be honest never used it much because the EPG was just so rubbish.
It does power on the motorised mount but it never seemed to move the actual dish when doing a blind scan.
Its now gone up the khyber and i cant even see anything on it using Hyperterminal!

So I just bought a Zgemma H2S but unfortunately it wouldnt even light up the motorised dish.
Unfortunately when i was on the roof looking at the dish the box caused a feedback to my Plasma telly and has blown probably the zsus board but more likely the Mainboard through the HDMI port.
Dodgy box maybe so not only have i had to send this piece of crudd back but am now saddled with having to repair the telly.
It wouldnt detect the virgin line i already have or even find any satellites so i can only presume it was dud so i never got to see the epg or even a single channel.
I certainly wouldnt buy another Zgemma box now!

I actually only want it for Freesat and to connect to THOR and hopefully some Slovak transponders.

So my question is can anyone recommend a decent box with good EPG that can actually handle the extra power required to properly move a roof mounted satellite dish.
The dish is over 7 years old now and has rarely been used was bought in April 2011

From my Amazon order i can see it was
Cdtronix 80cm SATELLITE DISH + DISEQC 1.2 MOTOR + WALL MOUNT + 0.1db SINGLE LNB

Hope that is enough info.
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!
 
So you have a diseqc 1.2 motor. You should of got a usuals motor. What make is the motor ?

With dieqc 1.2 a manual search and memorisation of every satellite position is needed. Can be a tricky business.

How long is the run of coax from receiver to the dish ?

Explain you procedure you using to moved the dish and search for a sat ?
 
I know how to manually move the dish and set the transponders (west then east using the signal meter on the satbox then save the setting).
I hope that is correct but it has never worked as the dish wont move so the signal always stayed the same so was never able to set anything except the basic Astra satellite at 28.2E !

USALS is automatic but the Skybox i dont think ever had that option but the Zgemma of course had the tool but it never picked up any satellites at all even the basic Astra 2 at 28.2E or powered the motor - I have read over on the Zgemma forum that on some boxes you need a better uprated PSU with a higher watt output to get anything on the motor!

I have checked the dish and aligned it properly - it was working with the skybox and pulled in the usual Astra channels but i couldnt get the dish to move to pick up Thor or any other satellite and its transponders!

I think the motor is the same its a CDTRONIX but will need to check - i admit it was a cheapo as was the dish and LNB i think it was all less than a hundred quid but i was unemployed at the time so didnt have enough cash to splash!

I think the motor may be USALS its a 2011 motor so should support it but who knows i will need to check the make when i am up on the roof on Tuesday!

The cable is exactly 15 metres.
Geftix Professional 75 Ohm UHF Satellite / Aerial Coaxial Cable

Can you recommend another motor if its not USALS?

At the time i bought it I was a newbie to satellite but have learned a lot since - I am a CCNP network engineer last 40 years so cable running and termination is old hat for me so i know the cable is ok - i used my TDR tools on it and they report no bad attenuation or line break!
As you know its always the simplest thing you check first so the cable was the first thing i looked at, then the crimped connectors.

I plan to go up on Tuesday with my Fluke and check the voltage at the end of the cable with the skybox attached and try and check the motor but it moves manually using the buttons on it so i am presuming it is ok .

Skybox F3 has gone up the khyber as well - downloaded an updated firmware , left the usb stick in and it rebooted and bricked it unfortunately!
I am currrently hyperterminal into it at this very minute to try and manually fix it but it was toast anyway its a useless piece of crudd from the day i bought it as i never planned to use c-lines with it, i just bought it to learn more about satellite stuff!

I just need a decent box with good EPG that can handle moving a dish - I was looking at the ones on the Freesat website but they look pretty basic?
I have always had Spiderbox 9000 in my Amazon wishlist but never went for it!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0046B8...colid=JC6ZHFF0UY1U&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Sorry to waffle on a bit but the more info the better...eh!
 
Stabb mounts are my favourite mount very low power consumption and is a usuals mount.

I would not buy the spider box. Go Technomate or go Enigma 2 with a VU+ box.

When you get up there write down the model number of the mount lets see if we can sort that one first.
 
Thanks will take some pics as well as I cant remember seeing any make or model on it and my Amazon order is so old it has a picture of the order but I guess CDtronix went out of business.

I take it you have never heard of Cdtronix?
Sounds like a techno group from the 80's lol
Pump up the jamm....This dish is , this dish is ... its CDTRONIX???
.;o)
 
Would not go with the Zero myself too low spec.

No never heard of cdtronics im thinking it will be a clone of some other motor.
 
Yeah i think its this one
Dont ask me why but i remember the box it came in!
So it looks like it is USALS.

Cdtronix New Horisons Nh-210 Diseqc Motor - Buy Diseqc 1.2 Motor Product on Alibaba.com

Low spec as in how?
You mean processor and memory?
I only want it for Freesat , dont have a 4k telly stuck with 1080p and I am not doing c-line/ccam or iptv as i already have all the Sky channels for free........ and i never watch em!
lol

I am afraid I am addicted to Forces TV - Starkers and Crutch , Rattlestar Balgactica and the most excellent UFO not forgetting Buck Dodgers and Wilma Deering grrrrrrr

Girlfriend likes George and Mildred and Man About The House so Netflix and the latest SKY stuff is not really our bag!
Old fairte mode I am afraid so an auld and farty receiver would be fine for me!
 
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So 2011 is Archaic lol
I work in IT and am still on an FM2 cpu - does me fine.
I take it you are a young un?

Although I am upgrading my Atari 2600 to an Xbox one s - Saw Forza 4 and Star Wars Battlefront II on Forces TV games review prog so i am thoroughly converted - Always wanted a Star Wars Sitin cabinet since i played em in the arcade in the 80's.

Yeah but the thing is the motor has probably only had about an hours worth of use in 7 years so it should be ok.
It moves using the manual motor controls - Led is bright and moves smoothly no grinding of the cogs.
So the main thing is finding a box that can power it - Skybox F3 didnt and neither did the new Zgemma.
From scouring the forum it seems like Zgemma is frowned upon as a ripoff cloner - My bad - would you agree?
I just saw the Zgemma H2H dual Virgin connector and Sky and being a gadget man it whetted my appettite!

Its this one here:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B018Z8G9GC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sadly it has bugg**** my tv so i am going to have to spend an hour doing some Plasma diagnostics - wish I had an LED tv they are so easy to fix!
Do you think that is a dodgy seller or are they just dodgy boxes all in?
 
So 2011 is Archaic lol
I work in IT and am still on an FM2 cpu - does me fine.
I take it you are a young un?

Although I am upgrading my Atari 2600 to an Xbox one s - Saw Forza 4 and Star Wars Battlefront II on Forces TV games review prog so i am thoroughly converted - Always wanted a Star Wars Sitin cabinet since i played em in the arcade in the 80's.

Yeah but the thing is the motor has probably only had about an hours worth of use in 7 years so it should be ok.
It moves using the manual motor controls - Led is bright and moves smoothly no grinding of the cogs.
So the main thing is finding a box that can power it - Skybox F3 didnt and neither did the new Zgemma.
From scouring the forum it seems like Zgemma is frowned upon as a ripoff cloner - My bad - would you agree?
I just saw the Zgemma H2H dual Virgin connector and Sky and being a gadget man it whetted my appettite!

Its this one here:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B018Z8G9GC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sadly it has bugg**** my tv so i am going to have to spend an hour doing some Plasma diagnostics - wish I had an LED tv they are so easy to fix!
Do you think that is a dodgy seller or are they just dodgy boxes all in?

Usuals has been around a long time so to buy a none usuals motor in 2011 yeah you bought archaic technology.

No im far from a young un.

Zgemma are not really clones anymore there more of a box that is branded for various manufactures. The h2 h is a good box do you still have it i can give you precise diseqc 1.2 setup instructions for that.
 
No i sent it back after it blew the I/O board on my plasma tv - i think it has something to do with that "aerial amp" switch on the back.
When i switched that on thats when i think the tv took a jolt through the HDMI port its dodgy electronics i have seen it a lot recently in networking hardware i repair and tv's - everything is getting cheap and nasty - even good old Pannie have gone down the el cheapo panel and dodgy caps route!

With the Zgemma box it wouldnt pick up any signal from the satellite dish - zero zero even when moving east and west it didnt go above zero.
Dish is zeroed on Astra , input my coords to the zgemma and used the usals option to check and it did nowt!

As soon as i buy a new electrical device now i open it up and replace the caps if they arent quality!
Its what kills most electrical devices these days so imho the Zgemma is a bucket of * electronically!
Plus it came with IPAB TV i learned that Wooshbuild is the preferred firmware but i couldnt image it as i had to send it back in orig condish!

Nah that Motor is USALS!
USALS is less accurate than 1.2 though if you want to hone in on weak signals and i like tweaking so i probably wouldnt use USALS much.
Told you i was an auld fairte!
I hope you are not having a hard time coping with my demands!!!
lol

Your forum is a bit strict i couldny download the F3 firmware or the e800 rom repair software but i found it in my archive so all is good.
You wouldnt happen to know the last firmware revision for the Skybox F3 in your knowledge archive wouldya?
I have found one on "the other forum" lol
F3S F5S 150519.abs

Just got to get the Skybox F3 working again today but knowing my luck its bricked or the hardware is a goner!
All of that happened on one day - zgemma didnt work and blew up my tv and the skybox bricked itself and i have to replace the thermostat on my boiler - bad week - they say bad luck comes in threes!

Apologies if my posts are a bit old and boring i know the F3 is past its sell by date and all my hardware probably gives you a headache!
I find old stuff interesting and its way more reliable!
 
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Ok i was wrong its an Icecrypt DM-101 Diseqc 1.2 H-H motor

Is this a decent motor or is it a load of old rubbish?
And yes the dish is seven years old and i do wash and clean my dish lol
My OCD!!!

Skybox f3 is well and truly gone tried the e800 firmware upgrade and the box keeps stopping at "stPt" on the display which i presume means Stopped?

So looks like i really do need a VU+ Box.

Telly is also a goner - the so called "WORKING" part i bought from a supposedly reputable tv parts vendor took out the t-con, power board and ysus in the tv when i plugged it in - should have known better to buy from ebay!
So any recommendation on a 65 inch tv?
They say bad luck comes in threes - ITS TRUE!

Plugged the Skybox back in and as you can see from the pic the green led is lit and the dish will move if i use the manual buttons.
 

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So its an ok motor then?

The question is I need a new decoder - as said before doesnt need bells and whistles but it needs to power this but the Zgemma obviously couldnt as it didnt even have enough power to light the LED.
Power Consumption: 50mA (standby Mode) 200mA (Normal) 350mA (Maximum)

I am thinking Openbox
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D5VR...olid=10DH4JV3YUBQV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Dont want to buy another Turkey though!

I presume a tv with satellite tuner would not do motorised?
Have no experience of sat tuners on tv's but looks like i need a new tv so thinking about that option but if it cant turn the motor then no point and have to go for a box!

I also have a sat card in my pc but cant find any software that is half decent - any ideas?
 
I also have a sat card in my pc but cant find any software that is half decent - any ideas?
I think its a Technisat_Skystar-2-Dvb-s - Problem is i have to dual boot back to windows xp as it wont work in win7 / win10 or Linux!
 
I am using a vu solo2 with a fixed feed from 28.2 and second tuner is on my motorised sat.Luckily i had written down my usals setting when i had a tehnomate 1000d.Vhannibal quad setting for 4 sats and it can auto update via a plugin,some channels have a good epg and some now and next.
I can also record onto a 1tb internal hdd but normally use the other feeds to other boxes to record.
 
Just got the skystar working in windows 10 - driver is fine.

Downloaded the latest dvbviewer - (It supposedly supports the S2) but doesnt work lol
 
Long time since i played around with a skystar 2 . From memory it supported goto x but was hit and miss.
I am using a vu solo2 with a fixed feed from 28.2 and second tuner is on my motorised sat.Luckily i had written down my usals setting when i had a tehnomate 1000d.Vhannibal quad setting for 4 sats and it can auto update via a plugin,some channels have a good epg and some now and next.
I can also record onto a 1tb internal hdd but normally use the other feeds to other boxes to record.

What is the epg like cacti?
Can you post a screenshot.

The epg wins it for me Dvb-T/2 stuff is really good - Love the Tivo6 /500 layout and even the DN370/371/372T are ok!

But the Skybox F3 epg really put me off satellite boxes, its the main reason i gave up using the dish, it was utterly unworkeable even if you used the 800editor it was drivel!

I remember you from techkingz - its not you is it lol?
 
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