[mythtv-users] Using a large satellite dish (8-10 feet) with MythTV?

[Chad]

On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 5:46 PM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:

>  "TVRO" means TeleVision Receive Only, it was used to refer to an
>  antenna not used for transmission. In the old days even a receive-only
>  dish had to be licensed (at least in the USA).
>
>  Dishes of the size you mention are generally C-band (3.7-4.2 Ghz.
>  downlink) as opposed to the Ku-Band used by DISH and DirectTV
>  (12.9Ghz. downlink). Some antennas like that have dual-band feed horns
>  that can receive C and Ku.

Thanks, that is very hard to find information put as plain as you have above.

>  (No, the Ku Band is not a group of musicians who perform at collegiate
>  athletic events in Kansas)

:D

>  But as long as a satellite receiver outputs either baseband or RF it
>  should be usable by MythTV. The problems would be getting the correct
>  program listings and controlling the antenna aiming device, though
>  some receivers take care of the latter for you.
>
>  In the worst case you would have to tune the receiver and aim the
>  antenna manually.
>
>  beww

Much appreciated.  Assuming I can somehow figure out where to get the
hardware, how to hook it up, get some receivers that play well and
have some decent output...  Any idea on how you then go about signing
up for per-channel subscriptions directly with the channels?  I read a
story about this person in Canada that did just that, instead of
paying the cable-co/sat provider, they setup a contract themselves for
about  $0.40 / channel.  From there, how do people who use this route
get program guide information?

Thanks!

-Chad