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Conference govt02::basingstoke

Title: * BASINGSTOKE - Gateway to Wessex *
Notice:BASINGSTOKE - John Arlott lived here - then left, I wonder why
Moderator:COMICS::CORNEJ
Created:Wed Jul 27 1988
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:925
Total number of notes:5875

676.0. "Second hand satellite TV equipment?" by LOAD::THOMAS () Thu Aug 19 1993 13:25

    Does anyone have (or know where I could get) a second hand satellite TV
    system?
    
    I'm just looking for a cheap dish and receiver to get us started.
    
    Mel
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676.1KERNEL::SHELLEYRNo time for catching 'Zee'sThu Aug 19 1993 18:207
    Mel, just a little tip.
    
    The 'LNB' on the dish needs replacing every 18 months or so and cost
    about �100. If you get a 2nd hand one try and get some sort of
    guarantee on this.
    
    Royston
676.2FORSAN::FRENCHSSemper in excernereFri Aug 20 1993 13:415
re  The 'LNB' on the dish needs replacing every 18 months or so 

Why?

Simon
676.3KERNEL::SHELLEYRNo time for catching 'Zee'sFri Aug 20 1993 16:0110
    When the guy came to install my amstrad he said be sure to take out an
    extended warranty as the LNB goes quite regularly and showed me a box
    full of them in his car saying that it was his 'bread and butter'
    going round replacing them.
    
    The 'blow' after so long because they are exposed to the elements all
    year long and Amstrad and Pace use as cheap materials as possible so
    that it lasts just to the end of the one years guarantee.
    
    Royston
676.4RIOT::EVANSGGwyn Evans @IME (769-8108)Fri Aug 20 1993 16:274
       Well, the one that was on the Amstrad dish on the house when we
    bought it 3� years ago is still working; although I have been wondering
    about getting a new (lower noise) one as the UK Gold reception's not very 
    good.
676.5KERNEL::BINGHAMKMINES A PINT MATEFri Aug 20 1993 16:495
    Also, beware of using AMSTRAD stuff because you cannot buy any old
    part, it must be tailored by Amstrad, and they charge extortionate
    amounts of money for them!!.
    
    Kendra
676.6FORSAN::FRENCHSSemper in excernereMon Aug 23 1993 13:351
Oh I see. Cheap and nasty (allegedly) Amstrad.
676.7LOAD::THOMASTue Aug 24 1993 09:4114
    Thanks for the tips.  I bought a second hand system (Mimtec) for �90 
    from a guy in Maidenhead advertising in a free paper.
    
    Just a couple of words about LNBs and extended warranties...I've seen
    LNBs advertised in satellite magazines, and don't remember seeing
    one priced above �75.  If there really are ones costing �100+, they
    must either be super-duper triple band ones or grossly overpriced.  I
    think they start at about �25 for those suitable for an Astra system.
    
    Also, if they really do fail regularly at 18 month intervals, it can't
    possibly be worth taking out an extended warranty (the economics of
    insurance being what they are).
    
    Mel
676.8KERNEL::SHELLEYRNo time for catching 'Zee'sWed Aug 25 1993 11:506
    �really are ones costing �100
    
    I mentioned the �100. This included call out and fitting by the
    "Satellite Man".
    
    Royston
676.9Help!COMICS::SHELLEYAlways with the -ve wavesThu Oct 27 1994 16:3611
    Can anyone recommend someone that could look at my broken
    Amstrad (yes I know its cheap and cheerful) satellite receiver.
    
    Its 18 months old and after power cycling it, it has given up the ghost.
    I checked the fuse but thats ok. 
    I don't want to spend too much getting it fixed as I only watch the
    occasional prog on Eurosport.
    
    Thanks
    
    Royston