Upgrading to HD myself

[jackshiels]

So I currently have a SD standard installation and want to upgrade to HD with the PVR. Right now we have a 60cm dish and the signal quality can vary a bit. However the strength is always 75% - will this be enough?

I am going to buy a dual LNB and a HD PVR sometime within the next few days - would you recommend that I give Eisat a tongue lashing for doing such a bad install? Otherwise, will it be ok?

The quality can vary quite wildly at times... any help is appreciated. I just want to be able to upgrade at the least cost. I have lost signal once in the past month...

Thanks

[Quantum Theory]

Does not sound good... Also, minimum recommended dish size for future proofing HD installs is now 80cm.

[jackshiels]

I have complained to the installer... hopefully they can fix it well. Apparently 60 cm dishes can be used, but they have to have a good signal.

[atomcrusher]

So I currently have a SD standard installation and want to upgrade to HD with the PVR. Right now we have a 60cm dish and the signal quality can vary a bit. However the strength is always 75% - will this be enough?

I am going to buy a dual LNB and a HD PVR sometime within the next few days - would you recommend that I give Eisat a tongue lashing for doing such a bad install? Otherwise, will it be ok?

The quality can vary quite wildly at times... any help is appreciated. I just want to be able to upgrade at the least cost. I have lost signal once in the past month...Thanks

I'm also in the WC and have a 60cm dish ... my signal quality & strength is 100% and 98% (or the other way around ... not near my set at the moment to check which one is which). That is the minimum you should aim at. 75% will not cut it.

[jackshiels]

I'm also in the WC and have a 60cm dish ... my signal quality & strength is 100% and 98% (or the other way around ... not near my set at the moment to check which one is which). That is the minimum you should aim at. 75% will not cut it.

What could be causing my issue (clouds, trees or something like that?).

[Quantum Theory]

Yes 60cm is still okay. This will probably change in the next year... maybe 2. My guess is that your dish alignment is out. Remember the dish is pointing at a small object 35000 km's away. The alignment needs to be perfect.

[ToxicBunny]

Yeah, 60cm is fine for now, I'm currently running HD on a 60cm...

It will be changed sooner rather than later to a 90cm dish though...

[atomcrusher]

My guess is that your dish alignment is out. Remember the dish is pointing at a small object 35000 km's away. The alignment needs to be perfect.

Agreed ... dish, and/or LNB, alignment is the most common cause of poor signal strength / quality. Other causes could be line-of-sight blockage (e.g. by trees, etc), or degeneration/damage of the co-ax cabling, or connections (i.e. the physical link between the LNB, and the decoder)

[chrisc4290]

A 60cm dish is ok except during heavy rain

Your signal values are not good

Check 1 - Dish alignment (you need a sat meter), 2 - Skew angle (should be 153 degrees or about 4.30), 3 - Is f-connector tight and well insulated at LNB end, 4 - If the existing installation is more than 5 years old and you are going to fit a duial LNB, then replace the cable/s with best grade co-ax

It is also possible that your existing LNB is faulty, the weather seals deteriorate in the sun. but you are going to buy a dual LNB anyway