siouxfan77 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I'll be moving to Chicago on Friday. Luckily, Direct TV was nice enough to set up installation on Sat afternoon, in time for Sat night's game. I've heard rumors that the newer digital dishes can pick up the FSSN, but I've been shuffled around all over the place talking to many different people who have no idea... Is it possible to pick up the FSSN signal through the DirectTV dish? If so, how is this acheived? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirtcoach Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 FSSN is never on the DirecTV satellite. Never. To get FSSN you need to get a free to air (FTA) system and point it at the proper satellite. But you will be able to watch a lot of college hockey this weekend if you subscribe to the Sportspack on DirecTV. Maybe Iceberg or PSB can tell you of a FTA vendor in the Chicago area who can install one before this weekend. Otherwise, get the Sportspack and enjoy the the WCHA Final Five and all the regional games in the ensuing weeks and make sure you install that FTA system before October this fall. Don't count on a bar in Chicago this weekend. We were in Chicago in March 2004 and even the ESPNZONE wouldn't play the Denver Regionals Saturday night. Good luck. And Go Sioux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 squirtcoach is right. Dish or Directv have NEVER carried the FSSN. You would need a free to air system, which consists of a 30" dish & LNB and a FTA receiver Sadly, I don't know of any FTA shops near Chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siouxfan77 Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Bummer. Well, thanks guys. I guess the sports pack will be the way to go. Not a bad deal, really. Lots of college hockey. Apparently they haven't figured out that there are college hockey fans that would probably pay for a stand-alone package... Maybe I'll try the webcast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bignellyxx Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 So do you guys just set up your C-Band and set it in the right direction and get FSSN or what? Do you have to subscribe to any particular service? I'm thinking i really need to do this when i move outside of GF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Its actually KU Band, which is a 30 to 36" dish. There are 2 ways to have it set up. 1. A fixed dish at the satellite that the FSSN uses. Lots of Sioux fans outside of the FSSN cable area have that. They buy a basic system for a couple hundred bucks (or less) and use it just for the FSSN. They aim the dish at the satellite the FSSN uses and put in the satellite info to pick it up. 15 minutes before game time the screen pops up and when its done the signal goes bye bye. When the season is over, some people unplug the receiver and it doesn't get fired up until late September or 1st game in October 2. A Motorized system. This allows you to pick up whatever is free up on the satellites. I have a motorized because on some weekends there are other hockey games out there. Yes you have to search for them but its well worth it. Motorized does take a little more to set up than a fixed. Plus I use my setup for more than just the FSSN No fees once you buy the system and it can work in conjunction with any other setup (antenna, cable, satellite). Its a receiver that is totally independent of your other viewing setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegas Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Its actually KU Band, which is a 30 to 36" dish. There are 2 ways to have it set up. 1. A fixed dish at the satellite that the FSSN uses. Lots of Sioux fans outside of the FSSN cable area have that. They buy a basic system for a couple hundred bucks (or less) and use it just for the FSSN. They aim the dish at the satellite the FSSN uses and put in the satellite info to pick it up. 15 minutes before game time the screen pops up and when its done the signal goes bye bye. When the season is over, some people unplug the receiver and it doesn't get fired up until late September or 1st game in October 2. A Motorized system. This allows you to pick up whatever is free up on the satellites. I have a motorized because on some weekends there are other hockey games out there. Yes you have to search for them but its well worth it. Motorized does take a little more to set up than a fixed. Plus I use my setup for more than just the FSSN No fees once you buy the system and it can work in conjunction with any other setup (antenna, cable, satellite). Its a receiver that is totally independent of your other viewing setup. Did a quick search and found superfta.com and Hobbyracer.com located in Chicago. I'm sure if you looked a little harder you would find more using Google or any other search engine. Super FTA P.O. Box 1363 Arlington Hts, IL 60006-1363 United States Don't know anything about them but they do sell Viewsat receivers at roughly the going price, 33" dish and an H90 Motor (the motor is optional but it is very nice to have). I bought mine off of e-bay for about $60. I would recommend an FTA system for any diehard Sioux Fan. It just doesn't make sense to watch the games on a little computer monitor when you can get an FTA system for a few hundred dollars and watch a crisp clean picture. It's amazing how much sharper the raw feeds are relative to the regular broadcast provider versions of the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Just a FYI on the viewsat Viewsat + motor = nightmares Something is goofy with the Viewsat that it will remember the satellite spot for the first time but as you use the motor, it never hits it bang on after that. This has been a proven fact by way too many (disappointed) Viewsat owners But Vegas is right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Iceberg is right, the FTA Sioux Satellite deal is the money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airmail Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 A couple of questions... (satellite newbie) 1. How difficult is it to aim the dish correctly, and once aimed does it stay in the correct position? I.E. how much dish adjusting takes place over the course of a season? 2. Will new cables need to be run into the home (and throughout) from outside, or can I somehow splice into my current dish network lines with some sort of selector? 3. Is there a chance that the satellite feed will be cut off in the forseeable future, or will I likely be watching FSSN programming for the long term? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 A couple of questions... (satellite newbie) 1. How difficult is it to aim the dish correctly, and once aimed does it stay in the correct position? I.E. how much dish adjusting takes place over the course of a season? 2. Will new cables need to be run into the home (and throughout) from outside, or can I somehow splice into my current dish network lines with some sort of selector? 3. Is there a chance that the satellite feed will be cut off in the forseeable future, or will I likely be watching FSSN programming for the long term? Thanks! 1. I'm in the MSP area so I had PSB hook me up....I tried to aim it myself, but didn't have much luck...once you have it right, you don't need to adjust it.... 2. I had to run new cables into the house; it is totally separate from any other dish 3. the feed could end tomorrow or they could change the location of the satellite...I had to have PSB come out a couple years ago to repoint the dish but it's still well worth it... Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegas Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 A couple of questions... (satellite newbie) 1. How difficult is it to aim the dish correctly, and once aimed does it stay in the correct position? I.E. how much dish adjusting takes place over the course of a season? 2. Will new cables need to be run into the home (and throughout) from outside, or can I somehow splice into my current dish network lines with some sort of selector? 3. Is there a chance that the satellite feed will be cut off in the forseeable future, or will I likely be watching FSSN programming for the long term? Thanks! Answer to 1: That depends on your ability to figure out a compass and level. Your looking for the satellite located at 89W on the horizon. For those who are located along the Red River, due south is roughly at 97W, which means you have to twist the dish to the left about 8 degrees (97-89=8) from due south. Chicago has a longitude of 87 37" W so you would twist to the right a few degrees at most from you true south. This assumes that you are looking at the sky from behind the dish. I usually try and find a strong satellite such as 91W to first figure out where I am and then I slowly adjust my dish until I know I have the right satellite. Once you've aimed your dish you really shouldn't need to touch it ever again. All this information regarding dish pointing is available on the internet. Here's a link to Iceberg's site as an example "http://www.satelliteguys.us" Answer to 2: It depends on your current dishnet equipment, i.e., LNB type, switch type, etc. It is probably more straightforward to run a new cable and have your FTA receiver permanently connected to your 33" dish. If and when you decide to get a motor you will be happy that you installed the extra cable. Answer to 3: No one knows. The feeds could be turned off tomorrow. It is still pretty cool watching the live feeds, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 1. How difficult is it to aim the dish correctly, and once aimed does it stay in the correct position? I.E. how much dish adjusting takes place over the course of a season? If it's a fixed dish, the FSSN stays at the same spot all year so you wouldnt have to move it. In the 4 years I've had FTA the FSSN only used 2 satellites. Theyve been on the current one (IA8 at 89 degrees west) for 2 years. The satellite at the current spot didnt exist 2+ years ago Depending on location, it really isnt that hard. Im in Minneapolis so my dish faces just a smidge off straight south. If your location is legit, the dish would be aimed a little farther east then mine is. 2. Will new cables need to be run into the home (and throughout) from outside, or can I somehow splice into my current dish network lines with some sort of selector? You would need a new cable run to from the dish to the receiver. Inside you can use an a/b box to select between the 2 receivers or if your TV had enough a/v inputs, hook it up that way 3. Is there a chance that the satellite feed will be cut off in the forseeable future, or will I likely be watching FSSN programming for the long term? The only FSSN programming is the games and with FTA, you never know when stuff gets scrambled. There are a few schools that show games on FTA for alumni and fans. Montana is another one that utilizes FTA to show their football games. Also because they have to get the signal to the TV stations across Montana so they beam it up via satellite. Some of the football games are on the same satellite as the FSSN. The only one who honestly knows the answer whether or not it stays free is the head of production for the FSSN. I think as long as WDAZ stays part of the FSSN, it should stay free. A few years ago the Ralph sold a system to pick up the games. The best thing to do right now since its the end of the FSSN season is to wait until fall when we know more. Then for some reason if they move satellites you wont need to reaim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siouxfan77 Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 Well, I'm officially in Chicago now. Looking forward to getting hooked up with the FTA dish for next season. For now, I'm stuck watching games on DTV sports pack. Better than nothing, but I really wish it was live. Thanks everyone for all the great info on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.