We are considering getting a satellite TV system and I have been reading up on the latest Gov. intitiative (God help us!) the VAST system.  I am reluctant to shell out almost $700 and want to know who has one, are you happy with it and where can we get one cheaper!!!!

Having said all that, we are fulltime on the road and apart from fishing and reading we really enjoy our TV in the evenings and in the more remote parts of Oz, nada, nothing, zilch.........

Hi MikeMin, yep got one a few months ago in Vic, from http://www.satplus.com.au/ give Philip a call and I;m sure he will help.

Mrs wombat would not be without her tv.

I am just about go out so will come back later with more info

we only purchased the decoder as we already had the analouge decoder and dish.

Hi Mike

We have a satellite TV, but still need to up grade the box.

We spent five months at Undara Lave Tubes, last year (working) and out there is no reception for free to air TV. The bride couldn't do without her TV, so the pressure was on.

We ended getting a unit from Ravenshoe, however, not the box that will give us all the extra stations. It has served its purpose. Once we got the hang of finding the satellite....easy peasy! O'h don't forget to register the smart card. Without that registration you will bash your head against the wall.

Looking at that link from wombat, pretty valuable stuff.

We paid $445 for our set up. The exisiting strong box is 240 / 12, which allows us to view the idiot box, out in the never never. The TV is 12 volt as well.

Good luck

vkgreenie

There's a review in the current issue of Caravan and Motorhome regarding a satellite TV system.

Worth checking that one out. From memory the complete set up was $400

Ross

Darling Mike, Jacko has a VAST satellite system and L O V E S it.

Darling the Minimax dish is a right royal  pain and the little tripod the darling man John at Satplus in Brissie sells is much easier to use and align. The Minimax once you get it aligned it moves all the time and is unstable and you need to prop stones under the frame and then you get a breeze and it moves and then you try and anchor it down and it moves and darling nearly drove Jacko clean around the twist you know like Harpic cleans around the bend.

Darling Jacko looked up the link for the tripod for you as they are difficult to find as little John has them well hidden on his website

http://www.satplus.com.au/products/Phoenix-Satellite-Tripod.html

Have used 65cm dish all around Australia previously to VAST on Aurora and never had any issues. Darling the bigger dishes take up a lot more room and are a lot bigger sail area and the whole thing wants to go sailing down the paddock. Darling 2 of my lovely friends have changed back to 65cm dish for manageability.

Darling with my GPS compass and the charts supplied by darling little John Jacko has the satellite on air and up and running in minutes.  Mike darling Jacko did get the VAST box permanently mounted with I think the darling installation man called an Effing wall plate and all Jacko has to do is screw the cable on the outside Effing wall plate. The darling installation man put a remote switch for the inverter to make 240v and flick that and all comes to life. Darling all so simple for Jacko but unfortunately the darling installation man was already married. Darling the installation man would have made an adorable handbag for Jacko err husband I should have said.

Back again, the gear you get with these systems is not the best for finding the C1 sat, i use this

All you need is a 1mtr coax attach to this unit and the dish and useing your compass and you have a signal in minutes
look on ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3-5-Color-LCD-Pro-Digital-Satellite-Finder-Meter-TV-/260735719574?pt=AU_PayTVEquipment&hash=item3cb50f5896

Don't do what a lot of people do, buy one then leave it at home because its too hard to find a signal, I have got sick of people asking me to setup their dish etc, I now charge $20, if no signal found money is returned, I have never had to return the $20, BTW the $20 is always passed on to the RFDS

my pic went missing, this is what I use

for some reason my pic will not open, just look at the ebay site to see what I use to find Sat

Hey Wombat now you've got two pics... 

And they've both got red in them...  

Hi Grub, I might use that in the comp

Haven't been off the phone that long to an installer on the Sunshine Coast where we are at the moment.

Seems that the Aurora system will go off air 2013. However the Optus sattelite C1 which now broadcast the Aurora system, will continue to broadcast the new signal, which is available now anyway. 

In our case, as in most I guess, we just have to upgrade our decoder, approx $350.00. All other components stay as is.

There is only one company that has the licence to manufacture these decoders, but only to 2012.

We currently have a Strong de-corder, and as I believe, they will be able to supply the identical de-coder from 2012.

Probably wait till then, as no doubt they will be cheaper. But the bride may thnk differently.

Cheers & beers

vkgreenie

(Don't do what a lot of people do, buy one then leave it at home because its too hard to find a signal, I have got sick of people asking me to setup their dish etc, I now charge $20, if no signal found money is returned, I have never had to return the $20, BTW the $20 is always passed on to the RFDS)

Hi Wombat, just saw your post. I too am having a problem with setting up the sattelite dish. This unit sounds just right. Is it the same process as with the small black box supplied to us 12 months ago - just emits a whisling sound as you get closer to the satttelite and becomes louder the closer you are.????
The website just looked at does not explain how the unit works but gives details of what comes with it including the manual. Did it take you very long to work it out or are you a qualified techo?? Sorry to be such a doubter if thats what I sound like but afraid to lose the bucks if it cannot be worked out. To find your sattelite system with a few minutes sounds great. cheers, Terry

Darling VKGreenie somebody is telling you a few whopping furpheys. Vast box is around $260

Darling VKG unlikely to see a VAST Strong box ever. UEC and Bush will be only approved manufacturers for at least next 3 years. Darling would be L O V E L Y  to see a Strong box but won't happen. Darling phone Optus and you can get the goss from the fat pigs own mouth. VAST boxes should be around $150 top dollar. Darling we are seriously getting ripped off by Optus.

TopCat wrote:

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I too am having a problem with setting up the sattelite dish.

cheers, Terry

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Darling Terry if little Jacko can set her dish up in a minute with the simple little meter what are you doing wrong.  Darling Terry if you live or travelling near where Jacko lives or travelling Jacko would happily teach you to setup in a minute and have the dish aligned. Darling it is really unbelievable simple with a compass. Darling Jacko looks up little John from Satplus chart for the direction of the satellite, and the LNB degress.  Darling then Jacko uses a compass in the GPS and it puts me straight on the satellite and seldom need to adjust much. Darling C1 with all the traffic screams at a higher pitch than the other three satellites in the near orbit and makes it easy to detect C1. Darling one thing you may not have which can make things a little awkward is having an LNB that does not have degress marked on the rim. Trying to guess what the LNB degrees without having degrees marked darling is not easily possible. Darling Terry this is what an LNB with degrees marked looks like http://www.satplus.com.au/products/Strong-Brand-10.700GHz-LNB-%252d-Calibrated-for-Mobile-Use.html

Darling Terry the Happy Wanderer Sat and TV signal finder is also a good unit but is only a fancy pants of the little analogue meter.

http://www.happywanderer.net.au/page.asp?parentid=19&parent2id=50&parent3id=69

http://www.happywanderer.net.au/files/files/33_Sat_&_TV_Brochure.pdf

 

Hi wombat like your sat finder sent away and got one now need to get on the road and use it seems simple to use. thanks for the information

 THANKS GREG

Hi Guys,

I'll try to answer all questions here

VAST decoder is only $279 from here http://www.satplus.com.au/products/Australian-Digital-TV-Anywhere-in-Australia-%252d-UEC-DSD-4121-%28VAST%29.html

MikeMin: the Digi 7 is a good unit, I have one as a backup in case my main one runs out of battery, yes the Digi 7 does the same high pitched sound, the unit from eBay will show a picture of the startup screen for Optus or VAST whichever decoder you have connected (I run both decoder's but not at the same time)

NandK is the unit you got VAST or OPTUS analogue?

gst, you will not be sorry.

jacko, those units from happywanderer look good for the price, the Digi 7 is $99

TopCat, no it is not the same, it does emit a sound as well as showing the sattellte startup screen for the decoder you have connected (VAST or Optus) you can also connect rca leads and watch the tv on that unit, but it is a bit small, does not take long to work out just read the manual first, no I am not a tech I have been using sat tv for about 9 years and I have only just brought the VAST system I don't think you are a doubter, this is a good way to learn, ie: ask questions.

vkgreenie, VAST unit is currently $279, see link to SatPlus above, BTW I do not work for SatPlus, Phillip in Vic is a great guy, there is also a store in Brisbane.

The unit from eBay require's a 1mtr coax lead (not supplied) to connect to the dish while doing the setup, once the C! sat is found you remove the 1mtr coax lead and connect the main coax lead from you decoder, you can see the startup screen while you are standing next to the dish with that unit not just a high piched whistle.

Hope that answers some questions, if I have missed any please let me know.

Thanks for the info wombat.

Will order through the recommended supplier sooooon.

Cheers & beers.

vkgreenie

Thanks wombat will order tonight,

cheers

terry