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Are the latest Sonicview FTA Keys available?

If your Sonicview receiver stopped working, you may need a new set of keys.   If you have a high end Sonicview 360 Elite FTA Receiver, and there is no reason that you shouldn’t, then you may need working DISH FTA KEYS.

Sonicview

• Step 1- Check our member forum for the latest bin file.  The bin files usually solve the problem acting as a type of “Key Grabber”.   Once you have the correct bin the FTA Receiver from Sonicview will rip they fta keys from the satellite automatically.
• Step 2- If the above didn’t work, the specific forum for your receiver (the 360 Elite for example) will offer additional information on how to manually enter the 0101 or 0106 keys that you need to get signal decryption working.
• Step 3- Using the menu on your receiver you can type the Charlie Idea Keys (another way to say dish fta keys) that you see one the site

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Free to Air in an Emergency

by Sammy Satellite.

The digital switchover is now a mere month away and one of the biggest questions I’ve received is “What will happen to my portable analog television?”   We all watch Satellite TV but still millions of people and many of Sammy’s readers have a small portable TV that we use when camping or in case of emergency.    In the mid-west, when the bad weather hits and everyone heads for the basement, will have a way to stay informed after February 17, 2009?

Battery-powered analog televisions are able to receive over-the-air free digital programming, but they must be connected to a digital-to-analog converter box and a separate broadcast antenna. The battery-powered analog television must have an “antenna in” port in order to connect it to a digital-to-analog converter box. Sounds simple enough but wait, it’s an emergency and the power is out. Now what?

Ultimately, you need to find another source to feed power to the digital-to-analog converter box. The TV runs on batteries, but the converter box needs electricity from the wall. Fortunately, you do have a few options. These include external power sources with rechargeable battery packs, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), car battery adapters, or small power generators. There are also a few manufacturers that offer a separate battery pack for their converter box. One of them, the Winegard Battery Pack, allows you to run your Winegard converter box using 6 D cell batteries and will run for about 18 hours.

The other option, the one that will probably cost you the most money, is to shell out for a battery-powered digital television. Look for models that are marked with words like “Integrated Digital Tuner,” “Digital Tuner Built-in,” “Digital Receiver,” “DTV,” “ATSC” or “HDTV.” Your local electronics store has probably received this question as often as I have so that would be a great place to start if you plan to toss the old analog and move up to a digital portable TV.

The last emergency you need during an emergency is to be out of the loop so don’t forget to keep a battery-powered radio with your emergency kit so you can pick up news and weather bulletins.

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The US Goes Digital

by  Sammy Satellite. – Staff Writer for n2news

Congress mandated the conversion to all-digital television broadcasting (DTV) because digital signals will free frequencies for public safety uses (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue).    Digital TV signals take much less space on public airwaves to transmit the same amount of information.  In fact, it is so efficient that digital TV stations will likely transmit multiple different video streams containing different shows.

If you currently watch TV using an FTA Receiver to watch Free-To-Air shows, you have nothing to worry about, the switch to all digital does not affect you.

If you currently watch TV using a box provided by a cable company, the switch won’t affect you but you’re missing out and should seriously consider the FTA hobby.

If you have been watching over the air signals from network stations in your market, now is the perfect time to upgrade to an FTA receiver.   Even if you don’t have a satellite and have no intention of installing one, and FTA receiver is an excellent option for your TV needs.    FTA receivers are well supported and often include PVR functions, on screen guides, and other entertainment options and many are capable of receiving the all digital signals in your local market and showing them on your existing TV.

Q: What date will I need an FTA receiver to help me watch my local over the air (OTA) broadcasts?

A: The US will officially switch on February 17^th, 2009

Q: Can I upgrade now?

A: Yes, you should install your FTA receiver now.  The digital signals are available in every major market already and will improve your TV experience.

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Dissecting the DiSEqC

by Tommy Technician. – Staff Writer for n2news

As part of your FTA satellite installation you probably have a small metal or plated device that looks like a sea creature with COAX cables coming in and out of it.   This device is called a DiSEqC which stands for “Digital Satellite Equipment Control” and is pronounced “Die-Seck”.

This is your average diseqc switch

In order for satellite systems to fit more channels in the same amount of space they broadcast channels using vertical and horizontal polarization.   A DiSEqC is like a small phone operator for the satellite word that takes a look at all the signals coming in from the Dishes and tells them which stations to pass back to the receiver.

The receiver sends a signal in the form of a tone or by raising the voltage on line.   The DiSEqC device understands these signals and tells the LNB what signal to pass to the receiver.

If you have One LNB going to One Receiver, you do not need a switch.

If you have One LNB going to Two Receivers, you most likely do not need a switch but you will need an LNB with dual outputs.

If you have Two LNBs going to One receiver you need one of the following:  An A/B Switch, a 2×1 DiSEqC, a 4×1 DiSEqC, a 22KHz switch, or a 4×4 Multiswitch.   An A/B switch is a very inexpensive manual switch and is not recommended.   A 2×1 is not widely used any more but the 4×1 DiSEqC switch is the most popular around and often shipped free with your FTA receiver.    A 4×1 DiSEqC switch has 4 coax inputs, generally 2 on each side.  These are called “Ports” and go to each LNB in your satellite setup.    A 5^th plug labeled Out or Output will lead to your one receiver.  Tip:  Take notes when you install yourDiSEqC so you know which dish (110, 119, 129, etc) is on which port as you will need this to configure the receiver.

A 4×4 Multi-Switch is a higher end switch that has 4 inputs and 4 outputs.   Generally they require the first port to provide power through a special injector that plugs in near the receiver.   These flexible and powerful switches offer a lot of expansion as the can power up to 4 different receivers.

DiSeQC comes in many versions.   The initial version (1.0) supports 2 to 4 different LNB sources.   Version 1.1 supports up to 16 different LNB sources.   Version 1.2 and 1.3 add support for motors and for other types of devices used to turn and point dishes.  Newer devices, some still in the lab but other hitting the market use DiSEqC 2.x to automatically scan the sky and locate all the satellites and provide automatic access to all of them.

Tommy the Tech uses a simple DiSEqC 1.0 setup with a 4×4 powered switch.

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What’s N3 and does it affect me?

by  Sammy Satellite. – Staff Writer for n2news

Various satellite signal providers choose to add a level of encoding on the video making it more difficult for FTA receivers to display.   Currently providers in the United States use something called “Nagra 2”.   Five years ago the “Nagra 1” codes where used and now certain providers are moving to “Nagra 3”.   Even very experienced FTA users are confused by the transition so here is some information from Sammy that may answer your questions.

It is not unreasonable that a satellite company or Free-To-Air station wants to provide viewers with more options.  To make that happen they use a special type of card that looks like a credit card but contains a microchip running software.   These cards are called “ROMS” and fit into non FTA receivers.   When a satellite company wants to offer new features, such as new methods of interaction or a new signal decoder, they must SWAP all of the cards that all of their millions of customers have with new cards.   Over a period of time new rom cards will be shipped to existing customers and old cards will no longer work.   This is called a Card Swap and has recently been started by at least one of the major providers and will start soon with others.

Here are some common questions and answers.

Q: Will my existing receiver be able to handle N3?

A: Little is known in the public about N3 at this time but most people believe that manufacturers and coding teams will find a way to support N3 on all popular receivers that are currently in the marketplace.    Some receivers with less processing power, memory or other resources may not be able to handle this “Next Generation” of decoding.

Q: If I am not sure that a receiver will handle N3, should I spent my money on a new receiver or just wait?

A: This is a good question and there are two ways that experts are advising.   Some experts are just not sure and they recommend buying a low end receiver for now and waiting and then switch to the best receivers as they prove support for N3.    Others, including Sammy, think that more powerful FTA receivers will be the first to support N3 and having one now is a good investment and will likely prove to have less downtime.    Sammy loves the way his HD receiver can record prime time shows in HD format free over air from my local network stations and this is worth the investment.

Q: Will I loose my FTA channels?

A:  FTA receivers have many purposes.   If you are using your receiver for OTA ATSC (Over the air signals sent by your local networks in digital and often HD format) then you will not have any problem and the N3 card swap will have no impact on you.    The FTA hobby is perfect for watching international stations available on many different satellites that will not be impacted in any way by N3.

Q: Is one brand likely to come out with support faster?

A: Some people think that it will be a great sales advantage for the manufactures to support N3 before anyone else and in some cases this will happen.   Generally speaking, the FTA community is just that, a community of hard working coders.   Some hardware companies even use the same coders and coding teams.   As information becomes available, these teams will likely share with each other so that everyone can learn and the hobby can move forward.  Some receivers will have less downtime than others.   

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FTA Terms for Beginners - Part 3 of 3

by  Sammy Satellite. – Staff Writer for n2news

• ATSC – Advanced Television Systems Committee.   This really means a digital signal that is broadcast in a local market, usually from the top of tall building or a mountain.   These broadcasts can be encrypted but are generally free and contain network programming and local interest programming.
• A/V – Audio and Video.  Generally used in reference to the signal going into the TV.
• Azimuth – The angle of ration that a ground based antenna must be rotated through in order to point to a specific satellite.  This really means how for left and right to turn your dish while pointing it.
• Bin – Short for Binary File or the software information used by your receiver to access the full functionality it is capable of.
• Bird – This is slang for Satellite
• CONUS – The 48 states making up the CONtinental United States.
• Codec – This is the name of a computer method used to encode or decode the video in a way that saves space.  An AVI file on your computer may use a codec to compress the video.  In the same way, some signals, especially HDTV signals use advanced codecs to compress the picture and save bandwidth allowing more tv programs on the same satellite.    Not all stations are created equally.  Popular stations may be allocated more room and less popular stations may use a Codec with more compression resulting in a blockier looking picture.   Your PVR also uses a codec to save space for video files.
• Charlie – A nickname affectionately given to a specific satellite company based on the loveable long time CEO.
• ECM – Electronic Counter Measures.   In order to counter-act the misuse of FTA hardware, some signal providers change the signal or insert some other signal in an attempt to confuse or disable unauthorized hardware.
• EL - Elevation
• EPG – Electronic Programming Guide – Think of this as a copy the Sunday Paper placed right on your screen showing what is on the air right now on every channel.   Some EPG systems color code movies and can search for your favorite actors.
• FTA – Free To Air refers to any signal designed to be received over the public airwaves and watched without decryption.
• FSS – Fixed Satellite Service
• HDTV – High Definition T.V. generally  means signals set at 720p, 1080i or 1080p.
• Key – A key or keycode is a digital value u
• MPEG – This is a type of compression used to reduce the amount of information it takes to transmit a TV signal.  Most stations transmit using MPEG-2 Compression but some are using MPEG-4 which are not the same.
• OTA – Over the Air
• PPV – Pay Per View
• PQ – Picture Quality
• PVR – Personal Video Recorded.  Refers generically to any system or device that allows a show to be recorded and watched again at a later time. 
• RG6 – This is a type of Coax cable that is used to move the signal from one location to another.  An RG6 cable is a little thinker than normal Coax (RG-58) and is dual shielded to prevent interference. 
• Spot – Sometimes called SB or Spot Beam.   The same frequency on a satellite may contain entirely different programming depending on what part of the country you are in.   A specific transponder may carry a group of East coast locals in one part of the country and west coast locals in another part of the country.
• STB – Set Top Box.   The STB is generally talking about your receiver that you use although it can be used to talk about a receiver provide by a cable or satellite company.
• Stream – The data information sent over the satellite company.   Usually used in reference to an ECM such as, “There is an ECM in the stream, you may need to U/L and new bin”.
• Tiers – Satellite providers group signals into Tiers that represent the way they are packaged and sold or the way they intend for them to be group and displayed in the receiver.
• TP – Transponder
• U/L – Upload or transfer from your computer to the receiver
• YPrPb – Another way to talk about Component Video Cables.

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A Guide to FTA Receiver - Part 1

by Sammy Satellite. – Staff Writer for n2news

When choosing an FTA receiver it is important to know some of the basic differences that make receivers unique. There are many receivers on the market and picking your first receiver can seem daunting at first. Here are some basic differences between receivers that may make the choice easier.

Standard Definition receivers (sometimes called SD) output signals in the most universal and compatible format. Normal television and most Cable TV signals are sent in “Standard Definition” so this is what you are most likely already using. If you check your Cable TV Boxor existing satellite receiver and you have a Yellow RCA Cable plugging into your TV or you are simply receiving TV over-the-air using an antenna then you are using Standard Definition. Please see our images section for pictures of the yellow RCA cable, a Coax Cable, or an S-Video cable as all of these mean you are watching “Standard Definition” TV right now. Sammy’s bottom line, if you currently get Basic Cable or watch TV from an antenna and you are happy with the picture or your TV is less than 27”, go with Standard Definition.

High Definition receivers (HDTV) output signals to your TV using newer technology. In order to use an HD receiver, your TV must support component input cables or HDMI. It may be a good idea to read our article “Is the High Price for High Def Worth it?” for more information on HD content. Sammy’s bottom line, if your TV has the ability to handle Component Input or HDMI then an investment in an HD capable receiver may be worth the money.

Another popular feature available on some models is a “PVR”. You may think of a PVR as “TIVO” although not all PVR systems are made the same. At a basic level, a receiver that includes a PVR offers the ability to record a show and somehow watch it later. Having the ability to watch the shows and movies on your own schedule is one of the greatest advances in TV ever but not all PVRs are created the same so check carefully if you’re looking into a PVR. Sammy’s bottom line, FTA receivers don’t have the same level of PVR as a TIVO® but keep this feature on your radar if you have a busy schedule.

There are a huge number of channels that may or may not be configured on your FTA receiver and keeping them under control is important. Some models offer the ability to group channels into “Favorites” and some even have multiple folders allowing different members of the family to organize the channels they watch and skip the channels they don’t. Sammy’s bottom line, if you have kids or a wife you may want to look for Favorites and Parental Controls on your next receiver.

Next generation receivers have all types of fun features that take advantage of the Internet. Some models may offer Radio Streaming or the ability to download icons representing the available channels. These models are usually reserved for the techies who love to tinker but if you have the time to learn and the patience to ask questions then these exclusive cutting edge features can be very rewarding.

The final thing to look at when considering a new receiver is the team behind it. Check out our support forums and see how active the section is that deals with the receiver you are considering. Take a look at our Guide to Posting Questions article and feel free to ask questions about the receivers you are considering. Sammy’s bottom line, a well supported brand with fewer features is a better investment if you are just getting started.

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