Frequently Asked Questions
What are
Free To Air (FTA) channels?
Free to Air (FTA) channels are digital channels that are not encrypted by the
service provider and require no subscription or monthly payment. They are
provided free of charge by the provider and are perfectly legal to receive with
an FTA receiver.
Where can I
find out what channels are available free to air?
There are many free to air channels available in North America on satellites
such as Galaxy 10R, AMC4, Telstar 5, AMC3, etc. These channels are from the USA
and from around the world. See
http://www.Loonietv.ca/channels.asp
for a complete listing of what is available.
Are there
any Dish Network or Bev channels that are FTA?
Almost all of the channels provided by these companies are NOT FTA. The
channels are encrypted and require an authorized receiver and monthly
subscription. A few FTA channels are available on Dish Network such as the music
channels and NASA and the Angel Channel
Can I use an FTA receiver to receive premium channels from Dish Network or
Bev?
Absolutely not. These channels require subscription and special receivers
supplied by the service provider only. Although receivers that are FTA and
Nagra2 capable, can be programmed to open all these channels as they use the DVB
standard in some countries this maybe considered legal. Any tampering with your
FTA receiver in US and Canada (whether by hardware or software modification) to
try to receive the premium channels without paying is not only a violation of
the law and unethical, but also will void the warrantee on your receiver and may
hinder it unusable. We do not support or condone piracy of signal.
What size dish
I need for the Free to air channels?
For the C-Band signal channels you will need a 6-10ft dish.
For KU-band channels you will need a 30 inch dish and up.
What is the best DVB product for me?
If you want the easiest solution then you should consider a FTA receiver , its easier to upgrade and better than doing cards, its simple to do! Plus you have a receiver that runs like any other receiver not attached to computer just the TV! If you are a geek and like to play with computers then only consider a DVB card like the Nexus or Vision is a great choice, this is for more technically minded people and much harder to setup, the receivers are a breeze and much easier!
Click here for a summary of the different satellite FTA (Free to Air) receivers that we offer.
What is XTV ?
Currently, the Card Reader is useful for the Intelsat Americas 5 at 97.0°W.
Note: A subscription card must be purchased for the card reader to function. Subscription cards are available now for 14 months of Free-XTV adult channel when activated. you do however need a Receiver like the Coolsat 4000 Pro with a subscribed card and a 33 Inch dish to view these channels.
I already have a dish 18 inch saying DirectV or RCA can i use this dish?
Yes this dish will work you would have to re-point it to a satellite that is DVB compliant see the channel line section under SATELLITE SYSTEMS in the channel lineups!
What is a DISeQc switch and why would i need one?
A DISeQc switch is used to tie two or more dishes it looks like a cable splitter (see peoducts section for image) it allows you to put up to four different satellite dishes pointed to different satellites and allow only one cable to go back into your house to the receiver! When setting up your dvb receiver in the install menu you can let the receiver know you have a switch and which port each dish is connected to on the DiSEqC switch!
What other Alternatives do i have to connect my receiver to more than one satellite
You can get a 33 inch dish and a motor and this way the as you change channels from one satellite to another the dish moves to the correct satellite, most newbies start with a regular 18 inch dish pointed to only one satellite and then go from there as this is the easiest way to start, this hobby is very very addictive and as people get comfortable with one dish and their DVB receiver they then decide what to do next , usually one dish pointed to a good satellite gives them enough channels and some people never feel the need to be pointed to more satellites!
What channels can i get? what satellites can I point to?
http://www.Loonietv.ca/channels.asp
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to email us at sales@loonietv.ca
Loonietv.ca your number 1 choice for FTA products for Canadians (C) Loonietv.ca 2005