Satellite TV Guide

What channels can I get on satellite?

  • This is a very broad question, as reception varies depending on the equipment you have. There are two main (frequency) bands in which satellite TV is transmitted:

    C band which is in the 3.4 to 4.2 GHz frequency band. KU band which covers 11 to 12.75 GHz At these frequencies, the signals are microwave.

Differences between the bands?

  • Generally C-Band requires a larger dish and KU band a smaller dish.A C-Band dish is usually 2M or larger in diameter, and KU band dishes vary from 65cm to 2M. C-band dishes are usually mesh as the surface accuracy does not to be as accurate as it needs to be for KU band. Therefore KU band dishes are usually solid with a smooth surface as they need to be accurately made to focus the small KU band waves into the feed horn on the LNB. The LNBs (Low noise block down-converter) sits in the front or centre of the dish, and collects all the reflected micro-waves from the dish. The micro-waves are very very weak, and are not harmful. The LNBF has an integrated feed horn, and the waves travel along the feed horn, and enter the LNB where they are converted and transferred to the satellite receiver via the coax cable.

C Band Systems:

  • -Band contains many free channels, most of which are foreign language.There are 9 or 10 satellites accessible from the East and West Coast of Australia. Your C band dish can be a fixed type system, with 2M mesh dish, C band LNBF, coax cable and digital satellite receiver, or it can be motorized to point to all of the C band satellites in your region. A fixed C band dish system is usually installed on the ground, and points to one of the 10 satellites in your region. Free to air channels from this one satellite can be viewed.
  • Motorizing your system can allow it to point to all (providing you have no obstructions such as trees etc) satellites in your region and you can move the dish remotely as you require. To motorize your dish you firstly need a special type of pivoting mount on the dish. This is called a polar mount and comes standard on most larger dishes. Other additional items required are an actuator and positioner, and connecting cable. The actuator is the ‘ram’ like unit which fits on your dish and does the moving, and the positioner is the inside unit that controls the actuator and ‘remembers’ the satellite positions. The positioner usually comes with a remote control for the user. There are also a type of positioner that interface with most modern digital satellite receivers using a protocol called DisEQc 1.2. These are called V-BOX, and use the existing Digital receiver remote control to control the satellite dish position.

KU Band Systems:

  • KU-Band contains some (maybe 60) free to air channels. Most of the Channels are on Optus B3. These free channels are mainly Foreign language channels, and Christian Channels on Optus B3. To receive these FTA channel, you would need an 80cm dish and KU band LNBF, and a Free to Air digital satellite receiver such as the Strong SRT4663X. Other channels on KU band are PAY TV channels and Aurora remote area channels and require a Digital satellite receiver with card slot, and an authorized smart card and subscription (for Pay TV) to view them. The Pay TV receiver and card are supplied by the PAY TV provider when you take up a subscription.
  • Other digital satellite receivers will work with the original smart card, however some of the PAY TV providers do not like you using their card in any other receiver other than the one they supply with the installation, and their service may not work properly on receivers not supplied by them.

There is one exception:

  • SelecTV Pay TV. You can buy a SelecTV smart card only from us and use it in a licenced digital satellite receiver of your choice. A subscription is paid directly to SelecTV. SelectTV will allow you to use your card while travelling, and subscribe without any long term contract.

Pay TV channels presently have 2 types of encryption in Australia, Irdeto and NDS. The receivers mentioned above should work only with the Irdeto system, and only with an original smart card with subscription.

The Aurora Satellite – what is it?

  • Aurora is platform on Optus C1 satellite that has a group of channels that contain free to air Television such as ABC and SBS, and a choice of 2 commercial channels, either GWN and WIN West for WA, or Imparja and Seven Central for other areas. SBS and ABC are available to anyone within Australia. The Commercial channels are available only* to anyone in Australia that outside the footprint of terrestrial transmitters. Channels need to be activated before they can be watched. They can be activated by phoning or faxing each Broadcaster. All channels are free to activate except for Imparja who will charge $55 per activation.
  • An Irdeto embedded satellite receiver such as the Strong SRT4663X and an Optus Aurora smart card are required and these can be purchased from us as we are an Optus Aurora dealer. Dish sizes required are a minimum of 85cm Australia wide, and Northern areas such as the NT and Cape York need larger sizes up to 2.4M. Smaller dishes as small as 65cm will work, however the signal on these dishes will drop out quickly in overcast or rainy conditions. Once the equipment is obtained and installed, Optus need to be contacted to have the card ‘turned on’. Once turned on, there are no further on-going fees. The Aurora service is only for use within Australia. Other Countries such as Papua New Guinea and New Zealand may receive the signal, but are not entitled to view the programming.

*There is a provision for viewers with poor TV reception within the terrestrial viewing area, to receive the Aurora commercial channel via satellite. A site survey needs to be done, and if approved by the Television stations involved, the channels can be activated. For more info go to the Broadcasters’ sites.. eg www.sevencentral.com.au and www.imparja.com.au

Can C and KU band be integrated into the one system?

  • Yes, however this requires a dual band feed horn, a C band LNBF and a KU band LNBF in one, . The performance is compromised when a dual band feed horn is used, and using a mesh dish for KU band is about 20% less efficient than using a solid dish.
  • The preferred method to receiver C and KU band is to have 2 separate dishes. Say a 2.3M mesh motorized dish for C band, and a fixed 90cm to 1.2M solid dish for KU band, with some diseqc electronic switching to select between the 2 dishes. So you can receive about 140 free to air channels with a motorized C band dish, 130 of which are foreign language, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Tamil, Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Japanese, and about 10 English. On the KU band system you can receive some free channels, and if you have a PAY TV card, you can receive the channels you pay for. If you have an Aurora system, you can receive ABC and SBS for your region, and If you live in a NON Terrestrial reception area in WA, GWN and WIN West, or areas other than WA, Imparja and Seven Central