An old question - Indoor Dish Setup

[diarmuid]

Don't all jump on me for that old question. I want to try and set up an indoor dish. It's a sixth floor apartment facing south with double glazing. Balcony dish forbidden!

Couldn't find any thread on the subject but I remember seeing it discussed some years ago.

Can anyone point me in that direction?

Regards

Andy

[Detlef]

You lose a load of signal through glass so need a much larger dish but it is possible - probably around twice the normal recommended size with double glazing.

There are also some tricks you can play with a standard offset dish. An offset dish will work perfectly well lying on its back (you have to experiment with the angles to get it just right). The advantage is that it doesn't look like a dish anymore - it looks more like a small patio table - which shouldn't upset the landlord.

It would help if you told us what Sats you hope to get and a hint at your location but, for example, a 60cm dish would be OK for 28E in most of England.

There are also linear aerials for Sat reception - these look a bit like a barbers poles - so could possibly be used outside too.

I don't know if they are still made but there used to be transparent dishes which blend in with the surroundings - again they may not be visible 6 floors up.

Below: a quick sketch showing a normal offset dish and an offset dish on its back - often the angles are such that the one on its back is nearer to the horizontal. If it is still too upright the angle of the LNB arm can be change by up to 10 degrees (meaning the dish will lay back a further 20 degrees) without a great loss of signal.

51013

Thanks to Paul Wade for the original sketch.

[BM300]

Thanks Detlef for the very useful information.

I have tried the indoor dish solution with Astra 19e and HB 13e in London.
And it works nicely.

Some channels (weaker transponders) go away during a heavy rain or overcast days.

[ABA]

how far are you from the roof and can you fit one there

[diarmuid]

Thanks for the replies.

I can't fit one on the roof nor on the balcony. I tried a 37CM dish inside an open window and got perfect reception until I close the window then the signal gets diffused through the double glazing. A bit cold for the winter!

I'll have to subscribe to the cable system.

4Andy

[ManikM]

what about one of those campling arials that clamps onto your window with rubber suckers...? its not permanent....any complaints - u can take it in, and say what dish...?!?

lol

[gadstamut]

I seem to remember a flat dish which looks a fair bit smaller than ur standard dish Selfsat H30D. Not sure on it;s performance but it resembles a larger butter dish.

[BM300]

I seem to remember a flat dish which looks a fair bit smaller than ur standard dish Selfsat H30D. Not sure on it;s performance but it resembles a larger butter dish.

I was thinking along the same line.
A square flat dish (array type) works, but you need a larger size as it is not effecient as a classical dish.
You could paint it to match the wall and blend with the background.

[Friendly-Face]

Try selfsat dish, they realy do work for some sats , i have mounted one for a mate and he gets Astra 19,2, Hotbird 13 , Sirus and Thor here in South of Norway
Astra and Hotbird do not get all the transponders but the most importned are there, biside we have fited an Selfsat motor and all working good for him.

For me well nothing under 1M is good, as i hunt the new transponders as much as i can.

[bs20ger]

There is something on the market called a sqish. It measures 475mm x 260mm, and they can be camouflaged. Was looking at them for some expensive houses on a small development, only good for strong singal satellites and a bit pricey at £150+.

[snapperoonie]

@diarmuid
I remember years ago reading about a disguised dish called a Digiglobe, it was/is an Arcon Sweetie type dish enclosed in some sort of plastic globe, it even had a light bulb inside so that it doubled as an outside light. Mighht look nice on you balcony ;-)
Regards,
snapperoonie

[diarmuid]

Thanks Guys,

The problem is tthat the apartment is rented not owned. The last apartment I had a dish on the balcony hidden behind a plastic sheeting tied to the rbalcony railing. Because it was on the top floor it couldn;t be sween. This one us rented and the landlord has access. So if I have a dish he'll see it and I'm caught. Also he has a deal with Sky on a communal aerial so he gets a commission.

I was using that camping aerial but in cold weather it's not an option. It's okay for a match now and again but not for 24/7 viewing. Even if I go for the Digiglobe or similar the landlord has the power to make me take it down.


It's a pity about the signal through the glass. If anyone has any idea how to intensify a signal behind glass It would be interesting to try it!

Regards

4Andy

[Detlef]

See if you can borrow an 80cm and try it behind the glass.

An 80cm will give 4 times the signal of the camping dish you tried.

Another possibility is to make a temporary balcony door out of that clear poly-glaze stuff and try your 37cm dish again. Just make a simple frame that fills the door aperture (enough to keep the weather out) when the glass door is open. The poly glaze material doesn't contain lead so hardly loses any signal. Make it single glazed as double glazing is very lossy.

[diarmuid]

Good idea Detlef!

I might try that. Because the dark nights are heading in it will be harder to see anything up on the sixth floor.

Regards

Andy

[ChorleyMatt]

Selfsat also do a dish that looks like a patio chair - an almost perfect solution as there would be no aesthetic reason for the landlord to insist you take it down. In fact, he'd be hard pushed to know it was even there at all.