Compatibility of star choice and bell? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

yzermanfan42 · 06-15-2007, 01:37 PM

I was wondering if any of you guys know if you can use a star choice satellite dish hooked up with a bell receiver.

I have a bell system here at home, but would like to take the receiver/programming up to my cabin for the next 3 months. There is already a star choice dish up there (got it from the neighbors) and was wondering if I could just hook my bell stuff up to it. I don’t want to have to get star choice stuff, unless you can do it month by month, nor do I want to take my dish of the house here if I don’t have too.

Any help would be appreciated.

Burninator · 06-15-2007, 01:39 PM

I think that could go in this thread.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=40349

photon · 06-15-2007, 01:41 PM

At the very least the dish would have to be repointed to the bell satellite.. They are at different locations in the sky.

But I'm not sure if the LNBs (the things on the end of the dish) are compatible or not, there's a few different ways to align those things and I don't know if Starchoice and Bell do it the same way.

Star Choice does do month to month (they don't have contracts), but I'm not sure if it'd be worth the hookup charge for such a short time.

GrrlGoalie33 · 06-15-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burninator

I think that could go in this thread.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=40349

That's a TV thread. This person is asking about compatibility of a receiver with a dish.

I really don't know about StarChoice, but as long as the connections are the same, I would think they would be compatible.

Burninator · 06-15-2007, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankster

That's a TV thread. This person is asking about compatibility of a receiver with a dish.

I am sure it is close enough, it's all TV related. But, doesn't matter to me anyways, just playing arm chair moderator.

transplant99 · 06-15-2007, 02:33 PM

Yes....you can use one dish to the other satellite.

photon · 06-15-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yes....you can use one dish to the other satellite.

Even the same LNB's? IE the polarization is the same? I'm pretty sure they'd use the same frequencies.

transplant99 · 06-15-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

Even the same LNB's? IE the polarization is the same? I'm pretty sure they'd use the same frequencies.

Yup......

yzermanfan42 · 06-15-2007, 03:58 PM

thanks for the info...

do i need to call bell and tell them about the location change for the programming to work??

Barnes · 06-15-2007, 04:45 PM

I sit next to a guy at work who used to work at Starchoice, he said it won't work. Something about different signal types and LNBF doo hickeys. Spiral vs vertical/horizontal signals.

kootenayguy9 · 06-15-2007, 05:27 PM

There is no way you can use a Starchoice dish for Bell Expressvu. The only thing you could possibly use is the wire to the dish. Both Starchoice and Expressvu have programs in place where they will hook up a free dish if you move.

yzermanfan42 · 06-15-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

Star Choice does do month to month (they don't have contracts), but I'm not sure if it'd be worth the hookup charge for such a short time.

any idea what the cost might be?? month to month would be great if the 'setup' fee isn't too high.

photon · 06-15-2007, 06:30 PM

Not sure, their website might have the info, or just give em a call.

ken0042 · 06-15-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

Even the same LNB's? IE the polarization is the same? I'm pretty sure they'd use the same frequencies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yup......

Everything I've ever heard tells me the contrary- that you can use the physical dish (which is just a chunk of metal) but the LNBs are very different.

Something about how the *C signal is circular and the Bell signal is vertical. I know for years *C people have been telling us Bell people about lack of rain fade do to this difference.

Vulcan · 06-15-2007, 07:29 PM

I'm using an old Starchoice dish as one of my dishes pointing at a Bell satellite. Some of the LNB's aren't compatible from what I've heard and if you need a dual satellite feed the Starchoice may not work properly but it should work fine pointing at one satellite. I'd try and take a Bell compatible LNB with me. If you can, find a rectangled shape one as it will fit both a rectangled shape arm and a D- shaped arm. Check out a dedicated satellite store for more info.

Bell doesn't allow having your account at two places at once so either don't tell or change your receiver location to your cabin.