My TV setup is based on a Technosat Multytenne dish/LNB which receives feeds from 4 satellite. My media PC has two cards (technosat skystar and WinTV Nova HD). This has run reliably for years except during very poor weather when the signal fails. More recently, channels are failing to load when the weather seems OK, but as UK channel beams have been tightened (over the UK) in recent months this does (sadly) make sense. I am in Switzerland so my setup is, arguably, on the fringe of acceptable (small dish).
I have noticed when running a channel scan that the signal strength/quality parameters seem to be different depending on the card. This means I "find" more channels on one card versus the other and (I suspect) some channels will not load on one card but might on the other. By deduction there must be a Sat card which has the "best" performance for channel scanning/loading. I am also not sure if a channel fails to laod on one card, if MP then tries to load it on the other.
All this 'knowledge' is just deduction. I have not found resources where I can get educated on this topic. Are there any contributors here that can help, or failing that good websites for advice? These would be learning about how to improve satelite feed quality, what the best TV cards are (switching times, sensitivity, etc.). I also struggle to know how some of the details in MediaPortal work - such as how the TV card priority functions.
My starter questions:
I have noticed when running a channel scan that the signal strength/quality parameters seem to be different depending on the card. This means I "find" more channels on one card versus the other and (I suspect) some channels will not load on one card but might on the other. By deduction there must be a Sat card which has the "best" performance for channel scanning/loading. I am also not sure if a channel fails to laod on one card, if MP then tries to load it on the other.
All this 'knowledge' is just deduction. I have not found resources where I can get educated on this topic. Are there any contributors here that can help, or failing that good websites for advice? These would be learning about how to improve satelite feed quality, what the best TV cards are (switching times, sensitivity, etc.). I also struggle to know how some of the details in MediaPortal work - such as how the TV card priority functions.
My starter questions:
- Is a new card likely to improve channel reception and reliability?
- If so, which HD sat card which has the "best" performance for channel scanning/loading/switch times.
- If not, what are the best tricks to improve the satellite feed reliability?
- Any websites that are useful for these topics?