So I have heard some stuff about FTA satellite. I am wondering, is it worth it, what size of dish i really need, should I get C band as well, and what can I pick up that may actualy be worth it. also, if I get a fta system that can do both ku, and c band, can i see any normal station that is not scrambled? all info is welcome.

Well, C band is where free to air stuff is found. Subscription is also found there, but you can find for free just about anything you want to watch. Raw feeds are also C band, meaning if you know where to look and where to turn the dish, you can see what goes on during commercials (news people and sports casters change their demeanor drastically when the red light turns off)

Ku band is what the DirecTV/Dish network type outfits use. Ku is also used by NASA's Telemetry Systems, which carry communications between Houston and the Space Shuttle, and between the space station and it's control center at Houston. In theory, you could hear CAPCOM to Shuttle communications and vice versa, along with ISS communications.

Ku is seeing more use by TV networks because unlike C, Ku can be encrypted, thereby protecting the signal from assholes like us. NBC was the first to link it's network affiliates by encrypted Ku in 1983.

I know there is "in the clear stuff" on c band, but what I am talking about is FTA mpeg 2 that can be found on both c band and ku band.
http://www.skyvision.com/fta/freetoair.html
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Order/Satellite-systems/Motorized-Systems.htm

A lot of the MPEG2 FTA boxes have firmware "upgrades" that let you get lots of neat stuff on Ku band. I would get a Dish Network dish. Look for one with legacy LNB's, a legacy Dish500 works good. A DiSEqC switch will be needed to switch sats.

The upgraded firmware can decode Nagravision 2. Not that anyone would do that, since it's illegal. But it can be done. The encryption keys you need can be found on lots of websites.

You want the Dish 500 pointed at 119 and 110, btw.

interesting that it can be done. have you played with FTA satellite? if so, what are your experiances?

it works... I'm using a Pansat 2500a that I just upgraded today to new firmware that makes into a 2700. I'm getting every channel in dish's system. Even the porno and pay per views.

It's fun to mess with, but I spent about 7 hours today to get things working so I could actually watch TV. Tomorrow it may not work again. Keys change, sometimes the box can "autoroll" to the new keys, sometimes not. ECM's come down and break things so it stops working, then you need to track down a new firmware, if there even is one. Sometimes it takes hours for new firmware, sometimes weeks or months.

I pay big bucks for a real subscription, I just do the FTA thing for something to do. Lots of good sites out there with info, dsstester is one, fta-spot is another.