I'd like to add a remote compass to my setup so that I'm never having to guess and get exact readings of where things are pointing.
I've been looking around for a device that might do the trick.

Items I've come across;
http://www.hitechnic.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=NMC1034

http://www.flickr.com/photos/osamu_iwasaki/3326684791/

I've also looked at automotive products but those don't have specific digits, just N, E, S and W. Something that would allow using perhaps even the coax that's already up there or an additional run.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[Not]

I use a Traxis DBS 3500 to tell me where my dish/motor is pointing, I hit LIST, pick a satellite hit OK.........  and I KNOW my dish is pointing there. Its never missed a beat in around 7 years.

Not trying to be funny, but your over thinking this I feel, you have had a horrific start. But once you get a half decent receiver with USALS all concerns about where you are pointing will be gone.

You can simply slave the Sonic off the (Master) Traxis (For example) that way the Traxis controls the motor, blind scans, and the Sonic (Slave) does your HD and PVR (if you ever need it)

All you need to do this is one short bit of RG6 Coax.

>your over thinking this I feel, you have had a horrific start.
>But once you get a half decent receiver with USALS all

I'm just looking for reasons to have more goodies up there .

>You can simply slave the Sonic off the (Master) Traxis (For example)
>that way the Traxis controls the motor, blind scans, and the Sonic
>(Slave) does your HD and PVR (if you ever need it)

I do see some traxis units in rack mount version which is what I would prefer. So, pretty much any of the used traxis units on ebay for example?

Would the DBS3800 do the trick? In fact, I might just get rid of the sonicview if I'm going this road. You mentioned a way of being able to record. I just wanted a simple, all in one solution, that's why I liked the viewsonic. Really, I also wanted HD.

I also think the dish might need some adjusting. Going full West, it hits the mounting pole which I am starting to think is why I keep losing my settings. Settings don't seem to be lost until I go full West. That just dawned on me

[Licensed - Bonded - InsuredPSB@Invacom.net InstallSat@aol.com]

I would remove the leg (?) your talking about if it is indeed hitting anywhere, see if the issure goes away. You may have to re-zero on 93w.  Then if the issue returns its in the receiver.

I use a Match Box Pro USB receiver for my HD, again its slaved to the Traxis with a bit of coax. it also works as a PVR

Hope thats the issue all along : )

I like that the traxis has rock solid positioning but it's too bad I can't find one which suits my needs.
For me, it's got to have HDTV and PVR built in, it gets too complicated if I need to have external this, that.
So far, it seems to be working ok but it does seem to lose it's position here and there.
I'll have to notice if it's only after I've gone too far West, could be that's all the problem is.

I like that the traxis has rock solid positioning but it's too bad I can't find one which suits my needs.
For me, it's got to have HDTV and PVR

I have dishnetwork HD with a dvr, and, love to watch hockey in HD. I can tell you that, comparatively, watching FTA standard digital college hockey brought in by the traxis, is so close to the picture I get with dish 1080i HD that I can't tell the difference on my sony hdtv. Comparing the same game from dish in SD and HD, there is a world of difference. FTA standard digital is simply way better than standard digital by any other means (cable, satellite TV providers included). My experience with FTA is only with a traxis, so can't compare it to the quality of other boxes.

Well, I sure appreciate the input. My thread seems to have gotten sidetracked again hehe.

Bottom line is that I'd like an all in one solution because I have so much hardware to deal with that every little thing I add into my life turns into extra time and space. I have a lot of hardware where the FTA stuff is going so I'm also under a bit of a space constraint.
My simplest fix might be the rack mount traxis for motor but I think I'm sending the sonicview back so not sure at the moment.

I like the good word on the traxis based on it's rock solid positioning but it doesn't motivate me in terms of what it has built in.
I'm also looking at something called a dreambox hd800 which is interesting to me but don't know enough about it yet.
I would really most prefer an open source solution as in a stand alone FTA box (not something running on a PC) which is well developed by the community, running linux. Pete gave me a few interesting leads I'm looking into.

I didn't notice if there's a hardware forum for this kind of talk but I'll move it there if there it .