Is my LNB universal or not? - Techwatch: Satellite TV forums, FTA, Cable, Hardware, & Tech forums

madrat · 26-05-07, 12:59 AM

After reading the following on Satcure http://www.satcure.com/tech/lnb.htm#SX1019 I am wondering if the quad LNB I got last year is universal or only for a mini dish :? Its a Wistron 13671, it came with an adapter to fit any mini dish. It is like this one on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quad-LNB-For-S...QQcmdZViewItem

can anyone help

BGonaSTICK · 26-05-07, 04:59 AM

Yes indeed it is. For a minidish, I mean - and therefore no good for your Fortec Star dish. It's also 'Universal' - as far as the internal 'range' and switching functionality. That's the meaning of 'Universal' more than the physical 40mm neck fitting arrangement.

As described in that excellent Satcure article, you can see that the LNB skew is already built into the minidish LNB housing.

That's optimised for 28.2E, so thinking about the polarisation indicated in the SMW Link software for a moment, imagine how far out your skew will be on 30W if you use a fixed mount!

If your skew was out by a total of 90 degrees, the H/V polarized satellite signal would become invisible (logically, at least). 45 degrees (a more realistic figure, similar to the 28.2E/30W example above) would certainly make it much harder to decode the signal.

The Sky LNB is also engineered to match the shape and size of the standard minidish (short, fat and small) and won't take much advantage from your new dish. It will only 'see' a minidish-sized section of your larger dish face.

That's not quite true in reality - and this is not based on any real-world testing on my part - I'm just trying to illustrate how it all works in theory.

Gav · 26-05-07, 09:52 AM

Sky equipment is like a square tyre.

Its made out of rubber, and can't be melted without the proper and expensive equipment, so you've got no chance of fitting the square tyre onto a circular wheel, you'll just have to stick with your square tyre.

BGonaSTICK · 26-05-07, 01:25 PM

LOL, I've heard some odd analogies in my time, but that's gotta win a prize of some sort

madrat · 26-05-07, 04:56 PM

:'( Well I just shot up the ladder and removed the LNB, at first glance I thought I was going to be lucky as it looked like it was just an adapter clamp around the LNB to fit a mini dish, but when I removed it their are lugs on the LNB that would stop it fitting the LNB holder on my new dish >

I don't know now whether to look for a cheep quad on Ebay to try and save a bit of swallow hard and pay £30+ for one from a shop.

By the way some LNBs say 0.2 db up to 0.6bd what should I go for?

Mship · 26-05-07, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madrat

By the way some LNBs say 0.2 db up to 0.6bd what should I go for?

The lower the better madrat

Well in theory anyway

The only time you might notice a difference is with a weak signal where the 0.2db might be the difference between a watchable picture or not

Kev

madrat · 26-05-07, 05:22 PM

thanks, going for a 0.2 then.

madrat · 26-05-07, 05:30 PM

any views on the following. I really need some advice now

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Satconn-Univer...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...6046&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...5476&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...2780&rd=1&rd=1

or should I go for this from Satellite superstore

http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/quadlnb.htm

or this from Sat cure

http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page1a.htm#quad

BlackHawk · 26-05-07, 09:38 PM

Go for two of the cheepos on ebay. That way you will have a spare handy. It's not as if you are after nilesat with your set up

.
BH

Unknown user #1 · 26-05-07, 11:39 PM

How about this one?

http://www.wizardsatellite.co.uk/ind...roducts_id=209

I know, it's a Lemon (stupid brand name as it is) but Wizard is a good seller (I bought my setup from them, apart from receiver).

If you don't buy from them, then Satscene seller on eBay is very good. I bought a receiver (it was Lemon in both meanings of this word) and he dealt with the problem swiftly and politely. They even refunded return postage!

26-05-07, 12:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
madrat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 1,656 Thanks: 1 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Is my LNB universal or not? After reading the following on Satcure http://www.satcure.com/tech/lnb.htm#SX1019 I am wondering if the quad LNB I got last year is universal or only for a mini dish :? Its a Wistron 13671, it came with an adapter to fit any mini dish. It is like this one on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Quad-LNB-For-S...QQcmdZViewItem can anyone help __________________ *I want it and I want it now*

26-05-07, 04:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Super Murderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 10,627 Thanks: 3 Thanked 58 Times in 35 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? Yes indeed it is. For a minidish, I mean - and therefore no good for your Fortec Star dish. It's also 'Universal' - as far as the internal 'range' and switching functionality. That's the meaning of 'Universal' more than the physical 40mm neck fitting arrangement. As described in that excellent Satcure article, you can see that the LNB skew is already built into the minidish LNB housing. That's optimised for 28.2E, so thinking about the polarisation indicated in the SMW Link software for a moment, imagine how far out your skew will be on 30W if you use a fixed mount! If your skew was out by a total of 90 degrees, the H/V polarized satellite signal would become invisible (logically, at least). 45 degrees (a more realistic figure, similar to the 28.2E/30W example above) would certainly make it much harder to decode the signal. The Sky LNB is also engineered to match the shape and size of the standard minidish (short, fat and small) and won't take much advantage from your new dish. It will only 'see' a minidish-sized section of your larger dish face. That's not quite true in reality - and this is not based on any real-world testing on my part - I'm just trying to illustrate how it all works in theory. __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

26-05-07, 09:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
Gav Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 542 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? Sky equipment is like a square tyre. Its made out of rubber, and can't be melted without the proper and expensive equipment, so you've got no chance of fitting the square tyre onto a circular wheel, you'll just have to stick with your square tyre. __________________

26-05-07, 01:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Super Murderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 10,627 Thanks: 3 Thanked 58 Times in 35 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? LOL, I've heard some odd analogies in my time, but that's gotta win a prize of some sort __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

26-05-07, 04:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
madrat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 1,656 Thanks: 1 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? :'( Well I just shot up the ladder and removed the LNB, at first glance I thought I was going to be lucky as it looked like it was just an adapter clamp around the LNB to fit a mini dish, but when I removed it their are lugs on the LNB that would stop it fitting the LNB holder on my new dish > I don't know now whether to look for a cheep quad on Ebay to try and save a bit of swallow hard and pay £30+ for one from a shop. By the way some LNBs say 0.2 db up to 0.6bd what should I go for? __________________ *I want it and I want it now*


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26-05-07, 05:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
madrat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 1,656 Thanks: 1 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? thanks, going for a 0.2 then. __________________ *I want it and I want it now*

26-05-07, 05:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
madrat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 1,656 Thanks: 1 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? any views on the following. I really need some advice now http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Satconn-Univer...QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...6046&rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...5476&rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...2780&rd=1&rd=1 or should I go for this from Satellite superstore http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/quadlnb.htm or this from Sat cure http://www.satcure.co.uk/accs/page1a.htm#quad __________________ *I want it and I want it now*

26-05-07, 09:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
BlackHawk Satellite Help member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Suffolk, ENGLAND Posts: 168 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? Go for two of the cheepos on ebay. That way you will have a spare handy. It's not as if you are after nilesat with your set up . BH __________________ Smart 0.2dB LNB, 1m Gibby dish, Stab HH100 motor, 10m co-ax, TM1000D, TM1500CI+super & TM 5200D USB boxes (modified). 57east to 61west.

26-05-07, 11:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
Unknown user #1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 541 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Is my LNB universal or not? How about this one? http://www.wizardsatellite.co.uk/ind...roducts_id=209 I know, it's a Lemon (stupid brand name as it is) but Wizard is a good seller (I bought my setup from them, apart from receiver). If you don't buy from them, then Satscene seller on eBay is very good. I bought a receiver (it was Lemon in both meanings of this word) and he dealt with the problem swiftly and politely. They even refunded return postage!