Satellite Room Distribution (Multiple STB's)

[anth.payne]

Hello everyone. I'm not such a newbie to AVForums, but I'm a newbie in this topic...

I currently have a sky dish with a quad LNB (only two are connected) which comes down to my Sky+ box in the living room. Simple eh...?

I am in the process of building a HTPC (which will have a twin Sat tuner) to go in my cinema room, and also considering the possibility of FreeSat STB's in Bedrooms 1 & 2.

I have already bought a modular panel for the cinema room for the sattelite connections (it looks like this: New Media Modules, Mini-Grid Switch Modules and New Media Modules, Switches & Sockets, Electrical Accessories, New Media Module - Quad TV, Radio, Sat1 & 2 Module - Quad Module - Polar White, astra247.com - ). I didnt realise when I bought this that it has only 2 inputs. 1 Triplexed input and one Sat2 input.

So here is my ideal outputs per room:

Living Room:
x2 Sat

Cinema Room:
x2 Sat
x1 UHF

Bedroom 1 & 2:
x1 Sat
x1 UHF

It seems that in order to achieve this, I am going to need one of the Triax distribution units, with a triplexed connector in each room.

I have been looking at the Triax TMP 5x8. From what I can gather, I will plug my LNB inputs into this unit, a UHF input and an FM input (if I decide to have FM). This will then triplex these signals down to the x8 outputs? I can then take two of these outputs to the Living room with one of the faceplates as above. Two to the cinema room, and one to each of the bedrooms.

I also wanted to confirm that it is possible to essentially connect a triplexed signal direct to the SAT2 connection?

Opinions and advice please!

 

[anth.payne]

Also wanted to ask whether it is essential to connect ALL 4 sat inputs to one of these units - or whether i can connect only 2 of them?

 

[davemurgatroyd2]

You do realise that the Triax TMP 5x8 requires a quattro lnb and NOT a quad lnb (there are hardly any multiswitches still in production that will work with standard quad lnbs). Multiswitches also require a size larger dish than standard to cope with the inherent signal losses in a multiswitch. Also note that quattro lnbs are NOT made that fit to Sky minidishes so you will need a standard "round" satellite dish of at least 60cm for the South of Engalnd, 80cm for the North and even up to 1 metre for Northern Scotland. You may find it a lot cheaper and easier to use a standard octo lnb on a Sky dish and diplexers/triplexers to the required rooms..

The wallplates you link to connect to the outputs from the multiswitch or diplexers/triplexers.

 

[anth.payne]

Hi Dave, thanks for your response - whats the difference between the LNB's?

If this is the case - i'm stuck!

How can I pass a duplexed signal to atleast the cinema room and living room (ignoring the bedrooms for now)?

Also, if I pass a duplexed signal to the Sat2 connection - will this still work?

Preferrably I dont want to run another two cable down from the LNB...

 

[anth.payne]

Is it possible to use the Labgear HDU681 unit for multiple STB's?

 

[davemurgatroyd2]

Hi Dave, thanks for your response - whats the difference between the LNB's?

A quad lnb is four completely seperate lnbs within one housing - each output being controlled by signals output from the tuner it is connected to. A quattro lnb has four fixed outputs - one of each polarity and frequency band combination.

If this is the case - i'm stuck!

How can I pass a duplexed signal to atleast the cinema room and living room (ignoring the bedrooms for now)?

Also, if I pass a duplexed signal to the Sat2 connection - will this still work?

Preferrably I dont want to run another two cable down from the LNB...

No all you need, if you do not go the multiswitch and larger dish route, is an octo lnb on your present dish four extra cables from it into your loft and a standard terrestrial UHF/FM aerial distribution amplifier with one output per one room. One output from this is then diplexed with one satellite feed and this with one "plain" satellite feed is fed to the required rooms. Suitable diplexers/triplexers are such as these
Televes 7452 - Terrestrial (UHF/VHF)/Satellite Diplexer 7452 - Terrestrial (UHF/VHF)/Satellite Diplexer
Global DIP1 TV/FM & SAT Diplexer

The description of the Labgear HDU681 is a little misleading - it does NOT distribute the signals from your dish around the house merely the RF output from a satellite receiver and terrestrial TV aerials.

 

[anth.payne]

Thanks for your help

So if i just concentrate on the Living room and Cinema room for now, the quad LNB should be sufficient?

Could i consider splitting the two sat dish connections or not?

Would it be worth fitting another two cable up to the LNB? (Dont know how i'd get up there tbh...)

 

[anth.payne]

also, will a diplexed signal still work on my triplexed wall panel (without the FM out)?

 

[the_gavnor]

also, will a diplexed signal still work on my triplexed wall panel (without the FM out)?

Yes it will work without any problems.

Also look into Antiference multiswitches as they accept Quad LNB's as opposed to the more expensive Quattro LNB route

 

[anth.payne]

Thanks for the hint on the multiswitches...

One important question, will the diplexed signal work on the Sat2 input on the triplexed 2sat wall mount?

Also, which models of the Antiference multiswitches will work with a quad LNB? Doesnt say for the iSYS5's only the iSYS7's... but these are expensive.

These say they are compatible with Quad LNB's:

http://www.vision-products.co.uk/download/manuals/V75_Series_MP_Multiswitches.pdf

However, on the below website says they are not:

Vision V75-508S - 5x8 Multiswitch

 

[anth.payne]

It seems that people are saying Quab LNB multiswitches arent manufactured anymore?

And that the Vison V75-508A did accept Quad LNBs but the V75-508S doesnt?

Nothing seems to be clear anymore with this multiswitch malarky...

 

[davemurgatroyd2]

Most manufacturers have discontinued manufacture of quad lnb compatable multiswitches mainly because of poor reliability of the combination. You would still need to change your existing dish for a larger one anyway to ensure against loss of signal in bad weather. In your situation a simple swap of your present quad for an octo lnb is by far your cheapest and probably easiest solution.

Why do you think that a multiswitch is the way you should go?

 

[anth.payne]

Multiswitch would be best to prevent running many cable everywhere, and not to have to upgrade LNB to octo to allow sat connections in bedrooms.

By the looks of it, I will be going dow the route of the diplexer as advised by you.

 

[davemurgatroyd2]

Multiswitch would be best to prevent running many cable everywhere, and not to have to upgrade LNB to octo to allow sat connections in bedrooms.

By the looks of it, I will be going dow the route of the diplexer as advised by you.

But with a multiswitch you would have to upgrade the dish size and most likely change the lnb for a lot more expensive (than a Sky minidish octo) quattro).

All rooms are going to have the same number of cables running to them regardless of whether you use a multiswitch or not. The only extra cabling would be to the loft space (presumably) from the dish. A simple DIY patchboard made from a metal panel and male to male f connector adaptors (some suppliers have these including a metal nut to mount them to holes drilled in the plate some sell them seperately) with suitable labels should keep the installation tidy and easier/simpler to install.