Freesat branded box, with Saorsat

johndoc

I've had a good look around here, but not found a solution to what I'm after. Be glad of some help & advice lads.

I have a dish pointing to 28.2e and a (official) freesat box running no problem. Also, a DVB-S DVB-T combo box which I want to improve on. Two reasons;
- My sis can't get DVB-T so needs a full sat solution
- Need a one box solution (i.e. simple) for the folks

Neither of them are very tech savy, so I want to go official freesat. I find the user interface on combo boxes not to be as slick as official freesat. Lastly, combo boxes need some tinkering every so often.

So, can anyone advise a freesat box that will allow me to tune to Saorsat as well? I gather diseqc switching is required. I want a HDD built in, and for multiroom, maybe a non HDD from the same manufacturer.
Human seems to be an option......

Next thing, I want to put up the larger/second dish for saorsat. I intend to sketch out a schematic and post it, but to start, is this correct?

Freesat & Ka LNB's -> multi switch
Needs to be a 5 in, X out switch because Ka LNB doesn't really need multiswitch?
Therefore Quad freesat & twin Ka band LNB's required.
Into the multiswitch = multiroom???

Ok. Maybe this is all over the shop but any help appreciated.

watty

Humax "Freesat+ HD" HDR with the 3rd party channel/diseqc editing installed. I don't know if any more basic "Freesat HD" works with the 3rd party plugin SW.

A 5 in Multiswitch only accepts 1 LNB + TV aerial. You need an 8 or 9 in even though 3 ports are not used.

Quattro or Quad Ku LNBF depending on choice of Multiswitch which can have 8, 12 or 16 out. You can expand up to about 100+ multistwitches

Two coax to each room to allow PVRs

Only one connection on the Ka LNBF is needed.

You can use one larger dish two dishes.

I have a 17 in 16 out multiswitch so I can get mainland European free on same dish.

The "odd" extra connection is always for TV aerial, I use it for Security camera on VHS. The VHS modulator feed the TV aerial socket.

johndoc

Like so?


Components;
DVB-T aerial - not required but have one
Ka LNB - Inverto Twin Ka Band on TvTrade.ie
Dish for Ka - in Malin Head, may need a 1m
Ku LNB - Already running a 60cm dish. assume I need a quad LNB though....
Cabling as per above schematic - RG6 maybe?
Multiswitch - €159!! at satworld.ie Ouch!! Any pointers on a cheaper source appreciated. Maybe try a diseqc switch for a while before going all out, what spec would I be looking for in a switch??

Receiver: Humax seems to be the way to go. They have a PVR version and a cheaper one without. Both have diseqc Version1.0, 1.2, USALS, SCD. From what I can see though, there is no way of adding channels while using freesat mode. It needs to be switched to STB mode, but that leaves me without one of my main criteria - the freesat interface, auto-update etc.

watty

You need to add the 3rd Party SW plugin on the PVR

Diseqc instead of Multiswitch
For a PVR you need 2 x DISEQC switches. For 2 x PVRs you need 2 x sat splitters (not TV ones) on the Ka LNBF and FOUR x Diseqc Switches!

Germany has some good value Multiswitches or "EMP Centauri" from Czech Republic

johndoc

The plugin allows me to add channels (RTE etc) and keep the machine in freesat mode? Now that would be the business!!

I thought that if I had a multiswitch in the system, then it did the diseqc switching and there'd be no need for anything on top. Is it either/or, or is my schematic wrong?

Thanks for the tip on "EMP Centauri", and the help with the set-up

Compton

you won't find a 9/16 multiswitch for much cheaper than that and doubtful you will even find one in ireland.

Ronnie Raygun

johndoc wrote: »

I thought that if I had a multiswitch in the system, then it did the diseqc switching and there'd be no need for anything on top. Is it either/or, or is my schematic wrong?

If there's no terrestrial feed, it can be either/or but you'll be limited to the 8 lnb outputs of an octo Ku lnb.

As already mentioned, you'll need 1 diseqc switch for each tuner.

SalteeDog

Don't you typically need a quatro LNB for a multiswitch or do some work with quads? Apologies OP if you know the difference but your post indicates you were planning on using the quad LNB for 28E with a multiswitch.

If you go the disecq route then its a an octo that you need alright.

watty

Some Multiswitches can use Quads or Quattro
All can use Quattro
All can use the Ka-LNBF and only need one connection to it.

watty

johndoc wrote: »

The plugin allows me to add channels (RTE etc) and keep the machine in freesat mode? Now that would be the business!!

I thought that if I had a multiswitch in the system, then it did the diseqc switching and there'd be no need for anything on top. Is it either/or, or is my schematic wrong?

Thanks for the tip on "EMP Centauri", and the help with the set-up

You use EITHER a multiswitch (which pretends to be up to 16 Diseqc switches ) OR loads of discrete Diseqc switches. By the time you get to four Diseqc switches (and they are often less reliable) the Multiswitch looks better value. Also a Multiswitch system is totally expandable. More than 4 feeds and Multiswitch is a far better solution.

Always put 28E on 1st port and then it's the default if no Diseqc signalling is done. My four satellite in Multiswitch has a Sky HD box and a sky box and they work fine as they never issue Diseqc commands.

slicedpanman

SalteeDog wrote: »

Don't you typically need a quatro LNB for a multiswitch or do some work with quads? Apologies OP if you know the difference but your post indicates you were planning on using the quad LNB for 28E with a multiswitch.

If you go the disecq route then its a an octo that you need alright.

I got an EMP Centauri 5/16 multiswitch and it works very well with a quad lnb...

zg3409

Compton wrote: »

you won't find a 9/16 multiswitch for much cheaper than that and doubtful you will even find one in ireland.

I found this Multiswitch and it is much cheaper.

It's only a 9 x 6 (maximum 3 recording boxes or 6 non recording boxes)

http://www.amazon.de/Vivanco-Multischalter-DiSqC2-0-internes-Netzteil/dp/B001D6C0A8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1338305172&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.de seems to be the cheapest place for them. Some may not ship to Ireland. Search for "multiswitch and 9" and number of outlets

In reality it might be best to allow at least 2 feeds for main sitting room and one feed for every other room in the house. Prices increase massively the more outlets you need.

The cheaper multiswitches require a QUATTRO lnb NOT a Quad LNB.
Normally when using a Multiswitch it is recommended a larger dish than normal is used as the multiswitch will drop a little bit of the signal.

If you are 110% sure you will never need terrestrial then get a 8 x which is cheaper.

A 1.1M dish with a KA LNB for 9East and a second LNB for 28.2 would be fine. It will be very difficult to mount and point a dish that large. Have you confirmed 110% you cannot get Saorview with a professional setup with channelised aerial, masthead channelised pre-amp, etc?

The outlet points in each room MUST have a TV/SAT diplexer built into them as both the normal TV aerial and satellite signals are combined on the one cable.

Regarding cable type, it has been mentioned on other threads. Copper screen, full copper core, branded cable is better than no-name tin foil screen.

johndoc

Ok. Clear on the multiswitch. And that Ku LNB needs only one feed which I suspected.
The reason I was going for Freesat & Saorsat, was so I'd get the polished, auto-updating Freesat interface. There are no Freesat/DVB-T2 enabled boxes out there. DVB-S2/DVB-T2 yes, but for oldies & the non-tech savy in my house, it's a no go.
Thanks for the amazon.de link. €56 I can manage.

There was a question posed back up a bit about a 3rd party plugin. Does the plugin allow non Freesat channels to be added to a box that's always running in Freesat mode? Surely that would be the perfect set-up (assuming I can get a 1.1m dish pointed - which I can!! I reckon :-p))

johndoc

johndoc wrote: »

Ok. Clear on the multiswitch.

No sooner said than confused:rolleyes:

Would a 5/x multiswitch take the single Ka band feed and the quad Ku band feeds? Looking at the post by SlicedPanMan.

The plugin query is still the big one... Don't let me down lads

watty

The whole point of the plugin is to have non-Freesat channels and Diseqc in Freesat mode.

The Odd number on 5 vs 4, 9 vs 8, 17 vs 16 is always only an aerial or cable tv/broadband (passive versions) Diplexer for 5MHz to 900MHz on the same cables. It's no use for a satellite LNBF (950MHz to 2100MHz).

So you need 8 or 9.

4 or 5 = 1 Satellite LNBF
8 or 9 = 2 Satellite LNBFs
12 or 13 = 3 Satellite LNBFs
16 or 17 = 4 Satellite LNBFs

Each satellite input is 1 to 4 connections of a group of 4. Some Satellites only need 2 connections (virtually all C band and a few Ku Band).

You can actually combine two LNBFs on on "port" of 4 connections if the polarities and bands don't overlap. i.e. use a 8 or 9 for Freesat and Saorsat and a 3m mesh dish with C band LNBF on two of the unused ports used by Saorsat.

zg3409

johndoc wrote: »

Would a 5/x multiswitch take the single Ka band feed and the quad Ku band feeds? Looking at the post by SlicedPanMan.

No.

johndoc

Double post

johndoc

watty wrote: »

The whole point of the plugin is to have non-Freesat channels and Diseqc in Freesat mode.

The Odd number on 5 vs 4, 9 vs 8, 17 vs 16 is always only an aerial or cable tv/broadband (passive versions) Diplexer for 5MHz to 900MHz on the same cables. It's no use for a satellite LNBF (950MHz to 2100MHz)....... snip

OK, an 8/9 it is. Was only chancing it really.
Any clues on what the plugin is called? I'd like to have a look into it. Sounds like the ideal solution. At the minute, it's looking like a Humax box, if it's compatible with the plugin or pending a better/cheaper solution.