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Stop me when I'm going wrong

  • 14-01-2013 4:15pm
    #1
    RJC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 390 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I normally post in another section of Boards but I've decided to stick up a question here.
    The basic thing I want to do is to ditch the UPC TV (keep the broadband & Phone) and switch to free TV.

    Now, I've done some research and I think I know what I want and this is where I need some experts to nod or shake their heads.

    My basic premise is that I don't want to fork out twice for stuff as nearly everything seems to about the same price buying the wrong 'bit' now will just be a drag later.

    Here's my idea:

    Firstly, I'm in Cork City. I have TV points in all the rooms I want to feed to an I know I'll have to keep the UPC stuff going on its own coaxial (would mean moving this TV - or the UPC stuff).

    I want to supply 3 TVs in the House. One for the kids, one for the mum 'n dad and one for the 'spare room' - Where I want to watch the news when some reality muck is on the TV.

    What satellite do I want to point at? I haven't a clue. I am assuming that if I buy a big enough dish (90cm or 120cm I'm guessing) I can set it up with two of the LNB devices so it acts as two smaller dishes and captures two satellites. This would allow me to start off with one LNB and once I get more adventurous (possibly never) I'll be able to set up another feed.

    Do I need to stick up an aerial to capture the saorview stuff? Given the size of the Saorsat thread it looks like it's the easier option but correct me if I'm wrong.

    So; here's the query -assume we're talking only one satellite at the moment shout if I'm wrong:

    TV 1 - the main TV - I'll want some sort of decoder and recorder box for this so I can do all the recording the other channel stuff. Do I need 3 cables coming to this box from the roof (dish and saorview)? A saorview, satellite I'm watching and satellite I'm recording?
    TV 2 (& TV 3) - no need for recording. Just a decoder for each one - some sort of saorview/saorsat combi box? That's correct right? And is it two cables to each of these dishes? One for saorview and one for the dish?

    Do I need a 4 way LNB for this enterprise (assuming one cable for each TV and one for the recorder) or can I do a 2 way LNB with some sort of splitter for the 3 TVs not being recorded (a DiSEqC of some sort)?

    Same query with the Saorview aerial - can I split this signal or is there some sort of built in splitter like the LNB that I have to buy?

    I mentioned this conundrum (the 2 way LNB versus the 4-way one) to a chap in the office and he came up with some sort of story that the decoder tells the LNB what channel it wants and then it send this to all the TVs if you use a 'splitter'. i.e. selecting BBC 2 on TV 2 will lead to the channel on TV 3 changing to BBC2 (a tit-for-tat war no dad wants!)

    I just nodded but I did feel like calling bull**** on it as it sounded like the LNB had a 'brain' of some sort whereas I thought the decoder was where the brains of the operation were living and the LNB brought down all the channels and the decoder picked the channel you had selected from the TV.

    Sorry if this has been up before - just point me to the old solution to this - and sorry for my lack of expertise in the acronyms - LNB and DiSEqC are my limit!


Comments

  • #2
    Peter Rhea
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭Peter Rhea


    For the setup you're proposing, you'll need a 4-way (quad) lnb, as each satellite tuner needs its own feed. Eight output (octo) lnbs are also available: if you want any more than that, a distribution unit known as a multiswitch is required.

    The Saorview signal can be simply split as many times as you want, as long as the level & quality is kept within spec. Cork city seems to be well served by transmitters. You might need an amplifier of some kind, to make up for splitting losses. Also, the Saorview & satellite signals can share a cable, being combined at a convenient point & split again at the receiver.

    As regards dish size, it depends what other satellites you want to receive, but the likes of Astra 1 (19 degrees east: mostly German channels) & Hotbird (13 degrees east: mainly Polish, Italian & Arabic, popular for foreign sports packages), along with the UK channels @ 28 east, should be reliable on a sub-1m dish at your location. Local knowledge would be useful here.


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