How many feeds can a single coax handle?

seanels

Hi, I have put a sketch together of what I'm trying to achieve, based on what I've read on here and some of the satellite reseller websites.

I have a single CSS coax cable running from box outside house to living room, currently carrying Virgin Broadband. I am looking to set up FreeSat + Saorview and feed it over the single coax cable. I'd like to get 2 feeds for live/recording on the FreeSat using a stacker/de-stacker.

This is I think where I start to push my luck; I'd also like to get German TV over the same coax, and, what are the chances of running the Virgin broadband signal over the same coax?

I do have the option of setting up the Virgin router off a second coax that runs to a different room, but would like to have the router beside the TV/Receiver if possible.

How far can I go with this aspirational setup? Should the disceq go before or after the combiner?

Sketch: https://ibb.co/mvsanS

winston_1

Whether it would work or not is beside the point. That cable belongs to Virgin (not you) and you must not interfere with it.

The Cush

winston_1 wrote: »

That cable belongs to Virgin (not you) and you must not interfere with it.

The cable within the property belongs to the homeowner, VM connects into it. Maybe different in your location (UK).

368100

winston_1 wrote: »

Whether it would work or not is beside the point. That cable belongs to Virgin (not you) and you must not interfere with it.

Typical boards response, answer what you want to answer rather than the op's question.

seanels

To clarify, the Virgin cable comes to a box on the side of my house, where it is joined by slitter to the coax that belongs to my house. Since I posted this I have read a number of warnings about sharing internet and sat on the same coax, so I think I have to scrap internet from the equation.

That leaves the 3 satellite signals and the DTT coming in over a single coax. Does anyone think this is doable? I know that 2 sat signals and DTT over one coax is possible based on this: www.freetv.ie/how-to-combine-1-aerial-and-two-satellite-feeds-into-a-single-cable/

ED E

Can you push DOCSIS through multiplexers? My understanding of the HFC topology is limited but that seems unlikely. Remember each modem receives about 2Gbps even if its only on a 20Mb package.



You'd have to pack everything else above 1Ghz really, if that were practical VM wouldn't be going to the effort of killing off analogue services to make space I suspect.

The Cush

Even with the internet removed from the setup I'm not sure how well it'll work. The stacker/destacker will require good quality satellite grade co-ax cable to carry the high shifted frequencies, also not sure how the stacker will handle DiSEqC switching.

seanels

Thanks for all the responses. Apparently the Global stacker / de-stacker is diseqc enabled, but will have to see if it will handle it. The coax cable has “CSS A/L series 6” written on it, so copper-clad steel conductor with aluminium shield. Not sure if that’s basic or good quality.

I’m going to ask an installer to come out to survey it. Satworld have been recommended.

The Cush

seanels wrote: »

The coax cable has “CSS A/L series 6” written on it, so copper-clad steel conductor with aluminium shield. Not sure if that’s basic or good quality.

Basic RG6 co-ax probably.

A CT-100 spec cable would be recommended when using a stacker - https://www.cai.org.uk/index.php/services/downloads/product-certification-schemes/cable-certification/110-cai-certified-cables/file

seanels

The alternative to stacker destacker would be Unicable, which is less sensitive to the coax quality but requires the receiver to be compatible. Does anyone have experience with this and can it be combined with DTT signal?

Ten Pin

Unicable for 2 satellite positions would require a twin satellite tuner STB (preferably with FBC tuners) with a DVB-T tuner. Each LNB needs a cable to the STB. The aerial needs it's own cable run to the STB.

That would need to be separate from the broadband coax. You can network the TV channels with a SAT-IP STB connected to the LAN if the Virgin router allows it or else bridge your own modem.

Not sure if that fits with your aspirations as it's not making any use of the broadband coax except for broadband. Also needs three new coax from the dish(es) and aerial. The unicable LNBs can be combined to single coax but the LNBs need to be programmed (not cheap).
The terrestrial coax would have to remain separate unless you buy a unicable multi switch with a terrestrial input and they're not cheap either.

seanels

Thanks @Ten Pin. I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm going to have to lower my expectations and maybe drop the requirement for parallel recording. Once that's out of the equation, the solution becomes a lot simpler.

Ten Pin

When you say "parallel recording" do you mean recording multiple channels concurrently?

If yes then unicable LNBs with an FBC receiver allows watch and / or record up to 8 channels.

This thread has a little more info
https://m.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057717465

seanels

Sorry, I just meant the ability to have a twin tuner setup to watch + record FreeSat in at the same time.

If I go Unicable it pushes the cost up above budget with VU+ receiver, unless there are more affordable Unicable compatible receivers out there. Due to my requirement to have 3 SAT + 1 DTT over a single coax, I'm probably looking at a Unicable multiswitch with DTT input, as I can't find any Unicable LNB that takes DTT input. The Unicable switch and VU+ Solo receiver would come to €500 alone, which I can't justify. For now, I think I will settle for standard 2 LNBs with a disecq switch combining the two signals and a combiner to add the terrestrial. I'll survive without a twin tuner. If Unicable receivers becomes more affordable in future, then I may look to upgrade.

Thanks for all the helpful responses!

Johnboy1951

IIRC I read a post on boards that explained that DVB-T cannot be added to the output of a Unicable LNB (as it can to standard LNBs) because of the frequency clash, so two cables, one each from aerial and dish are required.

Once inside the two cables can be attached to tuners and the outputs made available as IPTV for distribution to multiple TV points as well as being available to other devices such as tablets, phones latops etc with software to view IPTV.