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New LNB for 10 year old satellite dish

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  • 24-11-2020 9:46pm
    #1
    PMC999
    Registered Users Posts: 139 ✭✭


    I have a satellite dish installed by Sky about 10 years ago. I only use it for Freesat now as I cancelled the Sky subscription years ago.
    It has a quad LNB but recently the freesat box in one of the rooms is showing loss of signal. I haven't climbed a ladder yet to check the LNB but suspect the connection has corroded.
    I've been thinking of replacing the quad LNB with a new octo LNB. Is this an easy swap out or does it depend on the specific dish? Is there anything else I would need to purchase to replace the LNB?
    Thanks.


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    #2
    The Ayatolla
    Registered Users Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭The Ayatolla


    Generally easy to swap out, yeah.

    You might need an adapter but sometimes Octos come with the adapters included for the older dish-arm.

    Your cable also to the room could be shagged - so there's a few possibilities of root cause here.


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    #3
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 81,391 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Could be water ingress or loose connection on the LNB for that input. Think these are the 2 most common in use, there's an adaptor you can get to make the MK3 work with MK4...
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6oaaIOvv0c


    It will be difficult to remove the old and replace with new without moving the dish particularly if it's at height, strong risk too with it being 10 years old that the dish arm could snap. If it was me I'd consider replacing the entire dish, will save time in the long run.


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    #4
    Supercell
    Registered Users Posts: 15,333 ✭✭✭✭Supercell


    On a similar note, i put up a Sky dish on my roof about 10 years ago when I got the house and its well rusted now (coastal location), its only a matter of time before I need to replace it and likely the combiner too.
    Is it worth the extra expense in getting something other than a bog standard Sky dish with quad lnb?, have no interest in anything but 28.2 E, will they all need replacing every 10 years or so in a fairly coastal location?
    https://www.loughlinstown.ie

    Have a weather station?, why not join the Ireland Weather Network - http://irelandweather.eu/



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    #5
    Gooey Looey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Gooey Looey


    What state is the dish and j bracket in? In 10 years it could look okay but be rusted to hell underneath the powder coating. When this happens there becomes some give in the j bracket and dish bracket and the dish drops slightly losing signal. This is very likely your issue


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    #6
    homer911
    Registered Users Posts: 5,113 ✭✭✭homer911


    New wine in old wineskins - take the plunge and buy a new dish - it owes you nothing


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    #7
    Trevord
    Registered Users Posts: 942 ✭✭✭Trevord


    A new dish, arm and wall bracket and quad LNB can be got for a little over €30 delivered on ebay and you'll have it in 48 hours. Supplier in Limerick.

    Most likely the arm and wall bracket will still be in reasonable condition, so you will probably just need to assemble the dish and lnb and swap it out with the old one.

    Check whether your f connectors are corroded. If they are then they will need to be replaced as it may not be possible to unscrew them from the old LNB without damaging them.


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    #8
    jmcc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,323 ✭✭✭jmcc


    Definitely get a new dish and LNB. The quality of Sky dishes is not great and depending on where you are, they can easily corrode and rust. For some coastal locations, a more expensive fibreglass dish (FreeTV.ie sell them) might be an option. Also pay attention to sealing the joints around the cable connectors.

    Regards...jmcc


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    #9
    Q&A
    Registered Users Posts: 554 ✭✭✭Q&A


    I'm in a similar boat. Lost signal the other day. One minute it was there next it was gone. Might be the cable or positioning but imagine it's the LNB. Either way someone will have to climb up and see. I'm thinking while they're up there can I future proof it as much as possible.

    Background: I'm a Freesat viewer , currently running a Forumler F1 combo box. Current LNB is a single input so will definitely upgrade to a twin or quad (only one tv at present). What do people think, are there benefits to going hybrid (future freesat)? Are there other things I should be considering/ peoples experience?


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    #10
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 81,391 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Q&A wrote: »
    IBackground: I'm a Freesat viewer , currently running a Forumler F1 combo box. Current LNB is a single input so will definitely upgrade to a twin or quad (only one tv at present). What do people think, are there benefits to going hybrid (future freesat)? Are there other things I should be considering/ peoples experience?


    I'd go hybrid, they have 4 normal and 2 hybridwideband connections, you can keep it using a single normal input for now or expand to the others in the future. Generally the new boxes take 2 inputs, the new Freesat boxes take hybrid or normal, the hybridwideband allows more recording options.


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    #11
    Pangea
    Registered Users Posts: 5,565 ✭✭✭Pangea


    Hybrid LNB/ Future Freesat, what is this anyone care to explain?

    Just got a new Octo LNB fitted yesterday, I had lost signal, the LNB had water ingress and just fell apart when the installer took it down. The dish must be 15 years old now but it's in good nick , installer mentioned it's one of the better ones as it's galvanized. It's a Non Sky - FTA dish by the way.


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    #12
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Pangea wrote: »
    Hybrid LNB/ Future Freesat, what is this anyone care to explain?

    The new generation of Freesat receivers is compatible with the new SkyQ wideband LNB technology. When connected to a wideband LNB or wideband outputs of a hybrid LNB the receiver can record 4 programmes simultaneously. When connected to a legacy LNB only 2 programmes can be recorded.

    Hybrid LNBs have 2 wideband outputs and 4 legacy outputs.


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    #13
    Supercell
    Registered Users Posts: 15,333 ✭✭✭✭Supercell


    The Cush wrote: »
    The new generation of Freesat receivers is compatible with the new SkyQ wideband LNB technology. When connected to a wideband LNB or wideband outputs of a hybrid LNB the receiver can record 4 programmes simultaneously. When connected to a legacy LNB only 2 programmes can be recorded.

    Hybrid LNBs have 2 wideband outputs and 4 legacy outputs.

    That's pretty good, do any of the Linux STB's support that?
    https://www.loughlinstown.ie

    Have a weather station?, why not join the Ireland Weather Network - http://irelandweather.eu/



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    #14
    Pangea
    Registered Users Posts: 5,565 ✭✭✭Pangea


    The Cush wrote: »
    The new generation of Freesat receivers is compatible with the new SkyQ wideband LNB technology. When connected to a wideband LNB or wideband outputs of a hybrid LNB the receiver can record 4 programmes simultaneously. When connected to a legacy LNB only 2 programmes can be recorded.

    Hybrid LNBs have 2 wideband outputs and 4 legacy outputs.

    So just for clarity do you need four different feeds running into the receiver to record four? Or how does it work? I am aware that to record one and watch one at the moment you need two feeds.

    If I had known this yesterday I might of got the installer to put in a hybrid LNB for future proofing :(


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    #15
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Pangea wrote: »
    So just for clarity do you need four different feeds running into the receiver to record four? Or how does it work? I am aware that to record one and watch one at the moment you need two feeds.(

    Wideband feeds require 2 cables, one carries the horizontal feeds and the other the vertical feeds. The receiver gets the required programme from one of the 2 cables.

    SkyQ's 12 tuners are fed from the 2 cables.

    Wideband feeds are like terrestrial aerial feeds where they can be split as required.


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