Options for second 28E feed from existing set-up

[technomate61]

Hi there

On the verge of a Vu+ Duo purchase to replace my existing Spiderbox 7000HD

I have a local installer hopefully coming to look at options for modifying my existing dish set-up this week, but I wondered if I could get some advice from members about what might be the least expensive option for adding a second 28E feed to the following set-up.

1. 45cm? "official" mini-dish with (as far as I know) single LNB pointing at 28E & single feed to property - installed maybe 10 years ago?
2. Older 60cm "official" dish with mono-block LNB fitted, pointing at 13E & 19E, leading to (at receiver end) hardware splitter with 1 feed in & 2 feeds out

The three resulting feeds go into a 4-in-1 hardware switch with a single output going to the Spiderbox, which automatically controls the selection of feed via a diseqc switching menu screen.

If modifying my existing installation proves to be very expensive I may take advantage of the generous incentives on offer to get an "official" box installed for 12 months on minimum subscription - I presume these days a quad feed would be fitted as standard, so I could make use of 2 of these for the Duo?

Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

Cheers
Technomate61

[basilyoung]

yes, quads are standard nowr days

so thats a good option, really your existing dishes could be replaced by a good 1 mtr dish ( pref motorized )

[technomate61]

Thanks for the swift reply. Although I have 2 dishes currently installed, they're very inconspicuous from both the front & rear of the house - largely due to the smaller size I reckon, and I'm getting all the channels I really need (and have time to watch!) through the 3 existing satellites, so I'll probably stick with my existing fixed set-up. But good to hear that the latter option could work - if the Duo was already in place would they hook it up for me or does it depend on the installer (and if not would it be easy enough to modify to supply the extra feeds to the Duo)?

[basilyoung]

I had one sky installer a geed few years ago, saying I had to aggree to have my satwalker ( very old motor setup and long gone ) and dish removed, told him to F off

most would refuse, simply because they are on piece work installs, but a decent amount of bribery normally sorts it

[Larry-G]

I had one sky installer a geed few years ago, saying I had to aggree to have my satwalker ( very old motor setup and long gone ) and dish removed, told him to F off

most would refuse, simply because they are on piece work installs, but a decent amount of bribery normally sorts it

LMAO the last sky installer who came to mine saw my dishes i had up at the time ( including a 3 meter channel master which i sadly no longer have ), and he offered me a job on the spot.

[technomate61]

Ha ha! Thanks again, I think I'll probably try going down this route then. Cheers.

[technomate61]

Would it be standard for them to install a quad LNB & connect them all up or just the 2 that are strictly needed?

[basilyoung]

they would install a dish with a quad, thats standard nowr days, it allows for future upgrades, but the other dishes would be left alone ( or should be )

the quad lnb will only be used for sky equipement, unless you have dropped him a wedge

[technomate61]

Great, I think that settles it! I'd probably want them to take the old mini dish down TBH and replace it with the latest version with the quad set-up (leaving the older 60cm dish - which is on a second chimney towards the rear of the property - in place)

[josh_g]

surley you gould just replace the LNB to a quad one and no thave to change the dish? i replaced the quad one at my dad's house to the 8 feed one and it all worked fine.

[technomate61]

Hi Josh so you managed to do that using the existing cabling? Was it a fairly recent installation that you were modifying? My original installation is quite an old one so I'd assumed the existing cabling wouldn't support a quad LNB feed but to be honest I don't know enough to be sure either way!

[river-rat]

i have a 8 way lnb on our old sky dish, works great

we have a et9200 and 3 sky hd boxes of it and no issues at all, cost..... £13 of ebay and 5 mins of my time

[josh_g]

as mentioned above changing the LNB is ans easy task but you would have to run new cabling to a quad/ 8way LNB i did this around 3 years ago. as an electrcian running the new cabling required was really easy for me and didnt take too long at all! i refuse to pay anyone to to this sort of work as i can do it all easaly myself

[Larry-G]

if the Coax is over 5 years old i'd just bite the bullet and replace the whole run of cabling too, it's cheap and easy enough to do. on average i replace my whole coax run on all 3 dishes around every 5 years. Thats all 14 feeds worth of coax.

[technomate61]

Thanks for the advice guys - as my DIY skills are minimal and I'm terrible up ladders(!) I decided to go for a 12-month minimum subscription, cashing in on the multiple incentives on offer (after which the net cost is not very much), and as a result got a quad-lnb installed, with my old cable still attached and feeding the duo (28E on one feed, 13E and 19E on the second), and a twin feed to the Sly+ box which will handle my everyday recordings for the next 12 months, at which point I'll ditch and add the second 28E feed to the Duo. Will need to remove the special twin-feed connector used by the Sly+ box to split and replace with a couple of F-connectors , but I'm guessing that should be straightforward enough!