Unicable II vs quad LNB - help with new multi-feed / multi-room setup

[Barbudo]

I would kindly appreciate your help in planning my first major satellite installation in my home.

- I have 5 coax cable runs from the roof to the server room (4 for satellite, 1 for terrestrial+FM radio).
- I will be using the T-90 toroidal dish and would like to have at least 5 satellite feeds (0.8W, 13E, 19E, 28.2E, 36E) + separate antennas for terrestrial and FM radio.
- From the server room I have coax runs to wall plates in 6 rooms (6 TVs). I have used standard tripple-output (SAT/TV/FM) wall plates. Server room is connected to living room with a conduit, so any number of additonal coax can be pulled.
- I plan to have FBC receivers with recording in 2 locations (living room and server room, with Gigablue or VU+), the other 4 locations will use unicable-compliant TVs with built-in DVB-T2/C/S2 tuners without recording.

The old-school solution would be to install 5 quad LNBs (e.g. Inverto Black Ultra or Megasat Diavolo), add 5x 1x8 DiseqC's on the roof, run 4 sat cables + 1 terrestrial/FM cable to server room, and then dostributing to wallplates after combining SAT+TV/FM with 1x2 splitters. To get recording in the living room, 2 out of 4 signals should go there, with remaining two split among other rooms.

My question is whether there is a more efficient and future-proof way of doing this, e.g:
1) Can I use 5 Unicable II LNBs (i.e. one for each satellite feed)?
2) I only have 4 coax cables for SAT running to the server room. How can I transfer signal from 5 satellite feeds (and maybe more than 5 in the future)? Is there a diseqC equivalent for Unicable II?
3) If so, is there a way of avoiding Unicable 2 multiswitches which require proprietary programming?
4) Can terrestrial/FM signal be combined with the unicable II SAT signal?
5) Is there a way to optimize my setup to improve the cost efficiency of running a Unicable II solution (e.g. sticking with only 4 satellite feeds etc).

Many thanks in advance for your help and apologies for the long story. I would also appreciate any recommendations for specific items to purchase (set receivers, LNBs, switches, splitters/combiners etc).

[Barbudo]

I would kindly appreciate your help in planning my first major satellite installation in my home.

- I have 5 coax cable runs from the roof to the server room (4 for satellite, 1 for terrestrial+FM radio).
- I will be using the T-90 toroidal dish and would like to have at least 5 satellite feeds (0.8W, 13E, 19E, 28.2E, 36E) + separate antennas for terrestrial and FM radio.
- From the server room I have coax runs to wall plates in 6 rooms (6 TVs). I have used standard tripple-output (SAT/TV/FM) wall plates. Server room is connected to living room with a conduit, so any number of additonal coax can be pulled.
- I plan to have FBC receivers with recording in 2 locations (living room and server room, with Gigablue or VU+), the other 4 locations will use unicable-compliant TVs with built-in DVB-T2/C/S2 tuners without recording.

The old-school solution would be to install 5 quad LNBs (e.g. Inverto Black Ultra or Megasat Diavolo), add 5x 1x8 DiseqC's on the roof, run 4 sat cables + 1 terrestrial/FM cable to server room, and then dostributing to wallplates after combining SAT+TV/FM with 1x2 splitters. To get recording in the living room, 2 out of 4 signals should go there, with remaining two split among other rooms.

My question is whether there is a more efficient and future-proof way of doing this, e.g:
1) Can I use 5 Unicable II LNBs (i.e. one for each satellite feed)?
2) I only have 4 coax cables for SAT running to the server room. How can I transfer signal from 5 satellite feeds (and maybe more than 5 in the future)? Is there a diseqC equivalent for Unicable II?
3) If so, is there a way of avoiding Unicable 2 multiswitches which require proprietary programming?
4) Can terrestrial/FM signal be combined with the unicable II SAT signal?
5) Is there a way to optimize my setup to improve the cost efficiency of running a Unicable II solution (e.g. sticking with only 4 satellite feeds etc).

Many thanks in advance for your help and apologies for the long story. I would also appreciate any recommendations for specific items to purchase (set receivers, LNBs, switches, splitters/combiners etc).

[Trial]

Hi,
I have no experience with Diseqc switches.

3.) in normal cases unicable switches need no special programming. Default is often already useful.
4.) depends on the multiswitch but they do not interfere. Terrestrial is <1GHz and Sat >1GHz.

I use a unicable switch with 6 outputs and 4 frequencies each.

The JPS1706-4T/M can handle up to 8 Sat with wide band LNBs.

Ralf

[olisun]

Watching as I have exactly the same question minus the multi-room setup.

[Barbudo]

Bumping this one, guys - please help! Please also see a diagram attached - would this work? It uses 5 Inverto Unicable II LNBs.


Sat Diagram Mar 2021.jpg

[Sicilian]

I think you're best to stick with Multi-switch, you may find unicable LNB's are to wide to use them next to each for 13deg and 19deg.

[Huevos]

I think you're best to stick with Multi-switch, you may find unicable LNB's are to wide to use them next to each for 13deg and 19deg.

There is quite a bit of space on a T90. On mine, I've got LNBs at 7W, 5W, 1W, 7E, 9E, 13E, 16E, 19E, 23E and 26E. You can get away with 3º spacing with most normal LNBs.

[Barbudo]

Thank you, Sicilian, for this important observation! What about DUR-line UK 124 (24443) Unicable II LNB? That one seems significantly narrower than the bulky Inverto. Assuming they would fit, is it ok to cascade them so aggressively (i.e. with 4-5 combiners)? My fear is they'd kill the signal (despite the power inserter in the end).

Regarding multiswitches, Jultec are probably the best, but expensive as hell. Inverto (UWT-110) are better priced, but seem to be power hungry. Are there any good alternatives (especially given that I would like to have 5 LNBs, not 2 or 4)? (I could live with 4 LNBs, of course, but for a greenfield project wanted to test all options before scaling back).

[abu baniaz]

Have a look at Unitron 9775 or 9774 switch