Probably after a new box to replace my GB Quad HD, a how long is a piece of string question

[Ojustaboo]

Hi all, my TV's on it's way out so am about to buy a new one, don't need a huge one, my current 40" Sony is big enough, but might as well get 4K while I'm at it.


I'm very happy with my GB Quad HD (3 sat tuners).


The questions in no particular order are:


1) Will keeping my quad give a similar effect to when HD TV's first came out where the pictures from older shows appeared fuzzy?


2) If I get a 4k box (probably will, and will use site sponsor) , any idea which ones will have long term support for ViX? The GB UHD 4K ones look interesting, or any other suggestions, must have 3 tuners (3 sat cables)


3) Do I need to upgrade my LNB to get 4k? (I appreciate this info is probably on this forum or WOS site, just asking while I remember, I will be looking through everything)


4) Any suggestions for a TV, preferably under £600, don't care about sound as will go through my Denon system. I am of course going to research TV's thoroughly, only just got permission from my lovely wife to buy , also use it for gaming. A sat TV would be good in case satbox ever dies so I can still watch TV


5) Using sat box just for free to view channels. I see there's two versions of the 4k Gigablue, UHD Quad and UHD UE, presuming the UE also has an HDMI out (not mentioned in email from WOS) is the only difference the lack of card slots and the display size on the UE?

Any suggestions greatly received


Many thanks

[twol]

5) there is no difference between the GB UE 4K & QUAD 4K, other than price, no hdmi-in, esata, rs323, fewer usb ports and Quad has larger colour LCD,
3) No, but you might want to change to a unicable LNB if you go GB 4K (and with Unicable LNB you don‘t need 3 cables ) ... with unicable LNB and FBC tuner you have upto 8 tuners.

[Ojustaboo]

Many thanks. Not come across unicable before (must have my head buried in the sand). This will be perfect as can have 4 tuners in sat box, one on TV and 3 to my bedroom for my soon to be spare Quad HD.

[twol]

Not so simple!
I am sure others will have a better solution, but you could have:
Unicable LNB with (perhaps 2 legacy connectors).
Run the legacy to the TV tuner (not sure why you would want to do that, but ....)
Run the unicable to FBC tuner A on the sat receiver.
Connect the current QUAD HD via internet (no sat connection) to the new receiver in C/S mode (gives you full access in the bedroom to all the channels, using local remote to control your viewing).

[Ojustaboo]

Edit: Posted this before I read above post. will look into it in more depth tomorrow.

OK, I've had a quick google, and am getting a bit confused (if this is better asked in the general satellite forum, I'll delete and repost)

I've just discovered two new things (well new to me). Unicable and FBC tuners.

This comment in another forum about FBC says


with one cable you have only one frequency band and one polarization of one satellite for all 8 (not 4) tuners.

........

A FBC tuner has 8 internal tuners. But with only 1 cable you have the above mentioned limitations.

I think I get it, am I correct please.

Two different scenarios to check I do understand.

Scenario 1: Unicable LNB with one cable going straight into one of my FBC tuners.

I can then have up to 8 'virtual tuners' but am limited by what the quote says, hence a situation could arise where I want to record one channel and watch another but cant.

whereas

Scenario 2: I have one cable from unicable LNB to a 4 way satellite splitter, and 4 cables coming off the splitter into 4 tuners on my sat box. This way the restrictions listed in the quote don't apply?

I just want to make sure that with one unicable cable, set up as in scenario 2 above, I can record any 3 UK FTA channels at the same time while watching a 4th.


Is there any limit on cable length and splitters with unicable? It's 60ft from LNB to my satbox, and going to the bedroom will add approx another 20ft.

What I'm thinking (to get 4 cables into new satbox, one into TV, and 3 cables into my old satbox in my bedroom)

LNB unicable to 8 way splitter at my new sat box (as cant see a 6 way). Coming out of that 8 way splitter
4 wires new sat box.
1 wire to TV
1 wire through front wall up to the bedroom, then into a 4 way splitter.
3 wires from 4 way splitter to old satbox.

I've done a not to scale drawing of what I want to achieve

57864

[twol]

a FBC tuner is a SINGLE tunerslot, with TWO physical inputs and EIGHT tuners (demodulators)... and to confusde everybody the physical inputs are normally marked A & B (rather than 1 & 2).
Each of the 8 tuners uses a different frequency on the the Unicable LNB and doesn‘t have teh same quadrant restrictions of a standard (legacy?) LNB. So I have seeen reports of 30+ simultaneous recordings.
Also whereas a FBC tuner can connect to a legacy LNB (but limited), a legacy tuner (such as your TV and QUAD HD receiver) cannot use a unicable switch or Unicable LNB (unless its a legacy output)
So by connecting a Unicable to a receiver with FBC tuner, you will not be limited by ability to watch/record, so can ignore the tuners on teh TV and Quad HD receiver.
Just connect the new receiver by hdmi to the TV and the Quad HD through the internet via ClienT/Server mode.

I am sure others will correct my errors or provide other solutions!

[Ojustaboo]

Thanks, I think I understand now.

In that case I'll forget about getting a sat tv, much bigger range if I go this route.


I presume you have a 4K TV too, that being the case can I ask you (or anyone else) the following please?

In this longish thread on AVforums about 4K TVs

https://www.avforums.com/threads/should-i-upgrade-uhd-vs-fhd.2058703

the general consensus there is that for most viewers, the upgrade can be worse than their existing TV especially when viewing SD broadcasts.

I wondered what your views on this are please?

Or to put it another way, having permission to upgrade my TV, and upgrading it to one where my lovely wifes american csi stuff looks worse, is going to get me in the dog house :)

[gibbletts]

If all you watch is fta personally I’d stick with what youve got there is very little 4k content available without a subscription. As for picture quality of sd on a 4k tv I think the problem most people run into is that not only do they upgrade to 4k but they invariably go for a bigger screen size so the problem is heightened.

[twol]

I have 2 panny plasma HD Tv‘s and a 4K monitor.
Watching on the either the 55 or 50inch plasma TV‘s, my wife is quite happy with either SD or HD ..... but I can see the difference.
On the 4K monitor, overall I think that everything is better (but it is not a 40inch plus 4K, so will be better because of size (small))

Bottom line, if I had to replace now (touch wood - NO), I would go for an OLED (which means regardless LG panels) and probably Sony or Panasonic versions because (in my view!!) they are better at handling the finer picture controls and setup with their processor technologies.. and some have “professional“ setups that are close to good and are THX certified.... but at a cost.

So like anything on picture quality it is down to people - some people can see banding, some people can see blooming, some people want ultra bright, some people like the showroom setup (even at home), many guys are colour blind, so even that has an effect.
Its really hard to be specific when peoples eyes are different.

[abu baniaz]

Also whereas a FBC tuner can connect to a legacy LNB (but limited), a legacy tuner (such as your TV and QUAD HD receiver) cannot use a unicable switch or Unicable LNB (unless its a legacy output)

This is not correct. His quad can use unicable.

He will need to check TV if it supports unicable.

[Willo3092]

This is my setup if it helps:

57867

[abu baniaz]

If TV supports unicable, diagram is correct (barring minor detail). If it doesn't, a signal wire direct from legacy port on LNB to TV will be required.

An FBC module only has two physical connections, so a 4 way splitter could suffice at first junction.

[Ojustaboo]

5) there is no difference between the GB UE 4K & QUAD 4K, other than price, no hdmi-in, esata, rs323, fewer usb ports and Quad has larger colour LCD,


That being the case, will it be the same ViX version for both?

Say the more expensive one out sells the cheaper one 10 to 1, I don't want to be in a position in a few years time where support for the cheaper one ceases.

I've made my decisions after a lot of research and going to the stores to see various TVs..

Getting either the new EU 4k or the new quad 4k, probably the cheaper one all depends on funds.
Getting Unicable lnb (getting both from site sponsor)
Getting the Sony KD49XF8505BU

Wont have the funds available until around 17 - 20th Dec so will probably wait until the first week in Jan hoping the TV is in a sale

Many thanks for all your advice

[Ojustaboo]

An FBC module only has two physical connections, so a 4 way splitter could suffice at first junction.

Thanks. Does it only need one cable going into the module, or does it need two?

[abu baniaz]

"Can" and "need" are subjective and contextual.

You can use one signal wire, use the connected option when configuring tuner. However, plugins that require sole access to a physical tuner (ABM and CrossEPG) will be impacted, you will get blackout while they process. Normal usage will not be affected. Better to use two wires.

A 4 way splitter will allow you to supply both signal inputs and also daisy chain to another splitter.

A unicable guide thread is here
https://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?59981-Guide-to-using-Unicable

[Ojustaboo]

Many thanks.

Just checked the specs on my new TV, and I think it also has unicable (only want it as an emergency backup should the sat box fail)



(Satellite input)
• Connections for terrestrial/cable andsatellite. Connection steps: SUB. t MAINt Antenna
• For SUB. jack, connect only when you areusing twin tuner mode except for SingleCable Distribution EN50494.

Googling EN50494 it appears this is unicable.

Will read your unicable link now.

Many thanks

[Ojustaboo]

One hopefully final question.

My cable was bought in 2009, it's in conduit (20mm tower type from screwfix) from where it leaves the house until a couple of foot from the dish.

it was WF100 cable made by Webro.

It goes under my floor etc and comes out in a socket behind the TV.

I presume that it wont degrade over time as it's in conduit (maybe replace the exposed bits on the end?) or should I be looking at new cable too?

Thanks

[abu baniaz]

Cable should be fine.