Installation of Quad LNB & Cabling

[cyrus fan]

Hi

I've just taken delivery of a Panasonic Blu-Ray Recorder (DMR-BS750) which has got twin Freesat + HD tuners. I obviously need a quad LNB but a few questions:

Does the cabling have to be HD-spec or can I get a HD picture with my existing cable? (before I get someone to put the new twin runs of cable and LNB on)

Is it best to buy the LNB and cabling from say Amazon which have them at reasonable prices and get someone to fit them or do installers charge reasonable prices for these? Or do they try to get a huge markup on them? Probably varies widely but any personal experiences?

Thanks

 

[Tonya]

Hi!
I personally have a quad LNB setup, two cables to the Sky HD and the other ones to the Humax FreeSat box.
Standard cabling works just fine.
Living in the frozen wasteland that is Norway, it was essential that all the connections are watertight which isn't a bad idea in any installation.
I sourced a special type of plastic tubing that you simply cut to length and slip over the end of the plug, so when you heat it with a hairdryer the tube shrinks forming an impervious seal.
To get the job done 100% correct I actually got "the guy" in to ensure the dish and LNB were spot on as only he had the measuring equipment to eek out every last dB of signal strength required to get the BBC signals over here so it's probably worth getting a professional to do the job if only for peace of mind.
An installation that appears OK initially can soon loose the signal when the bad weather sets in

After all, anything to do with satellites IS in fact rocket science after all . . . .

 

[daveh75]

cyrus fan:
Does the cabling have to be HD-spec or can I get a HD picture with my existing cable? (before I get someone to put the new twin runs of cable and LNB on)There's no such thing as HD spec cable!

But make sure you get satellite spec'd/grade cable, Webro WF100 is the recommended cable

cyrus fan:Is it best to buy the LNB and cabling from say Amazon which have them at reasonable prices and get someone to fit them or do installers charge reasonable prices for these?Or do they try to get a huge markup on them? Probably varies widely but any personal experiences?

I wouldn't use Amazon etc for LNB/cablling, most of the LNB/cabling kit's i've seen on their supply either RG6 cable which is used for aerial installations and not designed to carry the high frequencies an LNB outputs, or so called "low loss" satellite cable which is of poor quality.

Also the LNB's supplied are often just standard "universal" LNB's ,meant for use on standard round or offset dishes, with an adaptor(to fit Sky mini-dishes).

Although a standard universal LNB will work on Sky mini-dishes,it will give poor performance, due to the shape of the scaler rings within the LNB. See Here for full explanation.

TBH, if you're intending to get an installer in to fit the cable/LNB anyway,you're better off letting them supply LNB/cables too.

Any decent installer will charge you the going rate LNB/cable and not charge a huge mark up on them,plus the added benefit of supplying the correct equipment for the job!

 

[cyrus fan]

Thanks very much guys!

I'll do as you suggest, daveh75, and get the guy to supply and fit the required. I'm probably a bit paranoid about being taken for a ride. It's probably watching Watchdog that's doing it...