LNB comparison tests

[dxsat]

I've been told by someone who knows much more about these things that less than a 0.3db noise figure is beyond the laws of physics.
Slightly inconvenient fact for the manuafacturers' marketing departments, but they always find a way round these things.. perhaps it is the LNB equivalent of 'go faster stripes'?

 

[Rd100]

what Prodelin 1.8m have you got is it the offset or prime focus and is it fixed or not,

When i get my garden redone in the spring i plan on buying 1.8m prodelin with polar mount i have installed a few of the 1.8 & 2.4 offset for v-sat and and some for rx only they are very high qulity like andrew channel master and i can get good prices direct from prodelin,

I have also seen some cheap lnb's on ebay with 0.1db on the they look very cheap and nasty

I've been told by someone who knows much more about these things that less than a 0.3db noise figure is beyond the laws of physics.
Slightly inconvenient fact for the manuafacturers' marketing departments, but they always find a way round these things.. perhaps it is the LNB equivalent of 'go faster stripes'?

 

[dxsat]

I have a fixed Prodelin 1.8m offset fibreglass- based dish. As far as I can see they are identical to ChannelMaster in specification and performance, and just differ slightly physically. The arms are thinner and the AZ/EL mount is very much easier to adjust than the Andrew dish. Mount socket is 4" or 100mm, ChannelMaster is 41/2" or 115mm. Prices are slightly lower. The 1.2metre is actually 1.22 metres across the dish face, bigger than the ChannelMaster.

 

[Rd100]

Yes they are nice dishes also they do a nice polar mount for them and i can order direct from prodelin so prices are cheap, Have you got any pics of your setup,

I have a fixed Prodelin 1.8m offset fibreglass- based dish. As far as I can see they are identical to ChannelMaster in specification and performance, and just differ slightly physically. The arms are thinner and the AZ/EL mount is very much easier to adjust than the Andrew dish. Mount socket is 4" or 100mm, ChannelMaster is 41/2" or 115mm. Prices are slightly lower. The 1.2metre is actually 1.22 metres across the dish face, bigger than the ChannelMaster.

 

[dxsat]

Sure, will post some pictures if it ever stops raining. At the moment, the rain in Spain is falling mainly on my sat installation.

 

[Rd100]

Nice one, No rain here but the last fe days have been clear but very cold, Are you useing the prodaelin feedhorn,

Sure, will post some pictures if it ever stops raining. At the moment, the rain in Spain is falling mainly on my sat installation.

 

[dxsat]

Actually, I'm not, though a 1.2m dish I bought recently came with one. The feed is intended for single polarity LNBs such as the ones that Swedish Microwave sell, being square internally, not round. I use a ChannelMaster feed, as the pictures (when I can do them) will show. It's not quite staightforward to fit a feed of another make to this dish though.

 

[Rd100]

I know the feedhorn you are talking about, But they do a dual polar ku-band feed but if the cm feedhorn is ok there is no point in changeing it,

Actually, I'm not, though a 1.2m dish I bought recently came with one. The feed is intended for single polarity LNBs such as the ones that Swedish Microwave sell, being square internally, not round. I use a ChannelMaster feed, as the pictures (when I can do them) will show. It's not quite staightforward to fit a feed of another make to this dish though.

 

[dxsat]

Here's another instalment of the LNB tests, this time with the MTI BlueLine which was missing from the last night-time test. The Channel Four data was unreliable, so it has been omitted. Also suspect is the Channel Five result for the MTI BlueLine, but I've left it in. The Wolsey Meter has particular problems with these two transponders, it sometimes registers false 99% readings, probably caused by overloading.
It's notable that the older 0.6 MTI performed better than the newer 0.2 version. Can someone tell me if the 0.6 is still made? I have heard conflicting reports.
The other notable result is the much higher Astra 2D readings. (see second picture attached)

The test was at the same time of day as on 2nd. October, the previous one, allowing for the clocks going back. This time the sky was not clear, and a few spots of light rain were falling. In another thread on 2D power reduction, many have noticed this recent increase in received signal.

 

[Likvid]

As noted from your tests there doesn't seem to be that big difference from using the MTI lnb with integrated feed and the separate Invacom/Andrew combo.

 

[dxsat]

It confirms the many reports from around Europe citing the BlueLine LNB as a good performer on Astra 2D. It would be very sad if this model has been discontinued.

 

[dxsat]

Hi, Here's another test. The weather has turned really wet and cold, so it's becoming more difficult.
I tried the three C120 Invacom LNB's against one another. The quad is the same as used previously.
It seems to bear out suspicions I've had before I got the meter. There's a quite a marked improvement when changing from the single to a quad, but only on weak 2D signals. The difference is beyond the normal manufacturing range found in these LNB's (note that each one is tested before it leaves Invacom, and has its test printout in the box).
The difference between the twin and quad is closer to call, and needs a greater number of samples. It still seems that the Quad is the one to go for. The particular twin used seems to be better on vertical TP's and also high band TP's.
The results for TP 24 (Channel Four) and TP 31 (FIVE) expose the limitations of the Wolsey meter and ought to be disregarded. The TP 4 (default transponder) seems to be accurate.
I've aslo posted some pix of my installation on one of the few dry days recently. Note the close up of the LNB. The plastic adaptor on the ChannelMaster feed is back to front, as I found there is higher gain to be had by increasing the distance from the dish to LNB. You have to be careful doing this, in case the feed starts to pick up interference from behind the dish. I think the F/D ratio on the Prodelin I'm using is very slightly different to the equivalent ChannelMaster, for which the feed is designed.

 

[radical]

Hi, Here's another test. The weather has turned really wet and cold, so it's becoming more difficult.
I tried the three C120 Invacom LNB's against one another. The quad is the same as used previously.
It seems to bear out suspicions I've had before I got the meter. There's a quite a marked improvement when changing from the single to a quad, but only on weak 2D signals. The difference is beyond the normal manufacturing range found in these LNB's (note that each one is tested before it leaves Invacom, and has its test printout in the box).
The difference between the twin and quad is closer to call, and needs a greater number of samples. It still seems that the Quad is the one to go for. The particular twin used seems to be better on vertical TP's and also high band TP's.
The results for TP 24 (Channel Four) and TP 31 (FIVE) expose the limitations of the Wolsey meter and ought to be disregarded. The TP 4 (default transponder) seems to be accurate.
I've aslo posted some pix of my installation on one of the few dry days recently. Note the close up of the LNB. The plastic adaptor on the ChannelMaster feed is back to front, as I found there is higher gain to be had by increasing the distance from the dish to LNB. You have to be careful doing this, in case the feed starts to pick up interference from behind the dish. I think the F/D ratio on the Prodelin I'm using is very slightly different to the equivalent ChannelMaster, for which the feed is designed.

Hi,

I have some problems with the reception of my motorised 150cm sat-system, after a while of watching..the picture jumps out of signal.

I have the Topfield TF 7700HSCI HD sat receiver which is not the problem, as i have tested.

It seems to me there is some interference between the V&H signals?

I have the Invacom Single SNF-031 C120 LNB combined with an older SMW XM-500 focal Feedhorn.

Does anyone know if these combination could be the cause of this problem?

Thanks

 

[piratt]

Hi, Here's another test. The weather has turned really wet and cold, so it's becoming more difficult.
I tried the three C120 Invacom LNB's against one another. The quad is the same as used previously.
It seems to bear out suspicions I've had before I got the meter. There's a quite a marked improvement when changing from the single to a quad, but only on weak 2D signals. The difference is beyond the normal manufacturing range found in these LNB's (note that each one is tested before it leaves Invacom, and has its test printout in the box).
The difference between the twin and quad is closer to call, and needs a greater number of samples. It still seems that the Quad is the one to go for. The particular twin used seems to be better on vertical TP's and also high band TP's.
The results for TP 24 (Channel Four) and TP 31 (FIVE) expose the limitations of the Wolsey meter and ought to be disregarded. The TP 4 (default transponder) seems to be accurate.
I've aslo posted some pix of my installation on one of the few dry days recently. Note the close up of the LNB. The plastic adaptor on the ChannelMaster feed is back to front, as I found there is higher gain to be had by increasing the distance from the dish to LNB. You have to be careful doing this, in case the feed starts to pick up interference from behind the dish. I think the F/D ratio on the Prodelin I'm using is very slightly different to the equivalent ChannelMaster, for which the feed is designed.

Hi snap,it,s realy invacom twin better than quad on vertical transponders on astra2D?Are you tested Inverto IDLP S-FLANGE 0.3 White tech on Astra2D?

 

[dxsat]

No, I never got round to testing the Inverto.
The result for vertical 2D using a twin is what I read off my meter, it may be correct, but the difference is small.
Since I did this test the quad I used was hit by lightning and destroyed. The one I replaced it with was significantly better on 2D horizontals. Invacom made some kind of modification about a year a go. The one I fitted had a 'Optimised for HD' sticker on the box. No one really knows what this means, apart from Invacom.

 

[koansrc]

The one I fitted (invacom) had a 'Optimised for HD' sticker on the box.

So does the one i recently bought. But I am yet to be convinced for the triple price tag for an invacom having now tried a twin and a quad and comparing them with cheap mti and maximum.

 

[12man]

mti blueline? mti have so many different lnb's, supreme that are blue etc
whatr is the apxxxx number on a real blueline

and snap, thanks for all the efforts you make

 

[dxsat]

Sadly the MTI Blueline seems to be discontinued. The last one I bought was on E-Bay, old stock I think.
The last MTI I tested, the AP8-T2NRC, was really mediocre. (has a rain cover which slides down to protect F connector)
The MTI C120 versions are particularly bad, I have a AP82-TW which has never been used in an installation, the performance is so poor.

 

[rcarr]

Hi Snap,

The improvement in the Invacom C120 sounds very interesting. Do you (or does anyone) see significantly better 2D horizontal performance from recent LNBs?

Can you give any indication of what that means for BBC 3/4 (say!!) evening/nighttime reception in the Madrid (say!) area?

Finally, is there an easy way to tell, by looking at it, if my current C120 is pre or post this improvement? I chucked the box away just weeks ago I think...

Many thanks for any info you can provide,

R.

No, I never got round to testing the Inverto.
The result for vertical 2D using a twin is what I read off my meter, it may be correct, but the difference is small.
Since I did this test the quad I used was hit by lightning and destroyed. The one I replaced it with was significantly better on 2D horizontals. Invacom made some kind of modification about a year a go. The one I fitted had a 'Optimised for HD' sticker on the box. No one really knows what this means, apart from Invacom.

 

[dxsat]

I now live in the UK and only visit Madrid every couple of months. Last time I was there we were getting BBC 2/3/4 for 24 hours/day without any breaks. I'm there again this coming weekend and will see if things have changed. I'll try to make a note of the serial number of my LNB which you can compare with yours to see if it is later.
BBC2 was much better after the LNB change, so this also means BBC 3 and 4 on 10773 H. What you report has nothing to do with Freesat, more likely the change in temperatures.
Try to keep your LNB cool if possible.