Sky to unveil 4K STB next month?

[digi247]

Seems to be the consensus - how have they managed to send double the bandwidth down each cable?

Probably by implementing 2 x Full Band Capture tuners in the 'Q' box which will need a dedicated unicable LNB to work

 

[rolfw]

Seems to be the consensus - how have they managed to send double the bandwidth down each cable?

I would imagine two feeds. one Vertical and one horizontal, then use the VHF and UHF, plus IF bands on each, that would give you 2GHz to suit existing cable infrastructure (very important), but I would guess that if you're living in an apartment witha communal system, it'll be quite a long while before these would be upgraded.

 

[timo_w2s]

From the Sky fact sheets:

Satellite receiver and security
• Full Band tuner 290-2340MHz
• DVB-S/S2 demodulation and error correction
• Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB ) compliant video
and audio decoding
• Power source available for LNB of 300mA @12V DC

https://corporate.sky.com/documents/sky-q-2015/fact-sheet-sky-q.pdf
https://corporate.sky.com/documents/sky-q-2015/fact sheet sky q silver.pdf

 

[Tururu]

Seems to be the consensus - how have they managed to send double the bandwidth down each cable?

A summary of the new FBC tuners, would say that as radios, not the intermediate frequency (IF) is sent over the wire, the clean signal in a low frequency (LF) is sent
Using DiSEqC commands to tell the LNB tuner TP wants to send over the wire, it is sent by one of the 4, 8, 32 channels that can have a unicable / unicable II / Jess LNB.
Since not all low / high / band vertical and horizontal rules.
Only the channel you see cleanly, regardless if low / high band or polarity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Un resumen de los nuevos sintonizadores FBC, seria decir que como los aparatos de radio, ya no se manda la frecuencia intermedia (FI) por el cable, se manda la señal limpia en baja frecuencia (BF)
Usando comandos DiSEqC le dicen el tuner al LNB que tp que quiere que le mande por el cable, se lo manda por uno de los 4, 8, hasta 32 canales que puede tener un LNB unicable/unicable II/Jess.

Ya no se manda toda la banda baja/alta/vertical y horizontal.
Solo el canal que ves de forma limpia, sin tener en cuenta si es de banda baja/alta o su polaridad.

After reading the infomarcion of these new LNB unicable/unicable II/JESS and FBO (Vu + Solo4K) tuners is what I understand, the better "ideas" are allowed.
-----------------------------
Despues de leer la infomarcion de estos nuevos LNB unicable/unicable II/JESS y los sintonizadores FBO (Vu+Solo4K) es lo que entiendo, se admiten mejores "ideas".

The tunnel VU + Solo4K FBC has 2 tuner (tuner FBC has 4 each), a total of 8.
Can mount a dual DVB-S2 standard which also allowed unicable (only 1 connection, total 2).
----------
El tuner del VU+Solo4K, tiene 2 tuner FBC (cada tuner FBC tiene 4), en total 8.
Pudiendo montar un sintonizador dual DVB-S2 normales que tambien admiten unicable (solo 1 conexion, total 2).

Something to read/Algo para leer.
https://www.broadcom.com/collateral/wp/3128-WP100.pdf

PS:

 

[tfc]

The Sky Q Silver and Sky Q boxes
"Cleverly, the box only requires two cables to be run from the satellite dish, and the box can handle decoding the channels. With the old Sky box, each tuner required a dedicated cable. The change is a massive improvement and requires the LNB on the dish to be upgraded. The new LNB is not compatible with Sky+ boxes or Freesat, so once you’ve been engineer upgraded there’s no going back."

Sky Q looks set to change premium TV forever - release date, interface and service detailed

How would that work with an Integrated Reception System? You have to cater for people who only want FreeSat, and NOT Sky. Add another dish?

 

[Archived-1]

The Sky Q Silver and Sky Q boxes
"Cleverly, the box only requires two cables to be run from the satellite dish, and the box can handle decoding the channels. With the old Sky box, each tuner required a dedicated cable. The change is a massive improvement and requires the LNB on the dish to be upgraded. The new LNB is not compatible with Sky+ boxes or Freesat, so once you’ve been engineer upgraded there’s no going back."

Sky Q looks set to change premium TV forever - release date, interface and service detailed

How would that work with an Integrated Reception System? You have to cater for people who only want FreeSat, and NOT Sky. Add another dish?

Hi tfc, ive moved your post here, if you have a look back from your post you will see some suggestions.

 

[rolfw]

The Sky Q Silver and Sky Q boxes
"Cleverly, the box only requires two cables to be run from the satellite dish, and the box can handle decoding the channels. With the old Sky box, each tuner required a dedicated cable. The change is a massive improvement and requires the LNB on the dish to be upgraded. The new LNB is not compatible with Sky+ boxes or Freesat, so once you’ve been engineer upgraded there’s no going back."

Sky Q looks set to change premium TV forever - release date, interface and service detailed

How would that work with an Integrated Reception System? You have to cater for people who only want FreeSat, and NOT Sky. Add another dish?

Well I guess the answer is that the Q Box will not work with standard IRS and an IRS for the new Q boxes won't work with standard boxes, nor will it carry terrestrial TV, as that would overlap with the new wholeband signal.

 

[timo_w2s]

How would that work with an Integrated Reception System? You have to cater for people who only want FreeSat, and NOT Sky. Add another dish?

I don't think it would work with any shared system at the moment. Maybe someone (Triax?) will make a device that can take four "normal" satellite feeds and convert them to the new Sky Q two feed system so that if a property can get four feeds from a shared dish then they can still use the existing dish. Just guessing.

 

[tfc]

I don't think it would work with any shared system at the moment. Maybe someone (Triax?) will make a device that can take four "normal" satellite feeds and convert them to the new Sky Q two feed system so that if a property can get four feeds from a shared dish then they can still use the existing dish. Just guessing.

Thanks for your hopeful suggestion. I hope something comes up to restore some sort of balance.

How do they get away with things like this? I appreciate that in the UK most of the population who think about using satellite reception believe that there is only Sky. Go to other countries and people understand and are familiar with the fact that there are other providers and channels out there, and they have a choice. We are effectively stuck with a monopoly. It's a bit like BT in the sky.

 

[euro.sat]

What's the guessing that Sky will compress their HD channels even more to make 4K look impressive?
I seem to remember the SD channels being made to look significantly worse when HD started getting flogged by them!

 

[timo_w2s]

Thanks for your hopeful suggestion. I hope something comes up to restore some sort of balance.

How do they get away with things like this? I appreciate that in the UK most of the population who think about using satellite reception believe that there is only Sky. Go to other countries and people understand and are familiar with the fact that there are other providers and channels out there, and they have a choice. We are effectively stuck with a monopoly. It's a bit like BT in the sky.

Sky are leading the way in receiver innovations. In my view having just two satellite cables to distribute TV channels around the house and to portable devices is a major step forward and hopefully other companies will offer similar products in the future. From an upgrade point of view it makes sense to be able to use the existing cabling that most people will already have and just swap out the LNB rather than run two more cables to the lounge or replace it with expensive fibre alternatives. Existing Sky+HD boxes will continue to be offered to those that want/need them.

Who knows, maybe Sky Q will have a feature that can use the existing LNB and just have two feeds to the box rather like a Sky+HD can be switched to single feed mode.

 

[digi247]

How would that work with an Integrated Reception System? You have to cater for people who only want FreeSat, and NOT Sky. Add another dish?

Taken from the Wiki:

Equipment such as Inverto’s Unicable Cascadable Switch can be connected to a conventional quattro LNB to provide a single SatCR output and a conventional LNB output. The four IF inputs from the Quattro LNB are looped through to outputs so the unit can be cascaded to further SatCR switches or to the existing multiswitches of the IRS, so an SatCR-enabled output is provided without replacing the existing LNB or affecting the provision for conventional receivers in other households served by the rest of the system

 

[davemurgtroyd]

Lets sort some facts out here in one post

New LNB (two wideband outputs - horizontal and vertical polarisations) required with no need to replace dish or cabling if at present good quality and in reasonable condition BUT wider downconverted frequency band used to receiver almost certainly rules out the use of diplexers to add DTT/Freeview signal to Sky cabling. New LNB also not compatable with other non Sky Q boxes.

Two main receivers at present Sky Q Silver (4k capable and HDMI 2.0 capable although may need update to activate from 1.4) and Sky Q (NOT 4k capable only HD) both with 12 tuners.

Sky Q Mini boxes not connected to dish but connected to main receiver via the best of 3 methods all concurrent - Mains Powerline, 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi (built in to all Sky Q boxes).

At present multiroom limited to Sky Q plus 2 Sky Q Minis.

Ability to view on tablets and smartphones - demo videos show both iOs and Android devices being used. (presumably on 2.4 GHz WiFi only)

Remote is bluetooth so ending the ability to control IR remote controlled devices?

UHD broadcasts will start early 2016

No prices and availability dates yet for boxes or services

The name Sky Q Silver leads me to believe that there will be a Sky Q Gold with enhanced facilities - speculation on what that will be please?

 

[davemurgtroyd]

Taken from the Wiki:

Probably by implementing 2 x Full Band Capture tuners in the 'Q' box which will need a dedicated unicable LNB to work

It is NOT a unicable LNB - it is a new two wideband output lnb - one output carrying vertical and the other horizontal polarisations running from 12V with no switching tone or switching voltage so will be totally incompatable with non Sky Q boxes.

 

[timo_w2s]

It is NOT a unicable LNB - it is a new two wideband output lnb - one output carrying vertical and the other horizontal polarisations running from 12V with no switching tone or switching voltage so will be totally incompatable with non Sky Q boxes.

Yes, that is true. If they can only output 12V and have no tone generating possibilities then there is no way it can work with standard LNBs, even in a reduced tuner mode.

 

[tfc]

Yes, that is true. If they can only output 12V and have no tone generating possibilities then there is no way it can work with standard LNBs, even in a reduced tuner mode.

Does this mean it is incompatible with existing multiswitches too?

 

[timo_w2s]

Does this mean it is incompatible with existing multiswitches too?

If it's using the conventional setup used by standard receivers then yes. I don't know if there are any wideband switches yet but no doubt they will come if Sky Q takes off but it won't be able to carry carry terrestrial TV with it.

 

[Archived-1]

The new smart lnb for DSTV does away with multi switches its built into the lnb, I can only guess there will be a similar new product here ?.

 

[PaulR]

This sounds to me like one of $ly's periodic attempts to corral their customers into a walled garden over which they have complete control. If challenged they would simply hold up their hands and say it was necessary to move on to the next stage in customer experience, or some such guff.

 

[Captain Jack]

I hate 4K and I hate 3D. To me, they are nothing more than pointless gimmicks. An exercise that tech giants get involved in to capitalise on "newer is better" hype. A typical house will not have room for a TV size that would showcase 4K's true capabilities - these are best left for cinema and theatre uses, unless you have lots of room. Don't forget that you need to sit further away from a bigger TV, otherwise it's akin to sitting in first row in your local Vue...

I say improve current HD content via satellite - these channels are only a tiny percentage of what's available via SD. It's not bad on Sky but it could certainly be better.