Does Sky+ HD SCR mode work with Unitron dCSS-422?

ozumo

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Does anyone know if I can connect Sky+ HD boxes in SCR mode to the SCR outputs of a Unitron dCSS-422, or are they exclusively for Sky Q?

Also can Sky SCR & EN50494/EN50607 SCR be used simultaneously on the same output from the Unitron? I need 6 Sky UB and 4 non-Sky UB.

I'm going to change the Zone 2 dish on the house for a Channel Master 90cm in the garden, using SCR would save over 150 metres of cable. The dCSS-422 is also cheap :cool:
 

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Burnham Beech

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I can't help on your specific question, but let me tell you my experience.

As you know, if you access the Sky HD Box Engineer menu you can change the LNB type from a standard LNB to SCR Band LNB. This implies that you can input an output from a SCR LNB into the Sky HD box.

I bought a cheap SCR LNB - Maclean MCTV-762. This LNB has one LNB output to feed 4 x SCR signals and 2 Legacy feeds from two more LNB outputs. I had hoped that this LNB would feed a Sky HD box from the SCR feed - but it did not work . The SCR output works perfectly on the enigma2 boxes that I have.

I presume there must be a solution - ie a particular SCR LNB that works with a Sky HD box, but I don't have any more information on that. The PDF that you posted implies (to me anyway) that the Unitron dCSS-422 merely feeds the old legacy feeds to the Sky HD box.
 

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Sky UK SCR is different to standard SCR which is why SCR LNBs don't work, I guess the question is whether Sky Q SCR is different to Sky HD SCR. The inclusion of the EN50494/EN50607 user bands on the label gives me hope that this unit isn't exclusively for Q.
 

rolfw

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Sky HD boxes will work with a dSCR unit, got loads connected to unitron switches. You just need a 2 way splitter with power pass from both outputs to the input and connect both tuners on the Sky HD unit. From memory, you may need to have a little play with the channels in the SCR menu.
 

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Finally gave this a go today, couldn't get a Pace Sky+ HD box to work alongside any of my non-Sky receivers when using SCR mode (each on a separate output). Both receivers worked fine in SCR mode when used individually.
 

rolfw

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Did you change the SCR channels on the boxes so that they were all different? I've had 2 working in the same house off a single SCR output to a 4 way splitter
 

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I don't know how different the SCR protocols between Sky & non-Sky are, might only work with one at a time?

Tried many combinations of channels, at one point I had the non-Sky box working and the Sky box showing signal only on one tuner. At this point the status light on the SCR output for the Sky box was flashing an irregular pattern, two at normal pace and then two quick flashes. With the Sky box in standby both status lights flashed together.

Could be a power issue? Using only the two receivers in SCR mode wasn't enough power it up so used a third receiver on the DC input connector, though I guess its 12v 0.8a power supply didn't leave much juice for the switch.

Will try again tomorrow.
 

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The manual from post #1 mentions a 20V power supply. So I'd definitely try a higher voltage than 12V! :-)

Apart from that, the absence or presence of power seems to have effect on the functionality of the ports. I'm not familiar with the unitron, but I suggest you read that part again. I personally do not at first glance fully understand what is written..... :-(

Greetz,
A33
 

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It would have been getting 18v from the receiver, the power input is an F-connector so a receiver seemed an easy way to power it. I was under the impression it could be powered via the SCR outputs and hoped the power from the receivers would be enough, but if it needs the full 20v I will have to source an appropriate psu.

40A00AE3-3DDE-41F3-BCC0-6445C825615D.jpeg
 

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"The dCSS-422 has 2 standard Legacy outputs and 2 SCR/Legacy outputs. The
last 2 ports can independently work in SCR or Legacy Mode, only when
powered locally via a 20V power supply."

I earlier read this sentence, thinking the 20V was needed for operation of SCR or legacy mode on those ports,
but reading further the 20V is only needed for using the legacy mode, on the SCR/legacy ports, it seems.

And at one location they mention 20V, but at the specs table they write "20V max", suggesting less voltage is also possible?

Not an unambiguous manual, I would say.

So I'm now inclined to say that an extra PSU would not necessarily be needed, though they write it would be the 'best practice'...

I saw that UB3, 1680MHz, is present both for Sky and normal Unicable. Did you use that frequency, for your testing?

Greetz,
A33
 

ozumo

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I read that as the power supply was needed if you wanted the two SCR/legacy ports to operate in different modes :confused

I definitely tried UB3 on the Sky box as it was first on the list, but not on the Edision as it was in use by the Sky receiver.
 

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I read that as the power supply was needed if you wanted the two SCR/legacy ports to operate in different modes :confused

Power Inserter (PI) in customer’s property: Legacy ports output:
Standard Sat Signals and Terrestrial. SCR ports output: dSCR Sat Signals for
Q and Terrestrial. (Standard mode is not supported, a Sky+ or FreeSat box
will not work)
I concluded this from the citation above (and context): when no PSU on the 5th (DC-)port, the legacy/SCR ports only give SCR.

You use the needed splitters (with diodes)? Or do you use just two receivers, each to its own SCR port?
 

rolfw

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You will need the power supply and inserter, didn't realise you didn't have one, I use the 18v Whyte PSUs, an 800ma unit should do it. Regarding the splitter, I used a standard satellite band splitter with DC pass from output ports to input ports, even though you are supposed to use a smart splitter, they still worked.
 

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You use the needed splitters (with diodes)? Or do you use just two receivers, each to its own SCR port?
Currently
SCR/legacy 1 -> Edision Primo
SCR/legacy 2 -> splitter -> Pace Sky+ HD (2 tuners)
 

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A kind soul has sent me a Sky SP161 power inserter to try (14v 0.4a), as mentioned in the manual. Power wise do I need to stop non-Sky receivers from sending 13v/18v if used on the same switch port as the inserter?

14v 0.4a = 5.6w which in theory won't be enough to power the LNB as well :-doh

C6375950-CBC8-4B73-9FEE-198C5987D902.jpeg
 
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ozumo

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Nowt but ball ache today. The SP161 was a waste of time, as expected it wasn't enough to power the LNB so switched to a 19v 3.6a laptop power supply.

The Primo had a tantrum and now refuses to boot, though pressing different combinations of buttons on the front disables different segments of the boot display, which was fun for a few seconds. The Sky+ HD Pace 850 refuses to have more than 1 tuner working at a time in SCR mode and even then it only works partially and is very sluggish.

Tried my Amstrad DRX870 and it works, using channels 3 & 11. As I can't get the Unitron to work with all my receivers it'll go in the box of things that seemed like a good a idea at the time but didn't work out :(
 

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That is a pity.

So if @rolfw had got it working, the question remains what was the bottleneck in this (your) case?
Though the separate UB frequencies for Sky and for 'normal' Unicable frequencies of the Unitron was already a bit of a mistory to me, I must confess.

I understand a bit of Unicable, but the how and why of the different Sky approach has remained unclear to me; let alone the combination of both.

Greetz,
A33
 

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The Pace Sky box has been obsolete for many years - it doesn't support the current NDS/Sky encryption. However with my 'yellow house' Sky card it allows recording which otherwise would need an active subscription. I normally use it in single feed mode, I wonder if this has caused a bug when changing to SCR (at one point last week both tuners were working in SCR mode) :confused
 

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Well, had one more go, set the Pace to twin tuner standard (legacy) mode, connected it to two feeds from a 28.2°E dish. Then I changed it to SCR mode, waited the disk to spin down then unplugged it and connected it to the Unitron. Powering up there was no signal and inconsistent flashing of the status LED on the Unitron. Changed the channels to 9 & 14 and it now appears to work :-ohmy :-ohmy :-ohmy

Have set it to record various channels to test it but finally getting somewhere.
 
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