Looking to replace my old Sky Boxes for VU+ Duo 4K SE boxes

[GabrielKnight]

Hi!

Sky customer for 18 years and looking to cancel when I can give my 1 month notice at the end of this month.

Most of what I watch now is on Youtube but I'd like to leave a free (after initial purchase) Satellite box in the 3 rooms Sky was connected to for the household.

I realise the VU+ is one of the more expensive options but I've spent several days researching and decided on that model.

I realise that the Enigma2 is not plug and play but I have a little nous and endless spare time to learn to set it up.

I realise that the Arris box is much easier but note the online complaints. I've considered second hand Humax but am aware they're considered clunky by some.

Given the above, respectfully please don't try to convince me of a different model of receiver.

What I would be really grateful for is some help in converting my old Sky 'outdoor' hardware to work with the suggested receiver (ie do I need a new dish / LNB / cables)?

The dish woud have been fitted to the house back in the old Sky+ days. Engineers came out when we subscribed to Sky Q 3 years ago. I don't remember them changing the dish then.

As we've been using Sky Q, I'm assuming the LNB is Sky's own iteration of Wideband (It shows as Wideband LNB in the menu - not SCR). Presumably this won't work on the VU+ Duo 4K SE boxes that contain a 'Twin Satellite DVB-S/S2/S2X Wideband Tuner' and I need to swap it for a Unicable II programable 32 user band LNB like this? Unicable SCR LNBs. Inverto Unicable single cable SCR LNB, 40mm 4 output LNBs. Big Discounts. Low prices.

What about the way the outside cables are setup? Is this compatible? A pair of cables split from the LNB seemingly split into 3 pairs going into 3 rooms? I'm a bit confused as to why a '"single" cable run (SCR)' would need 2 cables from the LNB to be split into 6 cables to go into 3 rooms with 2 cables each. I'm guessing the 'single cable' in any SCR is actually a pair of cables mouded next to each other, as opposed to what a layman might consider to be single (one collection of wires bound in one insulation)?

 

[ozumo]

Did the two additional rooms previously have Sky+ (or other satellite system) before moving to Sky Q, or were the cables added when Q was installed? Does the Q box work in these extra rooms (to check if the cables are actually connected to the LNB via splitters)? It may be the extra cables are not connected to anything at the dish end.

If you don't need to record more than two channels at once you can use a Sky Octo LNB, the two tuners of each box would be connected directly to the LNB.

As far as I'm aware there's no SCR LNB specifically for Sky dishes, though they can be fitted with a 40mm LNB adapter for Sky mk4 dishes. An SCR LNB can be used with splitters.

 

[smithysmudge]

It may be the extra cables are not connected to anything at the dish end.

Agree it looks like the cables “shotgun coax” going to the other rooms have been removed and tucked behind the dish when the skyQ lnb was fitted as no need for cables to sky mini boxes.

 

[GabrielKnight]

All 3 rooms were installed with 2 cables each when Sky+ was installed. No cabling was added when Sky Q was installed.

The main Sky Q box still has two cables plugged into the back. The 2 miniboxes in the other rooms have no connectors for cables at the back. They connect to the main box over WIFI, but I assume the cables still work as they still come out of a splitter.

From the online research I've done, the latest non-Sky satellite boxes use the European standard SCR (Unicable).

Single-cable distribution - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sky's LNBs use a proprietary standard to be a PITA. Official FreeSat (TM) boxes are perhaps programmed to accept this standard. Non-sky boxes use Unicable (not Sky LNBs) as far as I understand?

Sky SCR not working on Unicable setups


I do have an opton for 'SCR LNB' on my Sky Box rather than the 'Wideband' (suspect i.e. Skys own version) option it's locked to, so reading the thread above (bearing in mind its 5 years old and Sky Q has become more compatible) I suspect the Sky Box can be made to work with a Unicable LNB but am almost certain it can't be done the other way?

Would a Unicable SCR LNB still be split in the same way as my cables are? Ie would the way my cables have been installed be ideally compatible with this LNB?

No links to other satellite sites allowed here.

 

[william-1]

Please read our Forum Rules before you post again,

Forum Rules - Please Read Before Posting

We hope that you all enjoy the forum, but would ask that you observe a few basic rules and courtesies General Etiquette * Please do not Flame other posters, if you disagree, then please do so in a measured and civilised manner. * Trolling: Do not come to this site with the purpose of starting...

www.satellites.co.uk

 

[ozumo]

You have a Sky 'wideband' LNB, which is nothing to do with SCR. It has two cables, all the horizontal signals on one, the other carries vertical signals. Your cables are not split, like smithysmudge said, I suspect they are hidden loose behind the dish surplus to requirements.

The simplest and easiest option is to install a mk4 Sky Octo LNB which will work with all receivers, apart from Sky Q. No splitting required.

 

[GabrielKnight]

Well, with the links removed, it doesn't make any sense.

Basically, people using VU+ boxes couldn't work out why it wasn't working with their Sky LNB. They're not compatible so I need a Unicable LNB.

The other link was to a Unicable LNB and I wanted to know if that would work with my cabling.

 

[ozumo]

Unless you need the ability to record more than two channels simultaneously on each receiver you don't need an SCR LNB. Yes an SCR LNB will work with those cables once splitters are fitted. Unique SCR channels/userbands will need to be assigned to each receiver.

 

[GabrielKnight]

Thanks Ozumo - you've been very helpful. I'll look into it more tomorrow.

I think my biggest problem is I really don't get what a SCR is as I don't have any knowledge / experience in the history of satellite. Has a 'single cable' always meant a shotgun / pair of cables? What was here before SCR? 8 cables going straight from the LNB to 4 boxes? What's the advantage of a 'single' cable run if the two cables have to be split into 6 / 8 jut after they come out of the LNB?!

 

[ozumo]

SCR is a way of connecting many receivers (such as in a block of flats) to a single dish. It works by the receiver telling the LNB (or multiswitch) what frequency it requires & the LNB (or multiswitch) converting that frequency on to the channel/userband assigned to that receiver. If there are 24 userbands on a single cable, that single cable can be split to supply 24 tuners. A Sky+ box has 2 tuners, that Vu+ box has 8 I believe when using two cables. So that one cable could supply 12 Sky+ or 3 Vu+ receivers when using splitters. The splitting does not need to happen at the dish end.

What most of us still use for our non-Sky Q systems is the traditional 'legacy' one cable per LNB output, to supply one tuner. I assume you previously had a Sky 'universal' octo LNB with 8 outputs, where 6 outputs were used to supply 3 Sky+ boxes, no splitters involved.

 

[LeBelge]

...so I need a Unicable LNB.

No, you do not.
All you need is an Octo LNB.
Here you can see one Octo.



Edision Mio 4K works fine with 14 satellites + DVB-T2
Processor: Dual Core ARM 1.5 GHz
FLASH 8GB eMMC/RAM 2GB DDR4 2400Mhz (Multiboot)