8 replies to this topic

[Bjorn_w]

Hello all,

hopefully someone is able to offer me some help setting up a Unicable II solution. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

The goal is as follows.

 

I have number existing satellite receivers, one is VU+ Duo4K (first edition) and the others are VU+ Zero4K

 

Currently I have a setup using 2 Optical LNBs that are connected via 2 Optical to Coax converters. The output of these optical converters are 2 sets of VL / VH / HL / HH coax outputs that are fed into a SAB SMS 9/8 S Multiswitch.

 

LNB one is used to receive Canal Digitaal via the 23.5E Satellite position. 

LNB two is used to receive UK FTA channels via the 28.2E Satellite position. 

 

I'd like to upgrade this setup to a Unicable II setup where the VU+ Duo4K will be able to to use all virtual FBC tuners using a single Coax cable and while being able to receive 8 transponders at the same time through both satellite positions 23.5 and 28.2.
I'd like to keep using the optical LNBs and optical to coax converters I have installed. I would assume that an optical LNB + converter would have the same result as a "normal" quattro LNB.

 

Through some online research I found that it should be an option to replace the current SAB multiswitch with two Inverto Unicable switches (2x Inverto IDLU-UWT110-CUO1O-32P). One switch per LNB and feed the two Unicable outputs from the two switches into a combiner (Inverto IDLU-UCM1O1-OOO2O-OPP). From the combiner a single cable could be connected to the coax cable that currently feeds the VU+ Duo4K and if I understand correctly the Unicable signal should allow to provide the 8 FBC tuners 8 transponders across the 2 satellite positions.

 

I'm following this setup as provided by Inverto: https://inverto.tv/u...-1502440753.png

Be it I don't use 4 wideband LNBs, but 2 quattro LNBs instead.
 

So I ordered the 2 Inverto Switches + Combiner and hooked it up like this:

 desired_setup.jpg   48.02KB   3 downloads

 

After connecting the swithces and the combiner I cannot seem to get both satellite positions working at the same time.

 

If I connect VL-VH-HL-HH for the LNB pointed to 23.5E to multishwich 1 -> add the power inserter -> connect to the Combiner port 1, I can receive a signal successfully.

 

If I connect VL-VH-HL-HH for the LNB pointed to 28.2E to multishwich 2 -> add the power inserter -> connect to the Combiner port 2, I can receive a signal successfully as well, but only if I disconnect 23.5 from combiner port 1. If I connect both multiswitches at the same time to the combiner, neither will return any signal and I cannot watch any channel.

So both positions work independently, but just not if connect both at the same time.

Surely I’m overlooking something obvious and maybe someone could point me to the correct direction. How should the tuner be configured in OpenPli so that the receiver and switches will know which channel is for what satellite position? 

These are the Tuner settings I set up:

LNB1 for 23.5
 Tuner_A_LNB1.jpg   78.85KB   5 downloads

LNB2 for 28.2
 Tuner_A_LNB2.jpg   80.72KB   3 downloads

But this doesn't allow receiving both positions at the same time. These settings work fine if I connect only one of the cables feeding the switch into the combiner. however as soon as I connect both no signal on either satellite
 

Note I have also tried setting the Userband to other channels for each LNB, but same result, no signal when both are connected, only if I disconnect one and leave the other will I receive a signal.

Also if I change the setup for positions; so I tried changing the settings for 23.5E by changing LNB1 + Position 1 into setting LNB2 + Position 2, and if I vice versa, I tried changing the setting for position 28.2E from LNB2 + Position 2 to LNB1 + Position 1, the same issue.

Any idea what ' doing wrong? Will I need to use a programmer to setup the 2 switches to be tuned to a specific satellite position? And if so can this be done using SP-IDLU-SPAL03-OOOBT-OPP ?
Or is the setup as I intend possible using the default settings for the Inverto Switches?

Hopefully someone can help me figure this out.

Thanks!

 

[WanWizard]

If you use a combiner, you have to make sure the switches are properly programmed.  From what I read, you haven't done that, so both switches respond when connected, and it doesn't work.

 

You need to have switch 1 programmed for LNB 1 and switch 2 for LNB 2. If that is not possible, you need to programme them to split UB's, so UB 1-16 is on switch 1, and UB 17-32 is on switch 2 (and your tuner config accordingly).

 

The Inverto programmer is expensive, most people have this done by the shop that sells the switches (yes, that is the programmer).

[Bjorn_w]

Thank you for the quick answer WanWizard.

I was afraid this might be the case, IE needing to explicitly program the switches. I did describe my intended setup to the selling shop (won't be naming them, don't wish to make them look bad, I'm sure they intended to help) but seems they may not have programmed the switches to meet the required setup as I planned and outlined before shipping to me.

Since the shop is quite far away (500+ km, I ordered online), I'll probably decide buying the programmer and be able to manage myself instead of sending the switches back, have the shop reprogram and return the switches. Seems the programmer may also be quite handy to re-allign the dish after a storm, so might handy to have around anyway.

It would have been nice if the seller would have indicated that the switches do need re-programming for my purposes and offered to either program for me or at lease pointed out that I would need a programmer. I did in fact ask if they could confirm my desired setup would work and if anything other would be required. Seems my description may not have been clear enough (or they didn't read it well enough)

Anyhow. I'll try to fix it using a programmer. 

Thanks again.

[WanWizard]

If you have or can get a second cable going to the box, the alternative is to remove the combiner, and connect switch 1 to input A, switch 2 to input B, and split your 8 tuners between the two positions.

 

You could even opt for a second FBC-S tuner, so you have 8 tuners per position, this is what I have done (my setup is more complex, with 4 sats). Might even be cheaper than buying the programmer .

 

This ofcourse doesn't work if you intent to connect more receivers to the same cable...

[Bjorn_w]

Good suggestion indeed, but getting another cable will be a royal pain as well. This was the main reason the unicable setup was my choice.

I have ordered the programmer. It will arrive in 2 days. I figured having the programmer and be able to configure the switches is nice, plus added benefit of being able to align my dish in case a storm messes things up using the same device is a nice to have as well. 

Once I received the programmer and get things up and running. I will confirm here, so that future readers may be able to sort this out following the same steps.

[Bjorn_w]

Update on the above for any future readers who wish to create a similar setup.

The solutions was indeed to program one switch to Input position "Quattro A" and the the other switch to Input position "Quattro B" using the Inverto SatPal programmer. I expect that if you order the switches, and request the shop to program them then you might save the cost of ordering the programmer.

A similar setup I used should also work with 4 wideband LNBs instead of the 2 Quattro LNBs I used. Then you will need to program the switches differently (one switch set to Input position "Wideband AB" and the second switch to Input position "Wideband BC") 

Only one power inserter is needed instead of the 2 I described in the initial diagram. 

Here is an updated overview of how I managed to get things working. Using the Vu+ Duo 4K I can use all 8 tuners in parallel, while also being able to use the Vu+ Zero 4K boxes in parallel. 
 Screenshot 2024-07-07 at 13.19.16.png   263.96KB   2 downloads

Edited by Bjorn_w, 7 July 2024 - 12:34.

[WanWizard]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I assume you meant "Wideband CD" for the second switch?

[Bjorn_w]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I assume you meant "Wideband CD" for the second switch?

Correct, should have been ...  and the second switch to Input position "Wideband CD")  

Edited by Bjorn_w, 7 July 2024 - 21:03.

[T90W]

An alternative solution would have been to use two programmable unicable LNBs like Inverto IDLU-32L412-UNBRR-OPN, and program those as "A" and "B". 

At the dish you connect them together with a simple T-piece, so they only one coax cable is needed. Those LNBs can be bought under 100 euros for the pair. 

Works like a charm here.