Any unicable users here (satellite tv) ?

[onesixright]

Hi,

I'm contemplating to install unicable (v2) for my satellite setup. Couldn't find a lot of info with regard to reviews, etc (only some how it works).

Which leaves me with a few questions:

1. Anyone using it, and how is it performing ?

2. Do you use a normal COAX cable? I tried looking up a COAX cable type, but couldn't find any specifics.

Many thanks!

[Dr. Frank]

Ten years ago, I've installed a Unicable system in our house, working fine with up to 4 TV sets, or satellite receivers.

We already had single shield coax cables here, for cable TV, therefore Unicable allows to reuse this, w/o replacing it by double shielded, four fold cables, which is necessary for the 'normal' satellite systems.  You probably need to replace each terminal box with ones which have integrated protection diodes for the Unicable system, and which have appropriate damping factors, depending on, at which distance from the star / entry point they are sitting, that's a bit of trial and error w/o appropriate measurement equipment.

I have chosen a cheap Sharp LNB, BS1K1EL, which works well with different receivers, and also a relatively new Samsung TV set.
This LNB has one direct Unicable (they call it SCR = Single Cable Receiver) and one additional legacy output, where you can attach a fifth receiver, using a separate cable.
So you don't need any additional converters, PSUs, and so on, that's the most simple solution.

I also tried an inverto LNB, 'Black Unicable', but that did not work at all, obviously it was intended for inverto receivers only.

The setup of the different channels is a bit tricky, and your receivers / TV sets of course must be capable to manage Unicable signals.

Frank
 

[onesixright]

Ten years ago, I've installed a Unicable system in our house, working fine with up to 4 TV sets, or satellite receivers.

We already had single shield coax cables here, for cable TV, therefore Unicable allows to reuse this, w/o replacing it by double shielded, four fold cables, which is necessary for the 'normal' satellite systems.  You probably need to replace each terminal box with ones which have integrated protection diodes for the Unicable system, and which have appropriate damping factors, depending on, at which distance from the star / entry point they are sitting, that's a bit of trial and error w/o appropriate measurement equipment.

I have chosen a cheap Sharp LNB, BS1K1EL, which works well with different receivers, and also a relatively new Samsung TV set.
This LNB has one direct Unicable (they call it SCR = Single Cable Receiver) and one additional legacy output, where you can attach a fifth receiver, using a separate cable.
So you don't need any additional converters, PSUs, and so on, that's the most simple solution.

I also tried an inverto LNB, 'Black Unicable', but that did not work at all, obviously it was intended for inverto receivers only.

The setup of the different channels is a bit tricky, and your receivers / TV sets of course must be capable to manage Unicable signals.

Frank

Hi Frank,

Thank you!

So if I understand you correctly (related to the coax itself), a double shielded coax cable will be good enough?

I already read else where you need a receiver and also that programming them can be a bit tricky. For know I'm pulling cables though-out the (renovated) house, just wanna make sure I install the correct (coax) cable type.

Thanks again!

[Dr. Frank]

Update:
I used double shielded cable, 'for satellite use', for the new connection from the LNB to the house network, which has about 32db/100m, and that works fine.

With the existing cables we already had here, I encountered a problem with the highest of the 4 channel at 2040 MHz, which needed to be attached to the LNB at smaller distance.

I'm not sure, now, which kind of shielding that existing cable has, but as said, it was intended for cable TV only, which might have much lower frequency bands than Satellite.

Frank

[Ysjoelfir]

I have installed several unicable solutions in my apprentice time - which was like... 12 years ago. its a simple technology and it works surprisingly stable with even the shittiest cables. We regularely reused simple single shielded coax cables from old analog antenna systems or cable TV systems.

We used most of the time technisat unicable routers or those inverto black series LNBs (which got a white case later as the black ones died in the sun pretty regularely...). worked a treat, no problems whatsoever.