Brick size LNBs - Useful? Or are they door stops?

[guapoharry]

Attached are pictures of two LNBs plus feed horns.

Assuming they work, are the LNBs obsolete? Or could they be good for use on a BUD?

 

[Mr Tony]

They're designed for a BUD...the 3 wires on the blue box selects polarity...unlike the new LNB"s these can only select one polarity at a time and the blue box (polorotor) mechanically moves the skew notch for H or V polarity)

 

[dfergie]

MA/Com the original Videocipher folks...Old school but it might work although weak by todays standards....The first shot from the size of the connector looks like an LNA...(requires block downconverter to change the frequency...)

 

[guapoharry]

Yeah, the Uniden device has what looks like an N connector or something like that. In picture 1, the little metal box at top looks to be the down converter. It is Janeil branded. It has another big connector on one side and an F connector. If I recall what I read somewhere, aren't LNAs junk by comparison?


The MA/com unit might work. OK.

Long story short - I have accumulated stuff toward a BUD project. This includes: Uniden 4400 receiver, a President receiver, a DSR 920, another feed with Mini Mag LNB. The last one has a 17K noise figure, but I don't know how that number rates...

 

[dfergie]

My original BUD came with a 120 degree LNA with a Block Down Converter(early 80's)... now has a 25k on it, much better...

 

[Corrado]

I have a bunch of those 20 year old LNBs kicking around myself. Most still work OK for analog C band, but most lock little if any digital signal. Even the "throwaway" $10 LNBs of today work better.

 

[truckracer]

I have heard the old lna's and lnbs are too noisy and unstable for digital reception.

 

[truckracer]

I actually have two of those cheap 10.00 bsc-211 lnbs on my ortho feed horn that work pretty impressively. I can lock hard to get channels like equity G3 using a pansat 9200 (which has a crappy tuner to begin with). I am sold on the cheapo throw aways.

 

[tvropro]

The first two pictures are LNA's there useless today. The other pictures look like LNB's but there probably high temperature Gasfets. Your better off unless they are HEMT and 45 deg or lower to toss them and start with a new c band LNB.

 

[zaxxon]

Not much good anymore, best just toss them but save the blue motor's they may still be good. If you have a BUD you may need a replacement some day. If not sell them on ebay.