Universal LNB vs Standard 10750

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stbel55

SatelliteGuys Family
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Jun 15, 2012
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canada
I like scanning random sats checking different TV transponders!! Always used a standard 10750 lnb but I was told to change to a universal lnb for more availble channels. I had a universal lnb many years ago but had trouble setting it up with my box. ( pansat 250SM ) Now have geosat HDVR1200. Any suggestions on my purchase?? I understand that most 11250 freq lnb's are for the encrypted nag3 etc. Is it worth changing over to a universal???? I have 2- 33' & 1- 39' dishes. Galaxy 18 / AMC 21 & galaxy 19
 
There is no need for a universal LNBF frequency range on those satellites. No frequencies are used above 12.2GHz or below 11.7GHz for these satellites.

If you were aimed at international satellites not targeting North America or wanted to receive in the clear channels from DBS or DSS circular polarity satellites with a 3 dB loss, then go for a Universal type LNBF. Otherwise, save your money for a motorized dish.... :D
 
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I think you might have a misunderstanding or two with universal LNB/LNBF usage. Universals contain 2 L.O.'s, 9750 and 10600. 22k tone switches between them and changes what frequency range you receive. For North American True FTA FSS birds we only use 11700-12200 frequency range. A standard L.O. 10750 LNBF gets these fine. Universals get above and below this. A circular DBS LNBF typically uses a L.O. of 11250 and only works for circular DBS like Dish, DirecTV or Bell TV.

Frequencies below 11700 use universal low band on a universal LNBF. These are mostly used....well everywhere but NA. If you have line of sight you can start to use this range east of about 58W on some satellites that send a beam our way. Same with a few above 12200. The other thing you can occasionally do with a universal is receive an occasional Dish/Bell TP between 12224-12750. Naturally it has to be one of the rare times they run something in the clear. It also has to be super strong and results depend on your location and the particular TP. You'll only see a few DBS TP's with a universal and often they are weak.

Basically get a universal if you want to explore the atlantic/eu birds you might be able to receive from your location. I am sure I am bias but I recommend and run Amiko L203 twin PLL myself. It has top notch performance and a long neck allowing you to get it right in the focal sweet spot for your dish, which means even higher signal. I use the twin over the single myself because I am constantly tweaking and plugging in a satellite meter. No need to unplug the feed to the STB this way, I just hook into the unused second port.
 
A look at it from a different perspective. A universal LNB gets you more frequencies than a standard, but you have to dedicate your 22khz tone control to the LNB and you can't use it for other things, like multi-switches or tone switches. So if you have a simple setup and don't use tone control (22khz), definitely go for a universal LNB(F).
 
I don't use a 22khz switch but am confused on how rhar would switch the universal lnb??
 
normally if you set the LNB to Universal that will make the 22k setting grey (or set to auto)
Shortcut on a Universal is set to 10600 LNB LO and turn the 22k on
 
Thanks iceberg for input, so on my geosat 1200 I set the lnb type to universal and when I blind scan the built in switch in the lnb will automatically flip over the frequency's for all transponders to scan all channels??
 
That is correct.
However you will scan the entire FTA band including the lower portion which is a waste of time.
What you can do instead is set the LNB freq to 10600, change Universal to Standard and set 22khz to ON.
Now you will only scan the FTA portion of the band that is used in N. America.

Hope I'm not confusing you?
 
it also takes longer to blindscan with the universal on receivers that don't give you the option to enter the blindscan freq range to scan.
Universal lnbs were often bundled with dish packages years ago because they were cheaper than standard ku and the packages were originally targeted for the euro market.
 
Only thing that I know is Setmax-8 somewhere at 114*w, anyhoo they were sending data streams at around 11.5 GHz and the signal strength is bouncing around at 0 to 72 % so I think they were wideband packets. Still no luck on any video feed on low Ku band freqs, to play with!:p
 
Probably these signals are VCM (Variable Coding Modulation) or ACM (Adaptive Coding Modulation) and your receiver is only capable of CCM (Constant Coding Modulation). Your receiver locks momentarily as the changing coding matches one of the STBs supported FECs.

Data services and infrequently TV services use these coding types to provide optimized bandwidth usage. A few PCI cards support VCM reception.
 
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if you have a line of site for sats to the east, sometimes interesting things pop up that you do need a universal lnb for
if you enjoy finding feeds, and can see sats on the atlantic side, i definitely recommend getting a universal.
hard to beat the pll one from amiko.
 
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The most important consideration is to buy a PLL variety of LNB. Having a universal LNB is purely for experimenting and learning about LNBs. There is no real practical reason to have one in the US or Canada, even on the hard left coast since the footprint of almost every Ku-band satellite that might require a universal LNB to receive them does not have a footprint that lands in the US or Canada. There are a few exceptions.
 
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