Communal system being shut down due to poor infrastructure

[MarkRoscoe]

Good morning, this is long winded, but the following information is critical to the best way forward for a viable solution.

1. Communal infrastructure has failed.

2. Communal infrastructure only provides 1 feed into the house.

3. Area is a conservation area, no visible dishes are allowed.

4. Propery is grade 2 listed, however due to my property being "off special historical importance" no walls can be drilled.

That's the rules and regs dealt with, I will be allowed to do the following:-

1. Install my own sky dish within my garden as the dish will not be visible to anybody who wants to complain to English Heritage etc.

2. Route a cable to the existing cable that enters the property, cut this existing cable and connect my new feed from my new dish. This will give me a sky signal back, I will still be in single feed mode, but that's better than nothing at the moment.

Now my question, can i make my system any better while I am carrying out this work, could I make it suitable for SKY Q, remeber no drilling of the property and only 1 feed.

Cheers

[nigea99]

hi @MarkRoscoe 

Tricky - I am really glad I don't have your restrictions.

Just so you know SKY Q requires 2 feed cables from a dish - each cable carries a different polorisation so a single cable would not work for this. A single cable can only be used when fed by Communal System distribution equipment

Perhaps you need to consider SKY Glass or when available later this year without the Glass TV the Pucks which are internet only - but this is quite different to SKY HD / Q - see the Glass forum 

[paulla76]

You can get flat window cables that go between the opening window and the frame, you would then be able to run 2 fresh caables for sky HD or q

Flat Aerial Cable for running through windows or doors - Ideal for caravans, motorhomes, statics, fl...

[MarkRoscoe]

I have just found an article about a dSCR LNB, is this legit or is it a bit of wishfull thinking?

[nigea99]

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@MarkRoscoe wrote:

I have just found an article about a dSCR LNB, is this legit or is it a bit of wishfull thinking?

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I haven't done any research on this but I'll tag our kind expert @Godfrey who may know more  

[Godfrey]

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@MarkRoscoe wrote:....I have just found an article about a dSCR LNB, is this legit or is it a bit of wishfull thinking?

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Global Invacom manufacture a dCSS LNB ( dCSS D 0 0 0 3 6 2 ) which has been configured to match the SCR 'User Bands' that a Sky Q receiver would use when operating in Single Cable Router LNB mode, and it can provide the full requirements of a Sky Q receiver.

I bought one just for interest, and in common with all the other Global Invacom products that I have had the pleasure to use, it performed superbly.

But, bear in mind you would have to convince Sky to treat your installation as a communal install and therefore provide a Multiple Development Unit (MDU) trained engineer. Additionally as this LNB provides a steady amplitude 'User Band' signal, which is then only modulated at the last minute when the aim of the satellite dish is within around +/- 2 degrees of the required satellite, it requires a technique which is initially quite difficult to master, and this is likely to be the first time your Sky MDU trained engineer has encountered a dCSS LNB😉 

The feedhorn of this LNB has been optimised to be mounted on a traditional shape of satellite dish which utilises a 40mm LNB diameter clamp.

To fit it onto a Sky MiniDish would require the Sky MiniDish 37mm LNB clamp to be replaced by one of the freely available 40mm MiniDish LNB adaptors, but, as the reflector surface of a Sky MiniDish is a completely different physical shape the performance would be slightly less than optimal!

Another option that would be a lot easier for an engineer who was not familiar with aiming a dish fitted with a dCSS LNB would be to initially use a Quad, Quattro or Wideband LNB feeding their test meter, then replace that LNB with the dCSS LNB and optimise the Bit Error Ratio (BER) quality.

So, as your installation is presently registered with Sky as a communal Integrated Reception System, the easiest way to progress this would probably be to employ a suitably qualified specialist 'system' engineer to install your new dish, then inform Sky that you required an MDU engineer to attend and fit your new Sky Q receiver.

link to 'Specialist System Installers' 

Godfrey.

[MarkRoscoe]

Cheers @Godfrey 

Thanks for the update, have used the link you provided to find a suitable installer, It turns out the local installer/specialist is the same firm that have been trying to get our communal system sorted. It's not their fault that the rules and regs have "backed them into a corner". I will send them your info to see if it's something they could sort out for me.

[Godfrey]

@MarkRoscoe   A quick test using my Global Invacom dCSS LNB, fitted on a 60cm dish mounted on a tripod in my back garden, provided these results and allowed five recordings to be made whilst watching a sixth channel.

 As this LNB draws around 300 mA it would need to be powered by a Power Inserter, unless it was being fed from a Sky Q version 3 receiver.

 D000429_Power_Inserter.pdf (gionlineshop.com)

Godfrey.

[MarkRoscoe]

@Godfrey 

This looks like its a good way forward, many thanks for your help and support. Another forum member has mentioned the SKY PUK. I assume this is similar to what was made available in Europe a few years ago, but never came to the UK.

[TimmyBGood]

@MarkRoscoe 

No, the Streaming Puck is the Multiscreen element of the Sky Glass subscription product released last autumn.  They are currently only available alongside a Sky Glass television, but it's strongly rumoured that they will become available without a Glass television purchase later this year.

[MarkRoscoe]

@TimmyBGood 

Have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick?

I thought that the PUK may be the "internet way" of getting SKY, i.e. doing away with the dish/SKY box or in my world, the now dead communal system. I assumed it could be like a NOW box but fully loaded with SKY to suit your subscription level i.e. "signature/entertainment" pack, but no recording facility.

Clarification really appreciated because if its not "SKY via broadband" I will follow @Godfrey 's guidance and get my own dish set up in the garden, obviously hidden from prying eyes.

[GD1]

@MarkRoscoe  Sky Glass is the Internet delivered service Sky offer similar to Q, however at present in order to get a Glass Puck you also need to get the Glass TV.  As advised it is rumoured that the Glass  Puck will be a standalone product later in the year.     As it stands currently you can't have a Sky Glass & Sky Q subscription at the same address.

[MarkRoscoe]

@GD1 

Currently all I have  is a 2TB sky+ box and a dead/failing communal system. So i am well out of touch with the current technology. Will the PuK give me SKY via broadband at some point in the future or do I follow @Godfrey advice?

[nigea99]

Hi @MarkRoscoe 

SKY is now available via the internet rather than needing a Satellite feed.

The current products are :

SKY Glass  - a TV with SKY Subscription channels and all the various catch up apps built in

Separate boxes called Pucks which are 4K capable and the same SKY  & apps but these are currently only available to   those who take out SKY Glass

However, various press news stories have said that SKY are likely to release these Pucks  as available without a SKY Glass TV later this year but this is not formally confirmed or date announced by SKY

If you take out Glass / pucks you can't have SKY HD or SKY Q along side

SKY Glass  & pucks do not record but have 'playlists' so can access catch up etc.

They are  quite different products to SKY HD/ SKY Q but do provide SKY via the internet - there are Lots of discussions in the SKY Glass Group

[MarkRoscoe]

@nigea99 

Many thanks I will go and have a read at the glass forum. What would be your gut choice in my predicament? Wait for the PUK or get the hidden dish?