Share SAT signal: several receivers on one dish
Do you want to watch a program with a twin receiver and record another one at the same time? Or operate several receivers on one satellite dish? In this case you must share the signal, which is done with a splitter, twin, quad LNB or multi-switch. If you read on this article will inform you which solution makes the most sense and what to look out for.
Watching a TV program and recording another one, one connection but several televisions - there are many reasons to want to distribute a satellite signal. We will tell you what options there are for this, and what you need to consider when wiring multiple SAT dishes and receivers.
SAT splitter
You can split the SAT signal quickly and easily with a splitter, often also called a SAT distributor. Splitters for distributing the SAT signal to two or three devices are available from £10. Connects the SAT socket in the wall to the splitter using a cable. The cable must be plugged into the port marked with input. You can now connect additional cables to the outputs of the splitter and connect them to the receivers.
Satellite guide
However, this solution entails restrictions in parallel operation. Because TV programs are transmitted via satellite in different polarization planes and frequencies. A distinction is made between four levels: "Horizontal polarization, upper frequency range", "Horizontal polarization, lower frequency range", "Vertical polarization, upper frequency range", "Vertical polarization, lower frequency range".
If two or more receivers share a connection to the SAT system, as is common when using a splitter, only one level can be received at a time. Say you can only receive programs at the same time that are broadcast on the same level. Most programs are broadcast on the "horizontal polarization, upper frequency range" level. If, for example, ARD is received on the first receiver and Sat.1 on the second, the second receiver will not work.
The use of a SAT splitter is therefore particularly recommended if you want to operate several receivers on one connection, but they do not run at the same time. So, you want to watch TV in bed on Sunday mornings in the bedroom, but otherwise watch in the living room.
If you want to operate the devices in parallel, we recommend using a twin or quad LNB or multi-switch. Is this not possible. Should you buy a priority switch instead of a simple splitter. These are splitters that have a master and a slave connection. The receiver at the master output can always choose the program freely. As already mentioned, the slave receiver then only receives programs from the same level. Without priority switching, chance decides which receiver will prevail with the request of the program level.
When buying a SAT splitter, you should always make sure that it has the note "diode decoupled". This prevents voltage damage to the receivers operated in parallel and the SAT system.
LNB and multiswitch
In comparison, the use of an LNB or multi-switch is more elegant. Each receiver gets its own cable to the multi-switch or to the LNB. In this case, you do not have to accept any restrictions in the selection of channels in parallel operation. The disadvantage: you have to pull out new cables.
Common LNB types
One satellite antenna, one receiver: a direct connection can be established between the single universal LNB and the receiver (single tuner).
How many devices can you connect in such a case? There are different LNB types that can supply up to eight receivers or up to four twin receivers. If you want to distribute a SAT signal to even more participants, you need a multi-switch. A multi-switch is also essential when receiving a SAT signal from several satellites.
Unicable
An alternative to the solutions presented here is to distribute the signal via Unicable. Although these single-cable solutions are complex to install, they are also more flexible. Distributing the SAT signal via Unicable is particularly recommended when many participants are to receive a signal.