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Inverto ultra black lnb


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I am currently using my old LNB but would like to upgrade to Inverto Ultra Black. My question is if I buy a twin do I have to use both outputs? I know it seems a strange question but you never know. I don't have my new FTA box yet and I intend to buy one that has two decoders but until then I will only need one connection so is this OK?
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Well as I understand it an LNB has a life expectancy of around 10 to 11 years. My one is 11 years old and I noticed that the plastic cover over the 'head' is now pitted and dull, I have no idea what effect if any it has on the reception. It was very cheap and I suspect not particularly good i.e. not a branded make. So all in all as I will need a dual LNB at some stage it might be a good a time as any to change it especially as they don't seem that expensive and this make was recommended in the 2F thread.
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Nothing last's forever but I have to say that I can't recall ever seeing a life spec for an LNB quoted nor heard it claimed or suggested that it's 10-11 years.

Plastic

will naturally deteriorate under the UV in Sunlight but a bit of pitting and discolourisation in

itself means nothing and for all you know it could go on for another 10

years but that said at that sort of age I can understand that it's not an unreasonable idea to change it especially if you do find yourself needing more outputs.

I guess a lot would depend on how accessible your dish is, mine is barely above head height and is easily worked on from a small step ladder so personally I'm more than happy to leave well enough alone until attention becomes necessary. Certainly with the changes currently in play with Astra 2F and footprints etc. unless I had a definite problem I don't think I'd be voluntarily changing anything until it had all settled down.

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Try doing s search on "life expectancy of a LNB" and see what comes up. Depending on the sort of environment etc it can be a little a 5 years and as much as 20.

Given the dramatic changes in temperature and the altitude which increases the UV content where I live then about 10 years was about right.

I have now changed the LNB and on inspection the front cover is badly cracked and pitted allowing the possibility of water ingress. I would think the pitting is a combination of UV and the rain we get that contains a lot of sand at certain times of the year.

I did check the alignment with a meter, well more the 'strength' of signal and the new LNB certainly gives better signal strength (100% now) and about 90% signal quality. The old one gave about 90% strength and about 75% quality. It is currently raining heavy and I get no pixelation so far even on C5. Whilst the increase may not seem much in some respects being on the edge of the reception area I think it' pretty good and it is also important to get as much of both as possible.

In conclusion LNB's do deteriorate over the course of time as do the materials they are made from and this is variable depending where the LNB is physically mounted and its geographic location. But then you don't always spot the results unless you write down the strength and quality somewhere when you install the LNB and just compare it every couple of years or so.

You could wait till it actually fails but sods law says that it will always happen when there is something you really want to watch or it's blowing a howler and pouring down with rain and of course you have to get your hands on a new one which may take a couple of days.

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Due to production improvements,  lnb's own noise levels have dropped considerably over the last 10 years or so. My oldest lnb is from 1998 and is still functioning perfectly, but the noise level is 1 dB. Any proper new lnb will have a noise level below 0.3 dB. This will instantly improve the signal quality considerably, even when the signal strength remains the same.  And actually the signal strength is quite irrelevant. The only thing relevant is the signal quality.

A new lnb will usually also provide a bigger amplification, hence a stronger signal. But amplifying noise is still noise, the receiver will automatically reduce its own amplification when a stronger signal enters the tuner.

If you want to decrease the life-expectancy of an lbn, just paint your dish. Use a bright and shiny colour, just what the wife wants, and your lnb will burn as soon as the sun is right behind the satellite. Never longer than 6 months away...[:)]

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