New unicable installation - recommendations please

[Essexman]

We are renovating a house in Ireland from scratch and would like to future-proof it with a Unicable distribution system:

• Astra 1 (19.2E) and Astra 2 (28.2E)
• two cable runs with four wall sockets on each run, 8 user bands on each cable.
• must work with Sky boxes (Sky-Q) and generic (OpenPli/OpenVix) STBs
• plus DVB-T distribution

I want to keep it simple (and at reasonable cost), so I don't really want any fancy system where even the wall sockets need programming.

So far I have figured out that I should be using 2 wideband LNBs (10.41GHz LO) and a unicable multiswitch.
Now I am confused which multiswitch I should go for. So far I have come across Inverto, Johansson, Vision and a few others.

Any recommendations for the setup that I am looking for?

 

[homesecurity]

For a clean, reliable dual-orbital setup (28.2°E for UK/Ireland Freesat/Sky + 19.2°E for German/European FTA) combined with DVB-T/Saorview without needing programmed wall sockets, here is the exact benchmark architecture we install:

1. **The Multiswitch: Johansson 9734PL dSCR (or Inverto 5/32 dSCR)**
The **Johansson 9734PL** is the gold standard for this exact job. It accepts 4 wideband satellite inputs (2 cables for 28.2E Vertical/Horizontal + 2 cables for 19.2E Vertical/Horizontal) plus 1 active terrestrial DVB-T/Saorview input. It provides 4 dSCR/Unicable II outputs (each carrying 16 user bands). It has built-in Automatic Gain Control (AGC) on both satellite and terrestrial, which prevents tuner front-end overload on short drops while equalising long runs.
Crucially, it is 100% Sky Q certified while fully supporting both EN50494 (Unicable I) and EN50607 (Unicable II / JESS) for OpenViX/OpenPLi Enigma2 receivers.

2. **LNBs & LO Frequency**
Use two standard wideband LNBs (e.g. Inverto Pro Wideband or Triax Wideband) with the standard 10.41 GHz local oscillator. Running wideband keeps your dish cable count to just 4 trunk cables (2 per orbital slot) instead of 8 quads into the switch, which keeps roof/loft penetrations very neat.

3. **Wall Plates & Cabling (No Programming Needed)**
You do NOT need programmable smart sockets (like Axing SSDs). Standard screened, non-isolated, DC-passing TV/SAT diplexed wall plates (e.g. Global, Triax, or Vision screened plates) work perfectly. The key to avoiding collisions without programmable sockets is simply manual User Band (UB) management: assign fixed, unique UB channels and frequencies to each receiver in its tuner configuration (e.g., Sky Q defaults to UBs 3, 9, 11, etc.; give your OpenViX boxes higher UBs like UB5 1420MHz, UB6 1680MHz, UB7 2040MHz).

4. **DC Power Inserter & Cable Quality**
Make sure you power the multiswitch directly using the dedicated Johansson power supply rather than relying on phantom line power from the receivers. Also, stick strictly to CAI-benchmarked double-screened copper cable (WF100 or TX100). Never use copper-coated steel (CCS) for dSCR runs, as the higher DC loop resistance causes voltage drop issues on Unicable DiSEqC command signaling.

If you stick with the Johansson 9734PL + 2x Wideband LNBs + WF100, you will have a bulletproof system that gives you instant multi-tuner recording across 28.2E, 19.2E, and Saorview down single coax drops to each room.

 

[urie]

For a clean, reliable dual-orbital setup (28.2°E for UK/Ireland Freesat/Sky + 19.2°E for German/European FTA) combined with DVB-T/Saorview without needing programmed wall sockets, here is the exact benchmark architecture we install:

1. **The Multiswitch: Johansson 9734PL dSCR (or Inverto 5/32 dSCR)**
The **Johansson 9734PL** is the gold standard for this exact job. It accepts 4 wideband satellite inputs (2 cables for 28.2E Vertical/Horizontal + 2 cables for 19.2E Vertical/Horizontal) plus 1 active terrestrial DVB-T/Saorview input. It provides 4 dSCR/Unicable II outputs (each carrying 16 user bands). It has built-in Automatic Gain Control (AGC) on both satellite and terrestrial, which prevents tuner front-end overload on short drops while equalising long runs.
Crucially, it is 100% Sky Q certified while fully supporting both EN50494 (Unicable I) and EN50607 (Unicable II / JESS) for OpenViX/OpenPLi Enigma2 receivers.

2. **LNBs & LO Frequency**
Use two standard wideband LNBs (e.g. Inverto Pro Wideband or Triax Wideband) with the standard 10.41 GHz local oscillator. Running wideband keeps your dish cable count to just 4 trunk cables (2 per orbital slot) instead of 8 quads into the switch, which keeps roof/loft penetrations very neat.

3. **Wall Plates & Cabling (No Programming Needed)**
You do NOT need programmable smart sockets (like Axing SSDs). Standard screened, non-isolated, DC-passing TV/SAT diplexed wall plates (e.g. Global, Triax, or Vision screened plates) work perfectly. The key to avoiding collisions without programmable sockets is simply manual User Band (UB) management: assign fixed, unique UB channels and frequencies to each receiver in its tuner configuration (e.g., Sky Q defaults to UBs 3, 9, 11, etc.; give your OpenViX boxes higher UBs like UB5 1420MHz, UB6 1680MHz, UB7 2040MHz).

4. **DC Power Inserter & Cable Quality**
Make sure you power the multiswitch directly using the dedicated Johansson power supply rather than relying on phantom line power from the receivers. Also, stick strictly to CAI-benchmarked double-screened copper cable (WF100 or TX100). Never use copper-coated steel (CCS) for dSCR runs, as the higher DC loop resistance causes voltage drop issues on Unicable DiSEqC command signaling.

If you stick with the Johansson 9734PL + 2x Wideband LNBs + WF100, you will have a bulletproof system that gives you instant multi-tuner recording across 28.2E, 19.2E, and Saorview down single coax drops to each room.

Nice first post hopefully some more replies, Without what seems AI.

 

[abu baniaz]

The requirement for Sky-Q and multiple positions on one switch complicate things for you. As you are running two cables to each room, it will simplify things/reduces costs if you segregate the orbital positions and have "two systems" from your central location. Some switches will allow multiple orbital positions, but they will cost significantly more. Some unicable switches will take quattro LNBs, some will take wideband, some will take quad and some will take anything. The quattro ones will probably be more readily available. The only effect is whether you have two or four cables from the LNB.

I would suggest you do the following:

System 1
19.2E with Quattro LNB,
Depending on switch, have a Terrestrial input.

System 2
28.2E with whatever LNB the Sky Q switch takes,
Depending on switch, have a Terrestrial input.

As you are in ROI, the shipping costs will be different to those of us in the UK. Search for unicable, dscr, dcss and buy what is suitable for you. Unitron, Whyte, Triax, Televes. A third co-ax cable will add redundancy and flexibility. For example, you could have the Sky Q on two cables and have the unicable stuff on the other cable.

The above is for switches, but you could also have programmable LNBS and spliteres. The programmer is expensive, so may be better if you could ask retailer to program the LNB. Again, the Sky Q requirement is a complication. You could mix/match the two if you wanted.

System 1.
Unicable LNB for 19.2 with a splitter. It will go to all rooms.

System 2
28.2E with whatever LNB the Sky Q switch takes, Switch must have DVB-T.


Dont forget, you can stream from one central receiver.