I still have questions about 5lnb vs 3lnb dishes..

[Laserjock]

I was having some issues with some crepe myrtle limbs growing in front of my dish and messing up my preseason football tonight [can't have that :lol: ] so went on the roof to cut them away.

I have never been up there since I had my dish upgraded for the new MPEG-4 signals and just noticed I have a 3lnb slimline. For some reason I was thinking they would be putting up all 5lnb dishes?

Am I missing something with the 3lnb? I have read through my searches and not yet found the magic algorithm to return the clear, concise answer on whether I need one or the other.

Any enlightenment would be helpful and appreciate.

I am in Nashville, TN if that matters.

TIA

[flipptyfloppity]

You only need 3lnbs to get all English language programming now (except for flexport SD locals in some markets I think). I think the 5lnb is still in use if you want "oddball" packages like Cricket Ticket.

As HD locals come up on the 3lnb system, even the flexport SD locals should be able to be dropped.

[NR4P]

If you had your dish upgraded for MPEG4, you have a 5 LNB dish.

You probably see only 3 LNB's, but if they are off to one side of the assembly with open space for two more, that's actually a 5 LNB model.

[Laserjock]

Okay...yeah...I see 3 lnbs with space for two more...for some reason I was expecting to see 5 on the thing.

Thanks for the quick replies.

[flipptyfloppity]

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=133958

Okay, I was wrong. There is a 3lnb dish, but it's not being put into use yet. See above.

[curt8403]

You only need 3lnbs to get all English language programming now (except for flexport SD locals in some markets I think). I think the 5lnb is still in use if you want "oddball" packages like Cricket Ticket.

As HD locals come up on the 3lnb system, even the flexport SD locals should be able to be dropped.


oddball? Oddball!!?? ODDBALL!!????!!! cricket comes from the 95 sat (a different dish)

[NCMAT]

You probably see only 3 LNB's, but if they are off to one side of the assembly with open space for two more, that's actually a 5 LNB model.

The Western most LNB is actually 3 LNBs in one housing. These 3 are for 99, 101 and 103. This 3-in-1 LNB plus the other 2 make it a 5 LNB dish.

[BattleZone]

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/Winegard/DirecTV-KA-Dish.gif
AT9 LNBs


http://lh6.ggpht.com/dtvtek/RYdJGijMXWI/AAAAAAAAAAo/A7XrGcPLKHM/s288/DSCN2623.JPG
AU9 "Slimline" LNBs

The big center LNB is actually 3 LNBs. A couple of the brands use clear covers like the one on top, and on those, it's very easy to see that there are actually 3 feed horns combined into one. This is necessary as the sats they are picking up are quite close together.

All of these look very different than the old 3-LNB dish's LNB pack:

http://www.granbytv.com/Tri-pak_LNBF.gif
Phase III LNB pack

[Grentz]

As the others have said, the 5 LNB dish only has 3 feed horns (what you actually see).

It is still 5 LNB though as the western most feedhorn feeds 3 LNBs.

[paulman182]

You only need 3lnbs to get all English language programming now (except for flexport SD locals in some markets I think). I think the 5lnb is still in use if you want "oddball" packages like Cricket Ticket.

As HD locals come up on the 3lnb system, even the flexport SD locals should be able to be dropped.

Many SD locals are still on 119.

[Mertzen]

You only need 3lnbs to get all English language programming now (except for flexport SD locals in some markets I think). I think the 5lnb is still in use if you want "oddball" packages like Cricket Ticket.

As HD locals come up on the 3lnb system, even the flexport SD locals should be able to be dropped.

Gees you're smoking somethin' alright :lol:

[tkrandall]

As the others have said, the 5 LNB dish only has 3 feed horns (what you actually see).

It is still 5 LNB though as the western most feedhorn feeds 3 LNBs.

That would be the center one that has Ka/Ku/Ka for 99/101/103