LNB noise level?

[pgjeepster]

I see some lnb's have different noise level ratings such as db 0.5- 0.1 how much change will this make in signal/picture quality is it noticable? I want to buy some new LNB's for my setup and just wondering will the extra $ make that much of a difference? Will the universal/standards work ok? Thanks for all your help! Looking at 82.91,110,119,129.

[chifut]

Those birds are circular not linear .You can not use universal LNB
I think the noise level is not that much important for circular birds

[Terryl]

The noise level in dB is the actual noise floor of the signal at the LNB's LO input, if you using a good sized dish and have a good clear path to the satellite anoise floor of .5 dB wont be noticed, but if your at the fring od the satellites foot print and you have a small dish as well then go for the lowest noise floor you can get.

The signal from the satellite when it hits the dish is very very weak, the satellite is about 22,500 miles out there, at 300 watts transmitted at the satellite (the new Ku band ones that is) the signal will down in the 10 to 30 nano watt range when it hits the dish, so the lower the noise floor on the LNB then better chance the LNB has to pick out the signal from the satellite from all the other noise coming down from space, and there is a ton of it out there.

At most locations an LNB with a .5 dB noise floor will work just as good as one with a .1, its all specsmanship and sales gimmick, remember this is a digital signal not like the old analog signal where you need every nano volt of signal you can get for a good picture..

A linear LNB for the low Ku band would need a lower noise floor then one for the high Ku band, as those satellites are weaker then the high band Ku satellites used for dish and BEV.

[pgjeepster]

Just to clarify Terryl can I use a universal lnb for those birds I mentioned? And thanks for the explaination on the noise level stuff!

[Terryl]

Only if the universal LNB can handle the circular polarity of those satellites, most universals are linear Horizontal/Vertical polarity, those satellites are circularley polarized Left hand (or clock wise), and Right hand (or counter clock wise) a linear LNB will not work on those satellites.

[chifut]

You are right Terry,Ican pick with my universal Spitfire linear some TP's on 91W /Niniq/,but not all of them .
And when I blindscan 91W /the linear one ,whatever is the name/ I choose only FTA chs. Otherwise it pull me N3 scramble chs.

[Terryl]

Some times when the signals are very strong you can cross couple between the polarity's, it all depends on the gain of the dish, and LNB, and your location.

With my Invacom LNB and 39" dish I can get some of the TP's on 118 but not all.