What is the best LNB to use for satellite TV in Spain? Inverto Black Ultra LNB?
As UK TV is still available in the Valencia and Costa Blanca areas to receive on satellite dishes, like the 100x110cm and 125x135cm satellite dishes, the LNB used on satellite dish installations is an important piece of equipment in the system.
There are many LNBs available on the market, with satellite installers claiming the one they use is the best.
Claims like the following appear:
“We only use Inverto Black Ultra LNBs”
“The Inverto LNB is far superior to any LNB on the market”
“Inverto Black Ultra LNBs are super dooper and the only LNBs we use”.
Well, this is our opinion, based on our tests and experience.
Some of these claims about the Inverto Black Ultra LNBs are true, but only to an extent.
Yes, one of the best performing SINGLE OUTPUT LNBs is the Inverto Black Ultra LNB.
This Inverto Black Ultra LNB really does perform better than just about all other single output LNBs.
However, we have found that the two output (TWIN) and 4 output (QUAD) versions of the Inverto Black Ultra LNB range do not perform as well as the single output Inverto Black Ultra LNB. In fact other makes of LNB outperform the Inverto Black Ultra Twin and Inverto Black Ultra Quad LNBs.
For example, in our tests, the signal levels on the twin and quad Inverto Black Ultra LNBs meant some channels were heavily pixelating. Replacing with another make of LNB that we use, and those channels were no longer pixelating, and the signals levels on our signal meters improved dramatically.
Our tests were on a 90x100cm satellite dish in the Moraira area. An Inverto Black Ultra Single LNB performed as expected with all BBC and ITV channels coming through. With an Inverto Black Ultra Twin and Quad LNB, many BBC and ITV channels were pixelating. Using our make of twin and quad LNB, the BBC and ITV channels were received fine, with no pixilation.
This difference in performance of different versions of the same LNB is not unique or new. In the big dish years, the Invacom prime focus LNB was the preferred LNB. The single output version of this LNB was a poor performer when compared to the performance of its TWIN and QUAD versions. Channel reception improved when swapping an single output LNB to a twin or quad LNB.
So, rather than simply use one brand and make of LNBs, the best satellite installers will use a range of LNBs to give the best performance. Much in the same way the best satellite installers will use a range of satellite dishes, rather than using just the one make.
Update : This is the response from someone who took our advice and swapped their Inverto Ultra Black LNB Quad for a GI Quad LNB.
Yes ! Even on a quick swap without any attempt to optimise, the GI twin is pixellating less than the Inverto quad.
So thank you for pointing me in that direction.
Very informative and further reinforces the professionalism of your company.
Hi can you advise me please, I live in Valencia and have a 125cm new dish it works perfectly when the sat cable is connected directly to the TV but when I try to tune in the freesat {Humax 1100s} box which is also new its saying weak or no signal and not picking up any UK tv channels, I’m sure its something simple im missing !!!
If the sat tuner in the TV is getting channels, then in theory the Freesat box should also.
When you do the freesat install wizard, does it find a signal to progress through the wizard? If not then either your box has gone, your cable connection is not goo, your LNB is not good, or your dish is not aligned for the Freesat signal.
Hi, love.your blog, very informative, thanks.
I have a humax Freesat setup with 1.5m dish located in South west Mallorca, worked fine for many years, since hd upgrades from BBC, cannot get certain BBC channels any more, not big issue, but it the last few weeks, the previously strong eastmids BBC hd is breaking up and stuff is failing to record. Thinking of swapping lnb as the current one is a cheap Amazon buy, do you still recommend the inverto black ultra single ?
Cheers
Mark
Things have moved on in the 9 years since that posts.
The Ultra black still works OK ish on some satellite dishes.
But there are better ones available
But performance depends on the make / type off dish you have… it can be a mix and match test
And as the post says, there are much better twin and quad LNBs than the ultra black range.
But remember that an LNB can only perform well if it is able to receive enough signals in the first place. If your dish is of the wrong size, or misaligned, then the LNB will not get enough signal to perform.