Definition & Differences: LNB & LNBF

Over the past few decades, satellite dishes for television have shrunk from the massive discs used by commercial stations to tiny pizza-sized units that can be installed anywhere. There has been a corresponding refinement in the accessories necessary to get a signal from the dish to a television. At the heart of this process is a device called the LNB.

What Is an LNBF?

Earlier home satellite systems connected the feedhorn to the LNB by means of a short piece of coaxial cable, the same kind used to connect from the dish to the set-top box. This was not entirely satisfactory, as the cable itself and each of the connections caused a slight loss of signal, and introduced a potential source of system failures. To address this, manufacturers began to integrate the feedhorn directly with the LNB, creating the LNBF. These combined devices also make installation quicker and cheaper. Most modern satellite systems use an LNBF

How to Install a Dual Output LNB Satellite

A dual LNB satellite dish gives you dual outputs to run so you can watch two different programs on two different televisions. The second output means you will need to run two sets of coaxial cable to the dish location to connect to the LNBs. The rest of the install is a lot like installing the standard single LNB dish. Before getting started you need to find a solid spot to mount the dish that gives you a clear line of sight to the southern sky.

How to Connect a Dual LNB Satellite Dish

It takes two coaxial cables to bring the signal from a dual LNB satellite dish into your home. Each coaxial cable runs to your satellite receiver to deliver the satellite programming you want. A dual LNB satellite dish brings you more programming options than a single LNB system, because a dual LNB can receive satellite signals from two different satellites at the same time. These extra channels are a bonus on your programming options, but you can only enjoy them if you install dual LNB satellites correctly.