Multi-satellite broadcast antenna from Sumitomo Electric Audio/Video / Other Posted by sar7501 on Nov 28, 2004 - 06:25 AM |
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Sumitomo Electric has come up with something quite interesting - a new type of satellite antenna. The "LuneQ-40" uses something called a Luneberg lens to allow it receive satellite broadcasts from multiple sources simultaneously. The technology also allows the antenna to be installed in positions that may not be perfectly aligned with the satellite direction - such as flush-mounted on a wall or flat on the ground. And it looks funky too.  Sumitomo Electric will begin direct sales via a special website of the "LuneQ-40" multi-satellite antenna from 1 December. The "LuneQ-40" is capable of receiving broadcasts from all of Japan's BS and CS (including Music Bird) satellite services. Pricing will be 19,800 yen for the antenna, 8,900 yen for a CS converter kit and 7,500 yen for a fence/wall mounting kit. Three colours will be available - earth blue, light grey and ivory. The "LuneQ-40" is capable of receiving signals from BS Digital/Analog, CS Analog (SkyPerfect!), CS 110 Digital (SkyPerfect!110) and MusicBird services. A separately available CS converter kit is required for receiving MusicBird.  The main feature of the antenna is its use of a Luneberg lens [1] to produce uniform characteristics from signals in any direction. The signal is collected at the focal point by a type of dielectric lens and, as the dielectric efficiency changes in proportion to the distance from the centre of the spherical dielectric, a signal with uniform characteristics can be produced from any direction. Using the Luneberg lens as its reflector and a LNB (Low Noise Block converter) mounted at each satellite's focal length, the LuneQ-40 can simultaneously receive signals from a number of satellites. Two converters are available - A (BS/110CS) and B (Skyperfect! 124/128 deg). The optional CS converter kit (C) is mounted in the same way as converters A and B.  The antenna uses a minimum of space as it allows all satellite broadcasts to be received with one antenna. In addition, as it is not necessary for the antenna to directly face the transmitting satellite, it can be mounted in other ways beside on a pole - for example, flush to a balcony fence or horizontally on a verandah floor. As a result, the antenna has excellent wide resistance and, if the included "Lune cover" is used, is also not as susceptible to interference from snowfalls. At the moment, only internet sales are being conducted and there are no plans for sales through retail stores. According to Kazunori Tokuda of Sumitomo Electric's Tokyo public relations group, "rather than just pursuing sales, we'd like to make a wide range of people - individual users, antenna makers, broadcast industry reps etc - aware of the technology to receive all broadcasts with one unit. After that, we'll examine becoming an OEM supplier to an antenna maker." Inspired by: http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20041126/sei.htm [2] News release: http://www.sei.co.jp/news/press/04/prs371_s.html [3] Product information: http://www.luneq.jp/ [4] |
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This article is from TechJapan http://www.techjapan.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.techjapan.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=700 Links in this article [1] http://www.buoys.com.au/luneberg.html [2] http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20041126/sei.htm [3] http://www.sei.co.jp/news/press/04/prs371_s.html [4] http://www.luneq.jp/ |