4DTV users w/Titanium C1-PLL LNBF

[Chris_R]

As mentioned in a prior thread, I'm firing a DSR 922 back up & getting ready to try a FTA system. In the process it was recommended on the forums here that I get a C1-PLL LNBF for ease of use (takes care of the polarization/skew), as opposed to my current setup with a Chaparral Corotor II Feedhorn & Norsat LNB. I hope there are some 4DTV users left out there!

First I should note this is *not* a comment on the LNBF itself, as I'm just barely testing things out and have yet to tweak anything...and some things are slightly, although carefully, gerry-rigged.

Short story version: after having peaked the dish with the Chaparral last weekend, I swapped out the Chaparral for the C1-PLL today, and no signal. That was the scary part, but Titanium was very helpful in telling me which setting I needed to change on the 4DTV (besides the LNB type) - Rotate 90 degrees. That solved the "0" signal issue.

Early into the upgrade, I am getting lower signals on the new LNBF than I was with the Chaparral...75 vs. 99 on DCII channels. Even if I put the Chaparral back, which I did, and without a lot of accuracy, the DCII signal levels jump back up to the 90's. I swapped again for the C1-PLL and still received the same signal as before, from the same satellite - 70's. I've been using AMC 18 to test from, the HITS channels. Even after some adjusting for focal length, the signal did not improve.

Ultimately, I will not be using the 4DTV as a tuner...I am getting an Amiko Mini HD SE, so I don't even know if this receiver is the right one to be checking signals on with this type of LNBF - but - I did want to ask: is there anyone who has had experience using their 4DTV with this LNBF to pick up Digicipher II signals, and what has your performance been like?

I'll be meeting up with our local tech next week to fine tune all of this, using the Amiko once I have it. Again it is probably a matter of some much needed fine tuning on an old dish, but would be interested in any feedback from 4DTV users out there...just to put my mind at ease that everything I've got and am getting is compatible. Thanks!

 

[Titanium]

The C1-PLL is completely compatible with your 4DTV. I would expect very similar signal performance on most transponders once the skew setting is optimized and feedhorn aligned and secured in the existing oversized scalar.

As we previously discussed, the servo controlled polarity will provided the best performance as you can optimize the skew for each individual transponder. This shouldn't be much of an issue for you in receiving the wide bandwidth and powerful transponders that you are targeting.

As I understand from your messages, you don't have a signal meter out at the dish to observe the signal changes that happen with small changes in the LNBF positioning. I would place the 4DTV on the weakest transponder and bring a small TV near the dish so you can observe signal changes while adjusting the LNBF. I can't imagine trying to install or optimize the feed while having to run into the house to check signal change for each adjustment. I personally would not have much success doing it this way.

Just want to verify that the dielectric slab was not installed inside the feedhorn?

 

[Chris_R]

Correct, the dielectric slab was not used in the feedhorn.

That scaler ring is only barely oversized, the feedhorn almost fits but still needs a spacer. I have a temporary fix for now and the feedhorn is stable and appears centered as the last one did, but as you point out needs to be adjusted and I need a more permanent fix to set it in place. Actually there is a TV in a room with a window looking directly at the dish, and it's still connected to the 4DTV but I had forgotten about this...so I will use that for a guide when adjusting the skew. I completely overlooked that the skew adjustment would need to be adjusted at all, except of course for the "0" mark to be lined up with the dish's vertical axis, which it is.

Looking forward to getting it maxed out - I have been using Chaparral feedhorns & Norsat LNB's or equivalents since my parents owned a dish, and these components were always a bit forgiving and easy to optimize...LNBF is a different type of device altogether and have to keep that in mind!

 

[waylew]

Best thing would be to have a tv right at the dish so you can see what you're doing while you're doing it.As you're not using the ku coax with the C1 you could use that to feed the tv signal from the 4D back out to the dish.Also if the dish isn't too far from the receiver the UHF 4D remote should work while you're out at the dish,or you could put an extension coax on the UHF antenna and move it closer to the dish.

 

[Corrado]

When I was still using 4DTV a few years ago, I had a 6' offset dish parked on 105W for my DSR922. It was a commercial VSAT dish converted to C band with a LNBF and conical scalar setup. I used to utilize the EBNO values in the setup screens for peaking DCII. This way seemed more accurate and quicker to respond. It worked great for the configuration I used. Make sure in addition to the rotated 90 deg setting that the listing for LNBF is used so the voltage switching occurs. Otherwise you may not be receiving one polarity correctly.

I had used a Chaparral feedhorn for about 20 years with many different LNBs over the years on my original 10' dish and missed the ability to peak the skew with the touch of a button for each channel. However I love the simplicity and low cost solution of today's LNBF.