bad influence?

[GreatFTA]

In my book, you're OK!
I am sure you will find what you're looking for, and more! You will find that when you install a motor drive.
I like variety stuff. It is cool to watch PBS channels from Montana, Nebraska, Lousiana, and Mississippi (OTC). There are some stuff that may suit you!
Go ahead and help your dad with his. Someday when you look back, you'll be glad you did!
No, it ain't too fun setting up these systems, but it's like the saying that goes "No pain, no gain". Once you get past these hard stages of setting up the FTA system, it's the satisfaction of getting the results you wanted, the free channels. See my avator? Sometimes I look alot like that when I get frustrated as hell figuring out the FTA setups... Just drives me ape!
And Dee-Ann, don't be so hard on us guys. There are good guys still out there in this screwed up world.
Keep doing what you're doing! We members are eager to help you in any way possible! Just ask!!!

 

[turbosat]

:
Still laughing about the 'dogs so big they need a ramp' ! Good one.

 

[1ADAM12]

:
Still laughing about the 'dogs so big they need a ramp' ! Good one.

Texas sized Big Dogs.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Texas sized Big Dogs.

Two very large German Shepherds. Each over 100lbs. One male and one female.
They are my babies. I spoil em rotten and they keep me company and keep me safe.

And yes, they really do have their own ramp to get in and out of the van. The male is a senior citizen and needs it.
The little girl is much younger and she likes to jump in and out. Typical kid, doesn't think she needs the ramp.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Oh, another dumb question.

Can my pc and my coolsat use one of those big giant beasties too? A c-band?

I'm not saying I would do it but is it possible to put up one giant dish that does both the big and little satellites all on one dish?

 

[Anole]

Yes, and you'll see that possibility as you progress.
However, it does sort of open up new problems, making it all-in-one.
So, at least for the foreseeable future, I'd recommend using two motorized dishes, one for each band.
That way, if you are working on one, the other will be operational.
Somewhere down the line, if you decide to combine it all, that's fine.
edit:
But, I'd like to see you succeed without giving up.
Making all-in-one a priority at this point, is heaping undue pressure on ya.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Good morning.

I have another dumb question..

How do I hook this gadget to my dish?



I want to use one of those primestar dishes that has two connectors on it.
They are labeled H and V


I'm afraid to hook it up wrong and ruin everything.
My neighbor is gone today so I can't ask him.

Someone said a few weeks ago that I could use that thing on top with this sort of dish but didn't go into details. And of course there are no instructions to be found anywhere in this house.

Thank you!

 

[turbosat]

You'll need some short cables to run from the lnb outputs to the inputs on the switch. Just connect H to H, etc, should be easy. Then connect the cable from the house to the switch's output.

BE SURE the receiver cable is not powered when you're hooking it up, so you don't short anything out. Have the receiver powered down while you're working on it. Hot plugging=sometimes bad results.

 

[Dee_Ann]

You'll need some short cables to run from the lnb outputs to the inputs on the switch. Just connect H to H, etc, should be easy. Then connect the cable from the house to the switch's output.

BE SURE the receiver cable is not powered when you're hooking it up, so you don't short anything out. Have the receiver powered down while you're working on it. Hot plugging=sometimes bad results.

Um, well, on the box, it just says LNBF A and LNBF B
there is on labeled TV antenna so I assume that one is not what I want and them there are four labeled out to receivers 1-4

What I don't know is which to do, H to LNBF A or V to LNBF A
Sorry for being so dense. I just woke up, I need coffee, the world is moving too fast for me this morning. !sadroll

Thank you!

 

[Anole]

Since the inputs to your Perfect Vision 3x4 multiswitch are poorly labeled, which way you connect them is a guess.
No harm will be done.
If you get it wrong, then the Vertical transponders will show up on the switch output as Horizontal, and vice versa.
If that happens, swap the LNB-to-multiswitch cables to cure it.

edit:
This is only a problem when used with those older Primestar two-output LNBs.
If you were using a modern two-output LNB, then both LNB outputs would provide whichever polarity the switch demanded.
(Polarity selection would be fully automatic)
The LNB you have will not.
Not that you should discard those LNBs... they work well, but just take a bit more effort to hook up initially.

 

[Tron]

Are you guys trying to trick me into becoming a geek?
You must be.
Why?

I planted another satellite pole today.

Once you start down the slippery path, "forever will it guide your destiny" ...

Yep, you're hooked. Now enjoy!

 

[Dee_Ann]

I did it!

I put that funny looking lnb on the primestar and that 3 to 4 box and after changing the wires around a few times, it works! Wheeeeee! @party

So now I have another lnb to use to maybe get the pbs satellite.

I think I'm out of dishes though. I have a bunch of those little ones that y'all say are no good and that much larger one that is missing a piece.

So what I'm thinking now is maybe adding that spare lnb to one of the existing dishes so one of them gets two satellites.

I saw some pictures of some of the things you guys built like that and I'm thinking I would like to give that a try myself. All I need is some duck tape, right?
I saw y'all use that stuff a lot in those pictures. And if it doesn't work it's easy to take down I guess.

I guess it can't hurt to try, all it will cost me is some of my time. And a roll of duck tape. Unless I can borrow some from my neighbor. All guys have the stuff I'll bet.

I will try to take a picture of this mess of ugly little beasties tomorrow, it's such a horrid looking collection. I mean really, I don't know why they make the things so blasted ugly. Grey. Come on now.. Some colors would be nice.

Oh, and that reminds me, where can I get colored wires please?
All those black wires look the same and so boring and bland. If each one was a different color it would look so much nicer and it would be so much easier to know what the heck you are doing when you work on them..

Thanks!

 

[turbosat]

My last roll of RG6 cable turned out to be white.....but I haven't seen any other colors, haha.

 

[Dee_Ann]

omg! I found some on ebay!

http://tinyurl.com/klv5oo

But, it's on enormous rolls, far, far more than I could ever need in a million lifetimes. And it's like not ready to use, someone would have to cut it up and put the ends on it.

But at least I know that it exists. They even have pink.

I'll keep looking, maybe I can find short ones ready to use.

 

[Anole]

"someone..."

... it's on enormous rolls, far, far more than I could ever need in a million lifetimes.
And it's like not ready to use, someone would have to cut it up and put the ends on it.

They even have pink.

They aren't all that far from me, so UPS shipping is quite reasonable.
I might have to go for a roll of the YELLOW ! -
. . . or maybe the double-cable white, with ground wire... so many choices! -

Once you get to wiring up all those dishes, I'm sure you'll use up several hundred feet in no time.
And at your folks house...
And to help out your neighbor, who has been so helpful to you... -

As for putting the ends on, our own EsteveW came up with a deal on the crimper and stripper.
You probably have a local Harbor Freight, and can avoid shipping.
The jury is still out on whether their connectors are "the right stuff", though.

Somewhere here on the forum, there is an extensive discussion on the Snap-n-seal connectors and their clones.
Probably best to study up on the subject.

edit:
This isn't the thread I was thinking about, but it IS mandatory reading !

 

[zamar23]

Dee,

If you still have free ports on your Digiwave Switch, you don't need to use the Perfect Vision Multiswitch, it just decreases signal strength from that dish, but not required. Dishes are painted in grey to avoid noticeable profile deformation under sun radiation. You can use a Coax Cable Tester to sort out your cables regardless of color: you connect a detachable peace to one coax end, and the tester will beep when you bring it close to the other end of the same cable. Check marking on the cable and use only RG6 and Compression type connectors for sat TV to decrease signal losses. To learn adding connectors, read Cable Crimping Instructions attached. Depending on the sats, you want to catch with one dish, you might need an extra bracket or an adjustable bracket to mount several LNBs on it. Setting up a multifeed requires careful selection of targeted sats (they should be close, but usually 4-to-9 deg. apart for a smaller dish) and the dish size. The fan thing is to learn, how to aim the LNB instead of a dish.

 

[Dee_Ann]

They aren't all that far from me, so UPS shipping is quite reasonable.
I might have to go for a roll of the YELLOW ! -
. . . or maybe the double-cable white, with ground wire... so many choices! -

Once you get to wiring up all those dishes, I'm sure you'll use up several hundred feet in no time.
And at your folks house...
And to help out your neighbor, who has been so helpful to you... -

As for putting the ends on, our own EsteveW came up with a deal on the crimper and stripper.
You probably have a local Harbor Freight, and can avoid shipping.
The jury is still out on whether their connectors are "the right stuff", though.

Somewhere here on the forum, there is an extensive discussion on the Snap-n-seal connectors and their clones.
Probably best to study up on the subject.

edit:
This isn't the thread I was thinking about, but it IS mandatory reading !

Oh I don't think I have any tools around here for making those wires. Or the ends for them. I have been lucky so far and found gobs of them tangled up in boxes and in a nasty mess of stickers in the back yard. I believe after the hurricanes he would pick up wires too. The man was a pack rat.

I don't know what a harbor freight is, I've only seen ups and fedex around here. Are they cheaper shipping?

I'm don't think I could make those wires, I have never done that before or even seen it done. I wouldn't even know where to start. What I was hoping was to find some all ready to use in the right lengths so I can use only what I need and not 37 miles extra that I would never use. I want wires of all the different colors, I think I counted eight or nine different colors.

Surely someone must sell them already made in shorter lengths. Geez, 1,000 feet, that's like 1/5 of a mile, almost. And they are like $40 each plus shipping, that could get expensive real fast.

Last time I checked the money tree out back it was a little barren.

Oh well, it was just a thought. I still want to see all the lanes on the Houston highways color coded too, the idiots have taken down all the signs on loop 610 and unless you live there you ARE gonna get lost. I say paint the lanes all different colors then follow the one you need to. You know, like "Follow the yellow brick road!"

 

[Anole]

Perhaps I worded the post poorly.
Harbor Freight is a retail (and on-line) store which sells the crimper and wire stripper.
Used cables may or may not be satisfactory.
Always have a tested spare on hand, to double check any that you untangle.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Perhaps I worded the post poorly.
Harbor Freight is a retail (and on-line) store which sells the crimper and wire stripper.
Used cables may or may not be satisfactory.
Always have a tested spare on hand, to double check any that you untangle.

Oh............. I see.
But is it safe to make your own wires? I get shocked all the time when I touch the wires out there. It's pretty unpleasant but I guess it's not deadly.
I don't know where the electricity is coming from, I don't see any of them plugged into a wall socket. I make sure my feet are dry, like fresh socks and sometimes if it gets too bad I found out standing on a board helps a lot.

I'm more worried about them catching on fire though than anything else.

 

[GreatFTA]

Dee-Ann, you're talking about the wires from your FTA receiver to the dish that's shocking you? If so, you need to get someone to come over and trace it down and see if there's a bad place on it somewhere. You shouldn't be getting shocked at all.