Building A Superdish

[cpm888]

I am trying to build a Superdish since installing one in my location will be next-to impossible. Currently I own (2) Primestar 36" dishes and a 4900 receiver. I am using an SW64 and shaing the signal with my neighbor. Recently I purchased a Ku band LNB and am receiving the 121 SAT at 90+ signal strength, but I am unable to incorporate these channels with the 110 and 119 feeds. I am told that I need a different receiver, different LNB's and a different switch. Can anyone help me with a short list of exactly the items I will need??? Is this even possible to accomplish??
Regards,
Chris

 

[al]

Claude Greiner got a Primestar dish to work for 105 last year, and has pictures posted here: http://www.dishretailer.com/superdish/
He basically took a 4 way multi-switch, and connected both Ku LNB outputs to the switch inputs. I do not know if he ever got it to work with his SW64 switch. In theory, you would use 2 output legs of the 4 way multi-switch into ports A&B of one SW64 input, with the 110 and 119 LNBF's connected to the two other input ports of the SW64. Then run Check Switch. If it is going to work, you will know at the end of the Check Switch routine. I do know you can use a legacy twin and SW21 switches, but I do not know about the SW64.

Claude, if you read this, you may want to post your results if you were able to rig this with an SW64.

Al

 

[Claude Greiner]

I never tried it with an Sw64, however it worked with an Sw21 so I don't see why it wouldn't work with a Sw64 Switch.

The key is having a Duel LNBF on the SuperDish

One thing to keep in mind, you need either the "129" or "SuperDish" option to be checked when you run your check switch to force the receiver to do 50 switch tests.

 

[cpm888]

Thanks for responding Claude! I think the dual LNB is my problem. Will I need one for the 121 signal?? If I run the coax from the 121 dish directly to the 4900 receiver, I can see the SD 121 program menu...when I try it through the SW 64, either the 119 or the 110 is lost. I've been told that I will need a JV34-DN35 switch to replace the SW64. I've also been told that I will need a receiver that supports Dish-pro or superdish...this is where I am getting lost!!
Thanks again,
Chris

 

[mike123abc]

I had 119/110/121 working on a SW64 prior to my recieving of a DPP44. It worked fine.

 

[karthiks]

Question for another Primestar dish to Superdish conversion

Hello all, I've been thinking of recycling a used Primestar dish too to replace the 61.5 satellite I use to get more content plus the internationals. Got a few 4900 receivers in the house.

Currently have a SW64 setup with an original dish 500 (110/119) and the second dish at 61.5.

The question I have is that I've read that the older Primestar LNBs (H/V labeled LNB). Forgive the newbie questions here.

1. How do I tell if I have the newer 13v/18v switching dual LNB vs. the older H/V style? My LNB and dish look like the one in Claude's pictures (old oval style Primestar channelmaster dish). I'm wondering if I will burn out the 4900 by connecting it to one of the outputs on the dual LNB of I have the wrong kind.

2. There any good advice for setting the elevation on this (and any changes to the LNB adjustment as well)?

 

[Pepper]

The older LNBF's that I have seen have "H" and "V" marked at the outputs.

 

[MaintMan]

Primestar on 61.5

You don't mention what type of system you have, DP or legacy. Primestar used the FSS band which is 105/121. 61.5 is DBS band. Just get any dual lnb with same characteristics as present setup, and aim it using angles on set up page.

 

[karthiks]

The older LNBF's that I have seen have "H" and "V" marked at the outputs.

Thanks for the message, it's an older one then as it's got the H and V markings.

I also have a channel master model 6102IFD multiswitch to combine the 13v/18v LNB's into two outputs, I'm wondering if this thing is useful to combine the signal before taking it to the receiver or into a switch or should I take the H and V outputs directly into a SW64 or SW42 that I have around as well.

 

[karthiks]

You don't mention what type of system you have, DP or legacy. Primestar used the FSS band which is 105/121. 61.5 is DBS band. Just get any dual lnb with same characteristics as present setup, and aim it using angles on set up page.

It's legacy, I'm recycling the primestar to get more mileage out of the legacy setup and receivers. I have two receivers, at max 3. Two of them are 4900's, I'll need to replace the third one eventually with another 4900 as well (have older 3000 and 4000's around the house).

I've used a SW42 originally, upgraded to a SW64 with dual LNB legacy dishes. The Dish 500 is the first generation legacy (which means it's a plastic adapter for 2 twin legacy LNBs to mount them on the 500 stalk).

I know, I'm cheap, but it's a major uplift to go dishpro. Plus the 4900's are not bad, they do dolby digital and are fairly reliable, as are the older ones too.

I kind of wish they added the international channels to 61.5, but apparently all new international stuff is going on 105.