DPP Twin + DPP44 = No-No?

[Andrewwski]

My relatives have a DPP Twin on a Dish 500 that gets 110 and 119. It feeds a DPP 44 that currently goes to two 322's and a 311.

Every once and awhile, for no particular reason, it'll drop signal on one or all transponders. It used to happen once every few months, now it happens at least once a week. Sometimes it happens after LOS due to weather, other times just randomly. Doing a check switch on one of the receivers will solve the problem for all of them.

I've read about issues with DPP LNB's and DPP switches. Could that be the problem?

I've got Dish coming out tomorrow to add a wing dish for 61.5 and put in a 622 or 722. Should I call them and see if they can replace the DPP Twin with a DP Twin or DP Quad as well?

 

[Supershooters]

It's not that it's a no no, but I've experienced that having a DPP Twin feeding into a 44 switch cuts the signal down. Single or Dual LNBs work best. And if you do what I do, since it's single or dual lnbs I like to run them off of their own dedicated dishes, that is bigger dishes, for each satellite. A lot higher gain and rain fade is history!

 

[Andrewwski]

Interesting. I know I've read here before that DPP Twins don't talk nice with DPP44's, but I had not heard about the DP Twins/Quads.

I could go with single/dual, I guess.

3 large dishes definitely improves performance but it's not really an option right now.

Or are there other issues that could cause this?

 

[tastim]

Dish Network engineers do not want any LNB with an internal switch fed into a Switch.... it usually DOES work, but not for long... and can cause intermittent problems.

The proper way to do your setup is 2 DP Duals fed into that switch (using the same Y bracket)

 

[Andrewwski]

OK, thanks. I'll see if I can get them to replace the LNB's tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure that has to be the problem. Unless the DPP44 is bad, which I doubt.

How hard is it for the tech to replace the LNB if it's not on the work order?

 

[Liquidforce88]

OK, thanks. I'll see if I can get them to replace the LNB's tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure that has to be the problem. Unless the DPP44 is bad, which I doubt.

How hard is it for the tech to replace the LNB if it's not on the work order?

They won't replace it unless they have too. Basically it's a bunch of paper work that they don't have to do.

THere is no problem using a DPtwin or DPquad with a DPP44. The DPP should be no problem either, although rumor has it there is. I have had a DPP running 110 & 119 on my system for almost 2 years no problems. DIsh would never even built a work order with single/dual LNB's like that. A system would always have a non-legacy twin and a DP dual if it was a 1000 setup.

Now it may very well be that your DPP has a problem. Have them check for LNB drift when they come out. But it's not a system wide problem.

 

[Andrewwski]

No LNB drift. How bad is the paperwork? Is it worth $20?

 

[Greenhorn]

The DPP Twins have a built in switch. The DPP44 is a switch. Sometimes they start throwing one another off. Try unplugging the "power inserter" at the tv where the 1st output of the switch leads to. It will look like a 6" power brick. Plug it back in after a min or so. If that doesnt help add DHPP to your bill and get a tech outthere to trouble shoot your system. If the [internal] tech replaces your DPP44 switch then the paper work takes about 30 sec on his end, no big deal.

I cant remember right now if your receivers are Dish Pro or Dish Pro Plus. If its DP then the DPP Twin and 44sw can be swapped out with 2xDP Duals and a DP34sw. If they are DPP then well... you'd need to add a second line to each receiver since the DPP separator (on the back of the receiver) wouldn't work. So if you've been putting off HD maybe nows the time.

 

[Andrewwski]

Unplugging the power inserter doesn't seem to do anything unless I unplug all receivers (they can end up powering it as well). Running a check switch is much easier.

They're all DPP receivers (right now there's a 722, 322, and 311...not that the 311 would make any difference). DP34 isn't an option as one of the TV's is impossible to get a second cable to without tearing up a boatload of walls and ceilings. There's no basement under the room, and no accessible attic above it.

Tech was out yesterday to swap one of the 322's for the 722. He said he had not heard of switch conflicts like that, but he didn't do many installs with DPP44's either. He actually didn't know that you couldn't just jump the wingdish into the DPP LNB and then run two lines to the DPP 44 to carry all 3 satellites...he claimed the "switches take care of all of that." So I guess he wasn't too familiar with external switches...

Anyway, if it keeps happening I'll order two DP Duals and replace the DPP Twin. The problem either has to be a conflict between the LNB's and switch, a bad LNB, or a bad switch. The conflict seems like the most likely culprit...and replacing the LNB will eliminate two of the three possibilities.

 

[PATECO]

The problem is not so much switch conflicts, but voltage and amps. Dpp44 is a complex beast, and takes lots of amps to work. That is why it has the power inserter.The DPPtwin also wants a bunch of amps but not as much as the 44 switch. When DPP44 and DPPtwin are combined and especially with copper clad steel cable instead of solid copper, there may not be enough amps at the DPP twin lnb to power it correctly. Regular DP twin takes less power, and dp Duals take even less. Because of this I allways use duals with Solid copper RG6 for external switches and I have fewer issues, and therfore fewer DHPP trouble calls.

 

[rcdallas]

Text book says no DPP Twin on DPP switches, only DP.

 

[Andrewwski]

Thought I had heard that somewhere. Hence my whole purpose for starting the thread.

Am I definitely better going with two DP Duals rather than one DP Twin or Quad?

I have one DP Twin (I think, may be quad) and one DP Dual that I picked up from a garage sale a few months ago. I could buy another DP Dual and have two DP Duals, or use the DP Twin.

 

[tastim]

Thought I had heard that somewhere. Hence my whole purpose for starting the thread.

Am I definitely better going with two DP Duals rather than one DP Twin or Quad?

I have one DP Twin (I think, may be quad) and one DP Dual that I picked up from a garage sale a few months ago. I could buy another DP Dual and have two DP Duals, or use the DP Twin.

DP Twin should work fine, with two lines coming from it. I always prefer to use Duals so I only have one switch in the system, but if I am out of Duals, I have no problem using DP Twins or Quads.