E* and CATV but only 1 coax input

[Chavez]

I am pretty new at installing satellites and had a problem come up. The customer has both E* and CATV. The E* is hooked up through coax from tuner as TV2. The TV only has one coax input. I currently have them hooked up to an AB switch, but they are not happy because when they switch from CATV the satellite is in black and white and they have to reboot the system each time. Any suggestions on a better way?

 

[harshness]

You could use a notch filter and a splitter combiner. You might also try a different pair of channels on the distribution output.

I don't understand the B/W part. Sounds like there's something wrong with the DISH Network receiver that this channel mixing has nothing to do with. You might also look for some stray DC voltage on the cable that might be frustrating the modulator

Mixing with digital cable is a pretty dicey business. Some of the channels that look like ant races aren't really empty.

 

[Ftoutloff]

not sure if I know what you've got going on - is tv2 going to this tv only? or do you have the receiver in this room?

If it's a tv2 feed try reversing a splitter and using it as a combiner. You might have to mess with the tv2 channel output - you know try different channels. You may have to incorporate some kind of channel modulator in there for everything to come in clear.

if the receiver is in this room I would start by checking your diplexers.

 

[kb7oeb]

Is the tv2 modulator configured to use the same type of cable frequencies as the local cable system?

 

[Chavez]

TV2 is going to the kitchen, the receiver is in another room. I do believe tv2 modulator is configured to use the same as the local cable system. I am considering running RCA cable since it is a short run.

 

[vegassatellite]

Call your local cable company and ask them for a channel number you can use for a locally generated feed. This is quite common in some communities where they modulate a security camera from a gated entry on to the cable system for the neighborhood. Don't accept channels 95-99 as an option as your DISH receiver won't modulate to those channels. Once you have a clear channel number in your system, set your receiver output to that channel and use a splitter to combine the two to the TV set.

As for the black and white picture, it sounds like they are tuning the TV to the channel first and then pushing the AB switch. Some crappy TVs will stray from the correct frequency when no signal is present, then they don't tune back to it when the signal becomes present. You turn off the TV and then turn it back on to fix it, or you press the AB switch to direct in the sat feed first before changing channels on the TV.

 

[Chavez]

Since this is a short run (20 ft) do you think that a RCA run would solve the problem?

 

[EricBskiVT]

Since this is a short run (20 ft) do you think that a RCA run would solve the problem?

I got a 50' composite cable from Monoprice and it works great! But it does require bigger holes.