Help! Directv and 4x8 switch box

[gadgetgirl4]

I have an oval directv satellite with 3 LNBs. there are two coax lines coming from the dish into the house. I have three Directv DVR receivers (2 hooked up by the original installer and 1 purchased recently). I originally split one of the two lines coming into the house to two of the receivers using a standard RF splitter. Nothing but problems. I purchased a Directv-aproved Eagle Aspen 4x8 switch. I hooked the two coax lines from the satellite into the switch and the three coax lines to the receivers to the output ports of the switch. None of the receivers are getting satellite signals at all now.

One other thing that my be having an affect on this. I uncoupled the coax cables from what looks like a brass bracket with a ground line hooked to it and attached them to the 4x8 switch. I did not move the ground line.

Can anyone help me or do I need to call an installer?

 

[Turd Fergeson]

you need to have all 4 ports on the lnb hooked up to the switch.

 

[dragon002]

exactly, this isnt cable!!

run 4 coax from the dish to the 4 13/18 inputs of the multiswitch, then you have 8 outputs. BTW it makes no difference which is which, just connect all 4

 

[gadgetgirl4]

Thanks for the help

Turd - Thank you for the help.

Dragon002 - Your "this is not cable!!" remark was not necessary. I thought this forum was so we could get help not be made to feel ignorant. Obviously, I know it's not the same as cable, but the dish instructions say that all four outputs coming off of the dish are identical, so it seems that they are 4 of the same signal, therefore it appeared that the signals could be split. Obviously, I was mistaken.

 

[dragon002]

well i was wondering why a sub would do it him/her self.

 

[sheridan]

well i was wondering why a sub would do it him/her self.

Some of us prefer to for a number of reasons.

Gadgetgirl, in case no one has told you, an RF splitter has no place in a sat installation. Sat cables cannot be split, anywhere. They have to be run through a switch, which you have done now.

 

[dragon002]

what reasons??

losing a one year warranty??

 

[sheridan]

A 1 year warranty on what, the installation? Either it works or it doesn't, I don't see a value there. And the equipment has it's own warranty from the manufacturer.

As far as my reasons, I think the horror stories that can be read here offer enough reason

I do not want my cables run all over the outside of the house, to be punched in through the wall. I do not want my dish on my roof. All of these add up to an installation that would cost me and there would still be no guarantee that it would done the way I want. So I might as well do it myself.

My dish is on a pole next to the house, the cables are run into the attic through the eaves and then run to each room and fished down the walls.

You would charge extra for that and rightly so.

Also, I'm the kinda guy that likes to do things myself, if I can. I am an A/V tech, so I am very comfortable with technology and servicing.

Plus I am a very private person and do not like strangers in my house.

Those are enough reasons for me.

 

[gadgetgirl4]

Thanks again

Sheridan - thanks for the additional information.

Dragon002 - Personally, I like to try things on my own so that later I can upgrade them myself or at a later date, do it again. I don't mind the learning curve. If you feel it is not worth your time to help a newbie like myself, feel free to skip threads from me in the future.