Help with HD channels not all available unless 6x8 switch is bypassed

[winklebull]

I have a strange problem that I hope someone else has seen. I have a slimline dish going into a 6x8 zinwell switch. First HD box has been working great. I went to add a second HD DVR box and could not get all of the HD channels. I tried a second 6x8 and had the same issue. I checked my first HD DVR box and it was seeing the same problem now too.

I bypassed the 6x8 switch and got all my channels. I tried it on both boxes and they each worked when connected directly to the cables coming out of the dish. If I put the 6x8 back in the mix and the problem comes back.

Anyone have any ideas? Seems odd to have two bad 6x8 switches (not impossible, but odd). Would a bad cable from the dish show these types of symptoms?

 

[wildbill129]

Yes if one cable is bad your switch will not work. You are connecting all four outputs from the dish to the four inputs on the WB68? You are also using your B-Band converters aren't you?

 

[winklebull]

Yes all 4 cables are being plugged into the switch. Bbands are being used.

 

[sddtvtech]

why dont you just barrel your 3 cables assuming you just have HD and a HDDVR.. which is 3 cables and then hook them into the 4 cables that come out. when you hook it up together, you should have one cable that doesnt have anything hooked into.


but if you have more than 4 cables to run your systems, then you will need a 6x8. If you just have what stated above, 2 IRDs.. then you can omit the 6x8 unless you got more than 4 recievers. just keep that in mind, barrel it but make sure you weather proof the barrels.. like dielectric and weather boots.

just a thought and try that. make sure your set up is for SL 3 or SL 5 on your reciever setup, which ever you have. that does make a difference in recieving channels as well.

hope that helps.

 

[winklebull]

I have 2 SD DVR Settops and 2 HD DVR Settops. Need to use a multiswitch, but the 2 HD DVR settops have displayed the same issue. If I bypass the multiswitch I can get one of the HD DVR settops to work correctly. Thinking is is a weak signal on one of the coax feeds from the dish.

 

[harshness]

I'd be looking for a bad cable or connection in one of the cables from the dish or maybe a port on the LNB gone bad.

In your "straight to the dish" tests, did you always use the same pair of cables or did you try different combinations?

 

[sddtvtech]

I think he needs a new 6x8 switch from what it sounds to me.

 

[ramimac]

If he buys a new switch I would get an swm 8

 

[sddtvtech]

If he buys a new switch I would get an swm 8

then he'd have to buy a SWM LNB, Power Inserter and SWM8 splitter.

that would be more costy than buying a new 6x8 switch.

 

[jdspencer]

No, he wouldn't need the SWM LNB, just the SWM8 connected to the existing 4 output LNB.
The PI and splitter he would need.

He needs to check the cabling from the dish to the WB68. There might be one cable with a short center conductor that doesn't connect properly to the WB68, but does when bypassed with a barrel connector.

 

[sddtvtech]

No, he wouldn't need the SWM LNB, just the SWM8 connected to the existing 4 output LNB.
The PI and splitter he would need.

He needs to check the cabling from the dish to the WB68. There might be one cable with a short center conductor that doesn't connect properly to the WB68, but does when bypassed with a barrel connector.

meaning a SWM legacy? those are expensive to get. PI and splitters too as well. either way, youre having him do more than what he really needs to do. seriously.

save the headache and MONEY for that matter and TIME and buy another 6x8 switch.

 

[wildbill129]

meaning a SWM legacy? those are expensive to get. PI and splitters too as well. either way, youre having him do more than what he really needs to do. seriously.

save the headache and MONEY for that matter and TIME and buy another 6x8 switch.

The OP said he tried two different WB68's, both with the same problem. It has to be a bad cable from the dish or a bad LNB.

BTW, you can buy a SWM8 multiswitch with PI on ebay for around $50.00. It still uses the four existing cables from the dish, so like you said, it doesn't address the underlying issue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DirecTV-SWM-8-w...ltDomain_0?hash=item3efbc48844#ht_1666wt_1165