How Do Diplexors Work? Slow channel changing?

[netsfan]

Hey guys, my installer used a bunch of diplexors in the installation, and I was just wondering how they work because I like to learn these things. So can someone please explain? All he said is they make his life much easier!

Also, do they slow down changing channels in any way? I haven't had Dish in a few years, and I've gotten so used to flipping through channels in cable, but now with Dish it takes about 3 seconds to change a channel, which feels so awkward! Is that normal?

Thanks!

Edit: Just timed it. It takes closer to 5 seconds!

 

[Dish Dude]

a diplexor was designed to combine an off air antenna and sat on 1 cable, and than separate the signals on the other end. It can also be used to send a backfeed back over the line to a different room. I would say doubtful that it would cause the delay in channel changing, there is always one satellite, generally not 3 seconds, what is your signal on 119 on T11, 12? Does it change faster on certain channels or not?

 

[netsfan]

Thank you very much for the reply. I am mostly clueless about this and to be able to run some diagnostics with experts like yourself is very reassuring!

Signal on 119 T11 is 115. T12 is 111. Anything else I should check?

I am using a 625 in 2 rooms. I also have a 322 (I think) in another 2 rooms, but I haven't really checked those yet. I have 2 dishes for American and international programming. I timed it, and it takes about 5 secs to change channels, and it's about the same no matter what channels they are.

 

[HCI]

Most of the time If your reciever is slow to change channels you can reset the reciever by unpluging or hold the power button for 7 sec and release.

I have found that uselly will clear it up. There will be a small delay but not 5 sec.

Tate

 

[AlaJoe]

I got to tell you I think the channel changing is normal. Sucks don't it! I just timed mine and it is about 3 seconds between channels. I hate this! I was a power changer on cable. When a commercial came on I was on flipping channels immediately.

I went to Dish because I was saving about 15 bucks a month over Cable. I promise if I had actually seen a Dish set up in action and known before hand how slow the changing was I would have never switched from cable.

I have my one year commitment date circled on the calendar it is March 17 2006 on that date I will already have my cable turned back on and will call to have the Dish shut off on that day as they will not get one extra day of my money. This annoyance is not worth 15 bucks a month to me.

Some here will say this is because of how long it takes to decode the digital signal and that digital cable would be just as slow but they are wrong! I had digital cable boxes and could change the channel as fast as I could push the button

 

[netsfan]

Most of the time If your reciever is slow to change channels you can reset the reciever by unpluging or hold the power button for 7 sec and release.

I have found that uselly will clear it up. There will be a small delay but not 5 sec.

Tate

Thanks for the tip, but I tried that and it didn't help.

 

[HCI]

sorry

 

[jaschier]

The best places to check signal are sat119 tr19 and sat110 tr21, which are the home transponders of each, and the extended prog guide come from 110 tr29.

 

[KKlare]

Generally we compare T11 and T12 because they are available on most birds and give and odd and an even.

Instead of channel surfing use your guide to select a likely candidate. You can also use the right button to continue with a full screen and get the info on the current and next shows. This is faster for the titles but more pain than the guide on the 921 and ?, which show the program info, sans stars, when pointed at the channel and time.
-Ken

 

[rcbridge]

A little more about the diplexer, it is basically a high pass and a low pass filter in one housing each leg allows a specific frequency band to pass and will attenuate anything else outside of that band. If you look at one you will see the passband for each leg.

 

[dishsystems]

There has always been and always will be a delay when changing channels on satellite. The reason that happens is because you are sending the command to change channels, then the rcvrs. dinky little processor has to pick which transponder that channel is from and then change to it. If you have a dvr the extra process of recording gets thrown in too.Analog and digital cable systems don't have to deal with the transponder issues. After a while you will get used to it.

 

[SimpleSimon]

When a commercial came on I was on flipping channels immediately.

That's what DVRs are for. I haven't watched anything "live" in forever.

Seriously, with a DVR, I browse the guide looking for stuff I MIGHT care about, and set it to record. If it falls off the bottom of the HDD before I watch it, it must not have been important enough to spend time on.

Generally we compare T11 and T12 because they are available on most birds and give and odd and an even.

Correct.

As supporting evidence, guess what's the first satellite and TP you'll see from a new receiver's Point Dish screen.

 

[Titan_Wireless]

I agree with Simon. I rarely watch live TV. Plus when I do, I go to the guide and find what I want instead of flipping through all the channels. There are so many channels that I never watch or even care to. I have my favorites set and only have maybe 20 channels out of 200 that I actually watch.

However the slow channel thing has a little to do with Satellite TV but more with DVR. I had cable and would power surf also. I went to DVR (from the cable company) and it took a few seconds to change channels compared to no DVR channel changing. I have a 625 and 322 now. The 322 takes 1-2 seconds not bad, and the 625 takes 2-3 seconds. Depending on if I'm recording something or not. Remember the DVR allows you to pause, stop and record live TV. Every time you change the channel the HDD has to stop what it was recording and start recording something new add that to the time it takes to start decoding a new channel.