just thinking about your switch
Linuxman -
Thanks for the call.
To expand a bit on our discussion . . .
What causes so much confusion, is that the rules change between
bandstacked and
non-bandstacked LNBs.
We're not using those, so that is off the table.
Then, the rules change between a guy who wants to run his 8, 12, 16 LNBs to
one receiver (maybe he has a T-90), and the guy who wants to hook his half-dozen LNBs to
two or more
receivers.
For Single Receiver Setups:
There are certain diseqc switches you can cascade.
So, something like: "
rcvr---switch---switch---lnb" may be valid.
You can cascade Ecoda-type 22khz switches with diseqc.
The cool trick for 8 LNBs would be:
"
rcvr---22khz On---4input diseqc A---4 LNBs"
"
|------22khz Off---4input diseqc B---4 more LNBs"
With the right diseqc switches, I believe I've seen this proposed:
"
rcvr---22khz---diseqc---diseqc---LNBs"
In all but the simple cases, most 22khz switches apparently don't pass diseqc tones, so you have to use Ecoda-type switches for fancy switching solutions.
For Multiple Receiver Setups:
LNBs need two outputs unless you are getting fancy and only watching one polarity.
(
remember, we're not doing bandstacking, here)
Generally speaking , each 2-output LNB needs to go to a 2 input, multiple-output Multiswitch, to give you lots of copies of the signal for down-stream switches.
In practice, it makes more sense to hook each pair of 2-output LNBs to a 4-input Multiswitch (so long as that does not conflict with the LNBs
being or
needing to be Universal).
Since mostly we don't need Universal LNB reception, let's leave that out of the equation at this point.
Then, downstream of all the Multiswitch outputs, we could use multiple copies of a multi-input diseqc array to select a particular LNB/polarity for each receiver.
So, you might see an architecture something like:
"
rcvr---diseqc---diseqc---multiswitch---lnb"
Such a switching array could probably give you to access to far more LNBs than you'd need, so it's a working solution.
For
this sort of a hookup, I don't offhand see a way to exploit a multiswitch that passes diseqc commands upstream.
For a reasonable hookup, you could have receivers connected to 4-input diseq switches, hooked to four 4x4 multiswitches, and handle eight LNBs.
eg: "
rcvr---4in diseqc---4x4 multiswitch---2 LNBs"
That would support four receivers.
For more receivers, change the mulltiswitches to 4x6 or 4x8's.
For more LNBs, you need to add LNBs and multiswitches, then increase the diseqc switching array complexity.
Well, that's the traditional approach.
It is my hope that someone reading this, will see a flaw and expose some clever exploit to enhance the art.
Where are our inventors when we need them.?.
Keep in mind that switches attenuate signals.
Even powered switches probably reduce reception quality a bit.
So, you should test before and after any fancy multiple-switch install, to see if you are satisfied.
Sometimes the KISS principle is the winner.
So, don 't make something complicated just because you can.
Often, the simple solution is the most reliable.
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