Minor signal problem after installing Levitron multiswitch

[mmf144]

Hello, newbie here, please be gentle...

I just installed a Levitron 3x4 multiswitch to split my two satellite inputs from the dish (2 cables hooked up to a 3LNB oval dish) into four satellite outputs. At first glance, everything seemed to be alright, but something funky's happening with my DVR box. After resetting it and reconfiguring the box to read both tuner inputs, every now and then, the signal gets lost for about 5-10 seconds, with a message saying "searching for signal on satellite tuner 1 & 2"...but then the signal comes back pretty quickly and all is well for another seemingly random amount of time.

So, does anyone know what is going on here? Do I need to call Directv and tell them I circumvented their overly expensive installation prices and might have overlooked something? I thought this procedure was as simple as hooking up the cable and "voila," but apparently not!

Also, when I setup the DVR box, I told it that the dish was a 2LNB oval dish, because, after looking at the dish, although I have a 3LNB oval dish, only two lines are hooked up. Could this be the problem?

One more thing, this might be an issue...not all of the cables involved are the heavier gauged ones. But this is how the Directv installers hooked up the second line over a year ago, but I didn't think that was an issue.

Thanks a lot in advance,

Matt F.

 

[damaged]

From what I've read on here, I'm pretty sure you need all 4 lines from the dish put into the multiswitch, any less and it won't work right. Also the multiswitch shouild be a 4x (one for each coax from the dish) not a 3x and it must be cascadable since the 3lnb dish already has a multiswitch built-in.

If you only have 4 or less tuners in your whole setup, you do not even need the 3x (or 4x, you just run each line from dish directly to each tuner (up to 4) if you need more than 4 tuners driven, then you'll need a 4x,

 

[dragon002]

damaged,

you got it exactly right, were gonna make a dbs satellite tech out of you yet! LOL

 

[mmf144]

Thanks, D.

There does not seem to be a multiswitch "built-in" to the dish. It looks as though there are two lines running direct from two of the LNBs, then to some kind of switch (I believe this controls the local channels?), but this switch looks like a general double line connector. So I don't see how I could even get four lines from this dish, if two of the three LNBs are already hooked up.

I had to disconnect the switch last night, also, because when I went to the local CBS channel for a football game, it said "Please press select for ordering information," and was charging $10, apparently! Well, upon buying the "game," and I kid you not, some form of a "Girls Gone Wild" video came on! My dad was in the room, it was pleasantly awkward. Heh. Anyway, two other "local" channels also pointed to other "non-local" stations, others would not come in at all, etc...so something, I think, is up with the local channel mix. All along, the other non-local channels were absolutely fine.

Could it be a faulty multiswitch? I admit, I "bought it now" from Ebay for $35 less than retail. Or am I missing something else?

M.

 

[fkostyn]

If you have a triple LNB dish, there is an integraded multiswitch into the LNB.

A Triple LNB will look like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DIRECTV-HD-PHAS...854601873QQcategoryZ32841QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[mmf144]

Aha...so there's indeed a multiswitch enclosed with those three "thingies"? Damn!

Do I need to detach the dish, then, to hook up my desired extra two lines? And will the dish's multiswitch look like the Levitron I have?

(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5846477306&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1)

Thx,

M.

 

[damaged]

This is what you need to do:

The dish has 4 coax coming from it (this is _after_ it has passed through the built-in multiswitch), each 1 of those coax from the dish is intended to go into 1 tuner, if you have need for more than 4 tuners, you need a 4x (i.e. if you need 8 tuners driven you will need a 4x8, ALL four coax from the dish must go into the 4 side of the 4x8, your tuners hook to the 8 side) cascadable (cascadable because of the existence of the onethat is built-in) multiswitch, the 3x you have is useless, unless you have a dual lnb dish (which you say you do not).

 

[mmf144]

Arg. I wish I had investigated/researched this matter further before buying the switch. Way to go, project manager! (--> me)

Thanks for elucidating. I have a roof to climb, it seems.

M.

 

[fkostyn]

Yeap, if your using the leviton SMC - here is how I did mine

Also, one word of advice, if your climbing onto the roof to add additional lines for the dish, add yourself 1 or 2 more for an antenna. At some point in time you'll thank yourself.

This photo is a little bit older now, I have added some addition CAT5's - and removed the diplexor (antenna line goes straight to the box now... getting ready for MPEG4)

I just need to change out all of the connectors to the digicon compression ones.

 

[dragon002]

Thanks, D.
There does not seem to be a multiswitch "built-in" to the dish. It looks as though there are two lines running direct from two of the LNBs, then to some kind of switch (I believe this controls the local channels?), but this switch looks like a general double line connector. So I don't see how I could even get four lines from this dish, if two of the three LNBs are already hooked up.
I had to disconnect the switch last night, also, because when I went to the local CBS channel for a football game, it said "Please press select for ordering information," and was charging $10, apparently! Well, upon buying the "game," and I kid you not, some form of a "Girls Gone Wild" video came on! My dad was in the room, it was pleasantly awkward. Heh. Anyway, two other "local" channels also pointed to other "non-local" stations, others would not come in at all, etc...so something, I think, is up with the local channel mix. All along, the other non-local channels were absolutely fine.
Could it be a faulty multiswitch? I admit, I "bought it now" from Ebay for $35 less than retail. Or am I missing something else?
M.

he does not have the phase 3, what he is describing is the old PARATODOS dish and it sounds like he has the rare 4X2 COMBINING multiswitch. if true, forget about any multiswitch. you need a phase 3 OR the 4X4 combining multiswitch for your dish, then you will have 4 outputs. i tossed all the combiners (i had 15+) i do have 18 phase 3 if you want one PM me.