Need help with gettint the correct switch

[steeleno12]

Brand new to your forum, glad I found all of you.

I am in need of a switch to accommodate my growing Dish setup.

We have a Dish 500 system with two 301 receivers. We are hooked up directly to our satellite dish.

I am purchasing a 311 unit as an additional receiver and was told that I will have to now use a switch for my connections.

My questions are:

- What switch would I need in order to accommodate up to 4 receivers?

- What switch would I need in order to accommodate up to 8 recievers? (In case I outgrow the 4 receiver switch)

- Will I need to use an external AC/DC power adapter in order to use either of these switches?

- Last question, what is a good source for the switches?

Hope I have given all the pertinent info needed in order to get an answer!

Thanks in advance!

 

[korsjs]

Question one - Don't need one if you get a quad (four outputs) you can run wire to each of the four receivers.

2. You can only activate six unless you go with their commericial programming. There is a post, by the owner of dishstore.net with the pricing. do a search.

3.. I don't think so. one of the experts should be able to answer.

4. dishstore.net

 

[SimpleSimon]

Yeah - we need to know EXACTLY what kind of LNBF(s) you have. Most specifically, DishPro or Legacy. Click here for pics.

And yes, there's a chance you already have a Quad - which is enough to feed 4 receivers. There's no pic in the link above, but it loks like a Twin - with the extra 2 connectors right where you'd think they should be.

 

[steeleno12]

Yeah - we need to know EXACTLY what kind of LNBF(s) you have. Most specifically, DishPro or Legacy. Click here for pics.

And yes, there's a chance you already have a Quad - which is enough to feed 4 receivers. There's no pic in the link above, but it loks like a Twin - with the extra 2 connectors right where you'd think they should be.

Thanks for the replies. Here is the needed additional information:

I have Dish dual LNB. Since I am not able to access it right now, I am attaching a picture of it.

Let me know if there is more information need to determine which switch I will need.

 

[steeleno12]

Silly of me, I forgot to ask this in my earlier reply.

I am not sure of the difference of using a switch as opposed to using a quad lnb. Both do the same function but in different ways?

I am not sure I am making sense. Perhaps since it is getting late I should stop thinking about this and go to bed! <g>

 

[SimpleSimon]

Actually you have a DishPro TWIN LNB, not a Dual. No "SW"-type switches for you, mate - they don't work with DishPro.

As for Quad vs. Switch. Actually the Quad is just a Twin with a 2x4 switch built-in instead of a 2x2 switch.

So, for no more than 2 birds and 4 tuners, a Quad is A-OK. Once you cross either of those lines, you need external switch(es).

If you're not going to need a 3rd bird, go ahead and get a Quad.

If you grow beyond 4 tuners, you'll need an external switch. A DP34 would be typical, and give you up to 6 tuners (2 straight to the Quad, 4 off the switch). Maybe a DP+44 would be right - if you end up with any 2-tuner boxes you can save ports and feed cables. Don't worry about it for now.

Take note that I am counting tuners, not boxes! 322, 522, 721, and 921 are all 2-tuner boxes.

 

[steeleno12]

So, for no more than 2 birds and 4 tuners, a Quad is A-OK. Once you cross either of those lines, you need external switch(es).

I see.....I think. Gotcha on the number of tuners and since I have currently have two 301's and am adding one 311 which are all single tuners, I am clear there.

Can you clarify what you mean by the term "bird" in your above statement? Bird = dish?

I appreciate your input.

 

[korsjs]

Bird = Satellite

 

[bcshields]

If you don't want to mess with the dish, and make sure it's tuned correctly, you can also buy a DP34 switch. It's designed for 3 sats, but it's fine if you only connect two. output is to 4 rcvrs, and no tools are involved other than crimpers and wire cutters.

If I was to go to 3 or 4 tuners, that's what i'd do. Too lazy to fix my own dish.

 

[steeleno12]

Okay, I am back......kinda like a bad penny.

Thanks, I now know that bird means satellite.

My new questions:

- I keep seeing reference to Dish 500 as well as to Dishpro 500, are they the same thing?

- Will a Legacy Quad LNB work on either of these dishes?

 

[SimpleSimon]

There's 2 kinds of LNBF - Legacy and DishPro. Both types of technology can be used with a 2-bird dish - which is what a Dish 500 is.

 

[steeleno12]

Thank you once again!