Signal Loss

[comfortably_numb]

These switches are not powered. The STB supplies the power when a satellite is selected. View attachment 138709 This is the switch I'm using. Getting a voltage reading at the port or at the LNBF would be hard to do since it only loses signal for a few seconds. I'd never have time to get the cable unhooked to check it. I noticed on Galaxy 17 when the wife's watching Light TV, every channel loses signal.

It doesn't happen on one polarity or the other all the time. At this point, I am open for suggestions on what powered switch would be the best option. I assume with a powered switch, all ports would set up using a 22khz tone??

Is that switch outside?

 

[a33]

As I mentioned in the post to Titanium, there isn't time to check the voltage due to the short span of time it's off, like 5 or 6 seconds at most.

Well, evidently I misunderstood your previous info then.
I thought that the loss of reception lasted all the time that you both were on the same satellite, or was there unless the second receiver switched to the same receiver;
and that the short losses of reception were just another problem (but maybe related).

But now it seems there are only short losses of reception....?

greetz,
A33

 

[wvman]

Is that switch outside?

Yes, it's outside, but not in the weather. They're mounted inside a box.

 

[wvman]

Well, evidently I misunderstood your previous info then.
I thought that the loss of reception lasted all the time that you both were on the same satellite, or was there unless the second receiver switched to the same receiver;
and that the short losses of reception were just another problem (but maybe related).

But now it seems there are only short losses of reception....?

greetz,
A33

Unfortunately, the signal loss is not consistent or predictable. I may not have been clear about the longevity of the signal loss. It can be reproduced by playing with both receivers, but the combination of circumstances may not be the same the next time. That's what so frustrating. I wouldn't have a problem purchasing powered switches, especially if it fixed the problem.

At this point, it's more of an annoyance than anything. It could become a problem if I start losing equipment, but so far, no problem with trashing equipment.

 

[a33]

Well, consistent problem or not, I was trying to find out where in the chain from receiver to LNB the problem emerges.
That might give a clue where to look for the cause.

Without that, it will remain just guessing...

A33.

 

[wvman]

Well, consistent problem or not, I was trying to find out where in the chain from receiver to LNB the problem emerges.
That might give a clue where to look for the cause.

Without that, it will remain just guessing...

A33.

I wish I could be more specific about where the problem emerges, but when it happens, it doesn't last long enough to do any real testing to see what's going on. I've checked between all 16 coax grounds to see if there was any sort of voltage present. I have also checked between ports on the switch to see if there was voltage present on the ports that should not be active.

I did it by leaving one dish hooked to the switch and tuned to an active channel, while checking the other 7 ports for voltage. Found nothing. I've moved that cable between the other 7 ports, and did a similar check on each port that should not have voltage present. Found nothing. I even checked all the cables that were not hooked to the switch during the test to see if there was voltage present on them. Still nothing.

After running a new drop from the breaker box to the room where the 2nd receiver resides, observing the polarity on the new outlet, the problem persist. The outlets for the receivers in both rooms are tied to the same side of the buss inside the breaker panel to avoid problems that could occur from being hooked to different legs on the transformer.

If Titanium recommends a particular brand of powered switch, I will order two of them and give it a try. Living in the country presents all sorts of obstacles when you get power from a company that isn't interested in maintaining its power grid. I've been fighting for over three years to get the supply line to the house replaced due to its deteriorating insulation. Their solution, tape the wires with the cracked insulation. They even suggested I do it.

 

[Titanium]

Spaun, Triax, EMP-Centauri brands offer quality multi-satellite, multi-outlet powered multiswitches.

Pick the model that provides the number of inputs and outputs you need. Purchase one switch, not multiple switches. Cascading multiple switches only adds attenuation and increases the chance of switching errors and component interaction.

From your first post, it sounded like the problem persisted until a different satellite was selected. This should be easy to test as the problem would remain present until a variable was introduced.

If you are currently cascading switches, the inline devices may not be receiving the DiSEqC commands in correct order or timing. Many receivers have a repeat option in the install menu to resend DiSEqC / 22KHz commands to establish a signal path. Some receivers automatically reissue DiSEqC / 22KHz strings until a signal path is established.

If the problem is random between polarities and satellites with the problem self-remedying within a short period of time without changing any receiver settings, then I would suspect a switching error or missed DiSEqC / 22KHz command strings.

 

[wvman]

Spaun, Triax, EMP-Centauri brands offer quality multi-satellite, multi-outlet powered multiswitches.

Pick the model that provides the number of inputs and outputs you need. Purchase one switch, not multiple switches. Cascading multiple switches only adds attenuation and increases the chance of switching errors and component interaction.

From your first post, it sounded like the problem persisted until a different satellite was selected. This should be easy to test as the problem would remain present until a variable was introduced.

If you are currently cascading switches, the inline devices may not be receiving the DiSEqC commands in correct order or timing. Many receivers have a repeat option in the install menu to resend DiSEqC / 22KHz commands to establish a signal path. Some receivers automatically reissue DiSEqC / 22KHz strings until a signal path is established.

If the problem is random between polarities and satellites with the problem self-remedying within a short period of time without changing any receiver settings, then I would suspect a switching error or missed DiSEqC / 22KHz command strings.

Actually, I am not cascading switches, but there is one for each output on the dual LNB's. I'll go into setup and check the reissue DiSeqC command and see if that corrects the problem. I remember seeing that option when I set up the receiver. I did see a EMP-Centauri on EBay and it specified a 5db insertion loss on a 16 port switch, which is 2 db higher than the ones I'm using now.

For now, I'll go to setup and have the receivers resend the DiSEqC commands and see what happens. I appreciate the information.

Update: I went into setup and set the receiver to repeat the DiSEqC information, and so far, I have not been able to duplicate the problem. Maybe that will take care of the problem. Thanks again.

 

[Titanium]

A powered multiswitch will have insertion loss if it is operated operated in the passive mode. Otherwise, with typical usage, the installer would adjust the variable attenuation pots to reduce the amplified gain to balance the system.

 

[danristheman]

Can i do something like that with my system Brian that you mentioned in your last post.