Switch help needed

[cebu22]

I recently installed a c-band prime focus dish. I also have a motorized KU dish which is approximately 100ft away from the c-band dish. The motorized KU satellite has 2 lnbs connected to a diseqc switch. My question is as follows: Is there a switch I can add to my system which will allow me to view both my c-band and ku band dishes on 1 receiver?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Magic Static]

Yes. Use a 8X1 DiSEqC 1.1 switch. You can cascade your 4X1 DiSEqC 1.0 behind that as well. The major concern will be getting sufficient power to your Ku motor through the switch. Look for power passing ratings on the switches. Make sure all connections are clean and secure.

 

[cebu22]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I am not clear on your recommended setup. From ny receiver I would connect to an 8X1 dieseqc 1.1 switch.
Then one of the outputs of this switch would feed to the motor on the KU dish and another output to the fixed c-band dish? Is this correct?

 

[Magic Static]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I am not clear on your recommended setup. From ny receiver I would connect to an 8X1 dieseqc 1.1 switch.
Then one of the outputs of this switch would feed to the motor on the KU dish and another output to the fixed c-band dish? Is this correct?

Yes. 8X1 switch first, then out to the C-Band posistioner. Another output to the Ku dish

 

[Magic Static]

I use an 8X1 to connect 2 Ku fixed dishes and 2 C/Ku-Band dishes to my HTPC at this time.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Or, maybe more radical- change your receiver to Twin-tuner. Than each tuner will be operating separate antenna.

 

[cebu22]

I guess I am confused on how I would switch between the lnbs installed on the KU dish (4x1 diseqc) via the 8X1 diseqc?

 

[Magic Static]

You select the appropriate switch commands in the setup menu of your satellite receiver. For the Ku dish you would send three commands, DiSEqC 1.1, DiSEqC 1.0, andDiSEqC 1.2/USALS. This assumes your particular receiver has the capability.

 

[Magic Static]

If you are not useing 22khz tone control for anything right now, you could use a simple 2x1 tone switch and select tone on for ku sats.

 

[Magic Static]

You select the appropriate switch commands in the setup menu of your satellite receiver. For the Ku dish you would send three commands, DiSEqC 1.1, DiSEqC 1.0, andDiSEqC 1.2/USALS. This assumes your particular receiver has the capability.

OK that is hard to understand too. In the switch menu where you selected the lnb ports on your 4x1 you should be able to set up a different kind of switch also. Known maybe as "Uncommitted Switch" and could be 8 or 16 ports selectable. Here you would select the ports of the 8x1 switch. So you need to be able to select a port in both switch menus and still select the motor location.

 

[Anole]

100 ways to skin the cat

I don't understand why you don't just:
- run coax from receiver to Ku motor
- mount a 4X1 diseqc at Ku dish
- loop coax through motor to diseqc
- plug 2 Ku LNBFs into switch
- plug another coax into switch & run it to BUD.
That would use three ports of diseqc switch and run no motor current through any switches.
.
Have you consulted our Switch FAQ for an understanding of the basics?
?From what you've said, this isn't really a complicated problem.

 

[cebu22]

I did consider that option. The distance between the BUD and KU dishes is ~ 100ft. The distance from my receiver to the KU dish is ~90ft. I do not want to dig up the lawn (100 ft) to run the cable between the 2 dishes. Also, I wasn't sure whether the distance of the cable run thru the diseqc switch would be an issue.

 

[cebu22]

I installed an Ecoda 2-1 Sw22 22KHz directly to the output of my geosat pro hd receiver. My c-band dish is connected directly to one of the LNB outputs of the Ecoda switch. The other output of the Ecoda switch feeds my KU dish motor. The motor is connector to a 4x1 diseqc switch which feeds two KU universal lnbs.

I have selected 22khz "on" for the c-band dish and I am able to watch video without any problems from this dish. Unfortunately, the KU dish behavior is unstable. The KU dish appears to traverse the arc correctly, however, I am unable to receive any video.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Magic Static]

You can't stack tone controlled devices. The Ecoda switch uses 22khz tone to switch and so do the universal ku LNBs. That's why I use an uncommitted 8X1 DiSEqC 1.1 switch. You can only have one device from each DiSEqC type in series.

 

[Magic Static]

here's a dirty fix for you. Switch the KU and Cband cables on the ecoda and mark "tone off". Everything will work except low band KU

 

[Balock]

You could change the 22kHz setup so that the Ku dishes are selected when on. This would limit them to a 10600 LO only however...typically not an issue here in N America. Right now they are limited to 9750, being on the off side if the ecoda.

If you want to use both LO freqs on the Ku LNBFs you cannot use a 22kHz switch ahead of them.

 

[cebu22]

For my receiver, the instruction manual indicates that if a univeral LNBF is used, the 22KHz switch
setting will be automatically set to AUTO - I don't believe I can alter this setting.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Follow Magic Static's "dirty" suggestion. As Balock indicated, swapping ports on the 22KHz switch will work to receive high band KU signals between 11.7 - 12.75GHz.

 

[Magic Static]

For my receiver, the instruction manual indicates that if a univeral LNBF is used, the 22KHz switch
setting will be automatically set to AUTO - I don't believe I can alter this setting.

That's correct and the way I meant it to be. I wanted you to turn off the tone where you had turned it on for C-Band. When you select a high band Ku channel the tone will automatically be applied for the universal LNB and this will also switch the ecoda to the Ku side

 

[cebu22]

Thanks, I did follow Magic Static's recommendations and I was able to view KU high band frequencies as well as all of my c-band channels. I do want the KU low band frequencies so I will be in the market of buying a new uncommitted diseqc switch. Thanks for all
the help!