SWM-8 Issues

[tripletlex]

After installing a SWM-8 module, I have a couple of issues.

I have 3 IRD's connected to the switch - (2) HR20-700 & H21-200.

When I have only one IRD connected (HR20-700), I receive signal strengths' on all SWM channels. When I add a second IRD, I lose a SWM channel signal strength on both IRD's. And when I add the third IRD, I lose another SWM channel signal strength. Is this normal or is the SWM-8 module defective?

It also appears that the SWM switch remains in the memory as the satellite setup in the HR20-700. When I removed the switch and reinstalled my system as pre-SWM, I was unable to acquire the satellite signal during reboot after a menu and hard reset. What procedure should I use to reinstall my system without the SWM-8 module?

 

[NutFlush920]

Make sure you have 1 line connected to each DVR without the BBC into Satellite In 1. Make sure all 4 lines from the dish are connected correctly to the SWM8 and that you have the PI installed in the correct position.

Don't bother checking signal strength on the SWM. Use the standard method to check signal.

 

[tripletlex]

Make sure you have 1 line connected to each DVR without the BBC into Satellite In 1. Make sure all 4 lines from the dish are connected correctly to the SWM8 and that you have the PI installed in the correct position.

Don't bother checking signal strength on the SWM. Use the standard method to check signal.

My setup is connected as you describe.

I am not using the SWM satellite page to check the signal strength of the individual satellites 99, 101, 103, 110 and 119.

I am describing what happens on the SWM satellite page if I connect more than one IRD. When you look at your SWM satellite on the signal strength screen, do you have signals on all nine transponders? Mine shows zero on two transponders with 3 IRD's connected.

 

[NutFlush920]

I will have to check tonight after work what my shows. In the mean time, try to take some pictures of the signal screens or jot down your signals and post them. Perhaps somone else will have some input sooner.

 

[tripletlex]

^^
Thanks

HR20-700 #1:
Satellite: SWM
Tuners 1 & 2
98;98;99;97;0;0;95;95;95

HR20-700 #2:
Satellite: SWM
Tuners 1 & 2
98;98;0;99;98;0;95;95;94

The H21-200 does not show a Satellite: SWM screen

All other satellites (99, 101, etc) have readings of low-to-mid 90's

 

[NutFlush920]

Here are my signal readings. I am NE Wisconsin. I have multiple receivers hooked up too. As you can see I too get some 0 response on some of the transponders. I only took pictures of tuner 1 for each satellite not turner 2 as the numbers should be the same.

 

[tripletlex]

^^
Thanks for your feedback. So it appears that a couple of zero readings on the SWM satellite with multiple receivers is the norm.

 

[NutFlush920]

I can only assume so because, all my receivers work fine here.

 

[VegasDen]

Bear in mind that the sats with an (S) ...i.e. 99(s) and 103(s) are spot beams which may or may not apply to your location. The (c) is "conus" or continental US...those are ones that are generally most important.

 

[texasbrit]

^^
Thanks for your feedback. So it appears that a couple of zero readings on the SWM satellite with multiple receivers is the norm.

The way it works in general is this:
There are nine channels shown on the SWM screen. One of them will be common data, particularly the guide. The other eight are (potentially) allocated to the eight tuners that the SWM will support. When a tuner connects to the SWM, it uses a separate signalling channel to talk to the SWM and tell it which satelllite/transponder it wants. The SWM replies telling the tuner which of the eight SWM channels to look at to get the transponder it needs.

You would think that with eight tuners all eight channels would be occupied but we have discovered it does not work like that. If a tuner asks for a transponder that is already on one of the SWM channels because another tuner has already requested it, the SWM tells the tuner to look at that channel instead of allocating another one. So if all the tuners are asking for the same transponder, the SWM only needs to allocate one SWM channel to all eight tuners. That means that the number of SWM channels in use will vary depending on how many tuners are looking at the same transponder.
Any interesting by-product of this is that it is possible to connect far more than eight tuners to an SWMline and to an SWM8 if all the tuners are looking at the same transponder. Not very useful, but I thought I would mention it!

 

[tripletlex]

The way it works in general is this:
There are nine channels shown on the SWM screen. One of them will be common data, particularly the guide. The other eight are (potentially) allocated to the eight tuners that the SWM will support. When a tuner connects to the SWM, it uses a separate signalling channel to talk to the SWM and tell it which satelllite/transponder it wants. The SWM replies telling the tuner which of the eight SWM channels to look at to get the transponder it needs.

You would think that with eight tuners all eight channels would be occupied but we have discovered it does not work like that. If a tuner asks for a transponder that is already on one of the SWM channels because another tuner has already requested it, the SWM tells the tuner to look at that channel instead of allocating another one. So if all the tuners are asking for the same transponder, the SWM only needs to allocate one SWM channel to all eight tuners. That means that the number of SWM channels in use will vary depending on how many tuners are looking at the same transponder.
Any interesting by-product of this is that it is possible to connect far more than eight tuners to an SWMline and to an SWM8 if all the tuners are looking at the same transponder. Not very useful, but I thought I would mention it!

Thanks for the explanation. Initially, I was concerned that I was not receiving some channels with zero SWM satellite/transponder readings.

When I originally thought that the SWM may have been defective, I tried to reconnect my system without the SWM. I reconnected the BBC's and was unable to receive a satellite signal during reboot. I tried menu resets, RBR's and unplugging the receivers for > 30 minutes. Any ideas on how to remove a previously connected SWM and reacquire a satellite signal during reboot?

 

[texasbrit]

Thanks for the explanation. Initially, I was concerned that I was not receiving some channels with zero SWM satellite/transponder readings.

When I originally thought that the SWM may have been defective, I tried to reconnect my system without the SWM. I reconnected the BBC's and was unable to receive a satellite signal during reboot. I tried menu resets, RBR's and unplugging the receivers for > 30 minutes. Any ideas on how to remove a previously connected SWM and reacquire a satellite signal during reboot?

I have not had any problems getting my receivers to go back to BBC mode although I have seen other posts. I would have expected a power down to make it work OK. Going the other way, I have sometimes found my receiver won't acquire the SWM. I have found that if the receiver does not acquire the SWM, sometimes you need to power down the SWM (just remove the connection to the PI, or power down the PI) and that works OK.