Trying to set up slimline HD dish on my own

[Joe Diamond]

Here's a closer picture. View attachment 80548
I'm also not sure if the white cable can support an HD signal, but I've been using the cable on the left and have been getting zero for all signals. I'll maybe try taking these out and hooking the cable directly from the dish to the receiver. I would think I should be getting something other than all zero's at this point.

Ah,

Better pic. The one on the left...black with compression fitting is a good choice. The white on the right is a pre made jumper and is probably RG 59. The white plastic things are springs to allow those cables to click into wall plates. The barrel connectors contained in them can fail so look there also. You are going in the right direction....eliminate as much from the system until you find something that works.

Those jumpers could have been bent and damaged that way...the white RG59 may have a bent pin (electrode / center wire)...look for stuff like that.

Joe

 

[c4greene]

I got it working, finally! Now I need to buy an HD receiver and set up with the card. Will the H25 receiver work with the dish?

 

[digiblur]

I got it working, finally! Now I need to buy an HD receiver and set up with the card. Will the H25 receiver work with the dish?

The H25 will only work with SWM lnb types.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

[BobStokesbary]

I got it working, finally! Now I need to buy an HD receiver and set up with the card. Will the H25 receiver work with the dish?

No. As noted by digibluur, the H25 only works with a SWM LNB. You have stated that you have four connectors on your LNB. You do NOT have a SWM LNB.

 

[MPLS]

Very interesting and informative thread.

I promise not to go more than 3 pages with my dilemma before punting the ball/dish.

I have a SWM dish "1 cable in" 3 lnb "looks like 1 lnb"

I have it mounted and plumb.

I bought this at a garage sale from somebody who used it in my neighborhood!

Before aligning I did not mess with the elevation 36, tilt 74, as it was pre set. I have it aimed at 202 and my area code is 55406.

I plan on getting a HD receiver "NOT DVR" 20 series, probably a 23,24 25....

Right now I have the single line running directly from the dish into the my old, not activated, R10 sd DVR. No power supply being used for the SWM lnb or switches . Based on my limited research I didn't think it would even recognize the Slimline Swm dish/lnb. But it did as far as a signal meter goes
The signal meter levels I'm getting now are .... 90 on 101 ... 90 on 110 ... 89 119.


So can I assume I'm pretty close and on the way to getting 99,101 and I forget the 3rd Bird dialed in? Maybe a push or 2 here or there could do it once I get the HD box?

Also for my lone receiver I think I'll still need the 21v power supply right, not sure if I need a multi switch either at this point with only 1 HD Box.

And lastly if this goes south can anybody recommend, other than Direc TV, someone who could dial in my Dish in the MPLS, Mn area.

Thanks in advance, you guys have a great site here and I've learned a ton in just the few minutes I've been here.

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys MPLS!

It sounds like you have the alignment close, but you do need the 21 volt power inserter to get the lnb to work correctly. Don't leave your current dvr connected, you could damage it. You don't need a splitter with only one receiver/dvr. 103 is the satellite you didn't list. I'm sure you will be able to get the dish aligned by yourself, it just takes some patience.

 

[MPLS]

Thanks Chip, that's positve reinforcement I needed!

My SD DVR is put out to paster so no worries there unless you're saying I may damage the LNB on the Dish. Either way I just unhooked it!

Thanks again!

 

[Jimbo]

I think your pointing at the wrong Sats, if your getting the 110 and 119, if your trying for HD, you'll want to point at the 99, 101 and 103.

 

[MPLS]

Actually, I ended up being spot on with readings from 93 to 100 on the 101 Bird, 88 to 95 on 99c, and 88 to 95 on 103ca, 89 to 95 on 103cb and SWM 95 to 100....... I had a feeling, being the Dish was setup professionally just a few blocks away originally so I didn't touch the tilt/skew or Elevation. I knew I had the 101 Bird dialed in pretty good with my old Ird but it was really cool to see everything work when I hooked up the HD Ird with the power inverter. Especially after all the horror stories I was hearing from friends and the research I did on the INTERNET.

No adjustments needed so far!

I'm glad I tried to get the signal before the HD Box came because the New box told me the elevation was 52, glad I didn't see or mess with that as the elevation I'm using is 36....

Anyway thanks to all for the help, I'm pretty pumped doing it by myself with no meter other than my old DVR on the 1st try.

 

[Jimbo]

Actually, I ended up being spot on with readings from 93 to 100 on the 101 Bird, 88 to 95 on 99c, and 88 to 95 on 103ca, 89 to 95 on 103cb and SWM 95 to 100....... I had a feeling, being the Dish was setup professionally just a few blocks away originally so I didn't touch the tilt/skew or Elevation. I knew I had the 101 Bird dialed in pretty good with my old Ird but it was really cool to see everything work when I hooked up the HD Ird with the power inverter. Especially after all the horror stories I was hearing from friends and the research I did on the INTERNET.

No adjustments needed so far!

I'm glad I tried to get the signal before the HD Box came because the New box told me the elevation was 52, glad I didn't see or mess with that as the elevation I'm using is 36....

Anyway thanks to all for the help, I'm pretty pumped doing it by myself with no meter other than my old DVR on the 1st try.

Glad you got it all working !

You never mentioned that you had the 103 at all.
From your previous posts it sounded like you have the 101, 110 and 119, this would lead us to believe you either didn't have the SWM set up or the BBC's.

More info of your set up would have helped so we knew which set up you were dealing with, each set up works slightly different.

Again, Glad you got it up and running.

 

[MPLS]

I was using an OLD DVR to get my initial readings that I gave, plus the SWM dish was not powered at the time, so I wasn't able to read 99,103 at all until I got the New HD reciever and power inverter last night.

So some luck was involved in my case......but it turns out that if your dish has the correct elevation, tilt and you dial in 101 you are going to be close.

Thanks again~

 

[Mr Tony]

Welcome MPLS from another Twin Citian (I'm about 5 miles from Mistake Lake Casino)

 

[harshness]

The DirecTV AIM meter is the easiest of course.

It is a fairly expensive proposition when the dish in question isn't SWiM. Any cheapo (<$10) satellite finder should work.

Regrettably, you can't buy patience or diligence; both of which are imperatives for a Slimline.

 

[ZandarKoad]

It is a fairly expensive proposition when the dish in question isn't SWiM. Any cheapo (<$10) satellite finder should work.

Regrettably, you can't buy patience or diligence; both of which are imperatives for a Slimline.

Unless you plan on installing more than two satellite systems a week for at least a month, I wouldn't recommend buying ANY satellite meter for peaking. A meter less than $300 isn't going to help you at all in peaking. It's always best (IMHO) in those situations to get someone on the phone who can see the signal meter on the TV that is built into the receiver, or better yet, get the TV / receiver close enough to the dish so you can see it yourself. Meters only add to the cost, time, and frustration of a DIY install.

 

[Mr Tony]

sadly capt troll (harshy) neglected to quote the whole post from digi which stated after that
But if you are just doing it one time and not many times then it is just a waste. Use a small TV and a receiver right next to the dish.
Zander juts confirmed what digi said originally