Two Receivers on One Dish?

[Lone Gunman]

I've recently picked up an Openbox s9 receiver that I'm presently using with my Vbox X controller and my 7.5 ft SAMI dish. I also have an AZBox Elite that I use with that dish sometimes and I was wondering if there was a way to connect two receivers to one dish mover without using the loop out connection?

So is it possible to use a DC power block on both receivers and then just put a simple splitter in the line going to the Vbox X? I don't ever plan to have both receivers on at the same time so will this work without having to resort to using a Diseq switch?

 

[Lone Cloud]

a 22 khz switch will do it.

I recently got an orthomode lnb in one of linuxman's fire sales. He recommended a 22 khz switch. Right now I have it hooked into a Sonicview 8000 and an HTPC with a Technotrend card. It has worked well. Using it with an HTPC has been a little problematic, but not too bad. The 4x4 switch still has positions for receivers if I wanted to add 2 more.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Thanks Cloud but I'm using the 22hz function to do Ku on an LNBF.

 

[4DTV78]

Just wondering if you have tried the method that you asked about. Please let me know if it works. I would also be interested in using it with my 2 receivers. Thank you.

 

[trinidex]

N/A - removed

 

[Lone Gunman]

Just wondering if you have tried the method that you asked about. Please let me know if it works. I would also be interested in using it with my 2 receivers. Thank you.

Yeah, the way it is now with my system I have to swap the coax from one to the other each time I want to use a different receiver. I don't want to use a power block splitter as I want both receivers to be able to control that Vbox X controller. If one receiver is off but has a power block to keep voltage out then it "should" work and when I want to use the other receiver, just turn one off and the other on and be able to control the dish with either one.

I think this will work but I'm waiting to see if any of the "pros" have a different way of doing this, or, have a reason this won't work.

 

[KennyR]

I used a rad shack remote controlled A B switch couple years ago, worked.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Nope, I just tried a VB-1000 DC voltage blocker and it won't let anything in nor out so there's no power to the LNBF. I guess what is needed is something with a diode that will allow DC out but not back in. Hummm.

 

[Lone Gunman]

OK so I have an AB switch that I'm not using so I guess I'll give that a try when I get time to play with it. Seems that anything used directly on the receiver would have to have some kind of diode in it and from what I can find out there isn't such an animal!

 

[Anole]

I haven't explored the subject much.
Neither in theory nor in hardware.

Here's an old discussion on the subject, though:

Pendragon on running two receivers into one motor:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/183849-two-receivers-one-motor-possible.html

 

[Lone Gunman]

The setup I want to do only uses one TV and my new HD TV has two HDMI inputs which I use for the two receivers now. The only thing I'm in need of is a way to connect the coax to that Vbox and the two receivers and I do think that an AB switch will do that. I'll just have to connect one to it first and check to make sure that no voltage is feeding the other port when it's off.

I'll let ya know how it turns out once I get it setup and tested.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Well, I've been given a diode protected splitter and although I haven't had two receivers connected to it yet, I have connected one to it and measured only .07 volts on the other side so it appears that this will work once I get my new HD TV back from the repair shop. It took a dump on me about a week ago and I've got to take it to a local repair shop today for warranty repairs. Once it's back then I'll connect both receivers up and try it out.

 

[Lone Gunman]

OK so I got my Openbox s9 to play with my RF modulator and my old TV so I did the dual receiver connection thingie today and it works. Checked both legs of that splitter again and again got .07v on one leg and .05v on the other. I've had both connected to it now for a couple of hours, switched from one to the other and there's no smoke yet.

That splitter is as follows:

RCA
D800
40-2150MHz

 

[Magic Static]

no smoke is a very good thing, as it's very hard to put the smoke back in. I'll check back in a while and see if it's still all good.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Yeah Magic, most ppl don't realize that smoke, not electricity is what makes this stuff work. When you let the smoke out, then it quits working! ;-)

 

[pacificrim]

How did the AB switch work out? I'm interested in switching between 2 (or 3) receivers connected to my ASC1.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Hummm, let's see now. I'm 73 now and this thread is from back in 2011? You do realize that half the time I can't remember what I had for lunch the day before, and, I eat the same thing every day! ;-)

So having said that, I really can't remember whether the AB box worked or not, but, I do still have two receivers connected to one coax via a splitter to the input to my Vbox 7 and they power pass from the receiver but not the other direction. They have an arrow on them showing which direction power passes so you won't get confused.

The AB switch is "suppose" to disconnect from B while it's connected to A, and disconnected from A while it's connected to B. Best thing to do though is buy one and test it with a meter yourself. That way you can be sure it does what you need it to do.

 

[raydio]

Yeah Magic, most ppl don't realize that smoke, not electricity is what makes this stuff work. When you let the smoke out, then it quits working! ;-)

Actually it's smoke and mirrors -

 

[pacificrim]

Thanks for the reply Lone. When I was researching my solution last night I came across your old thread and needed the exact answer as you asked 7 years ago. I found and tested my AB switch and did exactly that - measured the switch in action, on and off - with a multimeter. Yes, it works great. Totally works for switching between 2 STBs. Cheers.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Thanks for the reply Lone. When I was researching my solution last night I came across your old thread and needed the exact answer as you asked 7 years ago. I found and tested my AB switch and did exactly that - measured the switch in action, on and off - with a multimeter. Yes, it works great. Totally works for switching between 2 STBs. Cheers.

On my splitter setup, I just disconnect power from the STB NOT in use. That way there isn't any power being run through the coax from the "not used" STB. To switch STBs, just disconnect power from one and connect the other. It's been working OK like that for me for all these years. ;-)