Switch issue with FTA receiver

 

Bronze Member
Username: Agratru

Post Number: 20
Registered: Mar-07
Friends,

I have been using FTA receiver for almost 3 months now. Whenever I want to watch channels on 61.5 or 110, I have to press menu and then have to change the switch Eq.

For an example, if I am watching TBS, I can keep switch "off" but now if I want watch Sports channel 471, then I will have to change the switch to 3.
Is there anyway you can watch all channels without messing with switch?
 

Gold Member
Username: Lklives

Post Number: 9840
Registered: Jan-06
Hook the 2 LNB's up to a disque switch and then input the appropriate switch type and port #, and dish/LNB/antenna settings, into your receiver...then select DN package..
 

New member
Username: Cbth2k6

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-07
Hello,

I have DTV phase I and II dishes with their LNBs.

Have tried hooked up one by one with diseqc swicth 4x1 (tested 3 different diseqc switches), but problems are described as follow:

1. 110 and 119 were set on diseqc lnb 1 or lnb 2 (tried back and forth, lnb 3 and lnb 4 would not work at all); only 1 (either 110 or 119) has received very few channels, but sometimes get none.

2. 110, or 119 by itself is working fine. Quality 80 to 99.

3. when used 4x1 diseqc switch, quality one of them became 0, did not matter what skew, tp, which I had adjust to.

receivers:
pansat 2700A and 2500A

for testing, I used 2 Pansat 4x1 diseqc (the regular and mini ones), and also the third is unnamed.

Your help would be greatly appreciated!
 

Gold Member
Username: Lklives

Post Number: 9896
Registered: Jan-06
U do not mention anything about your config settings in your receiver dish/antenna settings...

are U inputting the LNB type, frequency, TP, satellites, switch type and ports?...

and are U scanning each satellite?

do u have latest keys input and saved in the receiver?

have u entered the latest boot upgrade in the 2700, and the latest bins in both, to receive more channels from any satellite?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Therepo

Ftaview.com

Post Number: 28
Registered: May-07
Phase II dishes have mounts for 3 LNBs, originally intended for 101 and 119 with a center spot for expansion to 110 (sat C). Looking at the dish from the front, the left-most mount is 101 and the farthest right is 119. If you want to get 110/119, your LNBs should be 1 in the center mount for 110 and (looking at the dish) one to the right for 119. DTV LNBs intended for 101 and 119 are just like regular DN Legacy LNBs, but ones which were originally for 110 are funky (only get one polarity, can remember which, but basically worthless for your application, lol).

With the LNB mounted side by side, you should peak for 110, and skew for 119--the center LNB 110 will stay peaked if your mount is plumb. Use a sat calculator to get your skew for your area, and then just fine tune.

It doesn't matter which ports you use on diseqc, just make sure your receiver is unplugged or coax is disconnected before attaching/disconnecting wires or you'll blow the switch.

If the switch is blown, it will only show you port 1, whatever that is connected to.
 

New member
Username: Cbth2k6

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-07
1. standard (lnb)
2. frequency 22 is on/off, tried both, no helped
3. diseqc 1 or 2 for 110/119 (switched back and forth, didn't do any good)
3. skew 0 (or -45 as somebody have suggested somewhere around here)
5. disable
6. scan all

As I have mentioned above, if one by one satellite, my receiver receives all channels. When connected diseqc 4x1, only one satellite would work with very few channels.

The problems have been occurred since the first day I have those receivers (2years ago).
Until now, I am going to ugrade to sonicview hd8000, then would like to take its advantage, hence try to get it fix.

Appreciate.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Therepo

Ftaview.com

Post Number: 29
Registered: May-07
If you have the diseqc ports correctly set in your antenna setups for each 119 and 110 to match the physical connection, it sounds like your switch is toast.
 

New member
Username: Cbth2k6

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jun-07
If the switch is blown, it will only show you port 1, whatever that is connected to.

I think he blown those 3 switches. Although, it does showed port 2,3,4 whenever I changed in receiver, but only port 1 works so forth.

So, which diseqc should I buy for using 3 receivers in 3 different rooms?

Much appreciate for your help and to all as well !
 

Gold Member
Username: Lklives

Post Number: 9898
Registered: Jan-06
therepo...u just described a phaze 3 LNB dish...not sure what a phase 1 is (possibly a single LNB round dish) ...a phase 2 dish is an original phase 3 dish..he ststed he has BOTH...the phase 3 alignment AND the reciver config settings and switch settings ARE important....U cannot rule that the switch is bad , if the settings are incorrect...


The Phase III oval dish (FAQ)
All about the Phase 3 dish
(made for DTV, has 3 LNBs in same enclosure and built in multiswitch.)
YES, you CAN use this for your FTA setup to get 91 and 110 !

Advantages
1. You can add 2 LNBs and get 82 and 119 too on same dish.
2. Cheap or free from your DTV system.
3. Use only one wire and get 2 sats.
4. If u add 82 and 119, you'll use 3 ports on your diseq switch.. perfect to hook up an additonal bigger dish and a linear LNB and get birds like Intelsat 5 (T5) on your diseq empty port.

Connection
1. You need only 1 coax cable per receiver connected to the Phaze 3 dish, which is an advantage.
2. It doesnt matter which of the 4 ports you connect to. All 4 are the same in functionality. Your receiver will use the built in multiswitch to select one of the 3 sats. It does that via voltage change and 22khz tone signalling.

What this dish is for and how it was meant to work
1. This dish is for DirectTV. Was made to get the 101, 110 and 119 DTV sats.
2. Looking from behind the dish, the LNB are used like so:
.......left lnb = 119 sat
..middle lnb = 110 sat
.....right lnb = 101 sat
3. The multiswitch inside uses 22khz tone that is sent by your receiver to switch between 2 sats (just like any other 22khz switch). You'll have to set that up in your Pansat receiver.
4. 2 sats?? Yes! The multiswitch inside also serves as a combiner to combine signal from 110 and 119. So the 22khz will switch between the signal of 110 and 119 combined and the signal of 101

How the built in combiner works
1. The combiner takes TPs 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 28, 30 and 32 from the middle LNB (110) and all the rest of the 32 TPs of the left LNB (119). You cannot change what TPs are combined... Covering middle LNB with foil wont work, cutting traces on the pcb wont work.
2. This is OK for DTV because DTV only has 3 TP's on DTV's 110 (28, 30 and 32) and they are different from the TPs on DTV's 119. (a tp is a frequency band on which up to 14 channels are transmitted). So combining different frequencies on the same wire, works fine. But it will affect your FTA setup.

How the built in combiner affects your pansat setup
1. You can use the Phaze 3 dish to get the 91 (bev) and the 110 (dn) satellites.
2. For that you point the dish to 101 (middle lnb), and adjust the skew. Now the left LNB picks up 110 (looking from behind the dish) and the right LNB picks up 91.
3. The combiner will combine TPs 2,4,6,8,10,12 and 14 from the 101 DTV sat with the rest of the TPs of the 110 DN sat. This means you will not be able to get TPs 2,4,6,8,10,12 and 14 from the 110 sat. but read on to see what your're missing.

What channels will i be missing on my Pansat
1. You will be missing only some local channels. (ABC,CBS..etc..), which may or may not be local to you. Thats it !
2. To see what is missing you go to lyngsat and check to see whats on TP 2,4,6,8,10,12 and 14 on DN's 110 sat.
4. You will see that ALL but 2 of these TPs are of BEAM type... which means you wouldnt have been able to get them ANYWAYS, Unless you are in the area indicated for that particular beam.
5. The 2 conus (available nationwide) tps that you'll be missing are TP 12 and TP 14. Whats on it? Only locals from Lexington, Knoxville, Jackson and Denver.


What you should be pointing it to, to get 91 and 110
Pansat setup:
Assuming you will point this dish to 101 (middle LNB to 101), you will be able to get 91 and 110 on the 2 outside LNBs WITH proper SKEW, and thats what u want do to if you gonna use it with your Pansat. The middle LNB is useless for Pansat setups on Phase 3 dish as it will be pointed to DTV's 101 sat. Also covering this lnb with anything won't help to give u back those locals that you'll be missing.
To get the azimuth and elevation for your dish, calculate it for the 101 sat. For skew see below.

DTV setup
If you set the dish like above, it will not work for DTV. If you want it to work for DTV you point it to 110 (middle lnb gets 110) and the outer will get 101 and 119.
To get the azimuth and elevation for your dish, calculate it for the 110 sat. For skew see below. Or you can use your DTV receiver, enter your zip code and it will give you all settings.

U can't use the Phase 3 dish for DTV and Pansat at the same time because you're pointing to different sats.

How to calculate and use Skew:
Skew= vertical offset (twist) in degrees from the vertical (from the 90 degrees mark on your dish)
1. Go to Satellite Nut page
2. Enter your location info.
3. Calculate skew for the 2 outter satellites on your dish (for the pansat setup on Phaze3 that would be 91 and 119)
4. Add them toghether and divide by 2
5. U get the skew number. (Disregard the minus sign if its negative)

To use SKEW:
You must ensure that the top of the mast is perfectly plum. Best thing is to use an eye round level (home depot,tools section - $3) that u put right on top of the mast. You do that BEFORE you even put the dish on the mast.

If you are on the EAST coast, skew = counter-clockwise rotation in degrees from the 90 deg mark on your phaze 3 dish. Set your dish to 90 minus the skew number
If you are on the WEST coast, skew = clockwise rotation in degrees from the 90 deg mark on your phaze 3 dish. Set dish to 90 plus the skew number

Receiver setup
No diseq switch is needed, only one wire needs to be connected to the Phase 3
91: 22khz OFF, Diseq - OFF (or ON - doesnt matter)
110: 22khz ON, Diseq - OFF (or ON - doesnt matter)

Can i also get 119 on this dish?
Yes, if you have an additional DTV or DN (circular) LNB laying around, you can strap it to the LEFT of the 3 existing LNBs (looking from behind the dish). You will now have to use a DiseqC switch to switch between the wire from the Phaze 3 and the wire from the strapped LNB.
Receiver setup with the strapped on 119 LNB
Assuming u put the wire from the Phaze 3 in port #1 and the wire from the strapped LNB in port #2, your setup will be:
91: 22 khz OFF, Diseq #1
110: 22khz ON, Diseq #1
119: 22khz OFF (or ON - doesnt matter), Diseq #2

Can i also get 82 on this dish?
Yes, if you have an additional DTV or DN (circular) LNB laying around, you can strap it to the RIGHT of the 3 existing LNBs (looking from behind the dish). You will now have to use a DiseqC switch to switch between the wire from the Phaze 3 and the wire from the strapped LNB.
Receiver setup with the strapped on 82 LNB
Assuming u put the wire from the Phaze 3 in port #1 and the wire from the strapped LNB in port #3, your setup will be:
91: 22 khz OFF, Diseq #1
110: 22khz ON, Diseq #1
82: 22khz OFF (or ON - doesnt matter), Diseq #3
 

Bronze Member
Username: Therepo

Ftaview.com

Post Number: 30
Registered: May-07
LK, the basic Phase II dish has 2 LNBs, while the Phase II "plus", like the phase III, has 3 LNBs and an integrated 5x4 mutiswitch. (And yes, Phase I is just an 18" with 1 LNB). See here for some pictures and description of DTV dishes: [link removed]

cbth, for one receiver, any old diseqc will do, they are all crap, although Chieta Heavy Duty is probably the best. It's very easy to fry a diseqc--I know, I've done it, lol.

2 receivers could just use one each of the outputs on each of the LNBs and connect to each receiver's diseqc.

3 receivers, you need to use a multiswitch of some sort.
 

New member
Username: Cbth2k6

Post Number: 5
Registered: Jun-07
LK and Therepo,

just checked, I have phase 1 and 3.

For now, I am using phase I with 1 single LNB + extra LNB, to get both 110 and 119. But using diseqc 4x1 on this, it did not work at all as I have stated above.

Let solve this phase I first, and then we will go further.
 

New member
Username: Cbth2k6

Post Number: 6
Registered: Jun-07
OK, I have 24" oval with 2LNBs with buildin multi switch, so that is phase II or III?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Therepo

Ftaview.com

Post Number: 31
Registered: May-07
So it's a phase II "plus". The multiswitch is a 5x4 with 2 inputs intended for 101 and 119 each, and 110 with only 1 since there's only the one polarity there. It's a 22 khz switch (I think), let me check this, I'll be back.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Therepo

Ftaview.com

Post Number: 32
Registered: May-07
Here's scoop, then:
The built-in switch is 5x4 as described above and is 22khz. OFF will give feed from the 101 input (left-most, looking at the dish) while ON gives the center and right inputs combined (110/119). This is not particularly helpful since the center one only has limited TPs.

So, the best thing to do with your setup may be to use the LNB in the 101 mount and forget the other. Point it at 119 or 110, with 22khz OFF, and you have 4 outputs. Then with your 18" dish pointed at the other bird, attach both LNB outputs to a 3x4 multiswitch and you have 4 outputs for that as well. Run a wire from each to 3 diseqcs for 3 receivers.
 

New member
Username: Cbth2k6

Post Number: 7
Registered: Jun-07
That seems so complicated.

where I live, they are not allowed too many satellites on the roof. If I buy 1 dishnetwork dish with its lnbs, would that be better for receiving all satellite without tp limitation?
If yes, please point out which one should I get.

Appreciate.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Therepo

Ftaview.com

Post Number: 35
Registered: May-07
A Dish 500 antenna is made for 119/110. Dishpro LNBs are great for longer cable runs and a dp34 switch will serve up to 4 receivers. With Dishpro, you only need to run one wire for each satellite to the switch.
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