Thread: How do you slave a STB?

I just wanted to include this information regarding using the LOOP OUT option for anyone who might desire it......

I have a good example of when using a MASTER and SLAVED receiver is a benefit. This is not related to power issues, but to quality meter, motor control and alignment issues.

I am using the AZBox Premium Plus as my main receiver. I control the dish motor using USALS. However, Hispasat at 30W is out of range for USALS calculations from my longitude coordinate (96.4°W) so I have to switch over to DiSEqC 1.2 and step the motor down the last few degrees to line up with the satellite, then store the optimum position.

The problem is that the signal quality meter on the AZBox is extremely slow to respond to a detected signal. While trying to dial in on 30W, I can miss it easily. Here comes the Cavalry to the rescue! I use the LOOP OUT to feed my Coolsat 5K receiver which I set up to detect the Cubavision TP.
I monitor the signal quality meter on the Coolsat while stepping the motor with the AZBox. When I optimize the signal quality on the Coolsat, I record the motor position using the AZBox.

This is a one time only use and after the position of Hispasat (30W) is stored, I can use the same channel / SAT / DVBS list in several AZBoxes and call up Cubavision immediately. The optimum position of motor alignment using DiSEqC 1.2 for Hispasat @ 30W is stored in the motor memory as P1. All I have to copy from one receiver to the next is the P1 motor position command string. This comes with the channel / SAT / DVBS list that I can transfer between my AZBox receivers. The motor command string to go to P1 is identical now for every AZBox receiver because it is stored in the motor and the command string to select P1 is identical for all my AZBoxes.

The Coolsat was set up to locate 30W long before I got the AZBoxes, but I could not transfer the motor positioning commands from the Coolsat to the AZBox to set this up as the files and operating systems are unique and incompatible between the two.

I am not sure, but maybe I could have just told the AZBox that 30W was at DiSEqC position P1 and it might have sent the proper command to the motor to access that position. I will have to test that someday.

RADAR