Well, "at the end of the day" literally, I'm back where I started. My satellite compliment shown contains a combination c/ku feed on the middle Birdview with the black nosecone. It's been operating with a 22khz switch, one side taking the c/ku along with 2 other dishes via a 4-place diseqc, the other side of the 22khz going to another 4-place diseqc. Not all the ports are used yet, but we're getting close. Picture attached, White lettering shows 8-port settings, yellow shows original settings. (and one mis-spelling of "port" not worth re-doing.)
I have had an 8-port diseqc I've wanted to install and the weather was nice yesterday, so I went at it. Replaced two older cables from the Birdview c/ku with more efficient ones, and thought an 8-port setup would simplify things As I hooked it up, however, more and more problems developed.
After completing the hookup, using the highest selections on the MicroHD menu for switching (first 8 selections of the 16-place switch) I lost some feeds and thought maybe I had lost one of my voltages. I had intermittent reception on 137 West from the fixed birdview, it would pixelate and freeze, followed by "no signal" screen. I thought maybe it was a lack of one voltage affecting only vertical signals, then I realized I was receiving PBS on 125 which is vertical. Then, I wondered if the switching of C-band vs. ku was reversed in voltage or different somehow. No time for wondering, however...I wanted reception restored by evening.
Finally, I put back the original configuration, wires hanging below the Birdview, all tightly checked, and STILL it was intermittent. New ends were put on where connections were suspected. Then...it hit me! The LNB voltage may have been a little low!
Recently, to keep our internet broadcasting stream in our radio studios "clean" of noise, we replaced all CFL bulbs in the building with quiet LED's.
Then, I bought an HDMI splitter for my MicroHD which cost us hours of searching down how a severe "buzz" was getting into a conduit and radiating into our internet feed some 60 feet away, affecting our internet stereo stream, originating from a tuner in my office. We ended up replacing the splitter's power supply with a non-switching one. The original HDMI splitter's supply was so noisy it radiated through half the studios' space and one long conduit!
This made me take look at ALL the power supplies in the entertainment rack for the same problem. The noise, generated in the AM band by my MicroHD and Hard Drive is enough to blank out AM within a few feet! (still not as bad as the first offender was, however!!) So, when I found the microHD unit's power supply to be I substituted a large wall-wart, 5 volt 1 amp, and the receiver has worked just fine...until yesterday..probably about a month's solid and regular use.
I don't know whether the 1-amp unit failed from constant connection and disconnection to the MicroHD receiver (to protect the diseqc ports) or whether it just can't handle the upscaling of voltage to the LNB's over time, but the unit is back in business with the original supply "in" again.
I've ordered a 2-amp 5 volt power supply from Ebay, (matching the MicroHD's specs) one which is meant for a Sirius satellite radio, which should be filtered better to help keep noise from the AC line at our station, and it should still provide enough power for the receiver to to its job.
Now..maybe I can put the 8 port box back online, change the settings and have it all work! I have hopes I can re-install the 8-port switch to simplify, and with the new power supply "on the way" I can have simplicity and quiet AC as well.
The MicroHD was not a "bad" offender, just average in the world of switching power supplies, however...please: A plea to ALL manufacturers and distributors, PLEASE use better filtering in your power supplies!
Between CFL's and bad switching power supplies, the AM reception in people's homes is being killed!
(see: http://youtu.be/kLmfXO9qjE8 as posted on our station website.
Buy LED's that are quieter. (not all are.) We have 2 parts of government fighting now: The FCC wanting a quieter AM radio environment, on one side, and those in the "environmental side" who want us to NOT use incandescent light bulbs and buy noisy CFL's on the other. The result? If you suddenly find static in your radio after buying a new product for your home or office, suspect the power supply or your new CFL's!
One of my station's co-owners recently had an AT&T DSL modem replaced in the "loft" office of their home, and it killed reception of their hometown station in ALL AM radios in the house, and the station is 3 miles from them as the crow flies! I know the government wants us all to use CFL's, but they STINK and cause RF noise! Bad power supplies are other huge offenders, and can be quieted with parts costing under a buck per unit.
The "chasing of noise" can lead to other issues, you see...but it could all be fixed by manufacturers, importers, and re-sellers simply better-filtering their power supplies! Probably your ipad charger, phone charger, and others are offenders in your house, too!
From a satellite guys member who loves and lives radio...I love ALL our technology, but the "making noise is okay" attitude in new devices has to stop!
Now to the outside to change satellite switches....AGAIN.
I have had an 8-port diseqc I've wanted to install and the weather was nice yesterday, so I went at it. Replaced two older cables from the Birdview c/ku with more efficient ones, and thought an 8-port setup would simplify things As I hooked it up, however, more and more problems developed.
After completing the hookup, using the highest selections on the MicroHD menu for switching (first 8 selections of the 16-place switch) I lost some feeds and thought maybe I had lost one of my voltages. I had intermittent reception on 137 West from the fixed birdview, it would pixelate and freeze, followed by "no signal" screen. I thought maybe it was a lack of one voltage affecting only vertical signals, then I realized I was receiving PBS on 125 which is vertical. Then, I wondered if the switching of C-band vs. ku was reversed in voltage or different somehow. No time for wondering, however...I wanted reception restored by evening.
Finally, I put back the original configuration, wires hanging below the Birdview, all tightly checked, and STILL it was intermittent. New ends were put on where connections were suspected. Then...it hit me! The LNB voltage may have been a little low!
Recently, to keep our internet broadcasting stream in our radio studios "clean" of noise, we replaced all CFL bulbs in the building with quiet LED's.
Then, I bought an HDMI splitter for my MicroHD which cost us hours of searching down how a severe "buzz" was getting into a conduit and radiating into our internet feed some 60 feet away, affecting our internet stereo stream, originating from a tuner in my office. We ended up replacing the splitter's power supply with a non-switching one. The original HDMI splitter's supply was so noisy it radiated through half the studios' space and one long conduit!
This made me take look at ALL the power supplies in the entertainment rack for the same problem. The noise, generated in the AM band by my MicroHD and Hard Drive is enough to blank out AM within a few feet! (still not as bad as the first offender was, however!!) So, when I found the microHD unit's power supply to be I substituted a large wall-wart, 5 volt 1 amp, and the receiver has worked just fine...until yesterday..probably about a month's solid and regular use.
I don't know whether the 1-amp unit failed from constant connection and disconnection to the MicroHD receiver (to protect the diseqc ports) or whether it just can't handle the upscaling of voltage to the LNB's over time, but the unit is back in business with the original supply "in" again.
I've ordered a 2-amp 5 volt power supply from Ebay, (matching the MicroHD's specs) one which is meant for a Sirius satellite radio, which should be filtered better to help keep noise from the AC line at our station, and it should still provide enough power for the receiver to to its job.
Now..maybe I can put the 8 port box back online, change the settings and have it all work! I have hopes I can re-install the 8-port switch to simplify, and with the new power supply "on the way" I can have simplicity and quiet AC as well.
The MicroHD was not a "bad" offender, just average in the world of switching power supplies, however...please: A plea to ALL manufacturers and distributors, PLEASE use better filtering in your power supplies!
Between CFL's and bad switching power supplies, the AM reception in people's homes is being killed!
(see: http://youtu.be/kLmfXO9qjE8 as posted on our station website.
Buy LED's that are quieter. (not all are.) We have 2 parts of government fighting now: The FCC wanting a quieter AM radio environment, on one side, and those in the "environmental side" who want us to NOT use incandescent light bulbs and buy noisy CFL's on the other. The result? If you suddenly find static in your radio after buying a new product for your home or office, suspect the power supply or your new CFL's!
One of my station's co-owners recently had an AT&T DSL modem replaced in the "loft" office of their home, and it killed reception of their hometown station in ALL AM radios in the house, and the station is 3 miles from them as the crow flies! I know the government wants us all to use CFL's, but they STINK and cause RF noise! Bad power supplies are other huge offenders, and can be quieted with parts costing under a buck per unit.
The "chasing of noise" can lead to other issues, you see...but it could all be fixed by manufacturers, importers, and re-sellers simply better-filtering their power supplies! Probably your ipad charger, phone charger, and others are offenders in your house, too!
From a satellite guys member who loves and lives radio...I love ALL our technology, but the "making noise is okay" attitude in new devices has to stop!
Now to the outside to change satellite switches....AGAIN.
