Automatic Skew?

[Lone Cloud]

I was thinking the other day that if there is enough power to the dish to aim a dish via USALS, there ought to be enough power to turn the sensor to get the best skew. Of course already they have H or V on automatic. How much harder could it be to turn and set a servo thing with the receiver power?

One of the difficulties of getting S-2, for example is aiming and skew have to be dead on. If there were a skew control where it searched for the strongest signal, maybe a lot more people could grab some of these transmissions successfully. It just seems to me that everything is there for it.

On my system, for example, I have a Birdview dish. My lnb is wired directly and only to my receivers and the dish motor is wired directly and only to the G-box. That means all that USALS power could be applied to the LNB for skew control.

You might even be able to use updates or aftermarket software to control the servo for skew.

Just a suggestion. I am probable nowhere near the first to encourage this.

 

[B.J.]

I was thinking the other day that if there is enough power to the dish to aim a dish via USALS, there ought to be enough power to turn the sensor to get the best skew. Of course already they have H or V on automatic. How much harder could it be to turn and set a servo thing with the receiver power?

One of the difficulties of getting S-2, for example is aiming and skew have to be dead on. If there were a skew control where it searched for the strongest signal, maybe a lot more people could grab some of these transmissions successfully. It just seems to me that everything is there for it.

On my system, for example, I have a Birdview dish. My lnb is wired directly and only to my receivers and the dish motor is wired directly and only to the G-box. That means all that USALS power could be applied to the LNB for skew control.

You might even be able to use updates or aftermarket software to control the servo for skew.

Just a suggestion. I am probable nowhere near the first to encourage this.

It's not at all clear re what you're suggesting. Ie first of all, if you're using a G-box, then you can't be using USALS, and I don't understand what you're referring to as "USALS power" anyway. Also you talk about skew control and servos , and applying "USALS power to the LNB", and this doesn't quite compute since if you have controllable skew servo, this has nothing to do with the LNB or USALS, as the control is sent to the servo by separate wires, not via the signal coax, which goes to the LNB. Also confused relative to what you're currently doing? Ie if you have a polarotor servo, then if you are capable of switching between H and V, then it's pretty certain that you have the capability of adjusting the skew already. If you're using an LNBF or ortho feed, then there isn't any servo to control. Anyway, I'm really confused relative to what you're suggesting.

 

[cracklincrotch]

I think they're suggesting that the current available from the receiver that would be otherwise used to drive a motor, switch, lnb, etc, could be used to drive a servo motor. And, since a gbox is the workhorse that provides power to the actuator, the potential current available from the receiver that goes unused (because the gbox moves the dish instead) could be used to run a servo motor.

 

[greenguy]

sounds like the post starter just needs a pansat 2700a/3500 or one of those older models which can control servo, usals and moves the dish via a dish mover. . .this is what im using.

 

[B.J.]

cracklin & greenguy... Initially, I had the same thoughts that you both had, however, particularly seeing these comments;

"Of course already they have H or V on automatic. How much harder could it be to turn and set a servo thing with the receiver power?"

"USALS power could be applied to the LNB for skew control"

I'm not at all convinced that the OP'er even HAS a polarotor servo. Basically, with no DVB reveiver I'm aware of, can you send any servo info down the coax (ie "to the LNB"). These two comments have me convinced that the OP'er is using an LNBF, which in all probabilty doesn't even have a servo, and probably instead electrically switches between fixed probes to select H/V. But even if he has an LNBF which DID have servos, I don't think there are any diseqC commands that could be used to pass that info to the LNBF. The Pansat sends info via separate wires, like analog receivers do, not down the coax.

Yes, a DVB receiver could send info over the coax, but there would have to be separate electronics out at the dish, either a separate unit if the OP'er has a polarotor, or a completely re-designed LNBF, and you'd have to have a completely re-designed receiver, and you'd have to get the diseqC protocol amended. Basically, I think the OP'er's suggestion is pretty much just a wish list thing of what it would be nice if receivers and LNBFs were designed this way, not something that could be done with existing hardware, either on the LNBF side or or the receiver side of things, and yes, it would be nice, but it's not going to happen. The receiver manufacturers aren't going to spend money to do something that can't be done with current lnbfs and the lnbf manufacturers aren't going to design something that no receivers can control.

Anyway, I'm still not 100% certain exactly what the OP'er has for hardware, and what he is suggesting, but while I may be wrong, my best guess is that he doesn't even HAVE a servo, and is confusing how a polarotor controller differs from polarity control in an LNBF, and is confusing LNBFs with LNBs.

 

[cracklincrotch]

All I know is that a gbox or an up to date receiver capable of running an actuator AND polarotator would sell well with our group. Yes an analog box will work but it doesn't work for the wife. That's the only reason I've got a gbox.

 

[Lone Cloud]

cracklin & greenguy... Initially, I had the same thoughts that you both had, however, particularly seeing these comments;

"Of course already they have H or V on automatic. How much harder could it be to turn and set a servo thing with the receiver power?"

"USALS power could be applied to the LNB for skew control"

I'm not at all convinced that the OP'er even HAS a polarotor servo. Basically, with no DVB reveiver I'm aware of, can you send any servo info down the coax (ie "to the LNB"). These two comments have me convinced that the OP'er is using an LNBF, which in all probabilty doesn't even have a servo, and probably instead electrically switches between fixed probes to select H/V. But even if he has an LNBF which DID have servos, I don't think there are any diseqC commands that could be used to pass that info to the LNBF. The Pansat sends info via separate wires, like analog receivers do, not down the coax.

Yes, a DVB receiver could send info over the coax, but there would have to be separate electronics out at the dish, either a separate unit if the OP'er has a polarotor, or a completely re-designed LNBF, and you'd have to have a completely re-designed receiver, and you'd have to get the diseqC protocol amended. Basically, I think the OP'er's suggestion is pretty much just a wish list thing of what it would be nice if receivers and LNBFs were designed this way, not something that could be done with existing hardware, either on the LNBF side or or the receiver side of things, and yes, it would be nice, but it's not going to happen. The receiver manufacturers aren't going to spend money to do something that can't be done with current lnbfs and the lnbf manufacturers aren't going to design something that no receivers can control.

Anyway, I'm still not 100% certain exactly what the OP'er has for hardware, and what he is suggesting, but while I may be wrong, my best guess is that he doesn't even HAVE a servo, and is confusing how a polarotor controller differs from polarity control in an LNBF, and is confusing LNBFs with LNBs.

Right. Separate electronics. That is exactly what I'm recommending.

I have a satellite guy who swears having an adjustable skew via polarotor will get you more and better C band signals. I do know that I have trouble peaking my setup and only rarely can grab a few S-2 signals

 

[cracklincrotch]

That might only be a general rule. I have no problem with thee different s2 9/10 fec transponders on two different sats with my 7.5. That said there are a number of
S2 5/6 fec transponders on amc 18 that I hardly get a whiff of. And I know
I've got my lnbf skew bang on.

 

[B.J.]

That might only be a general rule. I have no problem with thee different s2 9/10 fec transponders on two different sats with my 7.5. That said there are a number of
S2 5/6 fec transponders on amc 18 that I hardly get a whiff of. And I know
I've got my lnbf skew bang on.

Yeah, I have the same observations. The general wisdom says that the 9/10th FEC transponders should be much harder to lock, but I USUALLY don't have problems with the 9/10th, but do have problems with others that should be easy, so it's probably some other issue like interferrence from other transponders. I say usually because there is one of those CBS 9/10 FEC transponders that seem to go into some unusual mode occasionally, and I have a very hard time with it, then, just like flipping a switch, they must change something, then it booms in. I've checked that the SR is the same, when I'm having problems, and it is, and I looked at the spectrum, and it doesn't seem to be a signal strength issue, so it's strange.

Re polarity though, except for AMC-1 Ku, I have the same polarity settings on all sats across the arc. I do like having the ability to tweak the polarity, however whenever I DO tweak the polarity, it always ends up back on the same settings. I have had occasions though where the polarotor seemed to go beserk. While watching signal, the signal seemed to go up and down. On my older IRDs, there was a setting that would turn off power to the polarotor after it's been on for a few seconds to set the polarity. I'm starting to think that the IRD I'm using now either doesn't have that setting or it's not set properly. I guess I'll have to look at the manual.