Thanks for all of the input on my thread on my 920. Looks like I'll be breaking ground for my 4DTV install this Saturday. I need to figure out how to get the wiring to the satellite for the actuator. I guess I hadn't realized that 4dtv systems aren't activated via DishEqc like the little Ku motors are. Is outdoor telephone wire sufficient for the actuator wiring, or is there another good, cheap, off-the-shelf wire that would serve me better? Also, seems like a waste to run 2xRG6 from the dish back to the house. Is there a way around it?
Breaking ground on a 4DTV install this saturday. Looking for advice on actuator wiring.
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I use sprinkler wire. Available at Lowes or Home Depot. If you're only setting it up for C-band, one run of RG6 is fine.
There are 100 ways to hook things up.
So, why did you want to use two coax cables?
We have a Switches Simplified FAQ, which will help out for many possible switch setups, if one would be useful.
It's not particularly oriented to 4D hookups, but there might still be ideas there to help.
Just remember, the 4Dtv receiver cannot send 22khz nor diseqc commands to a switch.
So, why did you want to use two coax cables?
We have a Switches Simplified FAQ, which will help out for many possible switch setups, if one would be useful.
It's not particularly oriented to 4D hookups, but there might still be ideas there to help.
Just remember, the 4Dtv receiver cannot send 22khz nor diseqc commands to a switch.
It's never a bad idea to run spare runs of coax, and low voltage wiring out to your dish location. That way you are covered if you end up with a bad run, want to add dishes/LNBs, etc.
Ribbon cable is getting harder to find but it has 2 coaxes, and low voltage wiring for a polarity servo motor, and an actuator.
Most of the hard work is usually in the digging, you don't want to do that part again.
Just a thought.
Ribbon cable is getting harder to find but it has 2 coaxes, and low voltage wiring for a polarity servo motor, and an actuator.
Most of the hard work is usually in the digging, you don't want to do that part again.
Just a thought.
Well, since you mentioned a 920, it has connections on the back, one for C band and one for KU. So, two cables. And why set up only 1/2 a system. Get more if you have both C & Ku. Another thing to think about is plastic water pipe in the ground. Makes adding or changing cables a nice job.
On the actuator I used to have, I used 18/4 wire. I think it was like 18 cents a foot. Never had a problem with it. Took over 150 foot from the receiver to the dish.
Actually what I was asking was if there was some way to use a 22khz tone or something to switch between Ku and C on the 920. But that was answered up above. Anyone know where I can source the ribbon (2x coax + actuator) wire at? I like the idea of the water pipe btw, but I'm not sure I can get the wife to go for that.
I found some stuffed away in the backroom of a former C band installer
and the price was right!
You are better off using that grey PVC electrical conduit and the proper fittings. I used 1 1/4" but should of used 1 1/2' for a little more money and plus more wires can be stuffed in there!
If your wife will not go for that then you better go pick it up yourself!
The sprinkler wire at LOWES here in California is encased in a flexible but hard plastic casing and comes 50ft or 100ft and choice of 5 or 7 wires. It was around $25 and $30 for the 100ft ones here. About the diameter of a #2 pencil. I use siamese RG6 for everything now and have coax coming out of my ears...
Choices, choices, choices...
Choices, choices, choices...
I have to ask, what is the advantage of the conduit over the water pipe? You can get the pipe just as big in dia. Not sure, but the pipe may be cheaper.
I am not sure on the price difference but using fittings that are made especially
for wire is a big plus. If you need a 90 degree bend how do you do that with
water pipe?? In conduit there are "bends" available and or a fitting called a
"body" that has a access panel that opens and allows you to fish the wire for
tight bends. I also use a weatherhead at the end of my run to my 10' Bud.
A lot of options there with the conduit.
Two main reasons to use PVC conduit is it's easlier to install and it will not conduct if you would have a lighting ground strike in your area and it will protect the cables and you from picking it up and transferring it into your house.
Thanks for the sprinkler wire recommendation. Lowe's had most of the sprinkler system stuff sold out because winter is fast approaching--they only had a 5-wire 50ft for ~$20. So I ordered 100ft on Amazon instead for a little less $ per ft because I'm not sure if I'll need the extra, but I'm sure I'll find a use for it on another project if I don't use it on this one.
I'm thinking I'll need about 4 80lb bags of concrete, does that sound right for a 18" hole that goes 36" deep?
Also, how many coax + low voltage wiring runs do you have that you would use 1 1/2" conduit? I don't think I'll need another dish in the same location unless this dish ends up having really poor Ku-band performance, but you never know.
I'm thinking I'll need about 4 80lb bags of concrete, does that sound right for a 18" hole that goes 36" deep?
Also, how many coax + low voltage wiring runs do you have that you would use 1 1/2" conduit? I don't think I'll need another dish in the same location unless this dish ends up having really poor Ku-band performance, but you never know.
Skyvision has the regular Cband ribbon cable and I'd suggest that you use that as it's suitable for direct burial. I put mine in the ground over 10 years ago, part of which is UNDER my driveway and haven't had any problems to date. But I did bury it about 12 inches deep.
Don't know what kind of feed horn you have but I've used my AZBox/920 with both a Chaparral and a DMX-741S and it works either way but I do use the regular Cband ribbon cable for both. I could switch off and use just one RG6 now as my 920 is parked on the shelf and not being used and I've got that AZBox Ultra alone in that system but I went ahead and used both coax cables rather than using the Diseq in that LNBf. Oh, and I never did use that Chaparral with the AZBox other than when it was slaved to the 920 as the AZ has no way to control the servo motor on that LNBw.
Don't know what kind of feed horn you have but I've used my AZBox/920 with both a Chaparral and a DMX-741S and it works either way but I do use the regular Cband ribbon cable for both. I could switch off and use just one RG6 now as my 920 is parked on the shelf and not being used and I've got that AZBox Ultra alone in that system but I went ahead and used both coax cables rather than using the Diseq in that LNBf. Oh, and I never did use that Chaparral with the AZBox other than when it was slaved to the 920 as the AZ has no way to control the servo motor on that LNBw.
full disclosure
I'm no 4Dtv expert but ...
There may be C-band and Ku inputs on the 920 receiver, but only C-band has a signal for your receiver.
Actually, only ONE satellite, at that.
So, a motorized , dual-band, corotor setup, is pointless...
...unless you are also going to use an additional FTA receiver.
And if that is the case, controlling either dish position or polarity with the 4Dtv box is archaic at best.
In the spirit of full disclosure, what other receiver are you planning on running along with the 4Dtv box?
I believe this thread should help you decide how you really want to set up your equipment, so you don't discover after a few months that you could have done a whole lot better if you'd had better input.
I'm no 4Dtv expert but ...
There may be C-band and Ku inputs on the 920 receiver, but only C-band has a signal for your receiver.
Actually, only ONE satellite, at that.
So, a motorized , dual-band, corotor setup, is pointless...
...unless you are also going to use an additional FTA receiver.
And if that is the case, controlling either dish position or polarity with the 4Dtv box is archaic at best.
In the spirit of full disclosure, what other receiver are you planning on running along with the 4Dtv box?
I believe this thread should help you decide how you really want to set up your equipment, so you don't discover after a few months that you could have done a whole lot better if you'd had better input.
The ribbon cable fits inside 1 1/4" conduit with some room to spare for another coax or 2. If I would of used 1 1/2" conduit I think that 2 ribbon cables would of fit. I have one ribbon cable and 2 extra coax runs plus I threw in controller wires for another BUD. My original plan was to have 2 BUDs and a few Ku band dishes. I currently only have a 10' BUD and a 1M Ku dish set up.
I see your point on the bends. Thinking of my installation and 90 degree bends were not needed. Years back when I installed house service entrance we called them L-bends. They are "fun" getting 00 SE cable through!I am not sure on the price difference but using fittings that are made especially
for wire is a big plus. If you need a 90 degree bend how do you do that with
water pipe?? In conduit there are "bends" available and or a fitting called a
"body" that has a access panel that opens and allows you to fish the wire for
tight bends. I also use a weatherhead at the end of my run to my 10' Bud.
A lot of options there with the conduit.
Best thought there is thicker plastic and better insulation with the conduit.
Reading back on the OP #1, he did state 4DTV. You are correct if that is all he is going to use it for. One sat and no need to move it. But if he did go with FTA stuff then all the "other" parts would be of use.
My BUD is about 200' from my house and direct burial of my cable might of caused problems for me. My soil is gravel which is okay but there used to be a barn in the area where my cables run. There are stones and rocks that just seem to pop up out of nowhere when I dig. Pieces of metal can be unearthed here and there from the old barn door track and other miscellaneous hardware. I replaced my waterline to my house in 1995 and after seeing where stones pressed against the waterline I put the new line inside of drainage tile to be safe.
So it is your call on using conduit but make sure you consider what your conditions are like. Soil texture and wire chewing critters can shorten the life expectancy if buried direct. If you go with the conduit leave a small rope in with the cable so it can be used to pull future wires through.
I'll be using the 920 along with a few different DVB receivers. I have a Pansat 2500 (DVB-S), Coolsat 5000 (DVB-S), and a Prof-7301 (DVB-S/DVB-S2). I'm planning to use the 920 for FP/ZK surfing (and a H2H channel or ten) and dish moving/polarity switching. Depending on how much I like the 4DTV service, I may just swap out the LNBF for a DMX741 and get a Gbox/Vbox.
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