combine c-band G-box, and ku motor with switch

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badmotorscooter

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Sep 28, 2008
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I just got my bud operational, and fired my ku back up as well. I need to be able to switch between a standard lnb ku motorized, and a G-box controlled c-band lnbf setup. I have a few receivers but am at the moment just concerned about hooking one up (coolsat 6k). I have 2 ecoda 22kHz switches, one diseqc 4x1 switch, and a leftover Zinwell 6x8 from my DirecTV system.
 
Numerous members here have tried to run a motorized KU and a GBOX/VBOX controlled C-band dish before, myself included. From what I've seen and experienced I don't think anyone has come up with a workable solution that would allow one receiver to control both.

There is no way for the receiver to know which dish to send the signal to, and since you have to use a switch that will pass diseqc commands, both dishes move at the same time.

I've often thought it would be interesting if a FTA receiver maker would take this scenario (wanting to control two motors with one receiver) into consideration. Perhaps they could place multiple lnb inputs and make it so you could select which one the motor command is sent on (a sort of custom switch built into the reciever). Then you merely assign satellites to the input of your choice.

I ended up just using the receiver to control my KU dish and I use the GBOX as a stand alone unit and just punch in the number when I want to go to a channel. I even renamed all of the C-band channels to corrispond with the number of the satellite on the Gbox. For instance, I have NASA on AMC 7 programmed in my receiver and AMC 7's number on my GBOX is 3, so I named the channel NASA @ 3 so I know what number to put the GBOX on. It's not as nice as having the receiver control the dish but at least it works for me.

Edit:
Forgot to add that if you do want to connect the two with a switch the Ecoda 22k switch is recommened. It will pass diseqc commands.
 
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Since this is an interesting task - ONE RECEVER & 2 MOTORS - can someone make a brief overview, what solutions were attempted in the past and why each failed?

For example, if one uses a 22 KHz switch, it would seems to send positioning commands to one motor or another depending on whether 22 KHz tone is present. What's wrong with that approach? Any variations of it were offered?

Pendragon offered an interesting way to control several motors from a single or multiple receivers (see schematics attached).
 

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I left my KU motorized. My Gbox for Cband is a standalone unit. I asked the same question and it looks like no easy way to make it work. Blind
 
The only 22KHz that passes Motor Commands is the Ecoda Switch, but it passes the commands on both sides - all the time. While the GBox will ignore USALS commands, a "Ku" motor will listen to both USALS and DiSEqC commands - including "bumps" to the GBox / BUD.

The best solution I found is using 2 receviers "slaved" to each other, 1 controls the Ku the 2nd controls the BUD. It works for me 'cause I get most of the Ku needs from the BUD with a combo LNBF, and the Motorized Ku is just backup.
 
I have this setup.........


One line from pansat to encoda swich, cband on port 1 controlled via gbox. Port 2 is the KU dish that passes power. I control the motorized via usuals and am able to adjust (fine tune) with diseq there. You have do do that every time though as you cant control the gbox and diseq on ku at the same time but usuals works well.

The receiver does know which one to send to because my 9200 has 22 khz on or 22 khz off option. Cband is on, ku is off. After the 22 swich on the ku side i have a diseq switch that controlls circular and linear ku.
 
I was afraid this was going to be a tough one, if not impossible. What if one used an A/B box, that would separate C from KU at any point along the arc I would think. Question is is there any issue of bandwidth or communications going through one of those boxes.
 
Using a manual A/B switch is possible, but you're likely to loose some weaker higher frequency signals over it. Did you look at Pendragon's diagram above? I should work fine.
 
ive tested motors behind switches and this is what i found. switching between the gbox and an hh motor will only work with the ecoda 22k. behind the ecoda you can place diseqc switches after the hh if needed but otherwise i had no luck. the dg380 is supposed to work behind a diseqc switch but i have enuff trouble getting it to work normally so i havent tested that scenario. i will repeat that 1 tuner will control both if they are switched with an ecoda 22k.

crackt out,.
 
how do i switch between them with the ecoda? does it matter which one is on the 22kHz leg? I assume i set every sat I want to get with the 22k leg that it needs to be on to function right? I do not see how that would stop the Ku side from moving with the diseqc 1.2 command I use on the c-band side. I am pretty sure i have confused myself over what should be a simple solution. :confused: I do not understand that diagram that pendragon made. It isn't "worded" and I can't quite make out the chicken scratch.
 
crackt

ive tested motors behind switches and this is what i found. switching between the gbox and an hh motor will only work with the ecoda 22k. behind the ecoda you can place diseqc switches after the hh if needed but otherwise i had no luck. the dg380 is supposed to work behind a diseqc switch but i have enuff trouble getting it to work normally so i havent tested that scenario. i will repeat that 1 tuner will control both if they are switched with an ecoda 22k.

crackt out,.


So then how are you doing this exactly crackt?
 
I just got my bud operational, and fired my ku back up as well. I need to be able to switch between a standard lnb ku motorized, and a G-box controlled c-band lnbf setup. I have a few receivers but am at the moment just concerned about hooking one up (coolsat 6k). I have 2 ecoda 22kHz switches, one diseqc 4x1 switch, and a leftover Zinwell 6x8 from my DirecTV system.

I think that I posted pretty much the same idea in April 2009. I did not get to trying it yet! Search for "Dual Dish Control" posting by me. Sorry that I do not know how to place a link to it here! :eek:

I drug the old posting back out! See "Dual Dish Control"
 
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Will USALS commands pass through a Vbox and Diseqc switch?? I know with USALS on in the receiver menu, you can't specifiably a Diseqc port, but the C-band actuator will not respond to USALS, so will it go through a switch through all ports, then to the Ku motor? If so you could just set the C-band up in the receiver through Diseqc port 1, then have USALS on for Ku. Not sure if that will work.
 

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Will USALS commands pass through a Vbox and Diseqc switch?? I know with USALS on in the receiver menu, you can't specifiably a Diseqc port, but the C-band actuator will not respond to USALS, so will it go through a switch through all ports, then to the Ku motor? If so you could just set the C-band up in the receiver through Diseqc port 1, then have USALS on for Ku. Not sure if that will work.

a hh motor will not function behind a diseqc swith from my tests. although ive read the dg380 will i havent tested that scenario.

how do i switch between them with the ecoda? does it matter which one is on the 22kHz leg? I assume i set every sat I want to get with the 22k leg that it needs to be on to function right? I do not see how that would stop the Ku side from moving with the diseqc 1.2 command I use on the c-band side. I am pretty sure i have confused myself over what should be a simple solution. :confused: I do not understand that diagram that pendragon made. It isn't "worded" and I can't quite make out the chicken scratch.

yes the hh will move with the diseqc 1.2 commands sent to your cband positioner. a biproduct of having prestored diseqc 1.2 positions in the hh motor. i never understood why they were preprogrammed because then the ecoda solution could work correctly. the other issue is the goto reference command will send the cband positioner all the way to the lowest number it will count so make sure your hardware limits work. haha.

i did cable up my positioner and hh motor in every possible scenario and only the ecoda works realiably. if i am wrong id like to know about another working solution.

crackt out,.
 
badmotorscooter

Another solution was suggested by SatelliteAV:

"Solution #2 Cost ...... as low as $40 and an hour of your time. Install high frequency single port power passing splitter after each port of the 22KHz switch. Connect the DC blocked port to power inserters (similar to the Winegard PS-1403) and attach to the motors, connect the DC passing ports of the splitters to the desired LNBF(s).

Winegard PS-1403 18vdc (p/n corrected by zamar32) - Google Product Search"

However, it appears to require power passing splitter on both ports (unless it can block power, but pass DiSEqC commands on the motor side), and the Wineguard power inserters don't seems to be able to pass DiSEqC commands to position the motor (not in spec). You may want to consider DPP44 Power Inserter 20.5vdc instead, since it's cheap on ebay and can pass DiSEqC commands to the motor.
 
ive tested another solution today although it requires a different approach and more modding. i took a gbox 3000 and a vbox 2 and daisy chained them. i programmed positions 1-10 on the gbox and 11 - 15 on the vbox (positions only for testing). the reciever will request the desired position and the proper positioner moves the proper dish. it does require using an actuator or an hh180 type dish motor. you can then place whatever switches you need between the positioners and lnbs. im about to mod a spare polar mount for my 1.2m ku dish. this appoach is useful for pc dvb card users as the dish motor is no longer powered off the pc bus. in theory it may scale to unlimited positioners / actuators. this may also be an easy way to run a second actuator for elevation fine tuning. now i need to rebuild half my dish farm again. haha.

crackt out,.
 
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