Connecting D12 SD receiver to older 2 lnb dish

[Blueridge66]

Helping a friend who just got a new home setup with H24 & D12 receivers. They have a cabin and unsuccessfully tried to connect with a 2 lnb DTV dish. Based on her description I believe their home setup is SWM using a slimline 3 lnb dish.
She was knowledgeable enough to know the satellite setup menu was needed to change dish types but was not successful in getting past the searching for 3 lnb dish in the setup. They confirmed the dish would interface with their old existing deactivated receiver.
So I would assume the D12 would need to provide power to the dish but only if the correct satellite setup was active.. but couldn't find any details on how to make that happen.
Secondly I read somewhere the D12 is tuned using the 110° satellite but she thinks the old setup is tuned to 101°. If true that could be an issue.
By the way we are doing this troubleshooting 130 miles apart
Any collective wisdom if there's an inherent issue connecting a D12 w/2 lnb dish?

 

[JohnL]

BlurRidge,

DirecTV's Core service is coming from 101. Depending on their locals, they may need another Orbital slot, but without know which locals they need all I can say is they definably need 101. They will have to change menu settings so it will be able to connect to a NON SWM installation.

John

 

[cave1376]

You state that the dish has two lnb's. Are the lnbs next to each other or is there a space between the two? If the lnbs are next to each other, it may be Dish Network satellite, and those type of lnbs won't work with Directv equipment. If the lnbs have a space, big enough to fit another lnb, then it is a phase II dish. It is a Directv dish. Make sure both outputs on both lnbs are connected to a multiswitch. The connect the receivers to the switch. Also make sure the dish is pointing to the right satellites.

 

[Blueridge66]

I'll make a bold assumption and say it's a phase II dish. They had an active DTV account at their cabin but at their home service was provided by Qwest.... I think via fiber. For the past year or so Qwest kept telling them they (Qwest) was going to convert them to DTV. However with CenturyLink's plans to take over Qwest this went out the window. So DTV told them they could be treated as a new customer with all the benefits so they got one HD and one SD receiver and canceled their cabin account. When they go to the cabin the idea is to just take the receiver & use with the existing 2 lnb dish BUT they couldn't get past the satellite setup in the D12. It kept "searching" for the 3 lnb like it's programmed for at their home.
I've suggested she consider just duplicating their dish setup she has at home. That way it could be plug-n-plug and not worry about changing setup each trip. Also she would have the option of HD at the cabin. That's how I have mine up with a Slimline 5lnb at both locations.

 

[cave1376]

I think Quest had a partnership with Dish (someone correct me if I'm wrong) a while back. That might explain the two lnb dish at your friends house. If it is a Dish Network satellite, your friend would have to get a slimline 3 dish or she could call Directv to do a movers connection at your friends house. Your friend can use a 18" dish or a phase III, but she would not get the hd channels.

 

[Blueridge66]

Their service was/is DTV. I can confirm that. Qwest bundles DTV and gives you a $5/mo discount. I don't recall any relationship between Qwest and Dish.

The issue was she could not get the D12 (standard def) receiver to recognize anything other dish option. It kept search fof the slimline 3 lnb which it was setup with at their home. Maybe they didn't wait long enough or there's some combo not documented but through the setup accessed thru the menu she couldn't get any options other than the slimline 3. My thinking until she could change the dish type (since they did not have a slimline 3) she couldn't know if other issues were present.

In a nutshell, they had an active standard def. DTV account at the cabin but cancelled when DTV setup a new account at their home (as previously explained) She thought since they had an existing dish it would be a matter of taking her new standard def. D12 receiver and hooking it to the existing dish. She was aware some setup would probably be needed.

 

[raoul5788]

Just guessing, but maybe the D12 isn't compatible with the older two lnb style dish.

 

[JohnL]

Chip,

No, any DirecTV standard Def Non DVR receiver can use a single slot DirecTV Legacy Dish.

 

[raoul5788]

Chip,

No, any DirecTV standard Def Non DVR receiver can use a single slot DirecTV Legacy Dish.

Okay, got it.

 

[texasbrit]

This is a common problem with a simple solution. As you say, the receiver is normally connected to an SWM system. Connect the receiver to the dish at the cabin. Go to satellite setup. As you say, most of the dish selections will be grayed out. Change the switch type from SWM to "multiswitch". The you will be able to see and select the other dish types.

 

[Blueridge66]

This is a common problem with a simple solution. As you say, the receiver is normally connected to an SWM system. Connect the receiver to the dish at the cabin. Go to satellite setup. As you say, most of the dish selections will be grayed out. Change the switch type from SWM to "multiswitch". The you will be able to see and select the other dish types.

Very good...... I'll relay this info to her. It will be a couple weeks before they return to their cabin so won't know results until then