Dish TV Equipment Left Behind in our New House - How to ID dish wires?

[kbuhagiar]

Hello Folks,

The previous owners of our house apparently were Dish TV subscribers, and they left behind a VIP722k receiver (with smartcard still inserted) and the rooftop satellite dish. Our CATV RG6U cables are home-runned into a distribution cabinet in my office. The distribution equipment was removed before we got here, and all the cables are hanging in the breeze, but nothing is labeled. Assuming that the wire (or wires) from the satellite dish were brought into this cabinet, can I use a multimeter to identify which wires go to the dish?
In the interim, I have setup a test bench with the VIP722 connected to a TV. I have tried connecting each of the cables, one at a time, to the Sat 1 input. The receiver powers up and gets to the 'acquiring signal' screen, but after a few seconds gives the error code 'Complete signal loss 31-11-45'. Same thing happens when connected to the Sat 2 input.
Should the receiver still be capable of acquiring a signal, even though the service at this location was disconnected over a year ago? I figured, if the correct wire to the dish was connected, that it would find the signal and then tell me to contact DishTV to subscribe (or something like that). My main priority is identifying the wires that go to the dish.

If I was able I would climb on the roof and in the attic to trace the wires, but I am currently confined to the ground because of a broken foot.

Thanks in advance for your assistance and support!

 

[sam_gordon]

Since you have a multi meter, it's easy (time consuming but easy):

1) Make sure the cables aren't connected to anything on either end.
2) At one end, using the ohms/resistance setting on your meter, measure between the center conductor and the outer bell of the connector (make sure you don't short it with the probes) to confirm they're open.
3) At the other end, use clip leads (or something similar) to short between the center conductor and outer bell.
4) At the original end, start measuring for a short. Find a short, remove the clip leads, confirm it shows "open".
5) Label cables.

Have a person at each end will definitely help.

ETA: Someone else will be along to confirm, but I'm not sure you'd be able to activate a 722 on your account. When we dropped Dish around New Years, we were told they didn't want any of the boxes (612 and 211) back. So they went to recycling.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Since you have a multi meter, it's easy (time consuming but easy):

1) Make sure the cables aren't connected to anything on either end.
2) At one end, using the ohms/resistance setting on your meter, measure between the center conductor and the outer bell of the connector (make sure you don't short it with the probes) to confirm they're open.
3) At the other end, use clip leads (or something similar) to short between the center conductor and outer bell.
4) At the original end, start measuring for a short. Find a short, remove the clip leads, confirm it shows "open".
5) Label cables.

Have a person at each end will definitely help.

ETA: Someone else will be along to confirm, but I'm not sure you'd be able to activate a 722 on your account. When we dropped Dish around New Years, we were told they didn't want any of the boxes (612 and 211) back. So they went to recycling.

Hello Sam, thanks for the reply.
This would be my method of choice; unfortunately, I am in a cast and confined to ground level activity for the next four weeks while recuperating from a broken heel. I was hoping that perhaps the dish would have some sort of signature resistance across the shield and center conductor that I could use for confirmation. Or perhaps if wired for two separate sat output, maybe there is a high-resistance loop when going across the two center conductors?

Just spitballing here, as I am unfamiliar with the nature of the circuitry at the dish end.

 

[tjboston5676]

Dish doesn't need the boxes back so just throw it away. As far as receiving a signal the home distribution box probably used to have what's called a diplexor ND looks similar to a splitter. Also on the receiver end a seperator that takes the single satellite input and splits it between both inputs on the receiver. Technically it can still get signal with only one input connected but would only get odd or even transponders therefore would depend on what channel it was tuned to. But sounds like it just isn't connected at the home distribution anymore. So would have to locate one of the cables from outside antenna and connect to the cable going to receiver location. Without buying tools the easier way than reading for ohms is reading for voltage with the receiver connected, assuming you atleast have a multimeter. You would get roughly 18-20v on the cable connected to receiver. If no multimeter then you can lick the ends of the cables and whichever one shocks you is the correct one lol. It's about the same as kicking a 9v battery. It's not going to hurt you but it's not pleasant either. Once you find that just connect with other cables until it shows signal, assuming dish is still in alignment.

 

[Foxbat]

There is a tester you can get that will inject a warble tone into a coax cable. You use a “toner” probe that picks up this injected signal that allows to find the other end of the coax.

However, if you are limited to ground or floor level, that wouldn’t work. I never tried using an ohmmeter on my RG6 Quad cables connected to my dish’s LNBf to see what it read, and it would probably vary based on the actual LNBf at the dish reflector.

If this installation was done right, there should be ground blocks at the point the satellite feed enters your home. Those cables would go to the dish and you could disconnect the coax going into your house at that point to make measurements. I would start by taking the measurements of all of your coax cables in the Home Run location, go out and disconnect the feed into the house, and then remeasure. The one you disconnected should now read open.

 

[dweber]

Home Depot and Lowe’s sell Coax testers for $30-$37. You use a barrel connector to attach one of the 4 ends to the coax on one end. Each end is a different color - red, green, blue, and black. You attach the tester on the other end. The tester lights up with the color of the other end. The tester can also check for open or short.

Here is a link:

Klein Tools Coax Explorer 2 with Remote Kit VDV512-101 - The Home Depot

Complete a variety of applications around your home with the selection of this Klein Tools 6-Coax Explorer Remote Kit.

www.homedepot.com

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Coax-cable-tester--Test-meters-Electrical-testers-tools-Electrical/4294722453?refinement=1221383575768

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Foxbat]

Oh, I like that!

 

[HipKat]

Home Depot and Lowe’s sell Coax testers for $30-$37. You use a barrel connector to attach one of the 4 ends to the coax on one end. Each end is a different color - red, green, blue, and black. You attach the tester on the other end. The tester lights up with the color of the other end. The tester can also check for open or short.

Here is a link:

Klein Tools Coax Explorer 2 with Remote Kit VDV512-101 - The Home Depot

Complete a variety of applications around your home with the selection of this Klein Tools 6-Coax Explorer Remote Kit.

www.homedepot.com

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Coax-cable-tester--Test-meters-Electrical-testers-tools-Electrical/4294722453?refinement=1221383575768

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is mine. I've used it for years replacing the probes and t he tester as needed. Out of al the mappers I've had, this is by far the best. I modified it a bit, adding a barrel to each probe to protect the stinger and adding a short jumper with barrel to the tester, so I have a built-in jumper for wall plates.

Cable Mapper & Toner 8 Way

Discontinued - Superseded by CM-100 Designed for finding and identifying multiple COAX cables in main cable boxes, this cable mapper and toner is the perfect tool for use on cables for CATV, network installations, satellite installations, audio-video equipment, CCTV, and security & alarm...

jonard.com

 

[jpmarto]

Home Depot and Lowe’s sell Coax testers for $30-$37. You use a barrel connector to attach one of the 4 ends to the coax on one end. Each end is a different color - red, green, blue, and black. You attach the tester on the other end. The tester lights up with the color of the other end. The tester can also check for open or short.

Here is a link:

Klein Tools Coax Explorer 2 with Remote Kit VDV512-101 - The Home Depot

Complete a variety of applications around your home with the selection of this Klein Tools 6-Coax Explorer Remote Kit.

www.homedepot.com

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Coax-cable...lectrical/4294722453?refinement=1221383575768

Let me second that! I bought one and it's one of the most-used testers in my toolkit. I even bought "F" to BNC and UHF adapters so I use it for all my ham antennas. With multiple terminators it saves many trips to find the wire you're looking for. Bought mine on Amazon.

 

[Almighty1]

I used something similar to this except it's a Milestek branded one from the year 2001, it uses actual LEDs and tests BNC, AUI , F connector for Coax, RJ11/12/14/45 which includes Ethernet.

TL-N044-000-R NETWORK MODULAR CABLE TESTER, MILESTEK PART 40-30089

TL-N044-000-R NETWORK MODULAR CABLE TESTER, MILESTEK PART 40-30089 from MilesTek ships same-day.

www.milestek.com

 

[kbuhagiar]

UPDATE:

Thanks to all who have responded to my thread. I really appreciate all of the information and suggestions.

I made some progress...pulled out my binoculars and was able to see that my dish is a ProPlus 1000.2 (Western arc, 110, 119, 129), with a single white RG6U lead going from the dish to...? That part is still unknown. I still have a few unidentified cables hanging in the breeze in the equipment closet, my next step will be to see if any of them are my missing dish lead.

 

[That American Girl]

Home Depot and Lowe’s sell Coax testers for $30-$37. You use a barrel connector to attach one of the 4 ends to the coax on one end. Each end is a different color - red, green, blue, and black. You attach the tester on the other end. The tester lights up with the color of the other end. The tester can also check for open or short.

Here is a link:

Klein Tools Coax Explorer 2 with Remote Kit VDV512-101 - The Home Depot

Complete a variety of applications around your home with the selection of this Klein Tools 6-Coax Explorer Remote Kit.

www.homedepot.com

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Coax-cable-tester--Test-meters-Electrical-testers-tools-Electrical/4294722453?refinement=1221383575768

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oooh! I gotta get one of those. Never even thought about using one like this!