DTV on Primestar 1.2M Dish

[ziggy1222]

I recently subscribed to Direct TV(cheapest Select package) and of course have experienced some rain fade. I am contemplating running a second RG6 coax with a manual high frequency voltage passing switch to a 1.2M Primestar Dish. I have a KU circular LNBF with only 13/18 volt switching polarity. I also have some 22khz & Diseqc switches laying around the house. The Direct TV power inserter shows a 21 volt output-is there something the receiver sends to control voltage polarity(Diseqc)? Does the Direct TV receiver itself send a 22khz signal to change satellites?

Does anyone know a source of DTV channel numbers, the Frequencies and KU/Ka associations with these channels. From what I understand all Direct TV HD is on the Ka band...is this true? I'm thinking I could use the KU LNBF because the difference between KU and Ka is just a different LO frequency...correct?

I realize this setup would only allow me to receive one Satellite as I wouldn't be trying to use skew on the dish, or use the 22khz switch(if its used to change satellites) for that matter? Would this setup work? Anyone try something like I am trying to do here? Thanks.

 

[NGeorge]

I've done it before -- you'll want to use DirecTV's LNB and mount it to the front of the dish. If this is one of the legitimate Channel Master large Primestar dishes (not the oval one), you can also get your HD -- use a DirecTV 3 LNB for 99 101 and 103; you'll end up with a pretty good signal if you can get the mount right.

Years ago I did something similar back when D* HD was on 101 110 119 -- I put the 101* LNB in the center, the 110* and the 119* slightly up the arm on the west side of the dish; got killer signals on them all.

N

 

[peds48]

It has been stated tirelessly that rain fade is at the LNA on the LNB. getting a bigger dish will only help a tiny bit. In order to see any real benefit, something like a BUD must be use. the Slimline is almost a meter wide, shy of a few inches. A few more inches aint gonna help much. Proceed at you own risk

Peace!

 

[ziggy1222]

I've done it before -- you'll want to use DirecTV's LNB and mount it to the front of the dish. If this is one of the legitimate Channel Master large Primestar dishes (not the oval one), you can also get your HD -- use a DirecTV 3 LNB for 99 101 and 103; you'll end up with a pretty good signal if you can get the mount right.

Years ago I did something similar back when D* HD was on 101 110 119 -- I put the 101* LNB in the center, the 110* and the 119* slightly up the arm on the west side of the dish; got killer signals on them all.

N

This is one of the legitimate Channel Master dishes-like you see on commercial rooftops for credit card access. I don't want to touch my current DTV setup-my thought was to have a secondary setup to be used in rainstorms only...that is why the voltage passing manual switch. That is also why all the questions about the KU LNBF (and receiver instructions) to be used as a substitute. Only certain channels (CNBC) are critical for me-that is why the question for a website to find the mapping of certain channels. If I can't use this KU LNBF I guess my next search is a garage sale with an old DTV dish and LNB(with current switching technology). Thanks for the response.

 

[stvcmty]

Are there SD versions of your desired channels? If so, they are probably on Ku at 101. So if the content is more important than SD versus HD, you have several ways to proceed.
First, if the HD channel goes out, switch to the SD channel. Ku has less rain fade than Ka so the DirecTV dish may be enough to keep the signal in the rain by watching it in SD.
Second, you can get a circularly polarized DBS LNB and put it on your big dish, and aim that straight at 101. Between the big dish and the Ku signal’s higher resilience to rain fade, the SD version of your desired channels will be very robust. If you have a SWM setup, you would need a SWM8 or 16 to connect the LNB to your bos), even with a switch.
If your 1.2m dish has the same focal length as the DirecTV 1.2m Alaska/Hawaii dish, you could get the DirecTV KaKu LNB for their 1.2m dish. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=DTVAHKAKUKIT

DirecTV largely controls the market on Ka LNB’s. The band stack plan they use puts a bunch of stuff on a piece of coax. Trying to do Ka with non-DirecTV hard ware may be hard.

 

[ziggy1222]

Are there SD versions of your desired channels? If so, they are probably on Ku at 101. So if the content is more important than SD versus HD, you have several ways to proceed.
First, if the HD channel goes out, switch to the SD channel. Ku has less rain fade than Ka so the DirecTV dish may be enough to keep the signal in the rain by watching it in SD.
Second, you can get a circularly polarized DBS LNB and put it on your big dish, and aim that straight at 101. Between the big dish and the Ku signal’s higher resilience to rain fade, the SD version of your desired channels will be very robust. If you have a SWM setup, you would need a SWM8 or 16 to connect the LNB to your bos), even with a switch.
If your 1.2m dish has the same focal length as the DirecTV 1.2m Alaska/Hawaii dish, you could get the DirecTV KaKu LNB for their 1.2m dish. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=DTVAHKAKUKIT

DirecTV largely controls the market on Ka LNB’s. The band stack plan they use puts a bunch of stuff on a piece of coax. Trying to do Ka with non-DirecTV hard ware may be hard.

 

[ziggy1222]

Great thoughts. The rainfade reception could be just standard def instead of high def and I do have a SWM setup looking at the power insert-er. I can't see a standard def version of my high def channels in the guide. I wonder if I am even authorized to get the standard def version of my high def channels. The SWM just gives a 21 volt 1.2 amp output. Are you stating that the SWM has unique signaling (22khz, Disecq) to control even LH & RH polarity or does the H25 receiver throw out the signaling? Does the power insert-er just supply power to the LNB's? The only thing I would care about is(LH,RH) if I was aiming a KU LNB at 101. I already have a circular KU LNBF with a 11250 L O frequency...maybe the Direct TV KU portion of the LNB is proprietary.

Again I still need a table mapping Direct TV channels to Satellites and frequencies.

 

[Jimbo]

Great thoughts. The rainfade reception could be just standard def instead of high def and I do have a SWM setup looking at the power insert-er. I can't see a standard def version of my high def channels in the guide. I wonder if I am even authorized to get the standard def version of my high def channels. The SWM just gives a 21 volt 1.2 amp output. Are you stating that the SWM has unique signaling (22khz, Disecq) to control even LH & RH polarity or does the H25 receiver throw out the signaling? Does the power insert-er just supply power to the LNB's? The only thing I would care about is(LH,RH) if I was aiming a KU LNB at 101. I already have a circular KU LNBF with a 11250 L O frequency...maybe the Direct TV KU portion of the LNB is proprietary.

Again I still need a table mapping Direct TV channels to Satellites and frequencies.

Check in your Setting to see if you have the SD channels Hid. That is an option.
Yes the Power Inserter supplies the power to the LNB .

 

[ziggy1222]

Check in your Setting to see if you have the SD channels Hid. That is an option.
Yes the Power Inserter supplies the power to the LNB .

Got it...thanks. The Std def channels are right next to the High def. The next time I get rain fade I may try stepping down to the Std def for possible relief on KU. Somehow that power inserter must step down to 18 volt and 13 volt from its stated 21 volt output.

 

[peds48]

Somehow that power inserter must step down to 18 volt and 13 volt from its stated 21 volt output.

No, it doesn't. You may want to watch some YouTube videos on SWM.

 

[Jimbo]

No, it doesn't. You may want to watch some YouTube videos on SWM.

Instead of just explaining it to him ?

 

[peds48]

On SWM, signals are stacked on 8 different frequencies. Each frequency has the entire spectrum.

http://bit.ly/1OPVxvF

 

[Claude Greiner]

The primestar LNB will not work period. You can get away with any DBS LNB for 101 but for 99 and 103 you need to use the integrated LNB That directv supplies with their slimline dish.

There is a legacy style LNB directv uses for Alaska and Hawaii that Is easier to mount that will get 99, 101 and 103

 

[ziggy1222]

On SWM, signals are stacked on 8 different frequencies. Each frequency has the entire spectrum.

http://bit.ly/1OPVxvF

 

[ziggy1222]

Thanks for the link. I also looked at some YouTube videos on the subject and learned quite a bit. I also found a related video for someone who wanted to take their DirectTV RVing and a way to keep it simple and just receive Std Def on 101. They showed a menu in satellite setup to have the receiver power the LNB and not use SWM or its related LNB. The menu showed different Dish sizes and different LNB's. When in SWM mode the receiver sends no power up the coax; out of this mode it sends 13/18v power thru the coax. I looked at my H25 power brick and it only shows 12v at 1.5 amp so maybe this newer receiver doesn't have the ability to send 18v to an older DBS LNB.

 

[peds48]

I looked at my H25 power brick and it only shows 12v at 1.5 amp so maybe this newer receiver doesn't have the ability to send 18v to an older DBS LNB.

Right, but is not a hardware limitation but rather software.