Install help please!

[john2011]

I am trying to set up a D12-100 receiver and I'm not having a lot of luck. The receiver was recently in service so I am confident that it is working properly. Also, the dish I am trying to connect it to was professionally installed and last in service just under 2 years ago. I am fairly confident that it is still pointed correctly, but of course, not certain.

After turning on the receiver, I went to the setup menu, but no matter which combination of settings I select, I cannot seem to show a signal. The dish on the roof comes into the house and is connected to a multi-switch (I've tried with the switch and without). I even tried doing a full reset, followed by setup with no luck.

I am attaching a pic of the dish (sorry, best picture I could get) and switch. Any help in choosing the correct settings is appreciated.

 

[harshness]

Did you go through the Satellite Setup menu to configure the receiver for Multiswitch and 3 LNB 18x20 dish? No amount if wiring and rewiring will fix not having the receiver configured correctly.

I'd recommend leaving the multiswitch out of the equation (but you still need to configure the receiver for it). Try both cables coming down from the dish.

It is probably an old wive's tale, but if you're determined to complicate things by using the multiswitch, connect the D12 to Rx1.

 

[kjlued]

That multiswitch and that dish are not compatible.

That dish will pull from the 101, 110 and 119
That multiswitch will only pass the 101 properly.

That dish has 4 outputs at the LNB.
You can run up to 4 tuners off that dish without a mutiswitch.
After that you need a 6x8 multiswitch.

 

[john2011]

Thanks for the info guys. Kjlued, that's interesting. That dish and switch are the exact setup that was in use 2 years ago. We had no problem receiving any channels at the time.
Certainly not married to the idea of using the multi-switch since I don't really need it. I did try the setup without it but will try again. Can someone explain why the multi-switch has a 13V port and 18V? When bypassing the multi-switch, does it matter which lead I use?

 

[kjlued]

Does not matter which leads you use.

That mutiswitch might work work if you are only using the 101 sat but it could cause ghosting on certain channels.
If you do only need the 101, it might be easier to swap the dish out instead for a standard 18".

 

[Jimbo]

Does not matter which leads you use.

That mutiswitch might work work if you are only using the 101 sat but it could cause ghosting on certain channels.
If you do only need the 101, it might be easier to swap the dish out instead for a standard 18".

Ghosting ???
That's interesting, never have heard that term used when working with digital signals ...
Is that because of the MS ?

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks for the info guys. Kjlued, that's interesting. That dish and switch are the exact setup that was in use 2 years ago. We had no problem receiving any channels at the time.
Certainly not married to the idea of using the multi-switch since I don't really need it. I did try the setup without it but will try again. Can someone explain why the multi-switch has a 13V port and 18V? When bypassing the multi-switch, does it matter which lead I use?

John,
In normal set ups, the LNB gets voltage from the recvr, if your going to an odd numbered channel the recvr send 13 volts, evenchannel, 18 volts.

That changes when you get into more complex set ups ... SWM for example.

 

[kjlued]

Ghosting ???
That's interesting, never have heard that term used when working with digital signals ...
Is that because of the MS ?

It has been described to me as ghosting, but maybe bleed over is a more proper term.
Apparently some have experienced bleed over from other channels on some channels when attempting to use a 3x4 on a multisat dish.
I don't know how common this and have seen it used before on that dish with no "known" problems (the customer may never have seen it on the channels they watched).

Of course, the 110 and 119 if being used will never work properly using that multiswich.

 

[raoul5788]

It has been described to me as ghosting, but maybe bleed over is a more proper term.
Apparently some have experienced bleed over from other channels on some channels when attempting to use a 3x4 on a multisat dish.
I don't know how common this and have seen it used before on that dish with no "known" problems (the customer may never have seen it on the channels they watched).

Of course, the 110 and 119 if being used will never work properly using that multiswich.

It sounds similar to co-channeling.

 

[jdspencer]

John,
In normal set ups, the LNB gets voltage from the recvr, if your going to an odd numbered channel the recvr send 13 volts, evenchannel, 18 volts.

That changes when you get into more complex set ups ... SWM for example.

Actually the 13v selects the odd numbered transponders and the 18v selects the even transponders.

 

[Daddy Dithers]

Actually the 13v selects the odd numbered transponders and the 18v selects the even transponders.

Thats right.

 

[Jimbo]

Actually the 13v selects the odd numbered transponders and the 18v selects the even transponders.

I believe, thats what I said :

if your going to an odd numbered channel the recvr send 13 volts, even channel, 18 volts.

 

[john2011]

Well, still no luck. Bypassed the multi-switch and on the setup screen, selected 18" 3LNB and multi-switch. No signal on any of the sats or transponders.
This morning I got my hands on a cheap little sat finder. Next step is to hook that up and make sure I'm getting a strong signal.

Just 2 quick questions for you guys. The cabling from the dish comes down into the crawl space, from there I am using a connector to tie that line to the existing wiring which appears to have been run by the cable company. Is it possible that the cable company wiring is not allowing voltage to go to the dish. It's basically just a piece of coax from the room to the crawl space. Second, on the back of the receiver (D12), where the signal from the dish comes in, it says Satellite In (swm-1). Is it possible that this receiver is only compatible with swm?

 

[Jimbo]

Well, still no luck. Bypassed the multi-switch and on the setup screen, selected 18" 3LNB and multi-switch. No signal on any of the sats or transponders.
This morning I got my hands on a cheap little sat finder. Next step is to hook that up and make sure I'm getting a strong signal.

Just 2 quick questions for you guys. The cabling from the dish comes down into the crawl space, from there I am using a connector to tie that line to the existing wiring which appears to have been run by the cable company. Is it possible that the cable company wiring is not allowing voltage to go to the dish. It's basically just a piece of coax from the room to the crawl space. Second, on the back of the receiver (D12), where the signal from the dish comes in, it says Satellite In (swm-1). Is it possible that this receiver is only compatible with swm?

Coax is probably good but without going down there you cannot be sure ... are you SURE your connected to the right piece of coax ?
Possibly a bad connection somewhere ? Or a missaligned dish ...
As for the SWM question, your fine .... theres only 1 input there anyways if its not a dvr.

 

[harshness]

It is likely that some of the couplers aren't rated for 2GHz. Multiple couplers also cuts into the ability of the cabling to transmit the voltage.

It would probably be a good idea to get the dish set up before exploring what's up with the inside wiring. Attacking one problem at a time is easier.

 

[harshness]

I believe, thats what I said :

if your going to an odd numbered channel the recvr send 13 volts, even channel, 18 volts.

It is what you said and it remains incorrect. You're talking about channels and the real issue is choosing odd or even satellite transponders. There are odd and even channel numbers on both odd and even transponders.

 

[Jimbo]

It is what you said and it remains incorrect. You're talking about channels and the real issue is choosing odd or even satellite transponders. There are odd and even channel numbers on both odd and even transponders.

Maybe I've been mis informed then, I was told a long time ago that an ODD channel number requires 13v and an even number is 18v .... your saying thats not the way it is ?
Please clarify for me then.

Are you saying the 13v goes to an odd Transponder instead ?

 

[harshness]

Are you saying the 13v goes to an odd Transponder instead ?

Post #10 covered it pretty completely. Channel numbers are mapped in the receiver according to a downloaded network map and have little to do with different voltages on the downlead.

It used to be easier to understand when linear polarity was used and the voltages signaled the LNB to send the vertically polarized block or the horizontally polarized block. For DBS, it comes down to clockwise and counterclockwise polarity.

Here's a discussion of polarity control:

Understanding Polarity

You'll not doubt note that they make reference to C-band channel numbers being associated with polarity, but that's not the case with DBS.

 

[Jimbo]

Post #10 covered it pretty completely. Channel numbers are mapped in the receiver according to a downloaded network map and have little to do with different voltages on the downlead.

It used to be easier to understand when linear polarity was used and the voltages signaled the LNB to send the vertically polarized block or the horizontally polarized block. For DBS, it comes down to clockwise and counterclockwise polarity.

Here's a discussion of polarity control:

Understanding Polarity

You'll not doubt note that they make reference to C-band channel numbers being associated with polarity, but that's not the case with DBS.

Thanks for clarifing it, I was informed wrong much earlier or misunderstood what I read at the time.

There was a time when we could tell what channels were on what transponders right on the recvr with a few backdoor codes, but I haven't stumbled across that with the newer recvrs, maybe some installers may know of them, I don't know.

I always found it insteresting...
You could ask it Channels by transponers or the other way around ...
That was more than likely Before HD came along though.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Guys,

I have seen it work where two sat lines from a slimline are used to run a 3 x 4. The other one or two sat lines were used for either two HDRs or a single HDDVR. There are a lot of folks out there with old TVs and maybe one new HD.

Adopt or eat it!

Joe