multiple receiver install help

[bobbo]

Hi there,

I've got a 'wide' dish with 3 LNBs. On the dish is a box (multiplexer?) that results in 4 lines that come out to potentially 4 different receivers.

I've got a DirecTivo box that uses 2 of the lines since it has 2 tuners. I have a second receiver that uses the third feed. I have one unused line left over.

I recently aquired another DirecTivo box. Since it has two tuners and I only have one line available, I'm wondering the following....

Do I need to swap out the main box that takes the 3 LNB to 4 lines for a unit that does 3x5 (or 3x whatever), OR can I simply add another box to the current configuration, kind of in daisy-chain fashion, that does like 2x4 to two of the lines to give me the extra feeds...

Hope that makes sense. So basically, can I add on these splitter boxes to each other, or do i have to swap out the main box for more ports....

Thanks!

 

[dishrich]

Just get any D* 5x8 switch & reroute the 4 lines from the LNB's to the new switch. Since you can easily bypass the existing switch on the dish, you won't even need a special "cascadable" switch.

 

[37_46x122_26]

How does the picture quality compare between using a switch vs. installing another dish?

I've read some opinions to use a switch that has the capability of being powered. This sounds to me like the signal is being diluted hence the need for being powered.

 

[dishrich]

The majority of "powered" switches (unless they are commercial or VERY expensive) is ONLY for purposes of powering the LNB's, in instances where the receivers &/or dish are a long way from the switch - they do NOT do any actual amplication of the LNB signal(s) themselves. As long as they are decent quality, signal strength shouldn't be an issue - hence installing another dish in this instance won't make ANY difference in pic quality.