Prefered Diseqc switch

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cruzin

SatelliteGuys Pro
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Apr 13, 2009
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michigan
Anyone have a prefered diseqc switch they like? I have been having switch issues lately and thinking of changing my coolsat switches out.
 
I have used 1.00 switches, 5.00 switches, 10.00 switches, and 15.00 switches. They either work or they don't. A few guys like the Spaun switches, but bring your freshly-paid-off credit card, some of them cost as much as some cheap receivers!

I have used the Chieta, Coolsat, DMS, Geosat, Sonicview. None of them were better than any other of them. In my experience the RECEIVER is what matters. My Vantage is retarded no matter what switch I use. My Azboxes and Coolsats, Meh, they don't care, they work with all of them. When I had a Diamond, it didn't care, either.

So, what I am trying to say is, get some and try them! :D
 
I thought I would like to try the ECODA brand as some like their 22khz switches.
 
The ecoda 22k switch is good. My experiences with them have been very good. If you are using it only then you can connect two dishes.

For multiswitches, I am now a very big Chieta fan, especially the hd version (heavy duty). I have two in operation and they have lasted a lot longer than any of my other diseqc switches. I use the 4x1 model.

There are several excellant threads discussing different setup with switches, you might want to do some research here.

Here is one such thread....
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/103365-ecoda-upgrade-review.html

Good luck.
 
About a year ago I started work on a large switch matrix for feeding a bunch of dishes to multiple receivers. Prior to that time I had been using Pansat 4x1s because several vendors were tossing them into shipments for free. Given their reputation for ruggedness, I picked up a handful of the Chieta heavy duty 4x1s and started to use them instead of the Pansats.

But I immediately ran into minor losses in SQ and CNR. I ran some sweeps on my spectrum analyzer and every Pansat I tested was flatter across 950-2150 MHz than every Chieta. I didn't measure any other parameters, but that put a stop to the replacement strategy. I went back to the Pansats and they're working fine for me. It's possible that the Chieta switches are more rugged, but I'm not happy with their signal performance.
 
Chieta

I use Pansat or Chieta and not all of them are the same. I have ran into fakes several times purchased online. But over all I like the Chieta Brand or Pansat original and real diseqc switches...Pansat is good and takes a beating if weather proofed really well...
 
Sounds like it will be hard to make a decision on which type. It may not even be the switches.
Let me explain, today the electric company called and said they were shutting power down from 10 till noon for emergency repairs. So I thought I would do some work on my sat system. I unbluged all tvs and sat boxes to ensure no spikes when they turned the power back on.
I had recently bought 4 new dual ku linear lnbfs that I wanted to put on my dishes. I already had put one on the dish I moved to 125. So I went out and swapped out the 2 single lnbs and installed the duals. No problem. Then I thought I would also replace one diseqc switch for my bedroom that port 2 had went out and I had it on port 4. I did that and came in and turned on my receivers in my office and bedroom and re configured the bedroom settings from port 4 back to port 2. It took a bit to come in but worked after a bit. I wonder if wen I was changing in the settings going through 4 3 2 did I do something to it. And after that I went to check on c band and it comes in on the bedroom receiver but on in my office now. I was working and then it went out. I did not even do anything to that switch. Could changing ports while you have more than one receiver turned on mess up something? I have 4 receivers in house they all go out to diseqc switches and then to zinwell 6 x 8 switches. It is really weird how it is acting. Any suggestion as to what happened?
I did some price checks and they are all within a couple bucks. I can get Cheita HD for 7.00 and Ecota for 5.00 and DMS int for 4.20 buying 6 at a time.
 
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The Cardinal Rules, as I was informed when I started, were:

1 Posts Plumb and Level,
2 All power off when changing any cables, AND
3 All receivers off and unpluged if the cables go to switches.

Most people do not get that emphatic, but those do sound as good as the high voltage safety rules from one company I worked for:

If you have the power above 50 volts turned on inside any equipment you are working on, keep both hands in your pockets! Maybe impossible to do, but you get the point.
POP
 
About a year ago I started work on a large switch matrix for feeding a bunch of dishes to multiple receivers. Prior to that time I had been using Pansat 4x1s because several vendors were tossing them into shipments for free. Given their reputation for ruggedness, I picked up a handful of the Chieta heavy duty 4x1s and started to use them instead of the Pansats.

But I immediately ran into minor losses in SQ and CNR. I ran some sweeps on my spectrum analyzer and every Pansat I tested was flatter across 950-2150 MHz than every Chieta. I didn't measure any other parameters, but that put a stop to the replacement strategy. I went back to the Pansats and they're working fine for me. It's possible that the Chieta switches are more rugged, but I'm not happy with their signal performance.
Me too...I got rid of the Chietas long ago, mainly because more that one switch was deaf on port 2. I have a Spaun, and it's a pretty good switch, but I have better c/n results with EMP Centauri switches.
 
I have used 1.00 switches, 5.00 switches, 10.00 switches, and 15.00 switches. They either work or they don't. A few guys like the Spaun switches, but bring your freshly-paid-off credit card, some of them cost as much as some cheap receivers!

I agree! I've used numerous switches and some work really good and some were crap. Heck some from the same mfg. were good and others were crap. DMSI use to have a good 4x1 with 3 ports on one side and 2 on the other. Then they switched to the "all on one side" theory and I blew a port in most of them
 
DMSI use to have a good 4x1 with 3 ports on one side and 2 on the other. Then they switched to the "all on one side" theory and I blew a port in most of them

Oh, there is a bit of interesting information. I would have offered that I am a fan of the DMSI 4x1's, but that was before knowing they changed their design. Crap. Out of all the switches I've abused, those are the most rugged.
 
Has anyone tried the EMP-Centauri 4x2 Switch since we in the topic?
 
I have two Cheita DICEqC switches, one for two years and one for about a year and a half. So far so good. Had trouble with the original Pansat switch that came with the 3500, only lasted a month or so. Replaced it with a "digiwave" switch that lasted another month or two. Finally got the more expensive Cheita switches and no problems.

I did change around my setup quite a bit, upgrading RG6 and using different LNBs, so there may have been other issues leading to the failure of the first switches... including disconnecting an LNBF before unplugging the receiver...

-C.
 
Oh, there is a bit of interesting information. I would have offered that I am a fan of the DMSI 4x1's, but that was before knowing they changed their design. Crap. Out of all the switches I've abused, those are the most rugged.

yeah the old style I have 2 that the backs are so rusted from being outside I dont know how they still work. But I got 4 of the "same side" ones and 3 of the 4 have a blown port
 
The original Pansat mini DiSEqC switch that came with my Pansat 2700 (purchased in 2005) is still going strong, even with its rusted back. A similar looking new mini DiSEqC that came with one of my Visionsats is already failing, and its only been in service for 6 months. Switch to port 4 and wait a couple of minutes for the signal to slowly fade in... :rolleyes:

I think these switches are manufactured in a variety of different factories with a variety of quality control standards. So, as Stogie pointed out, its hit or miss, regardless of price or brand.
 
I just got some inexpensive Cheita switches (based on recommendations from a similar thread a few weeks ago). Turns out they're clones. They're working better than what I had. ... so far. I suppose I can live with it... I think what I've learned is that I should always have spares at the ready.
 
How did you know they are clones and if I might ask where did you buy clones or I wonder if all of them are clones

I just got some inexpensive Cheita switches (based on recommendations from a similar thread a few weeks ago). Turns out they're clones. They're working better than what I had. ... so far. I suppose I can live with it... I think what I've learned is that I should always have spares at the ready.
 
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