Question about cascading legacy switches

[M Sparks]

I Googled and looked for FAQs, but couldn't find a certain answer about this.

QUESTION: Can you cascade a Legacy Twin with two Legacy Duals through a SW64 to get 4 sat locations?

Details- I have a 942 on the way to replace two old recievers. All my LNBs/Switches are Legacy. Currently, I'm running a Dish 500 Twin- one side directly to one reciever, and one side to a SW21. I have one side of a Dish 300 going to the other side of the SW21 and the SW21 to a second reciever.

I was using the 300 at 148 to pick up a few extra channels, mainly Classic Arts Showcase. The reason I was only running one side was that one of my SW21s went bad, and it wasn't worth replacing to get 3 or 4 channels on a reciever I rarely used.

I moved the 148 Dish to 129 and I'm getting a good signal. I realized I'll need to get another SW21 to run VOOM to both sides of the 942.

I looked at E-Bay and was surprised to find SW64s in the $50 range. I have two more Legacy Dual LNBs in a closet. So if I picked up an empty DISH 1000, or another DISH 300, I could have 4 Sat locations without spending a ton of money. I figure this might help "future proof" my setup.

So, do the "check switches" on new equipment- specifically the 942, support 110/119/129/148 in this fashion?

AND, if I use a Twin and Dual with only 4 inputs and two outputs of a SW64, will that be OK? I'm thinking I could get the SW64 now and maybe put up the 4th Sat location later.

 

[boba]

You can't use a TWIN with a SW-64. You can use a Quad or two dual Legacy LNBs on a DISH 500 connected to a SW-64.

 

[larrystotler]

If you look at this thread, you will see what you have to do. The instructions are just as relevant for the 129 as they are for the 61.5:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=66374

#1 - How many receivers are you going to use? If you are only going to use the 942, all you will need is another SW21 connected to the D300 and the line from the 500Twin. 500Twins can ONLY support 2 receivers/tuners, PERIOD.

 

[SimpleSimon]

But the bottom line is:

Fighting with Legacy switches just isn't worth the effort any more.

Break the lock off your wallet and pony up the FEW extra dollars for some DishPro stuff.

 

[BobaBird]

When you did your Google search you should have looked at the news results.

Why do you need dual LNBs to use the SW64 and SW44?

Because the SW64 and SW44 "hardwire" the polarization for half the dual LNB to right hand, and the other half to left hand. The switch then selects between the two halves internally to select whichever polarization is required for the desired transponder.​

There are 4 signals that can come out of a Twin - 119 odd, 119 even, 110 odd, 110 even. The tuners connected to the SW64 could need all 4 at once but the Twin can only output 2 at a time.

The rest of the Receivers and Switches FAQ has just been posted at http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=88313.

 

[M Sparks]

Bobabird- thanks. That's basically what I was asking- "why wouldn't this work". Your explanation makes perfect sense.

However, reading Larry's info, I see that you can put SW21s on the OTHER side of a SW64 to tie 4 Dual Legacy LNBFs together. (I only need to feed the 942.) Since I have 2 more Legacy Duals to put in the 500, I could just take the twin out and put them back in. I would need to buy another Legacy Dual. (I would probably get a DirecTV one, since I have a first generation DTV dish in the shed.) That still puts me under $100 or so.

I will grab another SW21 for now and figure out what to do if they ever give me a good reason to get 148 again. I would need the extra SW21 anyway.

Simon, if I bought a Dish 1000 with DP LNBs, and another DP Duel for my old DISH 300, what else would I need to feed 4 slots to a 942? Looks to me like I need a DP+44. That puts me at about $300. I don't consider that a "few" dollars more, and it seems like re-installing everything is more of a "fight". The cables are already run, the dishes and LNBs installed, ect. If I was starting from scratch, I would certainly get DP equipment. But I'm not. THAT'S the bottom line.

Again, thanks Bobabird & Larry...

 

[M Sparks]

One other thing...the FAQ says 61.5/110/119/148 support using the SW64/SW21 combo is "unstable". From what I understand, this is due to having the same channel numbers on 61.5 and 148- they just aren't supposed to work together, and it never came up until Voom was added.

I haven't seen anything at all supporting 110/119/129/148. I suppose that will come- they just need to add the switch test. I will wait until things change- it's not worth messing with for one channel (Classic Arts Showcase.)

 

[larrystotler]

That is part of the problem. However, somce receivers just "lose" the 4th sat location connected to the SW21(remember, DON'T use the SW21 on port 1). The 921/721s seem to have this problem. Not sure about the 942. It is a new receivers, and there aren't as many subs using the 522/625/942 with legacy switches as the newer DP. If you have access to a D* Phase I dish(The original or ParaTodos), not the new Phase III or the Phase II(which has a switch built into the W bracket), you could try that with the 110/119/129(which I plan to do sometime soon). Also realize that there is no 5 sat legacy solution........in case they add anything else at another slot, you would have to upgrade to DP/DP+. Good luck.

 

[BobaBird]

One other thing...the FAQ says 61.5/110/119/148 support using the SW64/SW21 combo is "unstable". From what I understand, this is due to having the same channel numbers on 61.5 and 148 - they just aren't supposed to work together, and it never came up until Voom was added.

Thanks for actually reading it! That needs to be updated now that the receivers' software has been updated to hide the duplicate channels. The problem Larry identified seems to be a separate issue.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

One other thing...the FAQ says 61.5/110/119/148 support using the SW64/SW21 combo is "unstable". From what I understand, this is due to having the same channel numbers on 61.5 and 148- they just aren't supposed to work together, and it never came up until Voom was added.

I haven't seen anything at all supporting 110/119/129/148. I suppose that will come- they just need to add the switch test. I will wait until things change- it's not worth messing with for one channel (Classic Arts Showcase.)

I ran 61.5/110/148 with a SW64 for several months (no HD on 119) with legacy equipment and a 6000 STB. I never had any issue although everything printed said I would.

I have no idea what would happen if I try to add in a 4th position though.

 

[Stargazer]

I read in the past on the forums where someone cascaded a sw-21 switch with a legacy twin to get a third satellite in. Is this true? I am trying to see what options I have for having 110, 119 and 129 with two legacy receivers with all legacy hardware to prevent DishPro Adaptors from being used.

 

[inwo]

Yes that works. Legacy twin to SW21.

 

[Stargazer]

Can you use two sw-21 switches on a legacy twin? That would be one from each port of the twin to the second dish for two receivers.

 

[inwo]

Can you use two sw-21 switches on a legacy twin? That would be one from each port of the twin to the second dish for two receivers.

Yes...............

 

[DigitalDude]

6000 & 4 Sats

Well I just got 4 Sats going with a 6000 & all legacy LNB's using SW64 & SW21.

I have 110, 119, & 148 on the SW64 in A, B & C positions.

On any output port EXCEPT port 1, where the power inserter is, I run it to port 2 of my SW21. The other ports is the 61.5.

The first Check switch failed with an error until I checked the 4 SAT box in the SuperDish field.
It did 12 checks.

Came back kinda weird, as an SW21 with 1A, 1B, 1C hosting 110, 119 & 148 and then 2 with 61.5

Exactly like it was configured.

Now I have ~ 24 HD channels.

Nice to have the Voom HD back.

Only the first night, but she seems stable so far.

Any good ideas to recycle a Voom DSR550??

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

I have the same thing going as you have posted. Had for about 4 months now - also using 61.5 instead of 129. Thus far no issues.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Any good ideas to recycle a Voom DSR550??

If it has been activated, it should still work as an OTA HD tuner.