Triple LNB into 5x8 multi switch problem

Status
Please reply by conversation.

ranneyt

New Member
Original poster
Mar 14, 2005
2
0
I have one of the triple lnb directv dishes with the built in multiplexer running two receivers and a tivo receiver. I recently added a second HD tivo receiver which required me to add a 5x8 multiswitch and now the problems. I have good signal strength >85 on all satellites and transponders, but when my reciever attempts to collect channel information from the satellite it fails at 90%. What is missing is all the HD channels. When I bypass the multiswitch the reciever loads find. Any ideas? My multiswitch is a 5X8 JVI powered switch. I suspect my problem is the proper wiring map, however, I can't find any detailed information on this.
 
its probably not the wiring map... the 4 outputs are from an internal switch and thusly can be connected in any order. have you tried unplugging the switch and receivers then plugging them all back in... effectively turning off both the swithc, lnb and all problems in between. it almost sounds like th switch has a bad port or one of the (if mechanical) switchers is stuck.
 
Now I am not an expert.....only know what I know from reading this forum.....BUT...I thought the Phase III dish has a builtin multiswitch.....meaning you can't just attach another multiswitch to it without causing a problem.....you need a special kind of multiswitch....
 
Bill1955 said:
Now I am not an expert.....only know what I know from reading this forum.....BUT...I thought the Phase III dish has a builtin multiswitch.....meaning you can't just attach another multiswitch to it without causing a problem.....you need a special kind of multiswitch....

key word you are looking for is cascadable...

good news is Most 5x8 or 4x8 switches are cascadable... i know the eagle aspen ones are (I endorse these) But I havent seen a 4x8 or 5x8 that wasnt... mostly because they wouldnt serve much of a purpose.
 
sounds like one of the cables isn't plugged into the right spot. Don't 2 of the ports say 22k and what happens if you don't hook the right 2 up.

I don't have DIrect so I may be wrong here :)
 
Iceberg said:
what happens if you don't hook the right 2 up.

nothing with the Built in Switch... it auto sets it up. Was a problem on the 2 lnb dishes.

E* equivalent would be hooking a DP34 into a DPTWIN it auto sets one to 119 and one to 110 (in E* world)
 
more info

The switch is JVI 35-TRDS8. It has 5 inputs, LNB A 13V, LNB A 18V, LNB B 13V, LNB B 18V, and off-air antenna. I'm using a TERK dish mounted off-air antenna which has two inputs and outputs two combined signals. My HD Tivo loads find regardless of which two lines I use when bypassing the multi-switch.

I think Iceberg may be on the right track regarding wiring of the multiswitch. In some instances when wired through the multiswitch I will get a not all satellites found depending on what order the wires are attached to the multiswitch.

I haven't gone up on the roof to view my dish connections for any labels as it's still cold here in Ohio and my roof pitch is 10x12 so I need a good warm (frost free) day to trek up to the dish itself - today may be the day.

After three transfers through tech support at DirecTV the tech seemed to think the wires went in a certain order as well but could not tell me which wire was which on my dish.

If anyone has any suggestions I'll give it a try, I'm going to put a toner on the lines today and at least label them 1-4 coming from the dish so I'll know which is which on the dish side. Any suggestions on order?

If I'm totally on the wrong track trouble shooting that would be good to know also!

Thanks
Tom
 
I would check the quality of the connectors and the quality of the workmanship on thieir installation. There may be moisture problem or a resistance problem in one of them. Another problem may be from a short caused by one of the fine shield wires wrapping itself around the center conductor which resulted from the cable stripping process. Having done many many installs, I verify every cable end every time after I compress the connector onto the cable end and every time, before I screw it onto the switch or any port on the lnb or grounding block.
 
If it is the case where they are connection sensitive on the Tripple LNB dishes I have been extremely lucky...

That said I agree with the possible moisture issue If switching them around loses at one point it sounds like one or 2 wires isnt gettinga good connection. that or a bad port on the switch or switch in lnb.
 
ranneyt said:
The switch is JVI 35-TRDS8. It has 5 inputs, LNB A 13V, LNB A 18V, LNB B 13V, LNB B 18V, and off-air antenna. I'm using a TERK dish mounted off-air antenna which has two inputs and outputs two combined signals. My HD Tivo loads find regardless of which two lines I use when bypassing the multi-switch.

I think Iceberg may be on the right track regarding wiring of the multiswitch. In some instances when wired through the multiswitch I will get a not all satellites found depending on what order the wires are attached to the multiswitch.

I haven't gone up on the roof to view my dish connections for any labels as it's still cold here in Ohio and my roof pitch is 10x12 so I need a good warm (frost free) day to trek up to the dish itself - today may be the day.

After three transfers through tech support at DirecTV the tech seemed to think the wires went in a certain order as well but could not tell me which wire was which on my dish.

If anyone has any suggestions I'll give it a try, I'm going to put a toner on the lines today and at least label them 1-4 coming from the dish so I'll know which is which on the dish side. Any suggestions on order?

If I'm totally on the wrong track trouble shooting that would be good to know also!

Thanks
Tom

It sounds to me as if the problem might be with the off-air antenna. Exactly how do you have it wired? Let me get your set up straight. You have two std receivers, one Tivo and one HD Tivo, correct? Or is it two HD Tivo's? You have a triplesat dish with four wires out. You have a Terk off-air antenna with two inputs and two outputs. You also have a JVI 5x8 multiswitch. Do the four wires from the dish run directly to the 5x8 or do you have one or two of them running through the off-air then to the 5x8? The off-air needs to be put into the line on the downward side of the multiswitch (between the last multiswitch and the receiver not between the multiswitches).
 
uboatcmdr said:
It sounds to me as if the problem might be with the off-air antenna. Exactly how do you have it wired? Let me get your set up straight. You have two std receivers, one Tivo and one HD Tivo, correct? Or is it two HD Tivo's? You have a triplesat dish with four wires out. You have a Terk off-air antenna with two inputs and two outputs. You also have a JVI 5x8 multiswitch. Do the four wires from the dish run directly to the 5x8 or do you have one or two of them running through the off-air then to the 5x8? The off-air needs to be put into the line on the downward side of the multiswitch (between the last multiswitch and the receiver not between the multiswitches).

Hey i didnt catch that... yeah... hes absolutely correct.
 
beast37799 said:
can u cut and paste that quote
Here it is:

"• Only works with PHASE II dishes, WILL NOT work with Phase III dishes."

Could be the problem. Still suspect the off-air is contributing it's fair share to the problem.
 
uboatcmdr said:
Here it is:

"• Only works with PHASE II dishes, WILL NOT work with Phase III dishes."

Could be the problem. Still suspect the off-air is contributing it's fair share to the problem.

I agree that off air is still A problem... but the switch is a bigger problem...
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)

Latest posts