Why is Dish 500 Quad LNB called Legacy?

[SciFiGuy]

I am trying to design a satellite system for my remodeled house and currently I have a Dish 500 dual system with a 721 receiver. Since I will be tearing up some walls I wanted to design a system that would support upto 4 receivers (tuners). It looked like the Dish 500 Quad LNB would work out perfectly in that I could run the 2 cables from the dish directly to the 721 and then have 2 more connections available for 2 more 1 tuner receivers.

I can't figure out the downside other than running 4 cables instead of possibly two and then sending the signal through some switches. I view 110 and 119 sats so it seems this system would work. Are they calling legacy because of the SuperDish and possibly only using 1 cable?

thanks,

jon (a dish newbie)

 

[Mike500]

The Dish500 quad lnb that views both 110 and 119 satellites is made in two varieties. Legacy means that it will not work with ALL Dish Network receivers including the new DishPro ones. Legacy receivers, with the exception of the new DP44 switch, with not work with legacy receiver, unless hooked up to a DishPro adapter.

The configuration that you suggest is fine, unless you need or will need some of the features available only with a SuperDish.

 

[SciFiGuy]

Mike500,
Thanks for the quick feedback! Where can I find a list of the new DishPro receivers that this setup would not be compatible with?

What are some of the features of the SuperDish over the setup that I mentioned?

thanks,

jon

 

[K R Kimmel]

Legacy LNBs will work with all Dish Network receivers.
DishPro LNBs will work with DishPro (3 digit model numbers) receivers natively but require a DishPro Adapter (or a DPP44 switch) to work with Legacy (4 digit model numbers) receivers.

If you use an external switch it must match the type of LNB. Legacy LNBs must be used with Legacy switches (SW##). DishPro LNBs must use DishPro switches (DP##) or DishPro Plus switches (DPP##).

The advantage that a SuperDish has over a Dish500 is that it can see either the 105 or 121 birds in addition to 110 and 119. This only helps you if there is programming on one of those satellites that you want (internationals or if your locals are on one or the other).

Also be aware that a quad LNB could be either a Legacy Quad or a DishPro Quad. Visually the only difference between the two is that the DishPro Quad has the DishPro "DP" logo printed on it.

 

[SciFiGuy]

Kent,
Thanks for the info. All this is starting to gel together. If I have a Dish 500 with a dual LNB, can I just buy a Legacy Quad LNB and install it on my Dish 500 or do I need to buy the dish with the Quad LNB already installed?

thanks,

jon

 

[boba]

Kent,
Thanks for the info. All this is starting to gel together. If I have a Dish 500 with a dual LNB, can I just buy a Legacy Quad LNB and install it on my Dish 500 or do I need to buy the dish with the Quad LNB already installed?

thanks,

jon

If you have a Dish Pro twin you can add a DP-34 switch to give you 4 outputs, DP-34 switches can be cascaded for upto 12 outputs. This site may help you http://www.switchinfo.info/index.htm

 

[SciFiGuy]

Is there a way to know if I have a Dish Pro twin or not, besides climbing up and looking at the LNB? Will the System Info screen on my 721 show me? A simple visual check of my dish yesterday showed that I only have 2 cables coming out of it. Can I still use a DP-34 if I only have 2 inputs from the Dish?

Boy, I wish there was a book on all this stuff relating to the dish, lnb, and switch technologies.

thanks,

jon

 

[Mike500]

Just look at the front of the twin looking at the dish.. There will be a black "DishPro" logo marked on it.

 

[wobbie]

If you can't see the dish, run a check swith on the menu screen, that will tell you what type of LNB you are using, also if any switches are involved. If you use a PD 34 switch you'll need DP LNB. A twin, quad or two singles. I have a DP quad, run two lines into a DP-34 switch which allows me to run my 522, and 322 recievers. The other two lines off the quad? I use one for my 311 and have an extra allready off the dish. Plus I pulled another line from the dish to my basement, may never have to use it but it's there just incase.

 

[SciFiGuy]

My point dish dialog on my 721 says that the lnb is twin and I have no switches. It also comes up as a Dish 300, I'm not sure if that is correct or not.

With this setup it sounds like I should be able to use the DP34 since my check dish shows a twin lnb.

jon

 

[boba]

My point dish dialog on my 721 says that the lnb is twin and I have no switches. It also comes up as a Dish 300, I'm not sure if that is correct or not.

With this setup it sounds like I should be able to use the DP34 since my check dish shows a twin lnb.

jon

Jon did you go to the website I gave you http://www.switchinfo.info/index.htm
It answers the questions you are asking.

 

[SciFiGuy]

boba,
Now that I know that I have a DP twin, I went to the site and found:

The DishPro Twin LNB has 2 ouputs, it supplies a multiswitched signal from 110 and 119 to 2 IRDs it can also supply signal to DishPro Switches.

DishPro SW34

The DishPro SW34 will support 4 IRDS directly, up to 3 satelite locations. Since it uses DishPro Technology, only one cable is needed for each satelite location. It also has trunking ouputs, seen on the upper left, that will allow up to 2 additional SW34s to be connected supporting a total of 12 IRDs.

thanks,

jon