WitchSwitch? 1reciever, 2dishes, 3birds

[Timbur]

And a partridge in a pear tree...

I have an older system, model 3000, 2 dishes (119 & 61.5) and a SWAJ switch. It is connected to 2 TV's and I want to keep both sets hooked up.

I want to upgrade to a 508 with a dish 500, keep 61.5, but loose the 3000. I have been considering this a while and have talked with Dish reps about four times.
So far two have said I "need" a SW64 and two have said a SW21 will work. In the 501 manual I downloaded it looks like either will work (pg 119 & 120)

I spent a bunch of $ (No promotion in 1997) on this reciever (and more for the 2nd dish and SWAJ) and would prefer to get by as cheaply as I can this time. ($199 dish 150/501 package) They want $50 more for the SW64 (plus a dual lmb), can I use just a SW21? Will I loose any performance by doing so?

Thanks for the help, and Merry Christmass (it's never too late!)

[scooper]

When you get your Dish500 / 508, get a TWIN LNB, and the SW21, and you'll be in great shape. If you want to be able to use your 3000 (say, as a backup for if the PVR has a problem) with all 3 slots - you'll need the Dish500 with 2 Dual LNB's (and a Dual on the 61.5 dish) and use the SW64 as you mentioned.

If your 3000 does 38 switch tests, then the TWIN / SW21 cascade will work for it as well...

[Timbur]

Thanks scooper,
Good info, looks like it's my call.

I really like the idea of the 3000 as backup, how does one find out if it does 38 switch tests? (it's vintage 97)

If it does not, could I still get some sats say 110 & 119 with a SW21 until the 508 was repaired?

Any chance the SWAJ could help in a backup situation?

Thanks muchly...

[scooper]

You'll have to go into the system setup menu, multidish pointing screen. There should be a place where you can Check Switch.

[boba]

TIMBUR Menu 6,1,7 should get you there

[Timbur]

Alas only 34 tests, I don't suppose this means I can use the SW 21 with it.

Any chance the 3000 still can be used as a backup with the SWAJ and get dish 500?

[scooper]

Actually, you might be able to. I think the extra 4 added support for the DishPro line, so I would try it out.

[BobaBird]

Supposedly all receivers except the 2000 now support the Twin/SW21 cascade.

[Michael J. Kuntz]

now what about a dishpro 301 and a dishpro twin lnb pointed at 119 and 110 on dish 500 and a second dish pointed at 61.5 and a SW 21 with standard dual lnb..won't work will it?

[scooper]

Mike - be exact in what you have here.

If you TRULY have a DishPro TWIN (and these didn't come out until late in 2002) on the Dish500, then you can't use a Legacy Dual LNB and the SW21 - you'll have to replace the Legacy Dual with a DishPro Single LNB and replace the SW21 with a DP34 switch.

OTOH, if you have a Legacy TWIN on the Dish500, then the Legacy Dual and SW21 WILL work on the 301.

[Conway]

Well the twin is a dishpro and the dual is a legacy so I'm out of getting 61.5 along with my dish 500 hey thanks for the help. Wish I had a non dishpro twin..lol but oh well thanks guys

[scooper]

Your call, but you can get a Legacy Twin LNB for around $100 at www.dishdepot.com , and probably about the same at any of your local Dish retailers. Dishpro Single for $55, and DP34 for $125

[BobaBird]

So to summarize, no mixing of DishPro and legacy LNBs and switches - it all has to be one or the other.

DishPro receivers (3-digit models) can be used directly with either type.

Legacy receivers (4-digit models) require an adapter if being hooked up to a DishPro LNB or switch.