4 Sat/3 dish Configuration?

[RobertB]

I have a Legacy Twin (110/119), a Legacy Dual with only one LNB (148), and a single LNB dish (61.5) that I'd like to hook up to a 508 receiver.  What switch configuration will make this work?  Thanks in advance for your help.

[stugil]

I think this question was asked before. Do a search. I think the final answer was that 61.5 and 148 carried the same programing except demo at 61.5. Replace twin with 2 duals.and use SW64 which supports 2 lines119/2lines 110 and 2 lines for 61.5 or 148.

Supports 4 receivers

See my classified I might have some equipement that will do the above.

[Steve Mehs]

You'll have to replace the twin with two duals. This will allow you cascade a SW21 and SW64 for a four satellite location set up.

This site had a wiring diagram, but is curerntly
http://www.angelfire.com/tv2/switchinfo/

There are some differences between 148 and 61.5. 61.5 has Sky Angel, a few (maybe one or two) international channels not duplicated on 148 and the HD demo channel. 148 has some additional locals for the San Antonio area.

[RobertB]

Another question...must I replace the twin with a dual if I never intend to feed more than one receiver?  The way I understand the SW64, I should be able to feed the twin (110/119) into Sat-A1, the single LNB on the dual (148) to SAT-B1, and the single LNB (61.5) to Sat-C1 on the SW-64.  So what do I do with the SW21?  Thanks for helping me understand this! 

[BobaBird]

You can keep the Twin for use with 1 or 2 receivers. The legacy Twin will never support more than 2 receivers.

From the EKB (http://ekb.dbstalk.com/11):
"Why do you need dual LNBs to use the SW64 and SW44 with only one receiver?
Because the SW64 and SW44 "hardwire" the polarization for half the dual LNB to right hand, and left hand for the other half. The switch then selects between the two LNBs internally to select whichever polarization is required for the desired transponder. Normally, in a single LNB single receiver setup, the receiver supplies a voltage to the LNB which changes the polarization of the LNB depending on the transponder.

With (as few as) two dual LNBs, you can feed (up to) four receivers using an SW64. Without this permanent polarization, this would not be possible.

This also applies to the SW44 since it is also a powered switch."

The SW64 has 2 inputs for each satellite, one for each polarity. Each output of the Twin can send only one polarity at a time but any receiver connected to the SW64 could need to see any of the 4 possible satellite/polarity combinations from 119/110. The Twin will have to be replaced with a Quad or 2 dual LNBFs (not "a" dual) and an SW64.

Each satellite will have its own dual LNBF with both outputs feeding the SW64. The 4th sat will also have a dual LNBF but won't be connected to the SW64 - that's where the SW21 comes in. Connect an output of the SW64 to the SW21's Sat1 side, and the 4th sat's output to the Sat2 side. Diagrams showing how to get 4 sats to 2 or 4 receivers are at the link Steve gave you, about 1/2-way down the page.

[RobertB]

Ah ha...I understand now why all the diagrams I've seen for a 4 Sat setup have two feeds coming off each LNB. But if I understood correctly; the SW21 will need only the combined feed from the SW64, and the output from a single LNB, as long as I only use one receiver. Also, it appears the combined feed from the SW64 will require the power inserter between the SW64 and the SW21. Did I get it right?

[scooper]

Correct on all counts.

[RobertB]

Another thought on this thread...how would I do a 4 sat/3 dish setup if I replaced all of the LNBs with the new DishPro LNBs? Does Echostar have a DishPro switch setup to handle this?

[HTguy]

Originally posted by RobertB
Another thought on this thread...how would I do a 4 sat/3 dish setup if I replaced all of the LNBs with the new DishPro LNBs? Does Echostar have a DishPro switch setup to handle this?
Not currently. The DP34 switch is the DP version of the SW64.

E* is about to start shipping a DP21. Possibly it will cascade with the DP34 the way a SW21 cascades with a SW64. But so far there have been no diagrams or service bullitens to confirm this.

[J. Allen Head]

They did show a DP-44 switch in the wiring diagrams section (for 4 satellite slots) in the newer model receiver manuals 301,501/8, 721
I think page 116, don't have a manual with me right now, but anyway I haven't seen one surface yet

My guess is this switch was originally designed for the merger so you could view 101,110,119 & a side slot such as 61.5, 148 or 129 after the merger went into effect (which didn't happen), So I guess we will have to wait and see if it comes along or if they make the new DP-21's cascadable with the DP-34's.

J. Allen Head
(a.k.a. DuallyDude)