DishNetwork self install - need design help

[Paulcl]

I am restricted to a single 1m dish which I currently use for DVB Mpeg2 FTA programming. This particular dish is a WaveFrontier toroidal dish which has the ability to accept up to 16 lnbs to receive multiple satellites simultaneously.

I would like to use this dish to feed a DishNetwork receiver for subscription programming. The problem I have is due to the nature of the dish design (dual reflector), circularly polarized signals become reversed (LH to RH). This forces me to purchase special LNB's (available from WaveFrontier) which compensates for this characteristic:
http://www.multilnbdish.com/catalog/mt-20__reversed_dbs_lnbf_with_dual_output_1739438.htm
In which case I will need to design and install this system myself.

My first question is how many Dual output LNB's do I need to be able to subscribe to everything, excluding non-english programming? Will 2 LNB's be sufficient - each pointed to 110W & 119W respectively? Will this allow me to watch my local network programming via DishNetwork as well?

I will most likely start with 2 receivers and may add more for up to 4-5 receivers in the near future. Since I am not familiar with DishNetwork hardware I need to know what specific switch(es) to use so that I can add more receivers without the need of replacing or purchasing more switch hardware?

Thanks for your input!

[Mike500]

In that you are using special reverse lnb's, and that they are not available in the DishPro configuration, you will have to use legacy switches, mainly the SW21, SW44 or the SW64. Using the SW21's will allow two receivers, the SW44 and the SW64 will allow four receivers. But since you will not use more than one dish, you will not need the SW64, which allows for three satellite positions.

If you need sw21's or an SW44, please e-mail me at mhz@aol.com. I have brand new ones of these.

You do not provide a location. If your locals are on 110 and 119, you will be able to receive them. If you need SuperDish at 105 and 121, you may or may not use a fss lnb with an sw64. It all depends on Dish software support.

[Paulcl]

Thank you Mike for your response.
With regards to the switch; I will most likely use a SW64.
If I may, I have a few more questions.

First of all my dish is capable of looking at an entire 40deg arc simultaneously using multiple LNB's. It is similar in design to the new SuperDISH but better for my purpose.

Doing some satellite checking I noticed that my locals are available on 105 as well as 121. My question is who decides which of these two satellites my reciever will use?

I would prefer 121 as it has some ethnic programming which I may decide to subscribe to contrary to what I said in my initial post here. However, that may be problematic as 121 may be too close to 119 for my dish/lnb to distinguish between. Maybe, since 119 is circularly polarized and 121 is linearly polarized, that may not be an issue if I can mount a FSS lnb close enough to the DBS lnb (very possible). This would have to be checked in the field. Alternatively I can fall back to 105 for my locals if 121 is too close to 119.

My next question is regarding the lnb for 121/105 satellites. They are linearly polarized. What type of FSS lnb do I need? Dual? Twin? Can I use a Universal (prefered)?

Thank you again.

[Paulcl]

Can anyone tell me what type of linear FSS lnb's DishNetwork uses for 105/121?

Are they Twin? Dual? Universal?

I would like to purchase my own lnb's and not use DishNetworks. I will be using a SW64.

Unlike the FTA Mpeg crowd it seems finding and trying to learn about DBS hardware is a major pain. Is there a web site which explains in technical detail the workings of legacy as well as the new hardware for DishNetwork?

Once I understand how it works (22kHz/Diseqc etc) I won't need to ask these mundane questions.

[rvd420]

Dish uses standard KU linear polarity for the FSS satellites.

BTW Dishpro is Diseqc 2.0

[Paulcl]

Dish uses standard KU linear polarity for the FSS satellites.

BTW Dishpro is Diseqc 2.0

I understand what the dishpro is and thank you.

I am forced into using a "legacy system" - the SW64 switch. The switch has 2 inputs for each lnb. Not knowing the details of how the DishNetwork receivers opperate in legacy mode, or do I know how the SW64 operates, I have no idea what signals are being send to the FSS lnb (0/22kHz, 14V/18V for polarity).

When you say "standard" do you mean? 11.7-12.2 GHz?

My SW64 expects 2 cables from this FSS lnb. Thus do I need a dual output or twin output FSS lnb?

"Twin-output" LNB
Each output can be switched by 14/18 volt input by the individual receiver (or switch?) to change polarisation.

"Dual-output" LNB
Each output has a fixed polarisation; one horizontal and one vertical.

[Paulcl]

Can anyone at least tell me if the E* LNBf for the FSS satellites 105/121 have a LO freq of 10750?

[Paulcl]

Wow! Even DishNetwork "advanced" tech support hasn't a clue on such an elementary question - thud!