Dish 500 Installing Prob (yeh, i'm sure it's been posted about before)

1763 Views 16 Replies 9 Participants Last post by James Long, Oct 15, 2008

kckcjl94

Discussion Starter · Oct 13, 2008

Ok, have a dish that hasn't been used in about 4 years, just been sitting outside in the element. I originally had it on the ground screwed to a cinder block, couldn't get anything, so i attached it to my wooden balcony.

I used a leveler on the mast, it is even.

The skew is supposed to be 123, and there is a red line on the dish, marking 123.

The elevation is supposed to be 36, i have tried having the bolt on 36, before and after it, even did about 46, or at least i had the bolt overtop of it.

I know the general direction, and have moved it in small increments left/right, trying diff variations on the elevation trying to hit 119 only.

I tried a new coax cable, and even got a new splitter trying to recieve a signal.

I've install quite a few directv single lnb dishes over the years, in various states. I can't get anything on this dish 500, and it has the 2 separate lnbs.

I can't think of any other cause. If no one has any suggestions i might try
replacing the lnbs.

thanks.

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1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Slamminc11

· #2 · Oct 13, 2008

call and have it professionally installed?

garys

· #3 · Oct 13, 2008

What type lnb's are you using, there are three and should be able to be determinied by viewing the lnb's. Large DPP logo would be Dish Pro Plus, Large DP would be Dish Pro, and nothing specific would make it a Legacy type. Splitters do not work with Dish Network equipment but it may be something else, what exactly is this piece? What dish is it? It should have sometype of logo on the face.

boba

· #4 · Oct 13, 2008

kckcjl94 said:
Ok, have a dish that hasn't been used in about 4 years, just been sitting outside in the element. I originally had it on the ground screwed to a cinder block, couldn't get anything, so i attached it to my wooden balcony.

I used a leveler on the mast, it is even.

The skew is supposed to be 123, and there is a red line on the dish, marking 123.

The elevation is supposed to be 36, i have tried having the bolt on 36, before and after it, even did about 46, or at least i had the bolt overtop of it.

I know the general direction, and have moved it in small increments left/right, trying diff variations on the elevation trying to hit 119 only.

I tried a new coax cable, and even got a new splitter trying to recieve a signal.

I've install quite a few directv single lnb dishes over the years, in various states. I can't get anything on this dish 500, and it has the 2 separate lnbs.

I can't think of any other cause. If no one has any suggestions i might try
replacing the lnbs.

thanks.

4 Years since used with two separate LNBs means it is probably a LEGACY system. What you are calling a splitter is probably a SW-21 switch that combines the 110 & 119 satellites on one cable. The elevation isn't set by the location of a bolt there is an indicator mark on the side of the housing. The indicator is usually the end of the slide that the locking bolt goes thru and most of the time has red or orange paint on it.

kckcjl94

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 13, 2008

it isn't a sw-21

i took both of those off, when i said a splitter, i meant a splitter. the lnbs are 2 separate lnbs, and each one has 2 outputs, so i believe it is a legacy. there are short cables coming from the lnbs, so the good coax i have i just used a splitter to connect them. my only thoughts are maybe the splitter isn't good enough or the lnbs like i said.

i've used the compass and i'm on the right azimuth, the skew does have a mark and is set correctly, BUT the elevation doesn't have one. but i have tried it within 10 degrees before and after and still get nothing.

thanks for the quick replies.

boba

· #6 · Oct 13, 2008

kckcjl94 said:
it isn't a sw-21 i took both of those off, when i said a splitter, i meant a splitter. the lnbs are 2 separate lnbs, and each one has 2 outputs, so i believe it is a legacy. there are short cables coming from the lnbs, so the good coax i have i just used a splitter to connect them. my only thoughts are maybe the splitter isn't good enough or the lnbs like i said.

i've used the compass and i'm on the right azimuth, the skew does have a mark and is set correctly, BUT the elevation doesn't have one. but i have tried it within 10 degrees before and after and still get nothing.

thanks for the quick replies.

GET RID OF THE SPLITTERS you will never get it to work with a splitter in the line this is not a cable system. If you don't want to use the SW21s connect your cable directly to either of the 119 fittings. 119 marked on the plastic "Y"

Beyond starting over correctly, pay for a professional to do what you can't.

scooper

· #7 · Oct 13, 2008

Absolutely will not work with a splitter. Must use SW21 or upgrade your LNB setup.

If you're trying to aim with just one LNB - aim the 119 correctly, when you get something that can receive 110 - it will be close enough.

I agree with boba - get a professional to get it done right.

puckwithahalo

· #8 · Oct 13, 2008

You can't use splitters to combine the signals from the two lnbs, I could give you the technical reasons why, but suffice it to say, that simply won't work. You need to use the SW21's or some other legacy switch.

kckcjl94

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 14, 2008

yeh thanks, it didn't occur to me about the sat being digi and the splitter not being able to work. i'll get rid of the splitter tonight and test the lnbs with a volt meter. and fyi, i've called a professional before to do something for me, and he couldn't do any better than i could.

later and thanks for all the replies.

kckcjl94

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 14, 2008

i was using some regular coax, not sure if it is 6 or 59. would you recommend that i buy some 6? will it make that much of a diff. i'm only about 12-15ft from the dish

scooper

· #11 · Oct 14, 2008

Supposedly - RG6 is the recommendation. That close - it probably won't matter.

kckcjl94

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 14, 2008

well, still no luck, here is my currect sit.

ok, i have a dish 500, with 2 single lnbs.

i have leveled the mast with a level.

the skew is set to exactly 123, which is where it should be.

the elevation should be 36, and i have tried that and going above and below it.

i have used a compass for the azimuth, and have went back and forth in small increments several times.

i'm using rg6 cable, and am plugged directly into the lnb.

using a viewsat ultra v2. in the antenna setup, i chose echostar 119, set the lnb to standard, and changed the tp to 12239.

the signal stays 70, so i know the lnbs are working with power.

i don't know what else to do. any help would be appreciated.

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boba

· #13 · Oct 14, 2008

get A Dish Network Receiver Not A Fta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BattleZone

· #14 · Oct 14, 2008

kckcjl94 said:
i don't know what else to do. any help would be appreciated.

You *could* try not attempting to violate federal law by illegally decrypting Dish Network's signal with your illegally-modified FTA receiver...

kckcjl94

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 14, 2008

IIP said:
You *could* try not attempting to violate federal law by illegally decrypting Dish Network's signal with your illegally-modified FTA receiver...

thanks for the help.... or not. i never said i was. this is a dish 500 that i bought years ago, i'm trying to just see if i can get anything, and so far i can't. being a dish 500 figured i would at least try to hit thte most obvious thing. i'm really interested in asian stuff eventually. but not much point if i can't hit anything, which is the case so far.

jarvantgroup

· #16 · Oct 14, 2008

Again, leave the FTA equipment alone. So many guys buy this stuff with the promises that you can receive all kinds of programming without considering the compatibilities of the FTA equipment and the myriad variations of Dish LNBs and switches. Guys complaining about not being able to get 118.7W on FTA rcvrs. Or not getting a good signal on 129W. Like the provious poster said, stop trying to circumvent the preferred Dish setup. :icon_cool:icon_cool:icon_cool

James Long

· #17 · Oct 15, 2008

kckcjl94 said:
thanks for the help.... or not. i never said i was. this is a dish 500 that i bought years ago, i'm trying to just see if i can get anything, and so far i can't. being a dish 500 figured i would at least try to hit thte most obvious thing. i'm really interested in asian stuff eventually. but not much point if i can't hit anything, which is the case so far.

You have hit something ... otherwise you wouldn't be getting a signal reading. The next step is to get a receiver that can actually decode the signals you are seeing (a DISH Network receiver) and subscribe!

There is very little unscrambled on DISH satellites ... not much of it of interest. If you're looking for asian stuff you won't find it on DBS satellites - DISH has moved (or is moving) all of their internationals to 118 FSS and keeps the channels scrambled.

DISH is a subscription service ... please subscribe. No excuses.

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