[Nick]

Pro Brand International, developer of products and technology advantages in the
satellite industry, announces the Eagle Aspen single-cable off air antenna rotator,
model ROTR100.

The ROTR100 uses digital DiSEqC code that sends commands to control the drive
unit along the same (RG-6) coaxial cable that brings TV signals from the off air
antenna into the house. The mfr says the new antenna rotator is easy to install.

For more information, go to www.eagleaspen.com/products/products_1.php?id=90.

Text Added: Pro Brand said whether performing a new install or retrofitting an
existing antenna system, the ROTR100 provides for a fast and easy installation.
Additional features have been added making the entire system installer and user
friendly, the company added. Also, optional pre-amplifier power can be supplied
via the same cable.

 

[oljim]

Now if they would add a programable timer into it.

 

[Nick]

Now if they would add a programable timer into it.

Good idea - why don't you contact the company to suggest it.

 

[oljim]

It sure would be usefull for me, I get NBC and CBS from Sav. and ABC and FOX from Charleston SC

 

[Jim5506]

I wonder if it introduces any line loss.

 

[oljim]

I wonder if it introduces any line loss.

I was wondering the same thing, would be nice if the 622 had interface for contol of rotor when recording OTA.

 

[kenglish]

There is a standard (not the DiSEqC standard, which is often used with FTA satellite equipment) that came out a few years back, that was supposed to let your TV or STB control an antenna rotor or switches.

I paid $60-70 to the CEA's print vendor for a copy of it, but it was almost no value at all....mostly just some "TBA" comments. I wondered why they didn't just use something like DiSEqC. It would be nice, though, if the TV manufacturers would incorporate this type of function.....being able to select several antennas, or operate a rotor, via the coax would be handy. Remote antenna switching could alleviate many of the complications of SMATV systems as well, since it could negate the need for much of the headend processing.....A/B or A/B/C switching rather than channel processing.

 

[audiomaster]

Back about 1960 or so you could buy a TV set in a kit from Heathkit! One of the things it did was reposition an antenna rotor when you changed channels! Surely a 622/211 is smart enough to do this by sending IR commands to the rotor controller. I wonder how the rotor is powered via the coax? And if this interferes with a mast mounted preamp??

 

[kenglish]

If it's really DiSEqC, it uses a "continuous" DC voltage (which would feed the preamp, just like it feeds a sat LNBF), but breaks it up with short bursts of 22KHz tone, which is the binary data for controls. You'd probably need a preamp whose voltage matches the rotor, and doesn't draw enough current to overload the power supply.

 

[oldave]

And there will be some loss... every connector added increases loss... somewhere around 2db. Depending on the particular case, this could be huge.

 

[Nick]

Ed. Note: See "Text Added" to OP.

 

[videobruce]

I wonder if it introduces any line loss.

No free ride. 1db loss each for the rotor and the control box.

This was introduced a couple of months ago. I didn't see anything in this forum, so I though it would be worthwhile to mention this (under $65);

http://www.eagleaspen.com/products/products_1.php?id=90

I do see three problems;

1. There is a 2db additional loss. This is because the downlead goes through the rotor and the control box as opposed to straight from the antenna to your TV.
2. This is fine for one TV, but for multiple sets, the feed for additional outlets would have to be off the output of the control box, not up near where the downlead enters the building (attic or crawl space). This is a serious issue with any setup other than one or maybe two TVs', especially where one has a 'weak signal' issue(s).
3. If you need to 'amp' the signal and you have issues with very strong and very weak signals, the amp would be after the control box also where additional loss already occured.

For me that is a no-no. That DiSEqC sounds good on paper, but with the small 350ma current limitation, it restricts the size of the motor and puts a serious restraint on the touque of the rotor. Fine for small antennas, but useless for large installs, same problem with FTA dishes.

 

[sattec]

just use two rg-6's, one for the rotor control and one for the antenna signal.

 

[videobruce]

Kinda defeats the advantage of a single cable doesn't it??

Better yet is just to use a 2 conductor rotor cable (or anything heavy enough) and splice in a 'F' fitting at each end. Or, just remove the 'F' fitting and replace it with a some other jack or pigtail off the rotor and the control box.

That would remove the major issue.

 

[sattec]

Kinda defeats the advantage of a single cable doesn't it??

many times, the job dictates we do whats right, what works, contrary to what the manufacture intended........

 

[chrisi]

Ok. So this things been around for more than 6 months now. Has anyone installed one and what do you think about it? I need a rotator to swing to another transmitter but I shouldn't have a problem with the losses.
Thanks.

 

[videobruce]

I purchased one and got it installed last month.

I made a 'adapter' cable for each ead by using a short piece of RG59 and soldered it to the length of rotor cable that was in place. I didn't want to modify the control box or rotor itself by removing those 'F' fittings especially since they are soldered directly to the circuit board. That was the only different part of the installation there was. What I didn't do was to shorten the 'studs' of the rotor itself. They are way too long.

Here are some pics of the rotor. The last is the loss of both the control box & rotor itself which is why I didn't use the 'one cable' approach. The line should of been straight with no 'ripple'. Loss was up to 3 db depending on frequency which is unacceptable (to me).

There is one 'glitch' between the display and the rotor. When you enter a number in (say 270), the display counts up (or down) faster than the rotor actually moves. When the display reaches that number it will blink untill the rotor catches up. There is no loss of 'sync', but it makes finding the 'asweet' spot harder since the number you see isn't the actual position of the antenna. I talked to Eagle Aspen about this and they agreed it was a issue and said they would look into it.