what kind of LNB setup do I have?

1749 Views 14 Replies 7 Participants Last post by john348, Sep 1, 2002

mojo_jojo

Discussion Starter · Aug 25, 2002

About two years ago, I purchased a 4722 with Dish500, and a 7100 as a second receiver. At that time, I could have sworn that my Dish500 receiver had a dual LNB on it. The Dish500 drove two SW21s and all was simple.

About six months ago when Dish added additional locals for the San Francisco Bay Area on 148, I called them up and had a professional installer add on a 148 dish for me. Since I didn't do it myself, I'm not sure exactly what he might have changed. I thought he just added the other dish and cascaded the SW21s so that both receivers could get all three sats.

However, I was looking at my dish (from the ground), and it looks like my LNB might have changed from the one I installed. Is it possible that the installer changed my dual LNB to a twin? Would a twin even work with a 4922(software upgrade) and a 7100?

The reason I am asking this is that I am going to install another receiver (721). That will give me a total of four tuners plugged into 3 sats. I want all tuners to receive all sats. Unfortunately, if I've been switched from a dual to a twin, I'm not sure I can just plug everything into a SW64 anymore?

I've got plenty more questions, but I'd rather just start off with the simple question--from 30 feet away, how can I tell whether I have a twin or a dual? If a twin would not work with a 7100, then I must still have a dual (and my memory of what it looked like is just faulty...)?

Check switch on the 4922 shows SW21 3-SAT configuration.

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Oh, hell, here are the other questions as well....

Question 2: If, indeed, I have a dual LNB on the 500 and a single legacy LNB on the other dish, I assume I should just rip out all the SW21s, plug all of the dishes into a single SW64, and all of the tuners into the output of the SW64, correct? Anything more complicated than that?

Question 3: Do I get any advantage in changing out the LNBs for DishPro LNBs and a SW34 setup? It looks like the only difference between legacy and Pro setups occurs between the switch and the LNBs themselves (and, of course, the software on the receiver). Remember, I've got a 4900 and a 7100, and now that my 7100 has stopped crashing constantly (yea!!!!) I am not all that interested in throwing it out the window.

In my 3 sat/4 tuner configuration, it seems like a 34 and a 64 are functionally equivalent??

Question 4: If the installer "upgraded" part or all of my setup to dishpro behind my back, am I screwed now?

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1 - 15 of 15 Posts

scooper

· #2 · Aug 25, 2002

Have you checked what type of switches your "point dish menu" says ? If you still have SW21's to get 119, 110 and 148, I'd almost certainly bet that you now have a TWIN. Yes the TWIN should work on both if you're "Check Switch" has 34 tests.

#2 - If you have a TWIN, then you're screwed right now for going beyond 2 receivers - you'll probably find it cheapest to buy 2 Dual LNB's (and a Dual LNB on the 148 dish), and get the SW64.

#3- Supposedly, you COULD switch to the DishPro equipment, but seriously, you'r going to need the following - DishPro Twin for 119/110, DishPro Single for 148, DishPro DP34, then 1 Legacy adapter for the 4900 and one for the DishPlayer (if it will work there ?). The Legacy adators alone are going to cost you $70 each.

mojo_jojo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 26, 2002

Both receivers claim "SW21 3-Sat" configuration on the dish pointing screen (and both have at least 34 tests).

If indeed, I am stuck with a twin, and that I'm willing to purchase a 721 at full price, I wonder if there is a way that I can get Dish to pay for side-grading my antenna setup to support the new receiver I am purchasing? I want the 721, but having to buy 3 new LNBs plus a SW64 would drive me to simply cancel my subscription and restart as a new subscriber (I'm past my 1 year window) and order a 721 + 2 301s and make them install the whole mess for free.

I'm obviously a little confused and unhappy to hear that the installer might have replaced a perfectly working dual LNB with a twin just so he didn't have to install two more SW21s when they installed the 148 dish... seems a little counter-productive here.

So I take it that there's no way for me to tell the difference between a dual and a twin just by looking at it from 30 feet away? How about close-up?

mojo_jojo

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 26, 2002

By the way... scooper, thank's for the info. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I just didn't like the news you bore to me.

ElJefe

· #5 · Aug 26, 2002

From far away it is possible to tell the difference between a Twin and 2 Dual LNBs. A Twin (or a quad) looks like one big block at the end of the LNB arm. 2 Dual LNBs look like 2 small blocks, with a definite space in the middle.

The installer who came and put in the 148 dish likely had to change out your 2 dual LNBS for a Twin, since SW-21 switches can't be cascaded. The installer could have also given you a SW-64, but you would have needed to have more than two receivers at the time the extra dish was being installed. They don't like to give away SW-64s.

scooper

· #6 · Aug 26, 2002

I think you would only have to buy 2 Dual LNB's and a SW64 (Dish Depot could set you up for a total of $250 ($150 (Sw64) + 2x $50 (Dual LNB)).

You can only be a "New subscriber" once...

G

· #7 · Aug 26, 2002

You have a Twin on your dish 500 and you probably have one of your original dual LNBs on your 148. Your original SW-21s are being used to combine the second dish with the dish 500. If you buy a complete PVR 721 system you will get two DISH PRO single LNBFs for $50.00 over the cost of receiver only. Another single DP LNBF and a DP34 switch will give you 4 outputs from the three satellite locations. Yes you will need 2 legacy adapters for the older receivers, or for a few dollars mor you could upgrade the receivers then sell the old receivers and twin and dish 500 you would have.

DmitriA

· #8 · Aug 26, 2002

What exactly are the advantages of a Dish Pro system? Only that it is extendable to 12 receivers? What if I know for a fact that I won't have more than 4 - is there any benefit in that case? All I can see is a downside - forking over additional money for the legacy adapters

G

· #9 · Aug 27, 2002

The biggest advantage of Dish Pro is that is what DISH is going to be shipping with future receivers. Hopefully what it will do in the future is drop the cost of multiple receiver/multiple satellite installations.

DmitriA

· #10 · Aug 29, 2002

Any ideas/rumors/wild speculation on what that 'something' might be?

J. Allen Head

· #11 · Aug 29, 2002

Originally posted by DmitriA
What exactly are the advantages of a Dish Pro system? Only that it is extendable to 12 receivers? What if I know for a fact that I won't have more than 4 - is there any benefit in that case? All I can see is a downside - forking over additional money for the legacy adapters

That depends DmitriA: are any of those four receivers going to be dual tuners? If they are you will need more than four outputs from your switch and even dual SW-64's only supplies 8 outputs,which is probably enough for most folks, unless they have a side slot and want to add another slot (example: 101) DP-44 switch (this one only applies if merger happens)

4 receivers - 2 with dual tuners = 6 outputs from switch(es)

You are correct however about the best advantage in the DishPro line is that it's cascadable and you only need to feed one coax for each satellite position (LNB) into the house
3 coax into house for 101,110,119 or use 61.5,148 in place of one of the main slots - DP 34 switch
4 coax into house for 101,110,119 & 61.5 or 148 - DP 44 switch (not yet released)

DmitriA

· #12 · Aug 29, 2002

Yeah, I meant 4 outputs essentially when I said 4 receivers. I basically only need 3 outputs right now and I know that if ever add any receivers, it's definitely not going to be more than one. So I'm trying to decide whether to go for DishPro or regular and other than the ability to cascade and increased cable length, I don't see any other advantages of DishPro.

G

· #13 · Aug 31, 2002

Originally posted by mojo_jojo
...having to buy 3 new LNBs plus a SW64 would drive me to simply cancel my subscription and restart as a new subscriber (I'm past my 1 year window) and order a 721 + 2 301s and make them install the whole mess for free...

Do you really think DISH would stand still for this? You would have to have a different name and credit card at this same address to make this happen, and even then you are violating the intent of the "new sub" offers. Anyone doing this is simply driving costs up for the loyal regular subs, so please don't even consider this. DISH partially underwrites the cost of its equipment even at "full" prices, and most of us are willing to pay the freight and accept the basic costs of doing business with them.

HTguy

· #14 · Aug 31, 2002

To simplify:

You have a TWIN on your Dish500 and a dual LNBF on your "Dish300" cascaded with SW21 switches to feed 2 rcvrs.

If you want to add a PVR721, or even another single tuner rcvr or 2 and you need all channels on all receivers you wil swap the TWIN & the SW21s for 2 more duals & a SW64. The retailer that provides you with the PVR721 or whatever will work something out with you on the swap if you "trade in" what you have.

But it may not be critical for you to have the locals from 148 on each rcvr (or input). Then all you need to do is trade the TWIN for a QUAD.

john348

· #15 · Sep 1, 2002

i know you can cascade a quad with the two outside ports no problem,, the neat part,, i have not personally done this but i have been told you can, you can cascade all four ports on an legacy quad. you could then get all three receivers to work three
slots and not have a problem with the switch matrix on the 721..

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