sat tv question

[EvilScooby]

I have Direct TV and our dish only lets us use 2 recievers, I was told you can buy a special splitter that would allow me to add another reciever or 2.

Is this true? if so how do I get one of these, what are they called and how much do they run?


Thanks

 

[EvilScooby]

anyone?

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Think they are called a multiplexer, not positive though.

 

[fredtam]

Not really hardware.

Any cable splitter will work. After the cable comes out of the combiner (assuming there are two cables coming from the transponder) that combines different signals into one simply put in a splitter from your local Radio Shack and run the lines to different recievers.

 

[panhead49]

i have tryed radio shack splitters and they dont work......they degrade the signal somehow......one time i split one and only had 1/3 of the channels....??....there must be a "special" splitter .....call direct tv and ask....they would know.....

 

[fredtam]

Here.. They have sattelite specific splitter but as long as the frequency range is the same it doesn't matter. Most quality splitters are capable of splitting sattelite signals.

 

[ScottMac]

First (and this is a biggie) DON'T use "splitters" between the dish and the receivers.

The device you are looking for is a Multiswitch. You connect both of the LNB coax to the multiswitch, then you can feed four or eight receivers from the multiswitch.

You can use splitters from the back of the receiver to multiple TVs or audio receivers/amps. They would be the same splitters you'd use for Cable TV.

There are two polorizations for the signal: Right-Hand and Left-Hand Circular Polorization (RHCP, LHCP). The receive polarity is set at the LNB (the amp on the end of the feedhorn) by the receiver. The receiver sets RHCP or LHCP by expressing either +13VDC or +18VDC on the coax feeding the LNB. A Dual LNB has two separate and complete amps under the cup. If you're using two receivers, each has its own LNB to drive.

If you put a splitter in the coax and feed on LNB with two different voltages, the higher voltage wins, every time, and you only get ODD channels. A Multiswitch sets one LNB to RHCP, the other LNB to LHCP, then connects the receiver to the LNB that has the desired polorization.

If you're using a multi-sat dish (the Eliptical or "oval" dish), then additional LNBs are added, each aimed at different sats, the receiver must be multi-sat capable, and if you're using a multiswitch, then the multiswitch must also be multi-sat capable. In addition to the +13 and +18, the multi-sat receiver also has +13 (with 22Khz "tone"), and +18 (with 22Khz "tone"). The Multi-sat multiswitch recognizes the presence of the "tone" and switches to the LNBs attached to the "B" connections (the "A" connections are the primary satellite (constellation) at 101WL). So voltage (no tone) is the primary sats at 101 WL, the voltage (with tone) are the secondary sat at 119WL. The satellite at 110WL mixes its signals into the LNB on the 119 LNB (by way of a special diplexor ... part of the "SAT C Kit").

A single-sat multiswitch will be labeled as a "2X4" (two inputs, four outputs) or "3X4" three inputs (one for a TV antenna or Cable TV input) with four outputs to four receivers.

Multi-sat multiswitches are labeled "4X4" (four inputs - 2 for the "A" sats, two for the "B" sats) with four outputs for receivers or "5X4" five inputs (2A+2B+TV Antenna or Cable TV).

Both also have eight output varieties (2 or 3 X 8 and 4 or 5 X 8).

If you use the 3 or 5 input multiswitches, and you connect a TV antenna or Cable TV cable, then you use a "Diplexor" at the receiver/TV end to break out the satellite signals from the broadcast /cable TV signals and feed them to different inputs on the TV.

Bottom line (again): Splitters (even ones with little satelllite pictures on 'em) are NOT made for use between the receiver and the dish (can you Say "marketing to the stupid masses?"). They're still just plain old splitters marketed well to people that don't know any better.

For the few that understand - There are flavors of "splitters" that can be used between the dish and receiver - they are "power dividers" or "voltage steered" splitters (diodes are in place to block voltage from one receiver). Yer average "Joe TV watchin'" kinda person shouldn't mess with this stuff. If you don't install them properly, you'll smoke the receiver. They are not commonly available. You won't find 'em in "normal" consumer places.

FWIW

Scott