Indentify this receiver...

[pmb1010]

Someone lent me a C band receiver.

It is a "Legend" (TM) Digital Audio Satellite Reciever Descrambler.
It has VCRS Digital Audio, Ku Band, VideoPAL indictors.
Channel up/down. Says VideoCipher RS descramber capable.

On the back it has 3 wire inputs for Polarity servo.
UHF remote controll antenna.
TV antenna, and TV Set F connectors.

VCII acc RCA plug- Data and IPPV

Left/Right Audio & Video putput (RCA jacks).

Base Band (RCA jack)

Ext. Input Left Right Video (RCA jacks)

HOR/Cband (F connector)

VERT/KUband (F connector)

It says:
down converter IF input 950-1450Mhz
LNB Power 21.2V dc at .6A

There is a white thing (I suspect videcipher unit) with a card slot (empty).

OK - so:

1. Is this an analog or digital receiver? (digital audio doesnt necessary mean digital reception???)

2. Can I hook this to my BSC621 C/Ku LNB?

3. Is it possible to save this thing off the IF of my Ultra?

I could (and might if it would help) take a digital pic of the front back.

Thanks!

[wejones]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

Someone lent me a C band receiver.

It is a "Legend" (TM) Digital Audio Satellite Reciever Descrambler.
It has VCRS Digital Audio, Ku Band, VideoPAL indictors.
Channel up/down. Says VideoCipher RS descramber capable.

On the back it has 3 wire inputs for Polarity servo.
UHF remote controll antenna.
TV antenna, and TV Set F connectors.

VCII acc RCA plug- Data and IPPV

Left/Right Audio & Video putput (RCA jacks).

Base Band (RCA jack)

Ext. Input Left Right Video (RCA jacks)

HOR/Cband (F connector)

VERT/KUband (F connector)

It says:
down converter IF input 950-1450Mhz
LNB Power 21.2V dc at .6A

There is a white thing (I suspect videcipher unit) with a card slot (empty).

OK - so:

1. Is this an analog or digital receiver? (digital audio doesnt necessary mean digital reception???)

2. Can I hook this to my BSC621 C/Ku LNB?

3. Is it possible to save this thing off the IF of my Ultra?

I could (and might if it would help) take a digital pic of the front back.

Thanks!

(1) It's Analog. The VCII stuff does digital audio, but the video is analog. Actually, the video isn't even scrambled, it's just reversed.
(2) I'm not familiar with that LNB, but is it an LNB or an LNBF?? If it's an LNBF, then some analog receivers can switch polarity on them, and some can't. Most are intended to switch polarity using the 3 wire polarity servo you mentioned, but I think some can switch 13/18. I know one of my receivers could anyway, although it was rather inconvenient to do so. EDIT #2: I just checked the Drake 1824 I'm using now, and it does 13/18 LNBF switching. I think my old HT/Echostar did also. My Uniden is the one that does it, but inconveniently.

(3) Yeah, it it's an LNBF you have, that's probably the way to go. If it's a feedhorn with LNBs and a servomotor, then use this to control polarity.

Re the VCII unit, the card slot should be empty. I think the only cards ever made for it were for demo purposes. Is the VCII unit a VCII, a VCII+ or a VCRS ? IF VCII, I don't think they work anymore. Although you probably aren't considering subscribing it... or maybe you are. Also, many of the old units are brain dead due to dead batteries. EDIT: OOPs, now I see you said VCRS. THat's the most recent, more likely to still be good. THe RS means renewable security, which meant if it was ever cracked they would issue a card, but no cards were ever issued. I'm still using one of the first VCRS units and it's still running. THey sent me it in trade for one of my old VCII units.


But the thing that makes it a worthwhile unit to me, is the BASEBAND OUTPUT, for reasons I mentioned in another thread.

[grndcomm]

pmb1010, not sure if this will help, but the Legend receiver was a model made by Houston Tracker. I had a Houston Tracker V, later upgraded to a Houston Tracker VIII. As a C-band dealer, I had a few customers with the Legend. Nice that is has C and Ku connectors as some of the early C-band systems only had one input and an external switch was required.

Ken
Grndcomm

[pmb1010]

but is it an LNB or an LNBF??
(3) Yeah, it it's an LNBF you have, that's probably the way to go.

==============

Lnbf:
http://www.dmsiusa.com/bsc621-2.htm

Ok thanks for the reply.
I will attempt to connect the C band input port on this Legend receiver to the Loop IF port on my ultra and see what happens.
Will report results later/tomorrow.

Thanks for the tip on Houston Tracker 5. I found some online instructions.
The guy did not give me the remote for it, and it appears that it will be an issue to try to use this thing without it...
Arghh..

[wejones]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

but is it an LNB or an LNBF??
(3) Yeah, it it's an LNBF you have, that's probably the way to go.

==============

Lnbf:
http://www.dmsiusa.com/bsc621-2.htm

Ok thanks for the reply.
I will attempt to connect the C band input port on this Legend receiver to the Loop IF port on my ultra and see what happens.
Will report results later/tomorrow.

Thanks for the tip on Houston Tracker 5. I found some online instructions.
The guy did not give me the remote for it, and it appears that it will be an issue to try to use this thing without it...
Arghh..

I have 3 broken Echostar/Houston Tracker receivers (I think they are Echostar 7000/Houston Tracker 8). I was going to say that I may have an extra remote. However I just looked at the manual for my RS 2116 universal remote control, and it says that it does the Legend sat receiver.

[pmb1010]

No luck.

Put a RG-6 cable out of the IF port on the Ultra, put it on either Ku or C band input on this Legend box.
Turned it on, it seems to be stuck on Ku, cycle thru 32 channels and nothing but static. I can go between "K1" and "K2" and it does the same.
If I hit up or down button on the unit, it says "no more sats east" or "no more sats west".
Cant seem to get it off of Ku. Says it finds lots of signal.
I put the Ultra on Ku, then C and shut it off.
No difference.

Oh well.

I do have a Harmony 880 programmable remote. I cant seem to find Houston Tracker on the Satellite selection menu. Legend is there, but seems to be the current line of FTA boxes they sell.

Not sure how it would know what button is for each feature anyway. Example: If there were a "Ku to C input selection" button.... how would aftermarket remote know what button this should be?

I'll see if my friend can locate the remote in the meantime. he said he should have 2 of these boxes, but only could find one - and didn't see the remote for either.

[wejones]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

No luck.

Put a RG-6 cable out of the IF port on the Ultra, put it on either Ku or C band input on this Legend box.
Turned it on, it seems to be stuck on Ku, cycle thru 32 channels and nothing but static. I can go between "K1" and "K2" and it does the same.
If I hit up or down button on the unit, it says "no more sats east" or "no more sats west".
Cant seem to get it off of Ku. Says it finds lots of signal.
I put the Ultra on Ku, then C and shut it off.
No difference.

Oh well.

I do have a Harmony 880 programmable remote. I cant seem to find Houston Tracker on the Satellite selection menu. Legend is there, but seems to be the current line of FTA boxes they sell.

Not sure how it would know what button is for each feature anyway. Example: If there were a "Ku to C input selection" button.... how would aftermarket remote know what button this should be?

I'll see if my friend can locate the remote in the meantime. he said he should have 2 of these boxes, but only could find one - and didn't see the remote for either.

You did use a DC block on you coax didn't you? If you didn't, it may have confused things. I'm not sure how your lnbf switches from C to Ku, perhaps 32KHz? Wouldn't think the DC from the analog would mess that up, but you never know.

Re the remote. I'll look to see if I can find a JP1 listing for it. I guess the "Legend" that was on the RS remote may be a different Legend too, I didn't know there was a more recent one. However the Radio Shack does have Houston Tracker listed, and you may too, because it's listed under HTS, not the full name.

However, I just thought of another complication. The line from your Ultra will just send C and Ku down the same coax, while the analog receiver will expect Ku in on port and C in the other. The only reason this is important, is that first the C channels are in reversed order, and secondly, the spacing between Ku channels is different. I was going to say that I remembered something else, like reversed video or something. I can't remember, but there is something else different about Ku vs C. These aren't problems, but it would make it more convenient to go into separate ports. And if that really is a HTS receiver, you'll probably have to set up the ports to be C and Ku, because there is the option for the ports to be H/V instead.
There isn't much analog on Ku anymore, but if you find any, the channel spacing will generally be wrong. Ie the channels will be off freq. This was true for all Ku analog receivers. You'll have to shift the freq one way or the other to tun in ku channels. Again you need the remote for this, but there was a little save button or something that would save the channel freq. However you'll probably be stuck on one satellite unless you rig up some fake actuator pulse to make it think you're moving from sat to sat, so there will be a limit to how many you can save, but I don't think you'll find enough KU analog for this to matter. About the only thing I've seen recently is occasional sports feeds or news feeds.

[pmb1010]

No DC block. Don't know what it is, or that I needed one.

The LNBF switches via Diseqc. Set the Ultra for #1 for Cband, #2 for Ku.

As far as the remote goes, there is a small UHF antenna on this receiver. If it isn't dual control (ie: UHF and IR) I dont think the RS remote or my programmable remote will do UHF.

THe receiver does have 2 input F connectors. I was interested only in analog C band reception. I was hoping that by setting the Ultra to C band, having it set the position via USALS, and set the LNBF via Diseqc, the data on the IF loop port could be seen by this Legend receiver - the "slave" option mentioned in these posts.

[wejones]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

No DC block. Don't know what it is, or that I needed one.

The LNBF switches via Diseqc. Set the Ultra for #1 for Cband, #2 for Ku.

As far as the remote goes, there is a small UHF antenna on this receiver. If it isn't dual control (ie: UHF and IR) I dont think the RS remote or my programmable remote will do UHF.

THe receiver does have 2 input F connectors. I was interested only in analog C band reception. I was hoping that by setting the Ultra to C band, having it set the position via USALS, and set the LNBF via Diseqc, the data on the IF loop port could be seen by this Legend receiver - the "slave" option mentioned in these posts.

Re the DC block, you should always use one when slaving, because you have two receivers both trying to put out LNB voltage, and there is a chance that they could interact with each other. RS sells the DC blocks, just little 1" long things with male F on one end female F on the other. They don't attenuate the signal to any noticeable degree.

Re UHFvs IR, I'll see if I can find one of my old remotes. I don't know if they did IR or not. I know they were UHF, but I thought they did IR too, but I'm not sure.

[rainman]

the undien 4600 did both uhf and Ir.it also has the uhf antenna you spoke of.most of the older receivers did both.

[elgemcdlf]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

Someone lent me a C band receiver. ...

2. Can I hook this to my BSC621 C/Ku LNB?

I do not know about your receiver but do know that lnbf is not compatable with my DSR922 and since that lnbf is new on the market and the 922 is the most current consumer receiver I would guess your receiver will not work with this lnbf. Has to do with the LO freqs of the lnbf not controlling the unit.

[wejones]

I just found one of my two remotes for my old Echostar SRD7000, which is identical to a Houston Tracker 8. I put new batteries into the remote, and tried it out, aiming it at my RS pyramid, because the pyramid flashes a light whenever it sees an IR remote transmitting.
Unfortunately it didn't see anything, so I'd have to say that the Echo/HT remotes from this era, (which I think is slightly prior to the Legend), did NOT transmit both. Ie they seem to be UHF only.
However, the Ledgend MAY be different. Because my SRD7000 (and the 2 broken HT8s) didn't have a separate UHF module, the UHF was built into these receivers. I have an old Monty 55, which DOES have a separate UHF module, and it DOES have both UHF and IR. So there is still a chance. If nothing else works, I might be convinced to part with my SRD7000 remote, since I can't even find the receivers in my junk pile, so I MIGHT have thrown them away for some reason.
But I still think your best bet is to try the HTS device in a RS universal remote.

[pmb1010]

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

I do not know about your receiver but do know that lnbf is not compatable with my DSR922 and since that lnbf is new on the market and the 922 is the most current consumer receiver I would guess your receiver will not work with this lnbf. Has to do with the LO freqs of the lnbf not controlling the unit.

Yes, I did see that someplace else, now that you mention it.
Something about "Standard" / "universal" being off by 150mhz.

But isn't that only Ku band?
Doesn't Cband use 5150 for it's LO?
I'm interested in only C band analog at this time.

[elgemcdlf]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

Yes, I did see that someplace else, now that you mention it.
Something about "Standard" / "universal" being off by 150mhz.

But isn't that only Ku band?
Doesn't Cband use 5150 for it's LO?
I'm interested in only C band analog at this time.

Not sure. I am tieing mine to a DVB receiver for circular C Band. I have the info at home on what I need to enter into the receiver for it. I did not pay much attention to all the particulars as to why it will not work with my 922 as I am not using it with the 922.

[pmb1010]

Went thru all the gyrations of trying to get the Harmony 880 to see if the Legend box could be controlled by IR from it.

No go...

I did find HTS on the harmony menus, picked either 5 or V and