DiseqC Switch and Fortec Receivers

[Sadoun]

The Satcruiser receiver is difficult to set with an HH motor. It has a software bug that reverses the commands. If you want the dish to move East, the receiver will send it West. If you understand this and keep it in mind, you can setup your receiver. It is not impossible, but challenging.

I have outlined below a proven procedure that will help you setup yout DiSEqC 1.2 motor with your Satcruiser receiver.

Step 1 (Setting Satellite Limits)
1- Click Menu
2- Installation
3- DiSEqC 1.2 Settings
4- Go to "Change Limits"
5- Click Ok
6- East Limit: Click the LEFT <Volume button (The receiver will show that it is going East, but the dish will actually go West - That is fine)
7- Click "Ok"
8- It will automatically scroll down to West Limits: Click the RIGHT Vol> button (The receiver will show that it is going West, but the dish will actually go East - That is fine)
9- Click OK and store the limits.

Step 2 (Storing Satellite Locations)
1- Go to TP Confoiguration
2- Satellite: Select Telstar 5_KU
3- Select your proper LNBF
4- Go to the Transponder table and select on of the known active frequencies (i.e. 11898)
5- Make sure the Frequency, Pol, and SR are accurate
6- Scroll down to DiSEqC 1.2
7- Click "OK"
8- For DiSEqC 1.2 Pos.: 23 Other 1
9- DiSEqC 1.2 Command: Installer (This moves the dish fast and continiously in one direction)
10- Movement: Stop (Default) Click the LEFT or RIGHT Volume button to move the dish from the 0 position (True South) to the Satellite location. In Ohio, the satellite will be West of True South. In CA, Telstar 5 will be East of True South. So depending on your location you move the dish.
11- Notice the Signal and Quality bars. If you hit a good signal and quality registers, hit the opposite Volume button to stop the dish.
12- Now scroll up to DiSEqC 1.2 Command: and change it to USER
13- Notice that the Movement line will change to: Stop(0)
14- Scroll down to Movement
15- Now with the Volume up/down button you can move the dish 1 degree or more at a time. For example 1 click with the right Vol> button will chage the the movement to Stop(1W). Keep moving the dish like that until you see the highest quality reading
15- Scroll down to Store/Goto
16- Change it to Store
17- Click OK to store the location of this satellite in memory.

Follow the same procedure above for each other satellite you want to store in memory.

Good luck!

[stardust]

When will there be a bug fix?

Can a satcruiser 2040 stering a small dish with diseqc 1.2 and a big dish with an actuator indepently?

[Sadoun]

AMT is aware of it and won't do anything about it. It seems that it was designed for the Southern hemisphere and they didn't bother to fix the software for the Northern hemisphere. However, if you keep that in mind, you should be able to setup the HH motor fine with the Satcruiser line.

As far as running an HH Motor and Regular BUD actuator, you might be able to do that. I haven't tried it, so I can't confirm.

[pictureon]

I have 2 dish and 2 receiver installation. A dish is pointed to T5 and the other to G10R. I'm using a diseqC switch. I have no problem switching between the 2 dishes on one receiver but the other one is stucked on T5. Tried to change switch, switch receivers and lnb's but nothing worked. The only way I could get a signal on G10R on that receiver is to go to antenna setup, turn the lnb off then back on. The receiver that works fine is about 30 feet away from the dish and the one that it's not switching is about 60 feet away. I was told that diseqC does not work when the cable is too long. But I was wondering if 60 feet cable is too long? Thank you

[Sadoun]

Try swapping the receivers (move the one at 30 ft to the other room, and bring the trouble maker receiver to the 30ft room). See if that would prduce the same results.

60 ft is not too long of a distance for the DiSEqC switch. I have used them at 100+ ft and still fine. BTW, make sure you have excellent F-connectors on all ends.

Since you have to turn LNB power OFF/ON to get the switch to work, it seems like a problem with the f/w. Try updaing it.

[pictureon]

Originally Posted by Sadoun

Since you have to turn LNB power OFF/ON to get the switch to work, it seems like a problem with the f/w. Try updaing it.

.

Both receivers will not switch in the 60 ft distance room.

How would connectors effect the switch more than signal quality? I mean if you have good signal, would that mean that you have good enough connectors to operat a switch? Could you please explain?

What's f/w?

Thank you

[HungryBear]

Several opinions:
1. The connections are important because the signal is 900-2000 MHz and the control signal is made of tone bursts of 22 KHx. "poor" connections will show up at the lower frequencies.

2. The DISEqC spec. design distance is 50 meters. ~ 150+ feet. teerefore 60 feet is short.

I will relate my exreriences:
a. I have an "antenna farm" with 1 X 4 's located on a pannel at the "farm". The closest receiver is at 67 meters and the max is at approx. 83 meters. NOTE all distances exceed design distance. At the shortest run 3 of the 4 positions work well almost all the time and 1 is less reliable.
b. At the longer distance I use one receiver and re-route the last 12 to 50 feet with varied results not related to cable length but I suspect due to power wireing and/or noise as the greater distance switches and selects better than the closer. I have not located the exact cause.


I suggest you try an experiment and extend the 60 cable back to the 30 receiver location(making it 90 feet +/- total) and do a side by side test. I suspect your problem is similar to my experiences.

ALSO. I have observed that at the longer distances receivers may interact with each other where the closest/only points of intersection is at dual output LNBF's. This is another phenomenon I will not explore here.

[ashnu05]

f/w is firm ware