Can universal and regular LNB be mixed on a DiSEqC switch?

[blueman]

Hi,
Can I have one universal and one regular LNB connected to a DiSEqC switch that is conncected to one reciever? Or, the same type (either universal or regular) of LNBs has to be use on one DiSEqC switch? Thanks!

[Iceberg]

if it is a Diseqc switch in between, sure you can. Lots of people (me being one) have a Universal KU band LNB and a DBS (for NASA and the audio on 119) connected with a Diseqc switch

just make sure the LNB LO is correct (10750 for standard, 11250 for DBS, 10600 with 22k turned on for UNiverdsal or set it to Universal)

[blueman]

Iceberg, thanks!

[blueman]

I have bought two DiSEqC from Internet so far, and I can get only the 1st (out of 4) port on either of them to work. (I am connceting 1 universal and 1 regular KU-band LNBs, both on fixed dishes, through 1 DiSEqC to 1 receiver.) Since Iceberg said universal and regular LNBs can coexist on one DiSEqC, I think both of my DiSEqCs are bad. (What a bad luck!) Therefore, I would like to buy another DiSEqC from a local shop so that I can get a replacement if it is still bad.

So, does anyone know any loca shop in St. Paul, Minnesota area sells DiSEqC? Thanks!

[elgemcdlf]

I have a standard and 2 UNI lnbf/lnb's running through a DiSEqC

[rainman]

Originally Posted by blueman

So, does anyone know any loca shop in St. Paul, Minnesota area sells DiSEqC? Thanks!

don't no about minnesota but here in kentucky area know body knowed what i was talking about so i gave up and ordered one from Sadoun's.

[pictureon]

Are you making sure you set the right diseqC setting on the receiver?

[blueman]

Yes, I am quiet sure now about my receiver settings after many helps from this forum.

Do people get good DiSEqC from Sadoun right out of the box, or it is also hit-or-miss by luck?

[Iceberg]

make sure you power off the reicever with the switch on the back before adding the switch

and I havent found anybody locally here in the Twin Cities for Diseqc. I just order a few spares when I order mine

[blueman]

Iceberg,
Thanks! I do switch the receiver off before I connect/disconnect the DiSEqC. By the way, where do you buy your DiSEqCs? What is the percentage of good ones among what you bought?

[be236]

Just curious, but I've heard a few stories about DiSeqC switches going "bad." How is this possible? Arent these devices simply hardware. It looks like a regular cable splitter to me... Is there any electronics inside them?

(I would have to guess "yes," if that is how they are blown up when you hook 'em up before turning off power?)

[elgemcdlf]

Yes there is electronics. They are a switch that is controlled by tone sent down the line.

[blueman]

I saw besides to 4-way DiSEqC switch there is also a 2-way 22KHz Multi-Switch on Sadoun web site. They both claimed to be able to connect multiple dishes (LNBF) to a single receiver. But, I am not sure when to use what.

Can I use the 2-way 22KHz switch instead of 4-way DiSEqC in my case (two fixed dishes, one universal and one regular single Ku-band LNB, to one receiver) since I have only two dishes to conncet anyway? Thanks!

[elgemcdlf]

No. The UNI lnbf is driven by 22Khz so it would only cause confusion with the switch and lnbf.

[blueman]

Thanks! I will stay with DiSEqC then.

[wejones]

Originally Posted by blueman

....
Do people get good DiSEqC from Sadoun right out of the box, or it is also hit-or-miss by luck?

I bought 2 switches from Sadoun, first, a 2 port mini diseqC tone burst (which I've finally found specs for... apparently the tone burst thing is a simplified diseqC command used mainly on 2 port switches). After a year or so of use, I bought a 4 port regular diseqC switch. The 4 port switch was dead on on port out of the box, and eventually died on the other ports (however it came back to life on all ports a few weeks ago, but then died again).

Well this convinced me that I wanted to try to find another of those 2 port mini switches, but Sadoun doesn't sell them anymore. I looked around and found a couple places that sold 2 port switches. One dealer that has been around for decades sold 2 port switches for $30 and 4 port switches for $40, and these seemed to be the same switches as those sold in the $5 range by other dealers, at least they "look" the same. But I really wonder if there is a difference between these "similar" switches???

BTW, while buying a new 2-port switch (not at Sadoun), since they were so cheap (yeah, I went for the $5 ones) that I bought a couple 4 port switches too. Well one of the 3 switches came dead out of the box. The 2nd worked, but seemed to have a higher than normal insertion loss. I haven't tried the third one yet.

SO..... what could have been the simple answer....sorry..... YES, it seems to be hit and miss with these diseqC switches right out of the box, regardless of dealer, since 3 out of 5 switches I've bought have been defective in some way. However, the darn things are so cheap, that I think the answer might just be to buy 2 or 3 of the things, and you'll probably find one that works. My guess is that it is just a situation of lack of testing of the devices.

[Iceberg]

I've purchased many switches. Some from Sadoun and some from other dealers. The ones I like right now are 4x1 switches that have all the ports on one side (instead of 2 on one side and 3 on the other). Makes installs nice and dont need to run cables at angles to get to the top side of the switch

[wejones]

I'm still confused by the great difference in price. Ie one of the switches I recently bought for around $5 is the exact brand/model sold for about $40 at another vendor. Have these things gotten cheaper and some vendors are behind the times, or are there clones, or are some vendors just making HUGE profit margins?