Cable OK Satellite no signal

[pictureon]

I was installing Fortec star Satellite system in a pre wired house. The owner had 2 lines going to his house and he said thre was no other TV box inside the house. So I hooked up the satellite and the cable with a diplexer and connected it to the cable going to the house. then inside I installed a splitter. I got the cable working OK but no signal (stringth or quality) at all from the Satellite. Tried to remove the splitter and connected the satellite cable only but did not get any signal. So I took the receiver outside and connected it to stellite cable just before going inside the house and I could get a signal from the cable and the satellite by using the same setting I used inside the house. Finally I ended up getting a different cable from the dish to the receiver through the wall. What could be causing the problem. What could I have done to find out if I would get a signal inside the house or not?
Thank you

[bobkat]

You can't use splitters at all with satellite signals - whether you use diplexers or not. When you bypassed the splitter and still got no satellite signal were you using another diplexer? Diplexers are always used in pairs - one at the "combining" end and the second one at the "separating" end.

kat

[banboo101]

I had same problem. Not sure whether it was caused by the splitter. I figured the cable used by the builder must be a low quality one. Had to reroute 150ft RG6 cable through my attic. That fixed it.

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by banboo101

Had to reroute 150ft RG6 cable through my attic. That fixed it.

Yuck... :shock:

Better you than me... HeHeHe :wink:

kat

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by banboo101

I had same problem. Not sure whether it was caused by the splitter. I figured the cable used by the builder must be a low quality one.

I have found that sometimes the builders get cheap and run one cable throughout the house and split it to the various rooms. This was common practice years ago but today most builders are aware of the requirements for satellite and run individual drops from each cabled room to the basement. Some don't. You can sometimes find the evil splitter tucked behind a wall plate -- other times they are buried in the walls and there's no way to get at them.

One handy way to detect splitters is with a pocket toner. In addition to identifying your cables, the toner will not beep or the red LED will come on if there's a splitter in line; usually. On a couple of installs the toner beeped but turns out there was a splitter... :roll:

The Birdog also detects splitters by simply shutting itself off; but that's a pretty expensive toner... :lol:

kat

[pictureon]

Thanks Bobkat;
The one I used inside the house was 2050 splitter with a port for satellite ad another for antenna. I guess it was a diplexer but it says splitter on it. I do not think that was the problem because I used the same thing outside and it did work. I did not go back to the site after that but I now use my toner to detect any splitter before I even start anything. I learn not to take the customer's word for it anymore. (I had to run the cable under the carpet for that customer for no additional fees.) About the Birdog I would love to get one but most of my installations deal with universal lnbf which is not supported by that meter. I heard that some installers use their notebook for installation but I do not find any receiver card that works with a notebook.

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by pictureon

I learn not to take the customer's word for it anymore

LOL :lol: :lol:

Yeah, it didn't take me long to learn that too...

When the customer isn't sure if there's a splitter the answer is: "No, of course there are no splitters".

When the customer knows darn well there is a splitter the answer is: "Hmmm... there might be one in there somewhere".

kat