Disecqted

[dardruba]

I have 3 dual output LNB's on one dish. The 3 Inners go into a 4 into1 diseqc box and to the PC upstairs and the 3 Outers to another diseqc box and to my TM1500 box downstairs. Only one is viewed at a time.

Watching Tour de France on the PC on German Eurosport the action got lively so I Shut Down the PC, quickly uncoupled the aerial turned to my old Pace analog box coupled up the aerial and watched the race on an old analog TV in English on Eurosport International.
I now remember I'd felt a minor electric shock when my finger touched the copper but didn't think about it in the heat of the moment.

Afterwards I ripped off the male F connector as I tried to uncouple the aerial, thats now been repaired.
The PC failed to start up, that also involved time in the repair shop.
More importantly I'm getting intermittant losses of channels on the PC and on the TV downstairs. I've just read Shut Down is a temporary state before switching off the power, so it appears I may have damaged one or both diseqc boxes in my rush. Confirmed by an installer who said he sometimes got no signal when he checked the diseqcs output.

Finally my question, I need to update/replace the PCI card and the Receiver for my HD future. Is this system of 2 diseqcs still the best for my setup and if so is there a newer more efficient model I should be buying?

 

[rolfw]

Nope, don't think you can really improve on what you have.

 

[dardruba]

Thanks Rolf
I've just ordered 2 new diseqcs for the installer to fit.

Can you give me a clue what damage I did in uncoupling the aerial while the PC was live at the time. Would it have fused something?

 

[rolfw]

Not really sure, one would have thought that it wouldn't damage the switches, but they can be quite sensitive.

 

[dardruba]

I ordered two replacement new 4into1 diseqc switches model Technomate TM-4S. The online price was cheaper than I expected.

The switches I have received are visually the same as the current ones
BUT are only 3into1. The fourth connector named LNB2 is blanked.

I only have 3 lnb's so it should work, but doesnt. Have I been conned?
Has Technomate de engineered Model TM 4S since my original purchase, apart from blanking one connector?
LNB1 on the switch carries 28.2E and that works intermittantly on the TM1500 and on the SkyStar2. 19E was on LNB2 and 13E was on LNB3, I've tried them on LNB3 and LNB4 and reversed them without success, I've even tried them singly 1 in and 1 out and that didnt work.
I'm too old to be up ladders messing about like this and was only trying to prepare things for the installer before I call him back. (He'd never seen a setup like mine before)
So before I do that is there something I should know or do you have any advice for me.

 

[Robbo]

Hi,

I have only ever seen the 2 way and 4 way Technomate switches, never a 4way with position 2 missing. The only thing I can think of, is fmaybe it is for use with a monoblock. Where did you buy it?

When using positions 3 and 4, did you change the settings in your receiver?

 

[dardruba]

>When using positions 3 and 4, did you change the settings in your receiver?

Nope, I didnt think of it. Should I have tried that?
I felt the receiver settings were the stable part of this setup.

The problem the installer couldnt resolve centred on the lnbs and the diseqs. He'd checked the cable connections on the lnbs and the incoming signal strength, he'd checked the cable connections on the 2 diseqcs and found faults he couldnt resolve on the output of the diseqcs. Then his allocated time ran out and he left me to obtain two new diseqc switches.

 

[Robbo]

>

Nope, I didnt think of it. Should I have tried that?
I felt the receiver settings were the stable part of this setup.

Yes of course.

The receiver tells the Diseqc switch which position it needs to choose for each satellite selected. Since you are not using pos 2, but 3 and 4 instead, this change needs to be reflected in the receiver Disecq1.0 settings for the two affected satellites.

 

[dardruba]

Thats the answer. Thanks Robbo.

In DVB Dream on Sky Star 2 (the diseqc I believe I'd damaged) I'd put LNB1 to Port 1 and 2 to 2 etc.
This time in Port 1 I'd tried each LNB to see which one it needed. It chose the LNB's in a different order to the way they went into the diseqc.

Single strength and quality are lower than before but are stable, that should make it easier for the installer to tweak the dish and the 3LNB's.

 

[dardruba]

I'm still running OK. The second box I bought as a standby also has LNB2 blanked.

BUT I'm still worried. The TM box and waterproof cover both say Model TM-4S Diseqc 4x1 Switch. Theres no marking to say is only 3X1, the supplier doesnt know I only need a 3X1 and what if I'd needed a 4in.
Have I been conned, is it a manufacturers faulty batch being sold off.
It sounds unlikely but could it be a counterfeit.
I've asked TM for a response but no answer yet, has anyone encountered this before.

 

[Lazarus]

Never heard of a 3 way DiSEqC switch! (Whether by design or by manufacturing fault)

Can you Post up a piccie or two?

It isn't something as simple as the "blank" having a little plastic cover over it, is it? My own DiSEqC switches came supplied with covers for added protection of any unused Ports.