Help Required SAT1/SAT2 Not working

[Kainth]

Hi Guys,

I'm in need of some technical help! I have recently just set up a domestic system in my house where I have a single Sky+ dish with a Quattro LNB and an Aerial which feeds into a 5x16 Multiswitcher. The Multiswitcher then distributes 2 cables for Sky+ and TV to the required rooms and is terminated by a quadroplex faceplate. All the rooms TV, Sat1 and Sat2 seem to work fine apart from the main living room. The TV has picked up Freeview digital channels but the Sat1 and Sat2 ports don't seem to work.

Could you please help?

 

[Steve Steve]

If you have any spare outputs on your muiliswitch ...you could try swapping over the cables that don"t work ...to prove the cable connections are ok....and if you get a signal in your living room after that ....you have a faulty multiswitch......

 

[Kainth]

Thanks for your reply Steve, I will try that but the TV Aerial signal is fine, it's only when I plug from my Sky+ reciever into Sat1 and Sat2 it doesn't pick up a signal. Any reason why?

 

[workshoppete]

I would double check your connections in the wall plate - they may have shorted when you put on the wallplate, as the cables do have to bend a bit depending on how much depth you have got in the backbox

 

[Kainth]

I would double check your connections in the wall plate - they may have shorted when you put on the wallplate, as the cables do have to bend a bit depending on how much depth you have got in the backbox

Thanks for your suggestion... I have replaced the wall plate and I seem to be having the same issue. What I can't understand is coax 1 allows Sat1/TV/Radio and coax 2 allows Sat2 but neither Sat1 and Sat2 seem to work but TV works just fine.

 

[smoggy07]

Have you tried a different receiver? Or tried the receiver from the living room in another room?

You could also try removing the other receivers so the only one connected to the switch is the one in the living room.

Does the multiswitch have gain pots for each coax drop (small flat head screws near the F sockets, one for each coax run) or are the outputs marked with a different gain figure? Some will give more power on one or two outputs for longer cable runs

 

[Kainth]

Have you tried a different receiver? Or tried the receiver from the living room in another room?

You could also try removing the other receivers so the only one connected to the switch is the one in the living room.

Does the multiswitch have gain pots for each coax drop (small flat head screws near the F sockets, one for each coax run) or are the outputs marked with a different gain figure? Some will give more power on one or two outputs for longer cable runs

Hi thanks for your reply. I have tried the same receiver in multiple rooms and it seems to work fine, but the romms I have used them in are slightly smaller lengths of coax. However, saying that one of the longest coax lengths is actually working perfectly.

There are gains on the Triax Multiswitch but they seem to only control the LNB and Arial inputs.

 

[hairybadger]

how about cutting the faceplate out of the equation? Put an F-connector directly on the end of the cable and connect that to the receiver. If it's too short, use an M-M F-connector to attach via a fly lead.

 

[Kainth]

how about cutting the faceplate out of the equation? Put an F-connector directly on the end of the cable and connect that to the receiver. If it's too short, use an M-M F-connector to attach via a fly lead.

Thanks for your reply, I have tried this and again it doesn't pick up the Satellite signal as well as still not working after changing the faceplate I can't seem to understand why there is not satellite signal only whilst still having a strong TV one.

 

[hairybadger]

Thanks for your reply, I have tried this and again it doesn't pick up the Satellite signal as well as still not working after changing the faceplate I can't seem to understand why there is not satellite signal only whilst still having a strong TV one.

Clutching at straws, but you're sure it's a quattro and not a quad?
Also, how about removing the multiswitch from the equation and wiring the cable going to the receiver directly to and LNB output?

 

[Kainth]

Clutching at straws, but you're sure it's a quattro and not a quad?
Also, how about removing the multiswitch from the equation and wiring the cable going to the receiver directly to and LNB output?

Yes it is definitely a Quattro LNB because every other Satellite connection works. Truely baffled and it seems to confuse the best of engineers, could you recommend any professional solutions or fault finding recommendations as well as any potential alternatives? Thanks

 

[smoggy07]

At the switch, remove the TV antenna input and try the Sky receiver, I can't see it making a difference but it would rule out interference from DTV
While I'm on about interference, is there a DECT cordless house phone in the living room with the base station close to the TV?
I'm stumped, could it be the coax? Any chance the cable could have been nicked or had a nail go through it? A nail through the cable might be enough to kill off the satellite but let the stronger Freeview signals through?

 

[rolfw]

Have you tried different patch leads on the non-working box?

 

[A nonymous]

Connect a multi meter to the end of the cable, one on the inner core and another on the outer sheath. Check to see if there is a short between the inner and outer core. If its only one strand that is touching it will attenuate the TV signal, but if its strong clean signal to start with it will sometimes still work, on the sat side it will just put a dead short into the sat box tuner which will result in a no signal being displayed.

You also haven't stated how long the run is between the switch and the receiver. Sat signals attenuate themselves approximately 3 times more than terrestrial TV signals so it may be just a low signal dependent the cable you have used and how strong the signal is at launch. My feeling is that if your using a Zone 1 dish with a quattro lnb that the signal at launch won't be strong enough.

Have you used a Triax TMPR switch by any chance as that type of switch does not have the function to increase the signal from the lnb, you can only use the adjustment pots to attenuate the signal.

You can also check if you are getting a TV signal out of Sat 2 as it will just be a multiplexed signal from Sat and TV. The TV won't see the sat signal only the TV one.

The TV and radio/DAB will just be split from the multiplexed signal from the sat 1 feed.

Connect another receiver to one of the other sockets in the house and switch it on so it is supplying power to the switch, and then try the receiver in the living room, that will rule out power issues to the switch.

Other than that i can't really think of anything else.

Nano