2 receivers to drive 1 motorised dish?

gdf68

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Which type of switch do I need to do this , two receivers (;bed room );(main room) connected to one Lnb (motor) .
 

jeallen01

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Which type of switch do I need to do this , two receivers (;bed room );(main room) connected to one Lnb (motor) .
One of these (or similar) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0051C2BWC/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item

Used and recommended that sort of unit for years - very simple & reliable (and doesn't rely on DiSEqC, tone switching etc.) - just connect the 3 cables as indicated and away you (should!) be good to go!

Just remember that the first receiver to be switched ON takes over control of the LNB/dish motor (etc) and the other one can't then access that LNB/motor (or whatever) - so you have to switch the first one OFF before the other one can be used.
 
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gdf68

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I must be having Blonde moment currently Lnb to motor , receiver to motor.
I can't visual it , cable will go from Lnb to Lnb IN on switch and I will then have 2 cables SLAVE OUT & MASTER OUT going to each RECEIVER,
what about the connections on the motor
Too much ale today
Thanks
 
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jeallen01

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I must admit that the SPS labelling wording is possibly rather confusing ( it was "written" by someone in China!) but the cables are to be connected as follows:
- ONE cable from the "main" or Master receiver (that would probably be the one you use the most) goes to the SPS F-connector labelled "OUT MASTER"
- ONE cable from the 2nd receiver goes to the SPS F-connector labelled "OUT SLAVE"
- the (ONE) cable from the dish LNB goes to the F-connector labelled "LNB IN"

So you ONLY need those 3 cables in total - just think of the SPS in terms of it being a physical switch which selects either the cable to the Master or the "other" cable to the 2nd receiver, depending on which receiver is switched ON the first . It's as simple as that!! :)
 
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gdf68

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Jesus I still don't see it.
I would get it if it was just a fixed dish with a switch for two receivers ( obviously can't use both at same time) upstairs, downstairs.
But with the motor, which cables go to it
 

ozumo

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Master -> Receiver 1
Slave -> Receiver 2
Priority switch LNB In -> Motor -> LNB
 

jeallen01

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Master -> Receiver 1
Slave -> Receiver 2
Priority switch LNB In -> Motor -> LNB
Correct for a DiSEqC- controlled motor and that's what I set up here to control the Dark Motors under the Gibby & TD110, and which worked pretty flawlessly.

OTOH, obviously not for a "traditional" 36V dish motor which would require:
- compatible receivers with appropriate Motor +/-, position sensor, ground output terminals = 4 in most receivers
- would also need 1 or 2 V-Boxes if the receivers don't have those compatible outputs
- a switch which provides switch-over for those 4 conductors from each receiver => needs 2x "4-in" and 1x "4-out" and only 2-way. That's not particularly technically challenging as the circuits are all DC/very low frequency, provided one knows where to look (industrial component distributors like Farnell, CPC Farnell, RS Components, etc.)
- would also need something like an SPS (as above) to switch the LNB coax input (assuming that a modern "simple" LNB is used).

Given the above, then the sequence for changing from 1 receiver to another would probably be:
- switch BOTH receivers OFF (to avoid "SPS "confusion"!)
- move the 4-way switch from one position to the other
- switch ON the receiver you want to use.
- Surf away on that receiver!

OTOH, one would probably have to then do quite a lot of adjustments to the settings in one of the receivers to ensure it outputs exactly the same azimuth number signals for each satellite as does the other one, or else the two receivers will drive the motor to slightly different longitude positions - two receivers are rarely that accurate (even if of the same model)!

I had that problem even with two slightly different versions of the Octagon SX88 connected via an SPS to the DSEqC Dark Motor under the Gibby!
 
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jeallen01

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Correct for a DiSEqC- controlled motor and that's what I set up here to control the Dark Motors under the Gibby & TD110, and which worked pretty flawlessly.

OTOH, obviously not for a "traditional" 36V dish motor which would require:
- compatible receivers with appropriate Motor +/-, position sensor, ground output terminals = 4 in most receivers
- would also need 1 or 2 V-Boxes if the receivers don't have those compatible outputs
- a switch which provides switch-over for those 4 conductors from each receiver => needs 2x "4-in" and 1x "4-out" and only 2-way. That's not particularly technically challenging as the circuits are all DC/very low frequency, provided one knows where to look (industrial component distributors like Farnell, CPC Farnell, RS Components, etc.)
- would also need something like an SPS (as above) to switch the LNB coax input (assuming that a modern "simple" LNB is used).

Given the above, then the sequence for changing from 1 receiver to another would probably be:
- switch BOTH receivers OFF (to avoid "SPS "confusion"!)
- move the 4-way switch from one position to the other
- switch ON the receiver you want to use.
- Surf away on that receiver!

OTOH, one would probably have to then do quite a lot of adjustments to the settings in one of the receivers to ensure it outputs exactly the same azimuth number signals for each satellite as does the other one, or else the two receivers will drive the motor to slightly different longitude positions - two receivers are rarely that accurate (even if of the same model)!

I had that problem even with two slightly different versions of the Octagon SX88 connected via an SPS to the DSEqC Dark Motor under the Gibby!
IMHO the most challenging task would finding a place to locate the switch and a box to put it in. If that`s outdoors then the box/switch will need to be weatherproof and easily accessible.

OTOH, with my DiSEqC approach, I just mounted the SPS switches (4x, 3 for other ccts) in a weatherproof box amongst some jasmine on the garden trellis, connected the cables, checked that everything worked - and then forgot about the box/ SPS until I needed to do some system changes!
 

gdf68

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Ah guys ordered the sps, still slightly hung over confused , part arrives wed, guess I'll be back
 

jeallen01

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Just before I went to sleep last night I had a thought!

Most modern receivers ("Rx") have DiSEqC /USALS capability, and therefore the setup I described in Post #22 should still be viable for controlling 36V dish motors but with the addition of a V-Box BETWEEN the SPS and the motor if I am not mistaken.

That should mean that whichever Rx is "in charge" of the SPS would send its signals to the V-Box, which would then convert the signals into the commands/voltages required to control the motor as well as the LNB.

That in turn would mean that the SPS could be located more-or-less anywhere that is convenient for the cabling, AND mean that there would be no need for the OP to access physically access a switch to change from one receiver to the other.

I think the above should work, is viable and would be much simpler and cheaper than what I outlined in post #27 - if I am wrong, then someone please tell me and also why it won't work!

PS: I think that the biggest problem would actually be to find a V-box that is working and reliable - so, does anyone know where they can currently be obtained?
 
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