Newbie Here Splitting satellite cable

[russthomas2]

Hi all, I'm new to this and as you will guess from my post not technically minded. Here goes.

I have a freesat pvr with 2 leads from the satellite dish going into it (twin receivers). I now have an OpenBox which requires a satellite cable. I have tried using a splitter (using one of the freesat cables to make 2 out, 1 for the second cable to the pvr and the other to the OpenBox). It worked fine on the OpenBox but there was no signal to the second tuner on the pvr. Any ideas as to how I can get 2 leads to the pvr and one to the OpenBox using the 2 cables from the satellite.

 

[archive10]

Hey, and welcome to the forum.
You can't easily split the signal from the LNB, as there is two-way communication going on between the box and the LNB.
You need either dedicated cables from LNB to box (that would mean additional ones for you), or something called a multiswitch, which still requires more cables.
More exotic solutions is to use something called a stacker, but this requires good cabling and not too long cable-runs.
By far easiest option is to put in more cables, and buy a Quad LNB.

 

[Analoguesat]

Hiya welcome to the forum.

As you have discovered you cant successfully split the leads from a satellite dish AND use both sets of receivers at the same time. This is because the lnb (on the dish) is an active device switched by a combination of voltages and tones to one of 4 possible states.

lo band vertical
lo band horizontal
hi band vertical
hi band horizontal

If you want to use the boxes at the same time then you need to run separate feeds from the dish to the Openbox. If the lnb has only two outputs you need to replace it with a quad (4 output) lnb, ensuring the connections are waterproofed to stop rainwater getting inside the cables.


EDIT - beaten by st1 - he types faster than I do

 

[russthomas2]

Thanks for that. As I have said i'm not tech minded. Would this do: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Konig-LNB-3...3468751&sr=8-3&keywords=multiswitch+satellite.

 

[archive10]

Thanks for that. As I have said i'm not tech minded. Would this do: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Konig-LNB-3...3468751&sr=8-3&keywords=multiswitch+satellite.

Possibly. As Analoguesat describes, you really need four inputs == four cables from a quad or quattro LNB.
The two-input versions will normally switch on only two of the four configurations, so sometimes some of the channels are not available.
so you could try one of those, and see if it works for you, and bin it if it doesn't.
Alternatively, get a quad LNB, pull some more cable, and don't require a multiswitch...

 

[russthomas2]

Thanks all, nothing in this life is easy. Thanks

 

[archive10]

Possibly. As Analoguesat describes, you really need four inputs == four cables from a quad or quattro LNB.
The two-input versions will normally switch on only two of the four configurations, so sometimes some of the channels are not available.
so you could try one of those, and see if it works for you, and bin it if it doesn't.
Alternatively, get a quad LNB, pull some more cable, and don't require a multiswitch...

I use these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MULTISWITCH...d=1443469866&sr=8-11&keywords=EMP+multiswitch

They are really good, but also not in the cheap end.
There are cheaper option, but just remember, You get what you pay for.
Unless you live in rented accoms and have no say at all about cabling, pulling a bit more cable yourself is cheaper. Even a "cable through the window"-solution as a test bed is still cheaper.
What are you trying to achieve?

 

[archive10]

I use these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MULTISWITCH...d=1443469866&sr=8-11&keywords=EMP+multiswitch

They are really good, but also not in the cheap end.

oh, and shop around on the internet. EMP direct is not the cheapest route. German mail order often comes in favourably.