Advice Needed Looking for a satellite aerial switch with remote control

Spiff

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Good afternoon from a sunny Mullion Cove Cornwall.

New year greetings to all : )

I have been looking online and on eBay but nothing with remote control.

This is for switching between two satellite receivers inside.

I am using a manual switch, but it is a pain having to get up to switch the aerial.

I tried using the through feed on the Technomate, but there were conflicts with the polarity switching voltage with the second receiver.

At the moment I am using the Technomate to drive the dish, then scanning the channels into the new for Christmas AMIKO VIPER 4K.

The blind scan on the AMIKO takes 5 mins, the Technomate one hour on the same satellite : )

Once I have all the satellites set up on the AMIKO, I may connect it to the V boxes for KU and C band and set up the positions.

Not that happy with the menu on the AMIKO, the software is factory default.

When I went to update it said ( your system is old an update could corrupt or fail to boot ) or some such like encouraging remark : )

God Bless Spiff.
 

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I have two manual switches mounted on the wall (to select three different aerials in the back garden).

A piece of bamboo about 4' long saves me from getting up.

I could use the wife, but she is less reliable than the bit of wood.
 

Spiff

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Primesat VBox
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Primesat VBox
2 Actuators
Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
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Very good LOL
 

jeallen01

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@Spiff

I seem to remember replying to an earlier post from you in this thread where I suggested using a 12V antenna relay with an RF remote control to switch between one of my steerable dishes and the 16-1 DiSEqC switch with a number of LNBs connected to it.

Thus I now have an SX88+ which can be switched via such a relay between the steerable Gibby and the 16-1 switch, and ALSO the TM5402 which can be switched between the TD110 and the 16-1 switch via another 12V antenna relay + RF remote - and with a Smart Priority Switch (SPS) then controlling which of the 2 receivers has access to the 16-1 switch! And it all works "pretty seemlessly" :D

The same type of antenna relay + RF remotely controlled switch setup can obviously ALSO be used "in reverse" to switch one dish to either one of two receivers!

Therefore I suggest that you might want to take another look at that thread, and I will try to provide links to both suitable antenna relays and RF remotely controlled switches if requested - NB: you will also require a 12VDC supply to operate both the relay and the switch, but those are easy to find if you don't already have one (in my case, that's a 12V 6A CCTV brick which also supplies the SX88+, a couple of Netgear Gigabyte switches, the ROKU streamer, and a couple of other things! :D)
 
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Spiff

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Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
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I do not remember asking the question before, but you could be correct, at 74 you can watch the same film twice in a week : )

I have asked in the past about switching KU and C band, but that was using the commands in the receiver.

This is using an aerial switch between two receivers using a hand held remote control.

There are devices, one that I use for HDMI that have remotes, but I could not find one for switching the aerial signals, just manual switches.

God Bless old Spiff
 

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I have installed two TM5402s before now in a series configuration without trouble on a single DiSEqC 1.2 motor, though teaching the client to turn one off before selecting a different satellite turned out to be quite a pain, moreso after the third visit.

I doubt there is a conflict in commands, more down to the son upstairs wanting to watch football (or adult) feeds at odd hours.
 

jeallen01

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And, on reflection, a simple SPS might just do the job without anything else (and would be a LOT cheaper) as all it would require is deciding with receiver is the "Master" and which the "Slave" - if the Master is switched ON, then it has control of the dish, but (and providing it does not power the LNB when OFF) if it is OFF then the Slave has access to the dish. Also, it will only take a couple of minutes to install and doesn't even need a 12V supply :D.

This is the one I use, allows DiSEqC motor control and costs under £13.

PS: I'm "72 and a bit" :D
 
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a33

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Good evening Spiff!

At the moment I am using the Technomate to drive the dish, then scanning the channels into the new for Christmas AMIKO VIPER 4K.


What about another antenna cable to the V-Box then, just to drive the motor? No more switching needed.

And also the priority switch, mentioned by jeallen01, would be a good idea.

Greetz,
A33
 

Spiff

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Technomate TM-5402HD M3 C1+ Super+
Primesat VBox
2 x Actuators
Precision 1.3m Prime Focus Dish & mount.
InvertoTwin Black Pro C120

Amiko Viper4K
Primesat VBox
2 Actuators
Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
My Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall
This is just while I set the sats up on the new box before letting the new box drive the dish.

Can a Vbox drive be set up to drive a dish to the correct positions by two different receivers ?.

First switching on one box, then turning it off and turning on the other or would it be confused as the starting position would be wrong.

Are the positions stored in the V box or only the receiver.

I know the box can be used separately with its own remote.

I have never been sure how it works, I assumed it counted the return pulses from the reed switch to know where is was in the ark.

Are these stored in the box or the receiver ?
 

a33

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Can a Vbox drive be set up to drive a dish to the correct positions by two different receivers ?.

First switching on one box, then turning it off and turning on the other or would it be confused as the starting position would be wrong.

Are the positions stored in the V box or only the receiver.


AFAIK: Yes it can.
The VBox has a memory, that Goto Nn means: goto a certain amount of pulses from zero(reference)-position.
So in both receivers you need to do the Store Nn command with the same Nn number! (Or the Vbox will go to a different satellite postion.)

The receiver has a memory of number Nn (usually 60 or more positions, I believe); the VBox has a memory for the accompanying amount of pulses.

NB. The cables from the receivers have to be joined by a splitter with diodes, or a priorityswitch, or a manual switch; to prevent the voltage of the one receiver reaching the other receiver!

Greetz,
A33

Edited.
 
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Captain Jack

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Read my mind. I was about to post a similar thread.

I will potentially need to switch between 3 receivers and looking for a solution. I tried SPS, splitters with DC block and the best I found for least loss is a plain T piece.
 

a33

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I tried SPS, splitters with DC block and the best I found for least loss is a plain T piece.


Plain T-piece creates a risk of impedance mismatch, and some frequencies "disappearing" or having difficulty to lock.
But that is just a risk, that you might not notice at all.
I've used a selfmade T-piece for some time in the old days (in a different setup!), and didn't notice anything bad. ^_^

The thing to prevent, though, is that with two or more receivers powered on, the voltage of one receiver can reach the other. Risk of a blown transistor in/near your tuner, and maybe more.

Splitters with diodes usually give loss on signal level, not on signal quality.
It's the signal quality that counts, as long as signal level is above threshold level.
So I'm not happy using T-pieces anymore.

greetz,
A33
 

Spiff

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My Satellite Setup
Technomate TM-5402HD M3 C1+ Super+
Primesat VBox
2 x Actuators
Precision 1.3m Prime Focus Dish & mount.
InvertoTwin Black Pro C120

Amiko Viper4K
Primesat VBox
2 Actuators
Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
My Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall
AFAIK: Yes it can.
The VBox has a memory, that Goto Nn means: goto a certain amount of pulses from zero(reference)-position.
So in both receivers you need to do the Store Nn command with the same Nn number! (Or the Vbox will go to a different satellite postion.)

The receiver has a memory of number Nn (usually 60 or more positions, I believe); the VBox has a memory for the accompanying amount of pulses.

NB. The cables from the receivers have to be joined by a splitter with diodes, or a priorityswitch, or a manual switch; to prevent the voltage of the one receiver reaching the other receiver!

Greetz,
A33

Edited.
Should the vbox be set up first from extreme East or West rather that in the middle of the ark ?

I think I have started on any sat even in the in the middle of the ark, when I had to reset it due to faults or a new jack of different make.

It has always worked OK.

I read it then that a Vbox can be use with two separate receivers, as long as the starting point is the same.

What will happen if one of the receivers has an extra sat or one less ?

It will still be the same number of pulses coming back so should I think make no difference ?

If I drive the dish using the old receiver to a sat, then switch to the new receiver on the same sat and save the position to the new receiver.

God Bless Spiff
 

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The middle of the arc is your Southern most satellite,(180 degrees due South, plus or minus a few degrees from your location) it is also the top of the arc at your location, this is used to calibrate the system's motor to all the others to the East or West of this Zero mark.

If calibrated to the due East or due West satellite you could be quite a bit off on the far side of the arc.
 

Spiff

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Technomate TM-5402HD M3 C1+ Super+
Primesat VBox
2 x Actuators
Precision 1.3m Prime Focus Dish & mount.
InvertoTwin Black Pro C120

Amiko Viper4K
Primesat VBox
2 Actuators
Precision 1.5m Prime Focus Dish & mount
Titanium C1W-PLL C Band

Seven Computers : )
Two Davis Vantage Pro Weather stations
One Waldbeck Weather Station
My Location
Mullion Cove Cornwall
The middle of the arc is your Southern most satellite,(180 degrees due South, plus or minus a few degrees from your location) it is also the top of the arc at your location, this is used to calibrate the system's motor to all the others to the East or West of this Zero mark.

If calibrated to the due East or due West satellite you could be quite a bit off on the far side of the arc.
Thank you to all for the advice, I have a clearer picture of what is going on now.

Also how to use two receivers : )

The fast Blind search on the AMIKO VIPER 4K, has convinced me that it is time to use an up to date receiver and retire the old Technomate.

Whether to stick with the AMIKO VIPER 4K or try another time will tell.

It is fast, very small and another plus point is it does not start with a page of links to online services.

We are waiting for the storm to hit on Monday, part of our neighbours roof neighbours last week, DOOOOOMED : )

God Bless Spiff
 
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