Astra 28.2 and 19.2 into one digibox

[Sloth]

Hi there,
I want to try and set up the following. Connect a universal LNB from a standard 80 cm dish looking at Astra 19.2, and a minidish looking at 28.2 via a 13/18 V switch relay. The plan being to watch both the channels available via a BBC card and German channels through one digibox (probably a Panasonic DSB30). I think this is the right approach, but unknown quantities in the equation are whether you can set up a digibox to to this. Does anyone have any experience or ideas? You're input is much appreciated!!

 

[rolfw]

Hi Sloth, you may require something other than a 13/18v switch, there is a thread from yesterday about the "littleswitch", the only problem being that the digibox does not like switching between LNBs and is prone to locking, something i had forgotten about until reminded by Channel Hopper.

Rolf

 

[Channel Hopper]

You knew it all along, but thanks for the credit

There are ways of doing it by modifying a manual switch to have a resistive path of about 3k between all ports, makes the receiver think nothing has changed when you hit the button

My favourite is use another receiver but then it gets expensive, but not as much as a years subsciption to Sky

 

[swiss_rocket]

Hi all,

Sloth has the same issue as me. I tried to follow Rolf's note about a thread from the previous day, but could not find it. I tried a DiSEqC splitter, but it does not work with the DSB30. If I manually move the cable from one dish to the other it picks up the relevant channels with no problem, as i have set up all the German channels etc. on the 'Other channels list' (limited to 50). Is a manual switch the answer? If so, I would have to run a second cable, right round the house. (Or we can have an outside switch near the dishes and lean out of the window!) I am returning the DiSEqC splitter to the shop in about an hour's time, and will have to see what he suggest next, but if anyone has any bright ideas, please let me know. I promise to post the final solution to the forum.

Rocket

>Hi there,
>I want to try and set up the following. Connect a universal
>LNB from a standard 80 cm dish looking at Astra 19.2, and a
>minidish looking at 28.2 via a 13/18 V switch relay. The
>plan being to watch both the channels available via a BBC
>card and German channels through one digibox (probably a
>Panasonic DSB30). I think this is the right approach, but
>unknown quantities in the equation are whether you can set
>up a digibox to to this. Does anyone have any experience or
>ideas? You're input is much appreciated!!

 

[rolfw]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Apr-02 AT 10:48 AM (GMT)]There is a DiseqC inserter on the market, it will insert the DiseqC command for you, I'm not sure where they are available from though. Here's the link to the littleswitch thread http://www.satellites.co.uk/scripts/webforum/DCForumID23/358.html

Rolf

 

[Channel Hopper]

Manufacturer of a nice unit is Johansson in Europe. They will sell one offs direct to end users, but I cannot give the numbers on the forum.

PM me and Ill reply with the details

 

[rolfw]

Can't see any real problems with that CH, particularly if its an innovative product, should be of interest to all of us.

rolf

 

[rolfw]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 01-May-02 AT 01:11 PM (GMT)]Here's information on the Global DiseqC pulse generator. You'll find price or at least where you can buy it on the global site. http://www.globalcom.co.uk/accesories/dgen.html

D-GENPLUS DiSEqC GENERATOR

Used to send 2 way DiSEqC commands to a 2 X 1 DiSEqC switch. Either manually controlled or automatically via the receiver from scart pin 8 using fly lead supplied. May be controled transparently using the second input of a two input receiver. Select the second input and a DiSEqC message is sent to the switch. May be toggled by pulsing the 0/12 volt wire or by turning the receiver off and on or by pushing TV/SAT button twice.

Frequency: 700-2300MHz
Insertion loss: 1.5dB
Max through current: 600mA
Current requirement: 15mA
Tone frequency: 22KHz
Tone amplitude: 0.6 VOLT P-P
Led display
Fitted with scart plug, F-F lead and automatic cantorl fly lead

 

[swiss_rocket]

Thank you all for your input. I am off to my friendly dealer over the border in Germany, as he promised to check the box out, but it looks like the Global product is the answer. That said, the man at Global said they had problems 'hot switching' a Pace Sky digibox when on standby, but when I manually move my cable for my DSB30, I have no issues (other than the risk of an electric shock!).

I will keep you posted with my success or otherwise.

Rocket

 

[Sloth]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-May-02 AT 06:45 PM (GMT)]Hi again everyone, and many thanks for your useful input. As I already had a bog standard digital receiver (Japanese model from Strong satellite), I eventually opted for the two receiver option. This gives me the additional option of watching just the UK channels in another room - or even outdoors - via a video transmitter system. Thanks again! ;)

 

[swiss_rocket]

I promised an update too. My 'friendly' dealer and his technician gave my DSB 30 the once over and were not convinced it could trigger the disecq generator, though if it works like my old analog 'hopad' it probably would.

I opted for the second receiver option too, and finally got the extra cabling sorted yesterday. Having 2 receivers means we can record from Sky on Astra 2 and watch Astra 1a at the same time. I have not figured out the best way to connect it all up so that I can have both TV and VCR connected to both receivers, but it will do for now. What with connecting in the HiFi and the camcorder and eventually the PC (I have not got a separate DVD player) there is a lot of 'spaghetti' behind my equipment.

Thanks to everyone for their input.

Rocket :-)

 

[rolfw]

Hi Rocket and Sloth, glad to hear you've made progress.

@ Rocket, there several scart switch boxes available, even one with a remote control if you're feeling lazy. I use one with three inputs, it passes RGB and allows the control signal to pass.

There are also ways of daisy chaining the scarts, but it would depend on which scart sockets you have on which equipment.

Rolf

 

[Channel Hopper]

Sloth

Which model of Strong ? Most of their units are from Korea, Japan in name only