splitting signal to analogue and digital

[mbahundra]

This is really an academic question now since French analogue is on its way out, but I wanted to split the signal from my lnb to an analogue box in the kitchen and a digital one in the sitting room. I asked Maplin if this - =http://www.maplin.co.uk/2-way-satellite-splitter-9273 - would do it and they said no. Why not? I assume it would split to two digital boxes, or to two analogue boxes, so why not to one of each?

 

[Analoguesat]

An lnb is an active device switched between 4 different sub bands by a combination of voltages and tones.

It would work if you only want ONE box on at a time, but if you want both then you MUST change the lnb for a dual or quad output and run a second cable to the second receiver.

 

[mbahundra]

Hmm, that's not what Maplin say about it - "both receivers can watch different channels but they will be on the same polarization". Are they misleading customers by not specifically saying "at the same time" - if I were buying it, I would certainly assume that you could watch both boxes, and different channels, at the same time.

 

[Lazarus]

Maplin are known for selling rubbish and talking rubbish.

The outcome they describe is what you'd get if you looped through the IF from one Receiver to another.

ie Dish >> LNB In on first Rx then LNB Out on first Rx >>LNB In on second Rx.

And only one of those Receivers can be permitted to switch LNB Band and Polarity, so the "slave" must have LNB power off.

To solve your problem, either fit a multi-output LNB (So both boxes can be used simultaneously) or an A/B switch with the existing LNB if you want to use one at a time.

 

[rolfw]

If you have a digital receiver to watch the Fransat channels, they are all on Vertical Low band, the French analogue channels are all on vertical high band, the high and low band setting on the LNB needs to be switched by the receiver using a 22khz tone, so if you were watching a digital channel in one room on vertical low band and switch on the analogue receiver in the other room, you would instantly lose the digital channels as the analogue receiver switches the LNB to high band.

As the others have said, the only solution is to fit a twin LNB with a feed to each receiver, quite an easy job.

Strangely enough I was in Maplin the other day looking for an RJ11 connector and had to correct the guy at the help counter on this very subject, as the customer wanted to use one for two Sky boxes and they have channels on all four bands.

With that satellite as it stands, you could use a splitter with power pass on both ports (the one you point to only passes power on one port) for two digital receivers, or two analogue receivers, but of course the frequencies and polarisations for the digital channels may change when they switch off the analogue transmissions and re-use the frequencies.

 

[srx200]

A smart priority switch such as the global sps1 would be ideal if you could get hold of one, it's what i currently use to split the feed between an analogue and digital receiver. It shares the feed between two receivers giving full band coverage to one and when that;s switched off, it gives full coverage to the other. Hope i explained that ok?

 

[PaulR]

An SPS1 will only work as required if the analogue box stops providing power to the LNB when put in standby.

Even if it does, you still won't be able to watch analogue and digital at the same time.