Cable/satellite Hookup??

[Namchief]

Originally Posted by DualSport

Multiple TVs isn't the issue.

I just want to connect my Satellite receiver box to the HDTV in the Entertainment Centre (don't plan to use the bedroom TV or outside TV hookups). My Sat Receiver needs 2 inputs from the dish but there is only 1 sat-grade coax at the UDC external hookup (UDC - universal docking center in Forest River language).

The Satellite service provider says a "splitter/combiner/switch/whatever" will not work. I'm hoping that's just Company Policy and that someone has already found a box that will feed both receiver inputs from a single coax from my dish.

Try looking at thisstacker destacker unit

[DualSport]

Looked at the link and the schematic diagram is EXACTLY what I want to do. It's for Sky TV in UK but I'll check this out further.
Thanks.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Namchief

Try looking at thisstacker destacker unit

I tried to click on that to determine what it costs and it won't hook me up. Anyone have an idea? Looks expensive.

[DualSport]

I couldn't get the Price link to work but Googling "Stacker Destacker price" brought up lots of hits. Seems like it's about $150 but if that's the only way to get the two Sat signals into my RV without ripping open walls, etc then the price is OK for me.

All the hits I got were for UK companies as Sky TV seems to have gone the same route as my provider, Shaw Direct, and used a HD PVR that MUST have two separate signals from the LNBs on the dish..

I still need to find out what grade of Coax is in the "Cable" wiring in the LaCrosse. If it's the same as the "Satellite" coax then I can probably use both at the same time (assuming they both come out in the entertainment unit). I don't get the trailer for a week or so and I'll physically check how it's wired then. I'll probably also contact Forest River Tech Support and see if they can provide specs and schematics for this unit.

Thanks to all for the help

[Namchief]

Check this out DSS Stuff
and read this http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r181...-feed-possible

[DualSport]

I read the links and this is starting to sound a bit too technical for a DIY job. I think I should contact a local Sat installer to see if they have done any work on RVs and know how to handle this.

Thanks.

[Herk7769]

Print out and show them the sat/cable mod.
I think they will like the KISS of it.

[DualSport]

I contacted Prime Time to find out the type of coax used for the "Satellite" and "Cable" connections. They confirmed today that all the coax in the Lacrosse 301RLS is the same type and is RG-6. They also said there were no wiring schematics available for the coax wiring.

There's lots of space behind the antenna booster/splitter switch, and it's beside the Sat outlet next to the TV, so I plan to do the mod suggested by Herk.

Thanks for everyone's help

[DualSport]

Got our new trailer on Friday and we're away on a shakedown trip. Just opened up the coax cabling and find PT used orange "RG6/U 3Ghz" coax for the SAT hookup and black "Coleman Cable 92003 RG6 CM or CL2 or CATV" for the CABLE hookup.

What PT told me was:
To answer a previous question, we use RG6 for satellite, for cable TV, and for roof antenna.

Guess I assumed that meant they used the SAME cable for all coax. I didn't bring my Sat dish, etc on this brief trip so experimenting will have to wait until next trip.

Does anyone know coax specs well enough to know if this black coax would handle a sat signal?

Bob

[ironj]

fyi, the standard rg6 will not generally support the operating frequency of the incoming sat feed from the dish.....the reason why you have a cable and a sat output is because the dish operates on a higher bandwidth than cable...although i have used short runs of standard rg6 and it has worked...its not really made to handle it well...

you CAN however use the cable feed to distribute the coax output of your reciever if it has one, which is generally modulated to a specific tv channel....(ie, put your tv on channel 62 and revieve cable feed from your reviever box)...since that output is designed to work on the standard cable bandwidth...

so to answer your question, you "MIGHT" be able to get a sat signal through standard rg6....but i highly doubt it....and if you did it would prob not support all the channels or my have poor signal quality and reception issues...

[ProjectPro]

DirecTV markets a device called a Single Wire Multiplex (SWM) device, which the techs call a "swim". This device connects two outputs from the dish into the two inputs into the dual tuners over a single cable. All their recent DVR receivers are compatible with this technology. Cheap RG6 (copper clad) might not work with the SWM because additional power is needed at the dish end. You need all-copper RG6.

By the way, both my factory-equipment F-type connectors are labeled "Satellite Dish Hook Up", even though only one will pass a satellite signal.

[DualSport]

Originally Posted by ironj

fyi, the standard rg6 will not generally support the operating frequency of the incoming sat feed from the dish..... ....and if you did it would prob not support all the channels or my have poor signal quality and reception issues...

I think you're right. We'll be taking the trailer on another short trip soon and I'll take the sat dish and receiver and see if the "Cable" coax works as the second feed.
Thanks.
Bob

[DualSport]

Originally Posted by ProjectPro

DirecTV markets a device called a Single Wire Multiplex (SWM) device, which the techs call a "swim". This device connects two outputs from the dish into the two inputs into the dual tuners over a single cable. All their recent DVR receivers are compatible with this technology. ....

I'm definitely following this up with DirecTV and with my Canadian provider, Shaw Direct. I hope they are connected as my dish is the large oval type and I think the DirecTV is the same.
Thanks
Bob

[fschambe]

Dish network uses dpplus which sends the signal over one coax to the tuner and then at the.tuner there is a 3way splitter which gives 2lnb connections and a OTA in/out. I realize that doesn't mean much if you are stuck with DirecTV.

[DualSport]

Coincidentally I just heard from my Sat provider, SHAW Direct, that their receiver will actually work with a Stacker/Destacker, it's just they don't Support it. I'll be testing the system with the standard "Satellite" and "Cable" coax's soon so I'll know then if I need this extra equipment.

[DualSport]

UPDATE: I eventually got the chance today to test my new 2012 Lacrosse 301RLS sat/cable wiring with my Sat system (Shaw Direct HD PVR630 Dual Tuner).

I did the "rewire mod" as suggested by herk7769 which brought the "Cable" coax out to a new connector so this allowed me to connect 2 coax cables from the "Satellite" and "Cable" outlets at the Entertainment Centre to my Sat Receiver. I set up the dish and used 100' runs of "Digital Satellite RG6 2300MHz" coax to connect to the Satellite and Cable inputs in the outside Distribution Center. Everything worked great - had about 98% signal strength on each tuner.

I also tried to redistribute the Sat receiver output to the bedroom and outside TV's, but found my Sat receiver doesn't have a coax output - only A/V, Component, and HDMI. Seems I need an RF Modulator to convert the A/V output to RF for feeding to the other TV's. I tried using an old VCR by feeding in A/V(RWY) and using "TV Out" for the coax but couldn't get that to work. This part is very low priority for me so I'll leave it for a winter project when we are in Arizona.

Thanks for everyone's help on this.

Bob

[ProjectPro]

This was my big HD/SWM weekend. I hooked up my newly-purchased, used, HR24 DirecTV receiver to my old SD dish. It required a dongle called a B-Band Converter, but I had one on hand and it worked great (on SD and only one tuner). Next I opened the Slimline SWM dish shipping box and was surprised that there were so many parts and no instructions. I separated the stuff that looked like house-mounting hardware and looked for holes that lined up in the different parts. That made it start to make sense, and in about 15 minutes I had it assembled.

I had seen ads that called for a fancy, expensive tripod for the larger HD dish, but I mounted it on my old cheapo tripod and it was plenty stable enough. I had purchased a Tracker Light 500 satellite meter for $150, and after figuring out how to use it, I was easily able to point the dish in an optimal direction. DTV warns that professional installation is HIGHLY suggested for the HD dishes, but I found it no harder to align than the 3-LNB SD dish.

My first difficulty was figuring out how to set up the meter in the SWM environment. Turns out that I had to hook it up as if it was a second DTV receiver using the SWM splitter that was included with the Tracker.

I lined up the dish on the 101 satellite, then optimized the 119 satellite. I disconnected the meter, changed the dish type and multiplexer in the DTV receiver, but was surprised that I had no picture. I checked all the connections, and found that I had left the B-Band converter in line. I removed the converter and everything worked great. High signal readings, and I was able to view one HD channel and record another (just like my home setup) over a single coax cable.

It took me about two hours overall, but I could do the next one in 15 minutes.

Originally Posted by ProjectPro

DirecTV markets a device called a Single Wire Multiplex (SWM) device, which the techs call a "swim". This device connects two outputs from the dish into the two inputs into the dual tuners over a single cable. All their recent DVR receivers are compatible with this technology. Cheap RG6 (copper clad) might not work with the SWM because additional power is needed at the dish end. You need all-copper RG6.

By the way, both my factory-equipment F-type connectors are labeled "Satellite Dish Hook Up", even though only one will pass a satellite signal.

[ProjectPro]

It just dawned on me that I should have never had the B-Band converter in line in the first place. It is only required for HD channels, and my old dish didn't get them. Oh well, hindsight is 20-20.

[Sg6923]

I don't know if this thread is outdated but thought I'd try. I'm trying to hookup a satellite to my Cardinal 36RT 5th wheel. In the bedroom there's to connections. Neither are labeled. Outside the camper there are also two satellite connections side by side. Are there any 36RT owners that have connected a portable satellite that can tell me which connections are correct to use? It's hard enough finding a satellite without have to guess the correct route. I'm trying to hook to the bedroom. I may end up getting an ohm meter & paper clip.

[ProjectPro]

SG6923, if you are within antenna reception distance you can try each connection and see if your antenna works with it. If so, it will probably NOT work for satellite. In my V-Cross, the external aft connector is the satellite connection and the fore connector is for cable and also connects to the rooftop antenna. Amp on for antenna, off for cable.