splitting the signal from one LNB

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oleccc

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I have an old 3100 at the trailer, hooked up with one cable from the LNB, which provides me with all the programming I want from sat 91. My question: Is it possible to split the signal from only one coax cable to allow me to hook up two 3100's? I wouldn't need both to work at once, if that is an issue.

I found out it is not possible to split the raw feed from the dish using a standard splitter; as soon as I inserted the splitter I lost my signal.

Please help
 
Do you have a dual or single LNBF? (i.e. an LNBF with two coax ports or one?) If the latter, then I would suggest purchasing a dish off ebay. A lot of people who purchase and HD box end up with extra dishes they do not need. That is how I acquired my extra dish. I got it brand new with the accessory slot for EV82 for around $50. If you go with this route you do not need to use a splitter and you CAN use both receivers at the same time.
 
Since this is a common topic, I will make it a "sticky" thread so that hopefully we can reduce the number of times it gets asked. :)


The short answer is No.

Under normal circumstances, it is not possible to use any kind of standard cable spliiter to take a single line and feed either multiple receivers or multiple tuners on the same receiver. You must use one of the many available switches to accomplish this and run separate lines for each receiver and/or tuner as a control voltage (13v or 18v) is sent up the wire from the receiver/tuner to the LNB to control vertical o horizontal polarity. A standard splitter doesn't deal with this and could result in burning out one or both tuners or the LNB, although usually just causes signal problems for one or both receivers (numerous channels can't lock).

The longer answer is that there are many threads on DPP equipment that is specially designed for this. It is not officially support by ExpressVU aqnd will cost you money if you are running the EV supplied equipment. The LNB and various switches must be purchased and support by yourself.

In addition to the other sticky threads at the top of this forum (the 9200 installation thread for example talks about this topic), check these out:

Can't run two RG6 lines to new 9242, use a splitter instead?
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=78940

The DishPro Plus (DPP) twin
lnb http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=79128
 
Simplist solution is a "A/B"-type coax switch that simply sends the full signal from the dish to either "A" 3100 or "B" 3100. There would be the hassle of having to manually change the switch each time you wanted to watch the other 3100, but it will work and shouldn't cost more than $10 or so. Ultra cheap solution - put a coax cable connector at the end of the cable coming in from the dish and just screw/unscrew the cable to the 3100 you want to watch at any particular the time.
 
By keeping only one of the 3100s active, you will likely run into other issues though. It is best to keep them both online all the time if you plan on using them.

Disconnecting one of them runs the risks:
- firmware will not update, this can cause channel loss
- EPG will not update, this can cause long delays on restart
- Smartcard will not update, this can cause channel loss that may or may not come back, and can take 48 hours or more.
 
Thanks for your reply to my question. I don't know if I have a single or double LNBF. My limitation is that there is only one coax cable wired into our trailer, and running in an additional line is something I'd rather avoid, if possible. Sometimes I have to run out 150 feet of coax to get to a spot where I can pick up a BEV signal. I have two LNBFs, but I don't know if they each have a single coax or two coax connections. I need to divide the signal, if not to two receivers then at least to one which can be controlled from in front of either TV; they are not 12 feet from each other but there isn't line-of-sight access to one box from either room. Could this problem be solved by a different remote control maybe?
 
Thank you for your reply to my question. And thanks for guiding me towards information which will likely provide useful. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to have two independent and active 3100s running in the trailer unless I run another wire, which I'd rather not. I'd still like to be able to switch the signal inside the trailer, so that we could use either receiver, or maybe just one receiver controllable from anywhere in the trailer.
 
I do not believe it is currently possible to have multiple receivers with only a single cable in from the dish. DPP equipment will allow pretty much unlimited receivers, but requires at least two cables in from the dish. This leaves you with the "A/B" switch as your only option for two receivers, although I agree with dosborne's comments about the limitations.



There should be no issues with splitting the output from a 3100 to feed two TVs. Controlling the 3100 without line of sight might be possible with IR remote extenders which I don't know anything about but have seen advertised. IR signals can also "bounce" off walls and ceilings to some extent such that you still might be able to control the 3100 notwithstanding it may be in another room (although you might have to keep the door open :D

BEV HD receivers like the 6100/6141 and 9200/9242 have UHF remotes which don't require line of sight. As well, the 9200/9242s are two tuner receivers with coax outputs for tuner two, meaning you could send signals to two different TVs with one cable into the trailer, although this can only be done with a DPP lnb and "separator" (lots of threads discussing this).
 
With a 2 or 3 Ghz splitter it should be possible to connect 2 receivers, although the limitation would be that the receiver closest to the LNBF would take precedent for the voltage being output. Meaning that if 3100 #1 is the closest, and it is tuned to an ODD transponder, then the 3100#2 can also only see the ODD transponders. And so on.

Lots of service calls to Bell installations involve some kind os splitter being installed, if they are of a high enough frequency, the customers note the receivers both get ODD or EVEN transponders.

This would not be a perfect answer at all but may work for you.

Cheapest replacement receiver from ExpressVu that uses an UHF Remote is the 5900, the suggestion of 6141 or 9242, is overkill, if all you want is UHF.
 
I appreciate this forum - I was totally scratching my head. I had a high quality splitter that passed power and covered 2-2400 MHz. When each receiver alone was hooked up THROUGH the SPLITTER it was fine and got signal of 95% on EACH one - then when I connected BOTH I experienced the only getting the ODD or EVEN number transponders.

Thanks.. Jim
 
jwillisbarrie - Exactly. That is what will happen if the wrong equipment is used.

When only one receiver is hooked up, only one is trying to supply power to and control the LNB (even though going through the splitter), so it works fine. When the second one is introduced, they fight for control unless a proper switch is used.
 
Well spotted, I had missed that. I also eluded to the 6141 being UHF in my post as well.

So if I am correct the full range of Bell TV receivers that have UHF/UHF Pro would be;

4500/4700/5100/5800/5900/6000 & 6100. Single Tuners all with UHF.
3200/5200/9200 & 9242. Have UHF Pro for Tuner 2 out of the box, RF for Tuner 1.

Did I miss any.?
 
Hi folks!
Long time lurker-first time poster .. be gentle :)

So I just recently had a new HDTV receiver put in my house (making it 2 total).. I now have this decent receiver (the old one) that isn't being used.. so I decided to see if I can split it.

It took some time but it's split and the old receiver is on another tv now.. split from one of the HDTV ones (or not really cause it doesn't actually attach to the receiver first)

So it worked.. but it's kind of weird. I don't receive some of the channels and if someone is on each of the tvs.. when I change channels on the OLD one.. the new one pops up a message acquiring satellite signal.. but then it goes back to normal after.

it's a minor annoyance but would like to remedy. help?
 
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