Running 2 sat receivers from 1 dish

[freck]

Can i split my line from my lnb coming into my house and watch a different box on the same sat that the first box is using?I have a single lnb and the thought just entered my head to split/if needed.

[Tyger]

Three possibilities (maybe even more...)

Ideal situation is a twin output LNB for your dish, which offers independent use by each receiver. It will need another cable run to the second receiver though.

Some receivers offer an LNB loopthrough, allowing to feed into one machine, then out and into another. I fear that if you use both receivers at once though, the polarity (H/V) for the LNB may conflict with channels, eg Recvr A is watching a channel with H (horizontal) configuration and Recvr B switches to a V (Vertical). Using one or the other machine (leaving unused machine in standby) will not give this problem.

Third option, which may originally seem to be the easiest, is an A-B switch, allowing the feed to go to either receiver. Ensure you purchase such a switch for satellite use, so it avoids shorting/arcing problems.

I think it is safer to switch off a receiver (unplug the power) whenever the LNB cable is removed/attached, as a short in the cable (which carries current to change the LNB over from H/V etc) could easily fry the box.

Sorry this is so long, and I hope it helps :-)

[.: JaCkPoT :.]

Three possibilities (maybe even more...)

Ideal situation is a twin output LNB for your dish, which offers independent use by each receiver. It will need another cable run to the second receiver though.

Some receivers offer an LNB loopthrough, allowing to feed into one machine, then out and into another. I fear that if you use both receivers at once though, the polarity (H/V) for the LNB may conflict with channels, eg Recvr A is watching a channel with H (horizontal) configuration and Recvr B switches to a V (Vertical). Using one or the other machine (leaving unused machine in standby) will not give this problem.

Third option, which may originally seem to be the easiest, is an A-B switch, allowing the feed to go to either receiver. Ensure you purchase such a switch for satellite use, so it avoids shorting/arcing problems.

I think it is safer to switch off a receiver (unplug the power) whenever the LNB cable is removed/attached, as a short in the cable (which carries current to change the LNB over from H/V etc) could easily fry the box.

Sorry this is so long, and I hope it helps :-)

Brilliant post mate. Why dont you stick around and help others, seems as if you have good knowledge. Welcome to dk anyway. Best of luck.

[freck]

Three possibilities (maybe even more...)

Ideal situation is a twin output LNB for your dish, which offers independent use by each receiver. It will need another cable run to the second receiver though.

Some receivers offer an LNB loopthrough, allowing to feed into one machine, then out and into another. I fear that if you use both receivers at once though, the polarity (H/V) for the LNB may conflict with channels, eg Recvr A is watching a channel with H (horizontal) configuration and Recvr B switches to a V (Vertical). Using one or the other machine (leaving unused machine in standby) will not give this problem.

Third option, which may originally seem to be the easiest, is an A-B switch, allowing the feed to go to either receiver. Ensure you purchase such a switch for satellite use, so it avoids shorting/arcing problems.

I think it is safer to switch off a receiver (unplug the power) whenever the LNB cable is removed/attached, as a short in the cable (which carries current to change the LNB over from H/V etc) could easily fry the box.

Sorry this is so long, and I hope it helps :-)

The A-B switch seems to be the best option for me,if the missus see's anymore cable snaked tru the house I'll be out in the shed with all my gear.

[pob639]

Reading this post made me think

If you use the loop through on a reciever can you watch a H (horizontal) transponder signal on one box and a V (vertical) on the other box ?

Or will both boxes need to watch same H / V transponder as the first box that powers the lnb ?

and what happens to the power for the lnb coming from the second reciever can u turn this off ?

pob639

[Tyger]

Reading this post made me think

If you use the loop through on a reciever can you watch a H (horizontal) transponder signal on one box and a V (vertical) on the other box ?

Or will both boxes need to watch same H / V transponder as the first box that powers the lnb ?

and what happens to the power for the lnb coming from the second reciever can u turn this off ?

pob639

Ok,

If you think of your terrestrial aerial, it is either set up as vertically or horizontally, depending on which way your TV transmitter is set up. Put up another aerial for your bedroom and fit it the wrong way (H instead of V for example) and you wont get a picture. LNBs allow both H & V to be used by electrically switching as per the frequency. So if one receiver is watching a one horizontally polarised channel the other can work with any horizontal channel, but not vertical, and vice versa. :-)

Using one receiver at a time will not be a problem, as will watching different channels with V or H format.

The easiest way around this is to get a twin output LNB (eBay or local supplier) and send another cable to the second receiver, which will allow full functionality of both receivers, from one dish.

Ther would not be problems with the power if both receivers are on, as long as changing channels will not interfere with the polarity conflicting, as they use different volatages to change. For this reason it is probably safer to use loop through receivers on seperate occasions, for axample FreesatHD/Sky setup with one on standby and one in use. The twin LNB output option would allow bothe to be used, and/or of course recording in case of each receiver being capable.

I hope this may help,

Tyger

[Tyger]

Sorry about the typos above, I am tgyping this from bed...one of my not so good days

[htpc]

I had the same "problem".
At first I used to unscrew the cable from one receiver & screw it to the other.
This wasn't ideal ofcourse so I noticed the LNB OUT jack on one of the receivers.
Thinking I was too clever I bought an inexpensive cable & used it to loop the signal from one receiver to the other.
At first it was working fine & feeling good about myself but suddenly channels were dropping. I noticed I had to be watching more the same or similar program on both or switch off one of the receivers.
This wasn't again working so I thought one lnb, two receivers I need an lnb with two outputs.
I went ahead and bought one together with another cable run.
Problem solved.

Consider yourself lucky there are people like Tyger who will explain this in a couple of lines, I had to figure it out by myself. I've learned since - straight to the forums

[.: JaCkPoT :.]

The only advantage to loop through over a twin output lnb is that you can control the motor from the second receiver.
Best thing is read all replies and do What you find most convenient.