What Diseqc switch to buy

JoyPad · 01-01-2005 3:25pm #1

Hi,

I just bought a system from LIDL, and I'm trying to add to my current setup (Sky). For now, I've replaced the minidish with the new one, and I can tune in Astra 2, Hotbird(s) and Sirius 2/3. I haven't tried Astra 1, my interest lies in the ones mentioned.
I know I need a DiseqC switch to connect the two LNBs to the receiver, and I want to know if it's worth buying a 3-way when I only have 2 LNBs. I'm thinking for the future to try adding another LNB to the 80cm dish and see if I can get both Hotbird and Sirius. It sounds quite difficult to add a LNB to the LIDL dish, but it would be worth the try.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
JP

snaps · 01-01-2005 4:08pm

You want to go for a 4 way. They only come in 2 and 4 way switches. Very surprised you can get sirius at 5E. Perhaps you are only picking up the european beam?

I would have kept my mini dish up for Sky (Digibox's cannot control diseqc switches). I would have put the 80cm lidl dish up as a second dish. You can control the two dishes (Up to 4 LNB's or dishes)with a diseqc switch and a priority switch with the reciever and digibox. The priority switch will control the two recievers, But you can only have one reciever on at a time. If you connect the digibox to the diseqc switch 28East has to be LNB 1.

snaps · 01-01-2005 4:14pm

Its quite easy to adapt dishes to accept multiple LNB's. Search my recent posts/replies in this section.

JoyPad · 01-01-2005 4:38pm

snaps wrote:

You want to go for a 4 way. They only come in 2 and 4 way switches.

This looks like a 3-way switch.

snaps wrote:

Very surprised you can get sirius at 5E. Perhaps you are only picking up the european beam?

True. I only get the Europe BSS, and had problems with the signal quality during the wind/rain last night. I live in Galway, Ireland.

snaps wrote:

I would have kept my mini dish up for Sky (Digibox's cannot control diseqc switches). I would have put the 80cm lidl dish up as a second dish.

I'll do exactly that when I find a drill. For now I just used the minidish support for the new dish.

snaps wrote:

You can control the two dishes (Up to 4 LNB's or dishes)with a diseqc switch and a priority switch with the reciever and digibox. The priority switch will control the two recievers, But you can only have one reciever on at a time. If you connect the digibox to the diseqc switch 28East has to be LNB 1.

Actually, I plan on giving up the Sky sub, as soon as the NFL season is over. The LIDL receiver should work just fine with the two dishes and a Diseqc switch. Correct?

Thanks for your reply. I'm checking your multiple LNBs post right now.

Cheers,
JP

snaps · 01-01-2005 8:08pm

I'll take that back about the 3 way diseqc switch. Never knew they existed. The only ones I was familar with are the Global 2 and 4 way switches! I am in Galway as well M8! I cannot get any signal form 5E apart from the europe beam. I will admit looking at the mounts of the lidl dish they do scare me a little as they don't seem to secure? You can't complain at the price of the dish though!
Hope you have better luck getting a drill than I did, Not one of my neighbours would lend me one for an hour and I knew they had one as well!

duridian · 02-01-2005 1:22am

You know there is so little in the difference between the price of the various switches on Satellite.ie (€19 for a 2way €21 for a 3way €23 for a 4way) that I would say get the 4way model because who knows what you might do further down the line and the LIDL receiver can use up to 4 LNBs if needed.
I've got 3 of the LIDL dishes hanging off the side of the house at present, not a budge out of them in the wind this evening. I know most people would go the multi LNB on a single dish route but for me this is cheap and each LNB is on the best focus point of an 80cm dish. Might go nuts and buy a fourth one next time LIDL have sat gear. What I'd point it at I dunno but at the LIDL prices who can resist.

snaps · 02-01-2005 10:19am

I totally agree, get the 4 way for future cos if your like me your will always be playing and adding stuff!

intersplat · 02-01-2005 12:26pm

I bought my self a Diseq motor for Christmas , cost €90 . I don't see the point in having lots of lnbs or lots of dishes on my wall . Will set up today .Should be able to get from 26 east to 30 west maybe more but I doubt it as there may be some stuff in my way .

snaps · 02-01-2005 12:53pm

@intersplat
Let me know how you get on installing the motor? I am interested investing in one now prices are fairly reasonable. Did you purchase from satellite.ie? Let me know how easy it is to install and any problems you have?

Good luck mate,
Snaps

Eurorunner · 02-01-2005 3:02pm

I don't see the point in having lots of lnbs or lots of dishes on my wall

Well, if you go the multi-lnb route, you could have a system that will allow different sats to be viewed on different TV sets in the house simultaneously.

Let me know how you get on installing the motor? I am interested investing in one now prices are fairly reasonable.

I have a motorised setup and it works fine most of the time. Only issue is the cheap lidl mounting bracket doesnt hold the weight of the motor/dish together with the force of strong winds - too well. It tends to bounce upwards/downwards when winds pickup.

If your getting a diseqc motor, DON'T get the cheapo Superjack DG120 - they're absolute shíte. I'm currently using the SG2100 since 6 months - works grand. Good price and efficient delivery with hm-sat too.
Most important thing with motor setup is getting the mount dead-on 100% vertical - then find the closest satellite to due south for your location (atlantic bird 2 for galway) - set it to zero - find out what elevation angle you should be using for your location and tune in with a sat finder.
Then check the extremes - extreme east - and west - cos if you can't tune in either side, then theres an issue with the setup.

hth.

Tony · 02-01-2005 4:56pm

Eurorunner wrote:

If your getting a diseqc motor, DON'T get the cheapo Superjack DG120 - they're absolute shíte. I'm currently using the SG2100 since 6 months - works grand. Good price and efficient delivery with hm-sat too.

hth.

Picture looks identical to the motek, I wonder are the superjack and motek made in the same place?

Eurorunner · 02-01-2005 6:05pm

I've had both tony and they look relatively similar i suppose but i'm fairly sure theyre not clones - i'd have had problems by now if that was the case. The superjack has two classic issues - info on which can be found on various sat boards. Unfortunately i found this out after buying :mad: (not one of my better buying decisions).

1. The connection points ie. to lnb/to receiver corrode over a short length of time. I found that after a short period of time, whilst disconnecting the cable, the socket came loose.
2. Out of the box, it wasn't right. There was 'play' in the arm of the motor - you don't need to be einstein to work out how detrimental this can be to a motorised setup....suffice it to say that i had everything aligned perfectly for sats on the west side...the extreme east was off..

The manufacturers of the superjack are taiwan based. I contacted them at the time and they offered to provide a replacement - but wouldnt pay the delivery. Delivery costs more than the motor - and anyway, i knew i didnt want another crap motor so i didnt bother.
Dunno who produces the moteck...

intersplat · 02-01-2005 7:16pm

All done ! Took me about 1 hour (but I did stop for a fag

) As some one posted above you do need to get it exactly spot on or as I found say 19 east would be perfect but by the time it got to 1 west it would be out of line.

I ended using 1 west as my middlepoint then adjusting slightly when it went east and west . It's working 100% now . I'm getting past 30 west but have not had time to scan all sats yet .

snaps · 02-01-2005 7:41pm

@intersplat
Well done! Are all the satellites spot on when moving the dish? How long does it take to get to a different satellite?

intersplat · 02-01-2005 9:23pm

Yeh everything working fine . Takes about 8 seconds to get from 28 to 13 . About 15 seconds from 28 to 1 west . It's accurate too .

Tony · 03-01-2005 3:44am

I'm sorry I did not make it clear but i was referring to the 2100, the moteck even uses the same model number SG2100 , now with A on the end so probably the same eastern origin. One problem i've found with a small number of motecks is that you can move them using east/ west using your receiver but they will not go to a preset position, have you experienced this at all with the superjack 2100 ?

Eurorunner wrote:

I've had both tony and they look relatively similar i suppose but i'm fairly sure theyre not clones -

seano · 03-01-2005 11:16am

Tony wrote:

I'm sorry I did not make it clear but i was referring to the 2100, the moteck even uses the same model number SG2100 , now with A on the end so probably the same eastern origin. One problem i've found with a small number of motecks is that you can move them using east/ west using your receiver but they will not go to a preset position, have you experienced this at all with the superjack 2100 ?

With the Motek and Stab roters you come across different names but in actuel fact they are the same and made in the same factory.

The 2100 is sold under the Strong /Digipower/Superjack name while the Stab is also sold under the Visiosat name.As long as it is the design of the Motek it comes out of the Motek factory and the same applies with the Stab

BTW the A at the end is the new version of the Motek roters and has a longer pipe.

What Diseqc switch to buy

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