Multi Feed LNB Setup Questions

Tonio

Are there any guides on how to use an 8x1 switch? Is it straightforward? I have two 4x1 switches feeding two Ferguson Ariva 120 Combos at the moment. I have ordered an 8x1 from Hong Kong and it should arrive any day now. I want to swap out one of the 4x1 switches and replace it with the 8x1 adding 1 or 2 more satellites in the process. At present I have assigned Port 1, 2, 3 and 4 to the different satellites in the Ferguson menu but 4 seems to be the maximum number of ports. Is there a guide on how to configure an 8x1?

davidom2513

Yes, went for the 1m gilbertini

Here's list of the stuff I got off hm-sat:

vu+ duo box
1m gilbertini
2 x megasat slim twin lnb
2 x Smart Titanium Edition single lnb
Gilbertini multifeed 3 degree lnb holder

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€460


Got these bits off ebay then:

8x1 diseqc
4x1 diseqc
50m coax cable
sky quad lnb
satellite meter finder
12 x F-Connectors

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€55

Total - €515



I have no idea Tonio, maybe the other fellas can help you out with that

excollier

Don't hesitate to ask for help setting it up.

excollier

Tonio wrote: »

Are there any guides on how to use an 8x1 switch? Is it straightforward? I have two 4x1 switches feeding two Ferguson Ariva 120 Combos at the moment. I have ordered an 8x1 from Hong Kong and it should arrive any day now. I want to swap out one of the 4x1 switches and replace it with the 8x1 adding 1 or 2 more satellites in the process. At present I have assigned Port 1, 2, 3 and 4 to the different satellites in the Ferguson menu but 4 seems to be the maximum number of ports. Is there a guide on how to configure an 8x1?

You will need to go into the menu and change from diseqc 1.0 to 1.1 and that will give you the option of up to 16 switch positions, instead of four, otherwise it's straight forward. Then just assign any of the 16, no need to use them in any particular order, whatever suits you best.

Tonio

excollier wrote: »

You will need to go into the menu and change from diseqc 1.0 to 1.1 and that will give you the option of up to 16 switch positions, instead of four, otherwise it's straight forward. Then just assign any of the 16, no need to use them in any particular order, whatever suits you best.

OK will try that and let you know how I get on! I just have to wait for it to arrive in the post now...

davidom2513

All my stuff got delivered from hm-sat a few days ago, so I was messing around with the box since then.

I decided to tackle setting up the dish today. I have it mounted behind the chimney now where it its well sheltered.

I started off by trying to get 16E using a satellite meter and the the sat finder on the vu+ duo.

I wasnt sure if I should leave the default settings on the sat finder or change them. e.g the frequency, symbol rate etc. and the best I could get it at was around 53-54%. (Can be seen in the pic below) When I tried to scan I got nothing.

I looked up 16E on lyngsat, to get the frequency and symbol rate etc. and I typed these in to the sat finder and it went down to 0% again. (Another pic below with new settings)

So I was just wondering if anyone knows if I should have set the frequency and symbol rate first in the sat finder, and then adjust the dish on the roof? Or did I do it right first. I think I should have changed the frequency first but I didnt see any instructions to do so.

Anyway let me know what you think, and I'll give it another crack tomorrow.

I'm not sure if anyone will see this post or not, if noone sees it I may start a new thread

Ronnie Raygun

11836 H, 27500 is used at 19, 23.5 & 28 degrees east, probably others. I wouldn't fancy the job of setting up any dish on a roof, let alone multiple lnbs, without a meter displaying at least what you can see on the receiver's sat. finder.

Either that or I'd install the dish at a location where I could easily view the tv screen, either through a window or bring it outside.

davidom2513

According to Lyngsat its 11283 V, 27500 for 16E. Should I type that in and adjust the dish accordingly?
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/tring.html


Yeah, it wasn't ideal alright, but there were bushes in the way, so I had no option but to mount it on the roof. Its well sheltered and hidden anyway so thats a consolation.

I have my brother and father to help me so there's someone inside watching the sat finder, so its not too bad. And I have a satellite meter on the roof.

Once I get 16E, hopefully it shouldnt be too bad, as thats the most difficult one.

Ronnie Raygun

Yeah, the frequency for Tring is a good one to use for locating 16A, as it doesn't seem to be used as a centre freq. by any of the other nearby sats., closest seems to be for feeds at 7 east.

I don't know if this site was already mentioned in this thread, it's useful for aligning a dish.

davidom2513

Cheers, I'll try them settings so.

Yeah, I used that site and printed off the result for my location. I set the elevation it recommended no problem, but the azimuth is more tricky. I have no means of measuring the azimuth. It also gives 2 azimuths, true and magnetic, so even if I could measure it I wouldn't know which one to use.

Right, I'm going to tackle it again right now, and see if I can get a good signal. I'll just move the dish on the roof while someone watches the sat finder on the tv.

I'll see how it goes!

Ronnie Raygun

If the Google satellite view is of a decent resolution, you should have no trouble picking out a landmark to aim the dish at, no need for a compass.

machiavellianme

There's a few good apps if you have an android or iphone that will help in identifying the satellite you want (I use dishpointer pro) and find it works well.

Ronnie Raygun

I was referring to the Google satellite view in dishpointer. It's the main reason I would recommend the site.

davidom2513

I had no luck at all setting up 16E. Couldn't get any signal at all.

So I turned my attention to getting 19.2E as its much stronger. I couldnt get anything from that either. Its just jumping from 0-20% st the best of times.

I think the bushes are blocking the signal.

I might try moving the dish further out into the garden where I might get around the bushes. At least that way I will know if the bushes are the problem.

I thought I would have got some sort of signal even through the bushes though

I downloaded an app that tells me when I'm pointing at the right satellite using a compass, I'm not picking it up though.

I also tried to pick up 28.2 to see if it was a dish/lnb problem. And I got a 75% signal for it. The satellite 28.2E just misses the bushes though

Ronnie Raygun

Did you verify that you were indeed on 28 east by scanning for channels?

davidom2513

I got 28.2E coming in there at 85% but when I scanned in the channels, nothing is found, does anyone know why this is?

I need some kind of joy here, before I give up completely.

If I cant get 28.2 I have no hope of getting 16E or 19.2

Peter Rhea

Which frequency did you scan on 28 east?

davidom2513

I scanned the default that was on it: 11836 H, 27500

What frequency should I have scanned, and how do you know which to scan?

I looked up 28.2 on lyngsat and the frequency 11836 was listed so I presumed it would work

Peter Rhea

Try one of the Freesat tps listed here.

Was 85% the SNR figure? What was the receiver's meter showing for BER?

davidom2513

Yes the 85% was the SNR figure

The BER was 0%

When I put in a freesat frequency it goes back down to 0%

So I'll have to try and re-align it again

davidom2513

yes the snr figure was 85%

the BER was 0%

I'll have to try and realign the dish now again

davidom2513

Cant get a signal for the freeview channels

Considering leaving it to a professional!

Really frustrating work

Peter Rhea

Did you leave the FEC setting on 'auto', I see in one of your photos in a previous post it's set to 5/6, some of the satellites using the 11836 H tp have different FEC (also where do the football scenes come from in the background of the sat finder pics?).

If you're still working blind with the dish on the roof, you'll do your head in with all the messing about.

davidom2513

Yeah I have the FEC on Auto, I only had it on 5/6 when I was trying to get 16E.

The football picture is from a sky mini dish thats already installed. I'm just trying to get 28.2 on my gilbertini so that I can use it as a reference of where to go to get the others I'm installing 19.2, 16, 13, 10

But I can't even get a proper signal for 28.2 so its not looking good at all.

It should be really easy to get I would have thought.

No the dish is out at the far end of the garden now, because I think it may have been blocked by a bush when it was on the roof

davidom2513

Does anyone know what frequency I should use to try and find sky italia?

I dont want to spend hours at it to find that the channels dont scan in like last time?

I tried to find the satellite using 11843, V SR 29900, FEC 3/4, which is the frequency for sky calcio and a few others

I dont know why I cant find anything , it doesnt make any sense

excollier

This website will give you all the frequency info you will ever need

http://en.kingofsat.net/

Ronnie Raygun

How familiar are you with the basics? Might be no harm to take a look here.

You really need to have some kind of quality meter visible when you're adjusting the dish. If you have some of the channels from 28 east tuned in from when you were connected to the Sky dish, it will be pretty obvious if you manage to lock onto them with the Gib.

excollier

Easy with a meter, really, but infuriating without.

davidom2513

Yeah, I'm very familiar with the basics at this stage

My sat meter failed on me, so I have to rely on the meter on the vu+ duo

Hopefully its not bushes blocking the signal, because there would be too many to clear

Peter Rhea

Dishpointer has a line of sight checker that shows the maximum height an obstacle can be depending on distance from the dish.