freeview/saorview issue

cletus

Hi, I recently had a freeview/saorview system installed in my house. the setup is an external aerial and satellite dish, connected together. Quad lnb on the dish. the initial setup ran to one tv in the house, with no issue.

I subsequently put another tv in the house and wanted to connect this to the existing setup. Connected to the quad lnb on the satellite, and connected this to the correct tv point.

At the tv end, i ran cable from the tv point to the combo box, splitting it along the way with the silver square splitter box (technical term) leaving two cables, one running to lnb in, one to aerial in.

Now the rub. Freeview channels tuned in with no issue, but cannot get any signal for the Irish channels. Anybody got any ideas what i might be doing wrong.

the combo box I'm using is a fergusun ariva 120combo, which has picked up Irish channels previously, albeit in a different location.

cheers

steveon

cletus wrote: »

Hi, I recently had a freeview/saorview system installed in my house. the setup is an external aerial and satellite dish, connected together. Quad lnb on the dish. the initial setup ran to one tv in the house, with no issue.

I subsequently put another tv in the house and wanted to connect this to the existing setup. Connected to the quad lnb on the satellite, and connected this to the correct tv point.

At the tv end, i ran cable from the tv point to the combo box, splitting it along the way with the silver square splitter box (technical term) leaving two cables, one running to lnb in, one to aerial in.

Now the rub. Freeview channels tuned in with no issue, but cannot get any signal for the Irish channels. Anybody got any ideas what i might be doing wrong.

the combo box I'm using is a fergusun ariva 120combo, which has picked up Irish channels previously, albeit in a different location.

cheers

You say u used a splitter do u mean a diplexers???? If so u need of two of these, one in say the attic or wherever you are joining to the cable you ran from the quad lnb to. You will also need to run a cable from the terrestrial aerial to the diplexers and then feed the cable going to the room you want from the input/output of the diplexers.

Then in the secondary room you take the cable from the wall to the diplexers again and then feed 2 cables from it one to the sat and one to the terrestrial socket of the ariva.

Heres a video of dave from tv-trade showing how to do it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in6e9lnhGFg

cletus

steveon wrote: »

You say u used a splitter do u mean a diplexers???? If so u need of two of these, one in say the attic or wherever you are joining to the cable you ran from the quad lnb to. You will also need to run a cable from the terrestrial aerial to the diplexers and then feed the cable going to the room you want from the input/output of the diplexers.

Then in the secondary room you take the cable from the wall to the diplexers again and then feed 2 cables from it one to the sat and one to the terrestrial socket of the ariva.

Heres a video of dave from tv-trade showing how to do it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in6e9lnhGFg

Thanks for taking the time time to reply. Yes, a diplexer is what I used.

In terms of the original setup, which I paid to have done, there is only a diplexer at the tv end of the setup. The aerial outside has a cable running from it to the satellite dish, then a single cable running from the lnb to the tv point, where it is then split.

I cant get up to check it now, but in your opinion would there be the option to run a second piece of cable from the aerial to the satellite, then run another single cable from the lnb

steveon

cletus wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time time to reply. Yes, a diplexer is what I used.

In terms of the original setup, which I paid to have done, there is only a diplexer at the tv end of the setup. The aerial outside has a cable running from it to the satellite dish, then a single cable running from the lnb to the tv point, where it is then split.

I cant get up to check it now, but in your opinion would there be the option to run a second piece of cable from the aerial to the satellite, then run another single cable from the lnb

There must be another diplexers somewhere follow the cable from the aerial and you will find it...u need to split the feed from your aerial and feed both diplexers with this and then supply each diplexers with a sat feed also.

cletus

Will have a look in the morning, thanks for your help

Wayne Cochran

cletus wrote: »

The aerial outside has a cable running from it to the satellite dish, then a single cable running from the lnb to the tv point, where it is then split.

Maybe the LNB is one of these with terrestrial input & integrated diplexer?

In that case, all outputs will have sat. & terr. signal. Seems to attenuate the terrestrial signal a lot. (Insertion loss.)

cletus

Wayne Cochran wrote: »

Maybe the LNB is one these with terrestrial input & integrated diplexer?

In that case, all outputs will have sat. & terr. signal. Seems to attenuate the terrestrial signal a lot. (Insertion loss.)

If this is the case, is there anything I can do to solve the problem

Wayne Cochran

An amplifier before the signal loss, between the aerial & the LNB terr. input.

I don't see any mention in the specs. of line powering for such an amplifier though.

winston_1

cletus wrote: »

Hi, I recently had a freeview/saorview system installed in my house. the setup is an external aerial and satellite dish, connected together. Quad lnb on the dish. the initial setup ran to one tv in the house, with no issue.

It is NOT a Freeview/Saorview system. Freeview is UK TV through an aerial in exact the same way that Saorview is Irish TV through an aerial.
You have a free to air satellite system and Saorview.

winston_1

cletus wrote: »

I cant get up to check it now, but in your opinion would there be the option to run a second piece of cable from the aerial to the satellite.

You can't do that either, the satellite is 23,000 miles above the equator!

winston_1

cletus wrote: »

If this is the case, is there anything I can do to solve the problem

Well first of all you need to identify how the aerial signal gets to the original installation. If it is indeed one of those LNBs it should work on all outputs.

muffler

winston_1 wrote: »

You can't do that either, the satellite is 23,000 miles above the equator!

Ah, good old winston, the man to keep us on our toes. :rolleyes:

Do try to use a full stop at the end of a sentence instead of an exclamation mark. :pac:

cletus

Winston, thanks for pointing out both semantic mistakes and the obvious. Now that we have established the correct name for the system I have installed, and the fact that my ladder isn't big enough, have you any suggestions for how I might fix the issue I have with lack of terrestrial signal coming through the diplexer built-in lnb?

same ol sh1te

There is a huge drop in signal using those quad lnb with inbuilt diplexers, I've experienced 10db+ (nothing left to play with) and will never use one again. They also leave no way to pass power a masthead amp, you'd end up running another cable to the masthead amp to bring power which defeats the purpose, you are better with a multiswitch in the attic. They are only suitable in a very high signal area.

winston_1

cletus wrote: »

Winston, thanks for pointing out both semantic mistakes and the obvious. Now that we have established the correct name for the system I have installed, and the fact that my ladder isn't big enough, have you any suggestions for how I might fix the issue I have with lack of terrestrial signal coming through the diplexer built-in lnb?

If, and we have not established it yet, you do have one of those type LNBs the terrestrial signal is working through one output so it is strange not to work through another.
But without a longer ladder it is very difficult to do more.

Suggestions, buy a longer ladder or call back the original installer who would know exactly what is installed.

cletus

winston_1 wrote: »

If, and we have not established it yet, you do have one of those type LNBs the terrestrial signal is working through one output so it is strange not to work through another.
But without a longer ladder it is very difficult to do more.

Suggestions, buy a longer ladder or call back the original installer who would know exactly what is installed.

The ladder is perfectly adequate to reach the dish and aerial, however, it wont reach the satellite at 23000 miles.

Having looked at the setup it would appear most likely that my LNB does have a terrestrial input/diplexer.

If, going forward, we assume that this is indeed the setup I have, do you have any actual constructive advice regarding the issue in the op, or am I just helping to drive up your post count

same ol sh1te

cletus wrote: »

Having looked at the setup it would appear most likely that my LNB does have a terrestrial input/diplexer.

If this is the case you will need a professional with a meter (and a ladder ). Like I said before the signal drop across these diplexer lnbs is huge and therefore you need the best signal possible arriving at the lnb, it's also messy situation to try and amplify a weaker signal

cletus

Same oul ****e, thanks for the replies. If I were to put a multiswitch, as you said, in the attic, could this work with the aerial, dish and LNB I currently have, or would I need to change this hardware too

same ol sh1te

cletus wrote: »

Same oul ****e, thanks for the replies. If I were to put a multiswitch, as you said, in the attic, could this work with the aerial, dish and LNB I currently have, or would I need to change this hardware too

Major surgery, you would need to change to an ordinary/quatro lnb and re-route your coaxes to the multiswitch and also re-route your antenna direct into the attic, you'd be able to add a masthead amp then if required and power from the attic. Call a professional, it may not need this and just be a faulty lnb although I suspect it's a dodgy signal issue

cletus

same ol sh1te wrote: »

Major surgery, you would need to change to an ordinary/quatro lnb and re-route your coaxes to the multiswitch and also re-route your antenna direct into the attic, you'd be able to add a masthead amp then if required and power from the attic. Call a professional, it may not need this and just be a faulty lnb although I suspect it's a dodgy signal issue

Thanks yet again. I have already run cable from the LNB into the attic, so doing this with the aerial wouldn't present a problem. Ditto for replacing LNB.

Would the single cable currently being split at the tv via diplexer be connected to the multi switch, or would I have to run two cables, one satellite and one terrestrial for each tv.

If its the former then I reckon it wouldn't pose too much of an issue.

In summary then, am I right in saying the proposed setup would be

-new quad LNB
-cable from satellite dish to multiswitch in attic (would each tv require new cable from LNB?)
-cable from aerial to multiswitch in attic
-cable for each tv point to multiswitch in attic

*edit* having looked I see that all four connections must be used from LNB, plus one from the aerial. The rest of the setup does not look too complicated.

Cheers same oul sh1te

Wayne Cochran

So you must have definitely established that you have an LNB with a terrestrial input?

It should work fine if the signal from the aerial is strong enough, the installer shouldn't have used it otherwise. I'd get him back.

Wayne Cochran

cletus wrote: »

I have already run cable from the LNB into the attic, so doing this with the aerial wouldn't present a problem.

In that case, it shouldn't be hard to run a cable from the aerial to a masthead amplifier & then to an amplifier power supply in the attic, then back out to the LNB.

Maybe the attic is "en-route" between aerial & dish anyway?

winston_1

Going back to post no 3.

QUOTE. Yes, a diplexer is what I used. QUOTE.

I wonder if this is the problem, i.e. wrong type or faulty diplexer. Could be worthwhile as a test to remove it and connect straight to the TV aerial input.

same ol sh1te

cletus wrote: »

Thanks yet again. I have already run cable from the LNB into the attic, so doing this with the aerial wouldn't present a problem. Ditto for replacing LNB.

Would the single cable currently being split at the tv via diplexer be connected to the multi switch, or would I have to run two cables, one satellite and one terrestrial for each tv.

If its the former then I reckon it wouldn't pose too much of an issue.

In summary then, am I right in saying the proposed setup would be

-new quad LNB
-cable from satellite dish to multiswitch in attic (would each tv require new cable from LNB?)
-cable from aerial to multiswitch in attic
-cable for each tv point to multiswitch in attic

*edit* having looked I see that all four connections must be used from LNB, plus one from the aerial. The rest of the setup does not look too complicated.

Cheers same oul sh1te

Not being smart but get a professional with a meter, everything else is just guesswork.

cletus

@wayne: the aerial is only connected to the lnb, so i would say yes, pretty definite. The aerial and satellite dish are mounted together at the same point, were part of the same install

@winston: the combo box has been connected directly to just the satellite dish feed, free to air uk channels scan no problem. The terrestrial feed has been connected on its own, no joy. Running the diplexer, i get the uk channels but no Irish channels.

@same oul sh1te: the professionals are the ones who installed the system in the first place, I have emailed the company responsible, but at the very minimum I'd like to have a basic grasp of what I'm talking about when they reply.

Thanks to all who replied (even you winston;))

winston_1

cletus wrote: »

Thanks yet again. I have already run cable from the LNB into the attic, so doing this with the aerial wouldn't present a problem. Ditto for replacing LNB.

Would the single cable currently being split at the tv via diplexer be connected to the multi switch, or would I have to run two cables, one satellite and one terrestrial for each tv.

If its the former then I reckon it wouldn't pose too much of an issue.

In summary then, am I right in saying the proposed setup would be

-new quad LNB
-cable from satellite dish to multiswitch in attic (would each tv require new cable from LNB?)
-cable from aerial to multiswitch in attic
-cable for each tv point to multiswitch in attic

*edit* having looked I see that all four connections must be used from LNB, plus one from the aerial. The rest of the setup does not look too complicated.

Cheers same oul sh1te

You are going about it the wrong way. It is a recent installation so should be under guarantee, you get 2 years under EU rules remember. The terrestrial loss through the LNB is a red herring, the installer would have taken this into account, and it works through one LNB output. Barring a faulty LNB, unlikely, it must be with the cable, new diplexer, or even the flylead from diplexer to TV. You could easily test the other LNB outputs by moving the good feed around them.

Wayne Cochran

cletus wrote: »

@wayne: the aerial is only connected to the lnb, so i would say yes, pretty definite. The aerial and satellite dish are mounted together at the same point, were part of the same install

So the Saorview side of this has all worked perfectly at the original TV point, with no drop-outs or "no signal" incidents, however brief?

cletus

Wayne Cochran wrote: »

So the Saorview side of this has all worked perfectly at the original TV point, with no drop-outs or "no signal" incidents, however brief?

correct

cletus

Following on from winstons idea, i switched the diplexer plus leads known to work on original tv to the second tv. Same result, uk channels are fine, no terrestrial channels. I then put the new diplexer plus leads I made up on the original tv, all channels work, both uk and irish.

This suggests there is no issue with the diplexer I bought or the leads I made up.

My next step will be to change the connection to the LNB, will report back