Using same satellite cable to switch between boxes

tronman

Hi

I have 2 satellite boxes, one of which is Sky. I'd like to connect both of them up to my tv but there is only 1 set of satellite cables. In other words I would like to be able to switch between the boxes and not have to take out the cables from 1 to connect to the other each time.

Does anyone know if this is possible?

Thanks

The Cush

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The unit is expensive and the satellite cable from the dish must be very good quality to handle the shifted higher frequencies.

http://www.tvtrade.ie/global-stacker-destacker.html
http://www.satworld.ie/global-stacker-destacker.html
http://www.vanjak.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=30198
https://www.satellitetv.ie/stacker_destacker

Vic_08

tronman wrote: »

Hi

I have 2 satellite boxes, one of which is Sky. I'd like to connect both of them up to my tv but there is only 1 set of satellite cables. In other words I would like to be able to switch between the boxes and not have to take out the cables from 1 to connect to the other each time.

Does anyone know if this is possible?

Thanks

If you have only 2 cables coming from the satellite dish then your options are limited.

Presumably you have a sky+ and a freesat recorder if you are swapping more than 1 cable around. If this is the case then you can use 1 cable on each but they will only be able to process 1 channel at a time so no recording 1 channel and watching another. The second box can of course record/see a different channel.

Do not under any circumstance use a cheap TV or F-connector splitter box to split the satellite feeds to 2 boxes or to connect to both inputs on 1 box at the same time. satellite receivers send a current to the LNB so connecting 2 to the same cable can cause damage.

Realistically to connect multiple receivers to one dish you need 4 feeds from the dish which most likely means replacing the LNB (device on the arm of the dish) with a quad (or possibly quattro) and adding extra cables.

Once this is done you can connect the 4 cables to the 2 boxes directly (quad LNB only) or for added flexibility of running extra cables to another room or connecting extra boxes use a multiswitch such as http://www.tvtrade.ie/amplifiers-and-diplexers/multiswitches.html (quad or quattro LNB depending on the switch)

Liefelt

tronman wrote: »

I have 2 satellite boxes, one of which is Sky. I'd like to connect both of them up to my tv but there is only 1 set of satellite cables. In other words I would like to be able to switch between the boxes and not have to take out the cables from 1 to connect to the other each time.

Is the non-Sky receiver a twin-tuner too? Does it have LNB-outs for both tuners?

Also you could use priority switches or manual A/B switches.

Liefelt

Vic_08 wrote: »

Do not under any circumstance use a cheap TV or F-connector splitter box to split the satellite feeds to 2 boxes or to connect to both inputs on 1 box at the same time. satellite receivers send a current to the LNB so connecting 2 to the same cable can cause damage.

Cause damage?! How? Doesn't the LNB draw current? To power the LNB, the satellite receivers create a voltage between the 2 conductors of the coaxial cable, & this voltage can't exceed the max. created by whichever single receiver happens to have the highest voltage across its 2 conductors?

Liefelt

Vic_08 wrote: »

... If this is the case then you can use 1 cable on each but they will only be able to process 1 channel at a time so no recording 1 channel and watching another.

By 'channel', you mean like BBC1, RTE1 etc.? Each tuner can process 1 transponder at a time, & the viewer can access any of the services carried in this transponder.

Twin tuner boxes often have a single cable mode or, you can just loop out to the 2nd tuner, or use a splitter if there's no loop-out. In this case, the 2nd tuner will be able to access any services in the same frequency/polarity 'block' as the 1st tuner.

tronman

Liefelt wrote: »

Is the non-Sky receiver a twin-tuner too? Does it have LNB-outs for both tuners?

Also you could use priority switches or manual A/B switches.

Its a dreambox 800hd - not sure how many tuners it has or if it has LNB-outs: anyone know?

Thule

tronman wrote: »

Its a dreambox 800hd - not sure how many tuners it has or if it has LNB-outs: anyone know?

Seeems only to be a single tuner, with no LNB out.

Is it not possible for you to run another cable from the dish? Maybe you don't have access to the dish? (You could be on an apartment distribution system, for all anyone bothered to ask.)

Thule

Also, not to be prying but, why do you want to run both these boxes? Maybe the Dreambox is for foreign channels?

I was assuming from your OP that "set of satellite cables" means a pair of cables from the dish or distribution system. If the Sky box is out-of-sub., it only needs 1 cable connected.

The Cush

tronman wrote: »

Its a dreambox 800hd - not sure how many tuners it has or if it has LNB-outs: anyone know?

Have a look at the rear of the box, the screw on connectors will be LNB in 1/2 etc. (and LNB out if present). 1 LNB IN = 1 tuner, 2 LNB IN = 2 tuners.

The Cush

Thule wrote: »

(You could be on an apartment distribution system, for all anyone bothered to ask.)

Including yourself in your previous incarnation

tronman

Thule wrote: »

Seeems only to be a single tuner, with no LNB out.

Is it not possible for you to run another cable from the dish? Maybe you don't have access to the dish? (You could be on an apartment distribution system, for all anyone bothered to ask.)

It's my dish but unfortunately it's too difficult to get another cable run to it. I'm keeping my sky sub so it's nt an option just to run only 1 cable to the sky box - both need to be available to it so I can record.

Is there any sort of splitter or connector where I could just switch between which box I want to use it on?

The Cush

tronman wrote: »

Is there any sort of splitter or connector where I could just switch between which box I want to use it on?

The late Liefelt above suggested an A/B manual switch, 1 LNB cable in - 2 cables out (1 to each receiver), you just manually switch between the required receiver

example - http://www.tvtrade.ie/manual-satellite-switch.html, http://shop.satelliteonline.co.uk/ab-switch-manual-136-p.asp

tronman

The Cush wrote: »

The late Liefelt above suggested an A/B manual switch, 1 LNB cable in - 2 cables out (1 to each receiver), you just manually switch between the required receiver

example - http://www.tvtrade.ie/manual-satellite-switch.html, http://shop.satelliteonline.co.uk/ab-switch-manual-136-p.asp

Thanks mate. Is there a version of this with a remote control rather than manual?

The Cush

tronman wrote: »

Is there a version of this with a remote control rather than manual?

Haven't come across one before, there wouldn't be a great demand for them.

Thule

tronman wrote: »

Is there a version of this with a remote control rather than manual?

A priority switch would be, effectively. Connect the Sky box to the "slave" port, as the Sky box powers the LNB even in standby, afaik.

Then when the "master" receiver is switched on, it will take control of that LNB feed.

tronman

Thanks for your reply. Would you have a link to where I could buy a priority switch please? What other cables would I need to buy with that?

Sorry for the newbie question, but which is the slave port?

The Cush

tronman wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. Would you have a link to where I could buy a priority switch please? What other cables would I need to buy with that?

Sorry for the newbie question, but which is the slave port?

Example here - http://www.paradish.co.uk/motors-switches/digiality-smart-priority-switch.html, http://www.pulsat.com/products/Digiality-Smart-Priority-Switch.html

2 lengths of satellite cable required to connect the switch outputs to each receiver with F-connectors at both ends.

Regarding master and slave ports, you decide which receiver to be master and slave. The master receivers takes control of the satellite feed when switched on, when the master receiver is powered off the slave receivers takes control of the satellite feed.

Thule

As a cheaper alternative, you could probably get away with a splitter (make sure it passes the relevant frequencies) with unidirectional power passing (power only goes from receivers to LNB, not from receiver to receiver).

I think some Sky boxes power off LNB2 when in standby or, you could just make sure the Sky box tuner has a low band, vertical pol. channel selected, so it won't block the Dreambox from accessing any band/polarity combo.

The signal loss from the split shouldn't cause problems.