Swapping Port 1 & 2 / A & B on a MonoBlock - is it possible ?

championc

Hi all,
In an Apt in Spain, I want to change a single LNB for a MonoBlock LNB on a community system.  The dish points at 19.2e and people will have sat receivers tuned to 19.2e.  I was looking to change the LNB for a Monoblock but with the dish still pointing at 19.2e, Port 1 / Port A is now the offset port pointing at 13.0e so anyone using a Sat connection without setting Diseqc parameters will now get 13.0e
I was hoping that I could make the 19.2e the default Port 1 / A while 13.0e would then become Port 2 / B.  In this way, nobody would be any the wiser for me swapping the LNB but if someone tried and messed about with Diseqc on their receivers, they might just discover 13.0e.

Gerry Wicklow

Could you install the LNB upside-down?

The Cush

I've no experience using monoblocks, can you link to the type you plan installing on the dish?

championc

Gerry Wicklow wrote:

Could you install the LNB upside-down?

Looks like my only option. I burst it open and inside is a completely sealed unit. So i'll just use plenty of silicon sealant to make a completely watertight seal around the cable.

championc

Gerry Wicklow wrote:

Could you install the LNB upside-down?

Looks like my only option. I burst it open and inside is a completely sealed unit. So i'll just use plenty of silicon sealant to make a completely watertight seal around the cable.

Thurston?

This is a communal system with a multiswitch & all? How do you think your monoblock is going to work with that?

The Cush

Thurston? wrote: »

This is a communal system with a multiswitch & all? How do you think your monoblock is going to work with that?

I assume its a quad output unit with built-in multiswitches?

Thurston?

The Cush wrote: »

I assume its a quad output unit with built-in multiswitches?

You mean DiSEqC switches? It doesn't matter how many outputs it has, each will only get both sat. positions feeding a single tuner, not a multiswitch even if it works with quad LNBs.

The Cush

Thurston? wrote: »

You mean DiSEqC switches? It doesn't matter how many outputs it has, each will only get both sat. positions feeding a single tuner, not a multiswitch even if it works with quad LNBs.

The OP hasn't said how many feeds are required or if it includes a multiswitch in the setup.

Thurston?

The Cush wrote: »

The OP hasn't said how many feeds are required or if it includes a multiswitch in the setup.

I know, my post is asking a question.

The Cush

Yes, DiSEqC switches, my error.

So the question, is the current single LNB a quad or a Quattro type feeding a multiswitch? A problem if you replace the current LNB with a monoblock type with its own internal switching.

championc

I have no idea as to how it works and it makes no sense either

A SINGLE output LNB connects to a Televes 5150 2 Way splitter which then connect onto two ports on a Fagor microMATVplus box. This feeds off to about 10 apartments.

The Cush

championc wrote: »

I have no idea as to how it works and it makes no sense either

A SINGLE output LNB connects to a Televes 5150 2 Way splitter which then connect onto two ports on a Fagor microMATVplus box. This feeds off to about 10 apartments.

Does everyone in the block have full access to all channels on Astra at 19.2? Can't see how they could with a single output LNB.

What 2 inputs on the programmable amp are the splitter feeds connected to?

Thurston?

championc wrote: »

I have no idea as to how it works and it makes no sense either

A SINGLE output LNB connects to a Televes 5150 2 Way splitter which then connect onto two ports on a Fagor microMATVplus box. This feeds off to about 10 apartments.

I've only just acquainted myself with that headend yoke via google, & going by that, I don't see how the above setup could work unless there's something going on with the LNB that definitely wouldn't be happening with a normal 'universal' type.

I assume you haven't actually tried a satellite receiver in the apartments yourself?

championc

Thurston? wrote:

I've only just acquainted myself with that headend yoke via google, & going by that, I don't see how the above setup could work unless there's something going on with the LNB that definitely wouldn't be happening with a normal 'universal' type.

Thurston? wrote:

I assume you haven't actually tried a satellite receiver in the apartments yourself?

I've scanned 100's of channels on the 19.2 connection. I have an Amiko Alien2 connected - connection 1 to 28.2 and connection 2 to 19.2. I can only assume that every other apartment in our block sees exactly the same thing.

Thurston?

championc wrote: »

I've scanned 100's of channels on the 19.2 connection. I have an Amiko Alien2 connected - connection 1 to 28.2 and connection 2 to 19.2. I can only assume that every other apartment in our block sees exactly the same thing.

Are you saying there are actually 2 wall sockets, 1 labeled 28 east, & 1 for 19? Or do you mean DiSEqC ports?

Anyhow, it must be a separate setup to that MATV unit, which is terrestrial-only, & there's clearly an actual IF feed to the apartment, not just a few satellite channels being converted to a terrestrial format.

championc

Thurston? wrote:

Are you saying there are actually 2 wall sockets, 1 labeled 28 east, & 1 for 19? Or do you mean DiSEqC ports?

Correct. 2 separate cables. The 28.2 comes from separate dishes with Quattro LNB's, connected to a 5x16 multiswitch. The 28.2 was added later so is it's own totally separate system.

The Cush

championc wrote: »

Correct. 2 separate cables. The 28.2 comes from separate dishes with Quattro LNB's, connected to a 5x16 multiswitch. The 28.2 was added later so is it's own totally separate system.

Can you upgrade this dish for all 3 satellite positions without interfering with the existing communal installation?

Thurston?

championc wrote: »

The 28.2 comes from separate dishes with Quattro LNB's, connected to a 5x16 multiswitch. The 28.2 was added later so is it's own totally separate system.

Separate dishes? Would one of these not be for 19 east, with the other dish you say is connected to the MATV unit, being some kind of terrestrial link?

I suppose the dish for 28 east is a pretty big one though, don't know what 19 east is like in Spain.

championc

There's nothing to be gained by combining the dishes. They are installed and working with no issues.

The 19.2 is only about a 80cm whereas the 28.2 is currently an offset 1.3m. To get BBC and ITV, we'll need to change this for a 1.8 / 2.0m ( and will most likely then be a prime focus)

Thurston?

championc wrote: »

There's nothing to be gained by combining the dishes. They are installed and working with no issues.

The 19.2 is only about a 80cm whereas the 28.2 is currently an offset 1.3m.

What do you mean 'combining the dishes'? Putting 28 & 19 into a 9-in multiswitch? You'd gain in that you could have both feeds to the apartment being able to switch between both sat. positions.

And this 80cm is the dish you say is connected via the splitter to the MATV unit, or what?

Did you have something to do with installing this equipment yourself?

championc

All of the kit was pre-installed.

I see that I got things arseways. I found a manual now for the MATV unit and I see now that it's for the local Terrestrial TV and noting to do with the Satellite at all !!!

Only certain apartments have a connection to the 28.2 multiswitch so it's not an option to transfer the 19.2 on to it. Also, with the 19.2 LNB not being a quattro, I can't go changing it.

The only thing I hoped to do was to swap the 19.2 single for a Monoblock with Port A towards 19.2

Thurston?

championc wrote: »

... with the 19.2 LNB not being a quattro, I can't go changing it.

What kind of LNB is it then, optical? Or does the cable from it really go straight into the 2-way up-to-2400MHz splitter?

Even if it was a quattro, as I mentioned in my 1st post on this thread, you can't replace it with a monoblock because it won't work with a multiswitch.

championc

It's a single output standard digital lnb. Given that the matv box is for terrestrial, i've now no idea as to how the satellite system is rigged up or it may well be that someone was completely clueless and had the satellite cable splitting using splitters all over the place.

The next time i'm there, i'll follow the cables right from the dish and check exactly as to how the hell it's been done.

What confused me more in the beginning was the fact that the terrestrial and satellite are combined into one single cable, link to each apartment, and then split back out at the outlet into TV and Sat sockets. And i deliberately say sockets because the incoming cable is split into 3 to give the TV and Sat sockets at 3 separate locations around the apartment.

Gerry Wicklow

For what it's worth, a blind scan of 19° should give ~1410 channels

championc

I swapped on the monoblock for about 20 mins and started scanning 13.0 just to prove that the dish was well aligned, which proved it indeed was.

Hopefully i'll get much more time on my next visit to check EXACTLY as to what is connected to what.

Mind you, i wouldn't be surprised if i was the only person to have ever tried connecting something to the 19.2 cable

Gerry Wicklow

championc wrote: »

....

Mind you, i wouldn't be surprised if i was the only person to have ever tried connecting something to the 19.2 cable

There's a good few Spanish channels on 19° including the Moviestar suite.