Dreamlinks and Disecq Switches

[Chris_McAloney]

Have 2 Dreamlinks setup.One in Living room and one in bedroom.2 dishes set.One bring in 91,82 and the other 110,119.Each receiver has a Heavy Duty Cheita Switch on it.Port 1-119,Port2-110,Port3-91,Port4-82.The receiver in the livingroom works excellent.When i turn on the receiver in the bedroom satellite 110 does not work.The only way to get sat 110 working in the bedroom is to turn the livingroom receiver onto a channel that is on sat 110,then the bedroom one will work.All the other sats work in the bedroom except for 110.
Have tried changing the switches so one receiver is using a Cheita switch and the other using a EMP switch but still does the same.Tried switching out the LNBs just in case it was a bad LNB and still does the same thing.Even tried a different receiver in the bedroom as well and it does the exact same thing.
If I shut off the receiver off in the livingroom and just have the bedroom one on then I still cannot get 110 to come in at all.when I go check in the settings on the one in the bedroom it says 110 but verifies that it is locked on 91.I thought this was a LNB issue so changed the lnb out and it still does the same thing.As soon as I turn on the receiver in the living room and put it to any channel that is on sat 110 then the bedroom receiver will work on 110.If I change the channel out in the living room to say a 91 or 82 channel then I lose 110 in the bedroom by it saying No or Bad Signal.
Please help.Been working with this for 3 days now and can't seem to find a solution.Any help or advise will be greatly appreciated.Thanks

[Terryl]

I would try a 4x4 switch, this way everything is in one switch.

You can also try grounding the switches together with 12 gauge (or larger) copper wire, then run it to a metal cold water pipe, it's own ground rod, or last choice is the house eletrical service ground.

Try and keep all ground wires as short as possible, the switches can be grounded by the mounting holes, the copper wires can be connected together with what is called a "Split bolt", this can be found at most hardware stores that sell electrical supply's.

If one switch is further away from the ground point then the other, then start the ground at that switch, run it to the next switch, then to the ground.

As for the wire, use solid copper wire with a green cover, see if they have some rated for outdoor use, do not use any other color, someone else may mistake it for an electrical service.

Bare copper can be used, but I recommend you coat the joints with liquid tape, if you can get some.

[Chris_McAloney]

What do you mean by a 4x4 switch?Is this a SW-44 switch?

[bettie]

Have 2 Dreamlinks setup.One in Living room and one in bedroom.2 dishes set.One bring in 91,82 and the other 110,119.Each receiver has a Heavy Duty Cheita Switch on it.Port 1-119,Port2-110,Port3-91,Port4-82.The receiver in the livingroom works excellent.When i turn on the receiver in the bedroom satellite 110 does not work.The only way to get sat 110 working in the bedroom is to turn the livingroom receiver onto a channel that is on sat 110,then the bedroom one will work.All the other sats work in the bedroom except for 110.
Have tried changing the switches so one receiver is using a Cheita switch and the other using a EMP switch but still does the same.Tried switching out the LNBs just in case it was a bad LNB and still does the same thing.Even tried a different receiver in the bedroom as well and it does the exact same thing.
If I shut off the receiver off in the livingroom and just have the bedroom one on then I still cannot get 110 to come in at all.when I go check in the settings on the one in the bedroom it says 110 but verifies that it is locked on 91.I thought this was a LNB issue so changed the lnb out and it still does the same thing.As soon as I turn on the receiver in the living room and put it to any channel that is on sat 110 then the bedroom receiver will work on 110.If I change the channel out in the living room to say a 91 or 82 channel then I lose 110 in the bedroom by it saying No or Bad Signal.
Please help.Been working with this for 3 days now and can't seem to find a solution.Any help or advise will be greatly appreciated.Thanks

My first guess would have been the LNB....but you have eliminated that.

I would try a different length of cable between the LNB and diseqc switch and also check the cable going to each receiver.

The authentic Cheita switches are very robust and reliable...I would stick with them.

[Chris_McAloney]

The two switches are actually about 6 feet apart of each other.One switch is pretty much right beside one dish with leads from that dish into the switch about 2 feet then the leads from the other dish are only about 7 feet into the switch.Then the other switch has about the same distance for leads except they are vice versa of course.91,82 into one switch which has leads about 2 feet.110,119 leads into the same switch about 7 feet.The other switch has 110,119 leads about 2 feet and 91,82 leads into that switch about 7 feet.

I have also checked and rechecked each end to make sure that there is no fine wire touching the center of the wire as this will cause problems as well.I only use compression fittings as well and they are Thomas and Betts ends.The coaxial cable is RG6 and it is Channel Master.

From one switch to the living room receiver there is about 20 feet of coaxial direct in and from the other switch there is only about 30 feet of coaxial cable to the receiver with it straight in as well.There are no joiners in between.

[bettie]

The two switches are actually about 6 feet apart of each other.One switch is pretty much right beside one dish with leads from that dish into the switch about 2 feet then the leads from the other dish are only about 7 feet into the switch.Then the other switch has about the same distance for leads except they are vice versa of course.91,82 into one switch which has leads about 2 feet.110,119 leads into the same switch about 7 feet.The other switch has 110,119 leads about 2 feet and 91,82 leads into that switch about 7 feet.

Sorry...what I mean is a new piece of cable...not literally the actual length.

My bad!

[Chris_McAloney]

I will try that tomorrow and post back with the results.

[mechanicman]

two diseqcs will often conflict with each other.. easy to test by unplugging one box and see if the other starts working normal.. go get a 4X4 switch previously mentioned...or a 6X8.. zinwells are good.

[Chris_McAloney]

If I unplug the box in the living room the box in the bedroom still does not get 110 working.
The 4x4 switch people are talking about is that the SW-44?
If it is the SW-44 then I do not understand how that will work with combining 4 satellites into the one receiver as the SW-44 needs 2 of one satellite then 2 of the other satellite.The SW-44 only combines 2 satellites and lets it go out to 4 receivers.

[Chris_McAloney]

One thing I am going to try is
the receiver in the living room works with no issues using the cheita switch.Going to leave that one alone.
the other switch I am going to change and run 2 SW-21s and a 22KHz switch to see if that will work.
Basically 91,82 into a SW-21 then that sw-21 into a 22KHZ switch and then 110,119 into a sw-21 then that sw-21 into the 22KHz also.
I will post back tomorrow with the results.Also going to make new leads for the switch that is connected for the bedroom just in case it is a lead like previously mentioned.

[ottid142]

One thing I am going to try is
the receiver in the living room works with no issues using the cheita switch.Going to leave that one alone.
the other switch I am going to change and run 2 SW-21s and a 22KHz switch to see if that will work.
Basically 91,82 into a SW-21 then that sw-21 into a 22KHZ switch and then 110,119 into a sw-21 then that sw-21 into the 22KHz also.
I will post back tomorrow with the results.Also going to make new leads for the switch that is connected for the bedroom just in case it is a lead like previously mentioned.

You say the Diseqc switch on the system is a Chieta. What is the other switch< one of the cheap ones that they send with receivers. Do some reading and you will find that these cheap switches are nothing but trouble. Get another Chieta Heavy Duty oy EMP switch.
GROUND YOUR SWITCHES like Terryl suggested in Post #2

[Terryl]

OK they make a 4 input to 4 output Diseqc switch, your thinking of the old legacy type.

If all your LNB's are the DP type/brand (they have a DP logo on them), you can use a DP44 switch with a power inserter, this will run 4 receivers on 4 LNB's. (if they are DP LNB's)


Or, since you are only running 2 receivers, you can use a 4x2 switch, one like this one.


http://www.incrediblefta.com/item/247/1/1/emp-centauri-4x2-diseqc-switch.html

[Chris_McAloney]

Ottid142-If you read my original post you will see that I do not run the Cheap switches.I have 2 heavy duty Cheita switches as well as I have tried an EMP.I do not deal with or never will deal with any cheap switches.

Terryl-Ok I looked at the switch.Wish I had the DP LNB's.We are using Standard Legacy LNBs with two outputs on the LNB.If the grounding does not work and the sw-21s with 22KHz switch does not work might look into buying the DP LNBs instead and go with the switch you recommended.Thanks for the help.

[StanW]

Looks like one of your switches might be damaged .

Try using a sw21 and a diseqc on the receiver that's giving you issues . From 110 to sw21 , 82/91 and 119 to diseqc . Diseqc to 2nd port on sw21 .

[Chris_McAloney]

Sorry it took me so long to post back.
I have got everything working with no issues.
I changed out all 4 LNBs to make sure I had all good LNBs.I remade all new leads to be on the safe side as well.I then connected the right side of each LNB to a Cheita Switch in the order of Port1-119,Port2-110,Port3-91,Port4-82.This works like a charm in the livingroom.I then shut off this receiver.I then connected the left side of each LNB to a EMP switch in the order of Port1-82,Port2-91,Port3-110,Port4-119.This worked like a charm on each satellite.Even the 110 that I was having issues on before.I then went and turn on the receiver in the livingroom and it started working with no issues.Both receivers are working awesome.Change channels on each receiver with no interference,can have one receiver on 91 or 82 and the other receiver on 110 or 119.Glad I finally got it working.Thanks for all your help and suggestions.Thanks.