DishNetwork Antenna

[Dave]

OK, got DishNetwork on my house last June. Found an older Dish 500 antenna and hope to use that as a portable dish.

1. Will my newer dual receiver work with that older antenna?

2. Do I need to connect both LNB (two cables) from the antenna to the receiver?

3. I played around last week for a couple hours pointing the dish by hand (in the direction the roof dish is pointed to) but couldn't get any signal.

4. Maybe I need to switch the dual receiver feature off?

Any help from an expert would be appreciated.

[LakeDocktor]

1. Depending on the LNB on the Dish 500, it will work with the dual tuner. What does it say on the end (face) of the LNB?

2. You only need one cable per receiver/tuner. I'm assuming you one have one TV in the fish house therefore only one is needed. If the LNB is a Dish Pro Plus LNB, then you would still only need one to run the dual tuner independently with the the use of the DPP seperator connected at the receiver. If the LNB is a DP Twin or Quad, than you need to remove the seperator from the back of the receiver and run the coax into the Sat input 1 port. This will just allow the first tuner to receiver signal. If you want or need 2 tuners, then another coax ran from the dish to Sat 2 input port would needed.

3. Get a compass and line up 202 degrees while standing behind the dish. Set the elevation of the dish to 33-34 and the skew to 110, but most importantly make sure the mast is level. Your dish on your house may be pointed at the Eastern Arch and uses different satellites than the Dish 500 to acquire satellite signal. The satellites you need to find with the Dish 500 are 110 and 119. Once you have signal, you need to go into the menu and press 6-1-1 and complete a check switch test to allow for your receiver to recognize and communicate with the different LNB. This will need to be done everytime you switch receiver locations.

4. Switching the dual mode off only puts the receiver into a single tuner mode allowing to use PIP seperately and recording one show while watching another on the same TV. You don't need to change the mode.

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions just ask.

[sobe]

Stupid question for ya LakeDocktor! I assume one would need a current/active Dishnetwork account for this to work? I ask because I own a receiver from a previous account (now have cable)or could I simply purchase a LNB and make this work on the ice with my dish and receiver?

[LakeDocktor]

You would need to create a new account and subscribe to programming. Your easiest route would be to find someone who has a current, active account and add your owned receiver to their account for $7 a month. The nice thing about an owned receiver is that it can be activated or deactivated at any time. This would allow you to take it off the account when the ice comes off.

[delcecchi]

How does one get an "owned receiver". We have dish at our cabin.

[Dave]

Thanks for your help, LD. I was playing with it tonight, before I read your post and actually got the local channels to work for a bit.

Only thing I see on the face is 119° and 110°, only two cables coming out so, I assume a dual LNB.

I connected the 119° into the deactivated receiver and got a clear high tone when pointing the dish. So, I connected the line to my activated dual tuner receiver and that's when I got the locals channels but I was going through the splitter on the back of the receiver.

Using a fence post level (bubble levels on each side), it indicated the mast is level.

Will doing "check switch" using my home receiver and saving any different settings screw things up when I connect back to the dish on my home? What transponders and how many does a person need? Doing a "check switch" on the deactivated receiver said there are less satellites than before so, I didn't save the setting.

And, yes, to the others asking, you would have to activate this older receiver for a charge each month in order to use it.

[LakeDocktor]

Dave,

The local stations come from the 110 satellite. You are looking at the Y bracket that holds the LNB when you are seeing the "119 110" markings. If you look at the front of the LNB, there will be a model stamped in black and refer to whether the LNB is a Legacy, Dish Pro or Dish Pro Plus LNB.

The only way the "splitter" connected to the back of the receiver will work is if the LNB is a Dish Pro Plus. The splitter you are seeing is what I was referring to as the Dish Pro Plus seperator. It seperates the signal to each tuner and will only work with Dish Pro Plus accessories. If the LNB is a Dish Pro, than just disconnect the "splitter" and run the coax into the Sat 1 input. If both tuners are desired, you need another coax cable from the LNB to the Sat 2 input.

It won't do any harm by doing the check switch as long as you do it again when you hook the receiver back up at home. Any time you switch from one dish to another, the check switch should be done as the LNBs may be different. Having fewer satellites than previously detected can be one of two things. It can mean the dish isn't pointed correctly or that the previous dish that the receiver was hooked up to was obtaining another satellite that may have been used for international programming or HD programming. By saving the test, you are able to determine if you have the dish properly pointed. It should come back with 119 and 110 both green and saying "all" or "OK". This shows that you have the dish properly pointed and all transponders that are needed are being picked up.

Yes, you would need to activate the old receiver and a $7/month charge will be added to your account. Owned receivers can be purchased directly from Dish Network, a retailer or a private party on an online auction or classified site. A popular model for applications where standard definition service is only desired is a 301 or a 311 receiver. It is a single tuner receiver that has been used for some time and still is in circulation. I have seen these receivers many times for around $20. From Dish or a retailer, they are $99. One thing you need to be careful of when buying from a private party is if the receiver was initially leased and therefore it was supposed to be returned to Dish Network and will not be able to be activated. It could also have a deliquent account associated with the receiver. I have had customers where they purchased a receiver from a private party only to find out that they needed to pay over $700 before they could activate that receiver. I don't agree with this policy, but it keeps accounts from being reopened in someone else's name within the same household that the deliquent account is. Once you have the owned receiver however, you can take it off of your account at any time and reactivate it the same.

[psepuncher]

The 500's dish LNB's syncronize into a single metallic box called a

SW21 mutiswitch? Both cables go into that little box and then a single cable is on the out portion which goes to your reciever.

Without the multiswitch you will not receive all channels.

That's what the check switch diagnosis on the reciever is looking for

[psepuncher]

also..

I've tried a diplexer and it is not the same as the multiswitch.

A diplexer will not recieve and and combine signals like a multiswitch.

[Dave]

Thanks again, LD. I'll try some more things tonight.

PSE, THAT is what I was wondering, if I should have a multi-switch in there. It would make sense but, from what I read, each cable is only an output, one for each receiver (if two receivers are used. That is a part that's confusing to me. On my new home system, the installer ran two cables down but only connected one to my receiver. He said the other is for another receiver if I ever connect one.

[LakeDocktor]

The 500's dish LNB's syncronize into a single metallic box called a

SW21 mutiswitch? Both cables go into that little box and then a single cable is on the out portion which goes to your reciever.

Without the multiswitch you will not receive all channels.

That's what the check switch diagnosis on the reciever is looking for

This is only the case if you have two seperate LNBs on the dish. The twin LNBs have the switch built directly into the LNB. In my opinion and experience, the SW21s are junk! They go out all the time due to the location where they are installed. It is far easier to run two short coax jumpers than it is to run two long cables to the interior of the house keeping the SW21 out of the elements. Dave, do you have two seperate LNBs on the dish? If so, let me know, I have a pile of extra LNBS laying around I may be also wrong on this being that there aren't too many SW21s out anymore, but I don't believe they are compatible with your DPP receiver being they are Legacy equipment. You best bet is just to avoid them if possible.

[LakeDocktor]

One more thing. A diplexer allows you to backfeed signal down the same coax line in which signal is being sent through. These are used to backfeed OTA signals down the same line as well as for dual tuner receivers optimizing the second tuner to another TV location. It eliminates the need for a second coax to the receiver to backfeed the output of the second tuner. While it can combine signals, it will take substitute for a multiswitch. Another option is a DP34 or DPP33 switch if you have two single LNBS on the dish. I don't think that you do, but I may be wrong being you said you hooked up to the 119 port and were receiving local channels. It could be possible though if your dish is pointed too far left.

[Dave]

BINGO

i was reluctant the 1st time doing a check switch with my current receiver connected to the old antenna but went ahead and saved it the 2nd time I did it. 119 and 110 satellites show "OK". It downloaded a new program guide and bingo, I'm watching it now.

I connected the 119 line to the SAT1 input, bypassing all the other splitters and backfeed stuff and it worked. THANK YOU, LD.

[psepuncher]

This is only the case if you have two seperate LNBs on the dish. The twin LNBs have the switch built directly into the LNB. In my opinion and experience, the SW21s are junk! They go out all the time due to the location where they are installed. It is far easier to run two short coax jumpers than it is to run two long cables to the interior of the house keeping the SW21 out of the elements. Dave, do you have two seperate LNBs on the dish? If so, let me know, I have a pile of extra LNBS laying around I may be also wrong on this being that there aren't too many SW21s out anymore, but I don't believe they are compatible with your DPP receiver being they are Legacy equipment. You best bet is just to avoid them if possible.

yeah that's what I was suggesting .

{SW21}

Used to combine 2 DISH Network Satellite locations (Ex: 119 & 110). Compatible with Legacy LNBFs only

Running the cables seperate you might still only observe a few of the channels until the LNB's are combined into a switch.

But

Thanks for clarifying.

Good to hear Dave..happy viewing

[Dave]

PSE, THANKS for your help as well! Turns out the switch is already built in but when you guys talk this lingo, some of it goes right over me

"This is only the case if you have two seperate LNBs on the dish. The twin LNBs have the switch built directly into the LNB"

That's the part that had me flustered. I didn't know if the two cable coming out were two LNB's or two outputs. NOW, I know.

I played a bit more and split the SAT signal to both SAT1 and SAT2 and learned how the dual receiver works better. I now understand more how the check switch and point dish screens are telling me.

At home, after "check switch", I also get Sat129, whichever channels that one is for.

I appreciate your help guys!

[LakeDocktor]

Glad everything worked for you Dave. You have either a Dish 1000 or a 1000.2 at home. The 129 satellite is for your HD programming. Just remember to do the check switch everytime you move your receiver and you should be good to go.

[Dave]

Ah, 129 is for HD, got it!

Yup, did another check switch when I changed back to the home antenna and everything's good to go. Thanks again.

[Dave]

Dual tuner question,

Check Switch produces 119 and 110 "OK"s but only one receiver will work at a time. Turn receiver #1 on, receiver #2 has connection problem and vise versa. Also, "switch" for Sat2 states SW21 and other times something else.

[LakeDocktor]

Dave, I'm assuming this is happening in the fish house. Depending on your LNB and set up this could be a few different things. Do you have the DPP seperator (splitter) connected to the back of the receiver? This is used if only one coax cable is coming from the dish to the receiver and is only compatible if the LNB is a DPP Twin. If you bypass the seperator and have two lines coming from the dish, one of the ports on the LNB could be bad. It could also be a software issue. I doubt this is the problem, but you could have outdated software.

Complete the check switch again and what does it say within the Sat1 input as the connected device? This should tell you what LNB or switch your receiver is reading. After this, we can go to the next step to diagnose the problem.

[Dave]

LD, actually, I tried this at my cabin, for TV downstairs and upstairs Trying to make this portable for fish house use as well. So, will use dual receiver while at cabin, single receiver mode while at fish house.

Using one cable from 119 port and a separator, SAT1 always shows "Twin" after check switch. SAT2 sometimes shows Twin, SW21 and there was one other that I can't recall. SAT1 and SAT2 show 119 & 110 as "ok". I played and used check switch often. Several times, both TVs worked fine and then TV2 would lose signal. I finally figured out whichever TV I watched first, the other would have a hard time keeping the signal. I'm not using good cable either, which could result in signal loss?

[LakeDocktor]

I am assuming based on the "twin" that it is a DP twin and not a DPP twin. Therefore, you will either need to switch out the LNB for a DPP Twin or run another line from the LNB to the Sat2 input.

The cable could be an issue as well as the seperator could be bad too. I had this happen a few years ago and if I recall, I replaced everything including the receiver due to saving time troubleshooting.

[Dave]

Works great back here at home so I would say the separator is good. Next time I try, I'll run two cables and see what happens. I apreciate your help! Thanks!