Getting 2nd satellite up and running

amh123

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Hello,

I'm new to the wonderful world of satellite TV so looking for some advice. I recently moved into a house that has two existing satellite dishes installed (as you can see from the photo below)

20180204_104801.jpg


I have a Samsung UE49MU6470U TV, which has a built-in satellite tuner (it actually says Freesat HD tuner but there seem to be more options available in the settings).

Sat A (the higher of the two) is a Sky mini dish. I don't have Sky but I have connected that directly to the TV and it has picked up Astra 2.28E Freesat no problems.

Now Sat B is more interesting. I know that the previous owner had someone come and fit this dish so that they could receive TV channels from Europe, and that the had a separate 'decoder' (I'm assuming a receiver like a Technomate or somesuch). I'm really keen to try and pick up Astra 1 or Hotbird 13E or preferably both. The fact this dish has 4 LNBs on it suggests to me (from my limited reading) that it might actually be set up to receive from more than one satellite.

I'd go ahead and give Sat B a go with my TV except the coax isn't terminated so I need to pick up an F connector tomorrow from Maplin.

My plan is:
  1. Terminate Sat B's coax cable with an F connector, connect to my TV and see if I can tune in one or more satellites from it. There is a feature in the auto tuning to set up 'Satellite' rather than 'Freesat' and that allows you to set up multiple satellites and step through each and check signal strength. If I get one or more hits then game on...
  2. Purchase a DiSEqc switch (from reading on forums sounds like it would be best to stick with a 1.0 variety), put both feeds into that and get a separate short coax to do the last leg from the switch into the TV.
  3. Setup the tuner on the TV to auto tune Astra 2.28E from Sat A on DiSEqc 1/4 (or whatever channel), and whatever other satellites I can get with Sat B on DiSEqc 3/4 (or whatever channel).
  4. Hopefully, kick back and surf seamlessly through the channels from 2 or more satellites!
I'm interested to know if this makes sense - can I even do what I'm attempting to? Is it that simple or am I missing something? Do I really need a separate receiver?

Any advice much appreciated. I'm keen to do this myself (with reading and a little help from forums).

Cheers!
 
Hi.
Leave the 28 connection for tuner one.
The second dish already has a DiSeqC switch but you'll have to find out which satellites it's on in order to to use the TV's switching.
My guess is that it's on 28 19 13 and 9 but that's only a guess.
 
Thanks logiciel. So if I put an F Connector on the Sat B coax I might be able to receive everything through the same dish?

Is it possible to take a 'trial and error' approach to working out which satellite is on which DiSEqC port or is that just asking for trouble?
 
Thanks logiciel. So if I put an F Connector on the Sat B coax I might be able to receive everything through the same dish?

Is it possible to take a 'trial and error' approach to working out which satellite is on which DiSEqC port or is that just asking for trouble?

Should be obvious once you find a few channels just by looking at what channels are on each transponder.

If logi is correct

Astra 2E / Astra 2F / Astra 2G (28.2°E) - All transmissions - frequencies - KingOfSat

Astra 1KR / Astra 1L / Astra 1M / Astra 1N (19.2°E) - All transmissions - frequencies - KingOfSat

Hot Bird 13B / Hot Bird 13C / Hot Bird 13E (13°E) - All transmissions - frequencies - KingOfSat

Eutelsat 9B (9°E) - All transmissions - frequencies - KingOfSat

The lnbs on the dish looking from the rear the right hand one is the furthest east (28.2E and the left the nearest to due South (9E). Think of the dish as a parabolic mirror as you move a lnb right (from the rear the focus point goes left). In the centre the lnb points in the direction the actual dish is pointing (azimuth).
 
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OK thanks guys. I've managed to confirm that Hotbird 13 is on 3/4 and Eutelsat 9 is on 4/4 by holding the coax in place in the port on the back of the TV and doing an auto scan to see what comes back channel wise. Any slight movement interrupts the process though but I'm assuming by the same logic I will find 19 on 2/4 and 28 on 1/4.

This is the mess I need to sort out with an F Connector tomorrow...!!! And then hopefully I can get it all properly setup.

20180204_155752.jpg


Thanks for your help.
 
You've answered your own questions - yes you'll receive from four satellites and yes you can try trial and error!
You're welcome and let us know how you get on.
 
OK thanks guys. I've managed to confirm that Hotbird 13 is on 3/4 and Eutelsat 9 is on 4/4 by holding the coax in place in the port on the back of the TV and doing an auto scan to see what comes back channel wise. Any slight movement interrupts the process though but I'm assuming by the same logic I will find 19 on 2/4 and 28 on 1/4.

This is the mess I need to sort out with an F Connector tomorrow...!!! And then hopefully I can get it all properly setup.

View attachment 975254

Thanks for your help.

That looks like RG6 aluminium screen and steel centre core. If it's not too hard to change replace with WF/PF100.

20m Webro WF100 Cable - PRE-FITTED SNAP & SEAL Gold Compression F Connectors
 
Yes I was afraid someone would confirm that. I checked with a magnet earlier that it was steel rather than copper. Replacing the cable is going to be a bigger job and I'm already neck deep in DIY on this place - if I can get away with it until later this year I'll stick with the RG6 and then replace when the weather is better as its mostly an external run.
 
If it aint broke, don't fix it. Especially if you have better things to do.:laugh:

(just put a plug on the end though:rotfl:)
 
Careful holding it in the socket like that.. you can cause damage to the tv and lnbs & Diseqc switch as there is 18v & 13v on that cable. . many systems do have short circuit protection but the rule is don't risk a short, the cable isn't the best but it will do, those satellites are quite strong

You could add a basic A B switch to easily switch between the four sats and 28e without interfering with the functioning of the Diseqc switch when it's switched over to the 4.
(*you won't need to if 28 is on there )
 
Yes I was afraid someone would confirm that. I checked with a magnet earlier that it was steel rather than copper. Replacing the cable is going to be a bigger job and I'm already neck deep in DIY on this place - if I can get away with it until later this year I'll stick with the RG6 and then replace when the weather is better as its mostly an external run.

You seem to have done a lot of research. well done. If the run is short and the connections at the lnb are still watertight it should be fine. Make sure the f connectors you get are a tight fit on the coax outer.

You don't need silicone grease for internal connections. If you haven't seen this it's a good guide as to fitting screw on f connectors.

How to fit F Connectors to coaxial cable for Sky and Freesat

Good luck and let us know how you get on. :D
 

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