Installing 2 Multiswitches using Splitters

[Doright]

Hello all,

I'm having a problem installing 2 multiswitches:

I have a Triple LNB dish. I've taken the four leads from that dish into 4 - 2 way splitters (2.5Ghz with one port power pass).

I've taken the power pass port of each of those splitters into a Zinwell 4X8 Multiswitch. I'm running 3 HR10-250's from the Zinwell switch. All working fine.

I then took 4 RG6 cables from the 4 - 2 way splitters into a 2nd multiswitch. Only it's not the same brand. It's a 5X8 made by LaVa (Here's the Link) (http://lavasat.com/product_detail.php?proid=25) I've made sure that the cables from each splitter go into the same port of each Multiswitch. - there is a 13V, 18V, 13V with 22 tone and 18V with 22 tone.


From the LaVa switch I'm running 2 DSR6000's and 1 Hughes non DVR receiver. One of the DSR6000's is only using one coax and it's working fine as is the Hughes. It's the DSR6000 with dual coax feeds that will not work off of the LaVa MS. It could not get past the Satellite setup because it could not see all satellites (I think it just needs to see 101 and 110)
I tried switching the cables (as Jim Spence recommended) so that all 4 Power-pass ports now go to the LaVa. Same results.


I do communications cabling for a living so I'm sure all connections are good. I used a quadshield RG6, compression connectors etc...

Any ideas why 2nd MS is not working?

[litzdog911]

Perhaps it's defective. What happens if you just connect the satellite feeds directly to the LaVa Multiswitch with no splitters?

[JimSpence]

For some back history on this problem go to his older thread.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=347209
I've had a few PMs with Doright and I suggested that he bring this back to the forum to get other member's opinions.

I also suggested that he put the LaVa switch on the power pass side of the splitters to see what happens. I haven't seen any results of that test.

[wolflord11]

Why not remove the splitters all together?

1 Dish (Triple LNB) with 4 Feeds.

Run the 4 into the 4 x 8 Zinwell.

This gives you 8 outwards feeds.

Run 3 x 2 or 6 Feeds to the HR10's.

Run the remaining 2 Feeds into the 5 x 8 Multiswitch. Just make sure to run One feed into the 13 or 18 connection, the other into the 13 or 18 with Tone.

This will now give you the 8 Feeds from the second Multiswitch.

Hook uo the 2 DSR6000's and the Noin DVR unit to this Multiswitch.

Hope you get it sorted out. Also, I assume you do not have a Local Sat installed. Otherwise you would also be using the Flex port on the Zinwell.

[Doright]

Perhaps it's defective. What happens if you just connect the satellite feeds directly to the LaVa Multiswitch with no splitters?

Have not thought of that. I'll give it a try tonight.

Jim - I tried switching the splitters as you suggested (see my post above). No luck.

Wolflord - The problem with that scenario is that I want to eventually install HDTivo's in those rooms. I'm pretty sure that I'll need four feeds into 2nd MS to make that work.
Also, that Zinwell 4X8 has no flex port.

I also just found out that my daughter's DSR6000 Tivo (the one with the single coax) is acting up too. So it may be a bad MS.

[wolflord11]

With your Current Setup you would have a Total of 16 Feeds available. With my suggestion, you would have 14.

14 is still enougth for 7 Dual Tuner units.

Now it sounds like the MS is bad. Try just using One MS for now, the Zinwell and see if it clears up the problem. Then switch it out for the Lava and try that.

[Doright]

With your Current Setup you would have a Total of 16 Feeds available. With my suggestion, you would have 14.

14 is still enougth for 7 Dual Tuner units.




I know. What I'm saying is that in order to get HD out of the 2nd MS you need to run 4 lines from the first MS. I only have 2 available lines on that MS because the 2 MS's are on opposite ends of the house and the 3 HR10-250's wire into the 1st MS (Zinwell 4X8). If I run the remaining 2 ports to 2nd MS (LaVa) then HD will not work from it. This is why I needed to split the lines.

I know the Zinwell is good because I've been using that for some time for the 3 HR10's.
It's the LaVa that may be bad.

I'll do some trouble-shooting and report back.


Am I making sense?

[litzdog911]

I know. What I'm saying is that in order to get HD out of the 2nd MS you need to run 4 lines from the first MS. I only have 2 available lines on that MS because the 2 MS's are on opposite ends of the house and the 3 HR10-250's wire into the 1st MS (Zinwell 4X8). If I run the remaining 2 ports to 2nd MS (LaVa) then HD will not work from it. This is why I needed to split the lines.

I know the Zinwell is good because I've been using that for some time for the 3 HR10's.
It's the LaVa that may be bad.

I'll do some trouble-shooting and report back.


Am I making sense?

Yep, make sense. Again, try using the LaVa by itself .... satellite feeds connected directly to its inputs with no splitters. Let us know what you find.