Well, I am baffled. I connected the receiver to each LNB, bypassing the MS, and the light remained red. There is no signal at any point of connection. So thinking the dish must be misaligned, I grabbed it and tried to move it. The thing wouldn't budge. So we're left with this:

1) Two receivers failed independently and simultaneously.... or
2) Both LNBs failed simultaneously.
3) The wind moved the dish when a man couldn't.

All three scenarios seem highly unlikely, yet what else is there?

Well, I am baffled. I connected the receiver to each LNB, bypassing the MS, and the light remained red. There is no signal at any point of connection. So thinking the dish must be misaligned, I grabbed it and tried to move it. The thing wouldn't budge. So we're left with this:

1) Two receivers failed independently and simultaneously.... or
2) Both LNBs failed simultaneously.
3) The wind moved the dish when a man couldn't.

All three scenarios seem highly unlikely, yet what else is there?

What channel were you testing on?

The old dual beer cans are STACKED, if the receiver has a channel map for a QUAD, then 1/2 the channels wil be red as it won't find ANY of the horizonatl signals.

Only the verticals are common.

BTW, while you CAN swap the LNB's, it a PITA as you actually have to disassemble the LNB's from the feedhorn.

Check each receiver Network Data Status for the 4 digit number that represent the channel map or V-Code.
If they are the SAME, then your test method is valid, if not, then some compensation of the test method is needed to compensate as noted above.

I have one of the really old big round dishes. It only has 2 lines coming into the house, 1 to the living room, and one to the basement. Now I want to add a receiver in the kids room, just a DSR207 nothing fancy. What would I do to split one of the lines into 2? I am sure the maximum lines from the LNB is 2, I can check, but running another line into the house is out of the question at this point.

Thanks.

All you need is a 2X4 (or 3X4) multiswitch. You plug in your two lines and can get a maximum of 4 outputs. I had this on my old round dish.

Thanks for the response, just a couple more questions.
I checked out the multiswitches and see that they have an in for LNB A & LNB B, and each has a voltage listed, A=13/14v and B=17/18v.
Do you have to plug both LNB's into the switch? or can I just hook one in? How do I know which is which? or does it matter?

Thanks again, :)

Yes, you need both lines. It doesn't matter which goes where, each switch input will tell the LNBF which polarity it wants.

Thanks for all the help, I am smarter for knowing you.

Any brands better than others?

Eagle Aspen has an excellent reputation.

What would happen if I hooked up a new DSR-505 running on a quad output 75e dish to an old stacked round dish. I thought I would just get the vertical channels, but after I peaked the signal on my analog meter, the signal died. The light went out on the signal meter, and my receiver shows 0 for signal level. I plugged the signal meter/receiver chain back into my quad and it worked fine.

did I burn out my LNB? do those old stacked LNBs not like 18v?

Thanks

They work off of 18V. You probably don't have a vertical channel tuned. Try 299, or any of the music channels in the 900s.

Thanks,
That was the problem, I was on an HD channel.

They work off of 18V

Wrong, they actually work on 13V, which is the vertical polarity channels like 299-304-305 etc...

Hi - doing some renos at home and appears the simplest way to wire in a few more outlets in the new section is to install a 2nd dish rather than run a line virtually all the way around the exterior of the house. Can't do anything inside finished part of house.

Question is - "any prob having 2 dishes on one house on the same account?" I will probably buy another receiver or 2 (207"s) and will have to move around the existing 530 as part of addition is for new family room where big screen will be. " Assume moving the 530 to new dish does not require any contact with *C - just the activation of the new 207 ?"

If this is no problem, "where would be best place to acquire the second dish?" - currently have elliptical dish - 4 coax outlets. Thanks

There is no problem having two dishes on one house.
If the LNB assembly on both dishes is the same type, all you will need to do is activate the new receivers.

I think an installer will have the dish you need.

I just added a 505 and attached it to a twin stacked eliptical (replaced an older single stacked and added a 2x1 22kHz multiswitch to go to the 505- 401's still connected to SAT A line which I split out before the multiswitch.) I have had 401's running from it, but just connected to the SAT A LNB.

I called SC and got the 505 activated and told them I had the twin stacked dish as my v-code was still set as single stacked.

They set the V-code for quad, and half my channels disappeared. I got some SD and some HD channels - had to call back. Had a really hard time trying to convince them that the v-code may hbe the problem. Eventually a Tech person reset the vcode and my SD channels came back but the HD disappeared.

I don't want to spend another 4 hours (yes, 4 hours) on the phone without some real before hand diagnosis and an understanding of what's happening.

- Is there a transponder map available online so that I could see for myself what is coming in and what isn't?
- does it work to bypass the multiswitch (which I don't know if I trust - it was $7) and go straight to the SAT B LNB with the 505 and tune the HD channels to test?

If I change to the Quad plus multiswitch, I will have to re-run lines all over the house. I don't want to do that.

Yes - run the Sat B line directly to your 505 to test. You should also see 420, 559 + 701 SD channels.

You have at least 1 splitter + multiswitch. The more pieces, the greater long term reliability issues you are bound to have. K.I.S.S. time, get rid of your splitter(s) and multiswitch and use a 2X4 multiswitch at the dish:
http://cgi.*********/Eagle-Aspen-Multiswitch-for-Star-Choice-2-Stacked-LNB_W0QQitemZ170292288822QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain _2?hash=item170292288822&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0 |293%3A1|294%3A50

or use a non powered 4X4 or 4X8 multiswitch:
http://cgi.*********/1-Zinwell-4x4-Multi-Switch-SAM-4402-3A-DirecTV-Approve_W0QQitemZ380096834638QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDo main_0?hash=item380096834638&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0 |293%3A1|294%3A50

What is your V code, should be 4377 or 4379 for dual stacked system.
If 4355 than that is your problem - this is the single stacked V code (only 1 sat).
Good luck.
If V code is correct and still no F2 than you got a multiswitch problem, have the send a new Quad lnb , which has an integrated multiswitch and go back to quad VCode 4380.

if you can find the 2x2 multiswitch that originally came with the double stacked dish, it might work. the 22khz switch you have might not be good up to 2150 mhz. the switch you have may also be intended for dvb type of satellite systems that carry digital codes on the 22khz tone. for starchoice the switch operates on a pure 22khz tone.
the receiver will output a 22khz tone only when selected for the f2 satellite ( sat b )
to see which channels are on the f1 and f2 satellites go to lyngsat.com and choose america-frequencies, select either anik f1r at 107.3 or f2 at 111.1 degrees west, scroll down to one the frequencies with a 5 digit number such as 11972 H tp 25 and click on the P for one of those transponders which will give you a listing of all the channels in the starchoice package on that satellite. the starchoice channel number will be in red with an E after it for english. don't count on the information being 100% up to date though, most of the info comes from people like me who one day happen to notice that something has changed and email the webmaster with the new sid or vc or sr or fec.

OK, I am getting signal strength between 65 and 85 on various channels from F2 but not tuning in. I get a green sat light on the receiver which every 5 secs. or so will flash red and back to green in a regular cycle. (5 sec green, blink red, 5 sec green and so on.)

All sd channels (on F1) are working fine. I went direct into the SATB LNB and still get nothing.

When the V-code was wrong (set for quad) for a couple of hours, I did get the Horizontal HD channels from F2.

I have checked the network data status line and I am set for 4377 which should be dual stacked east.