If you are only running 1 - hd 6141 receiver to the dish...would you still need the SW44 switch? or is that just for mulitple receivers?

For a single 6141 an SW21 would be adequate.

The SW44 has 4 outputs for a max of 4 Tuners.

Ty Pinza

Iam slowly learning lol

So this switch is best connected somewhere in the house...Iam guessing an outside install of this switch may cause problems due to weather?

Although the SW21 & SW44 are designed for outdoor use if at all possible (not on a free Bell installation) I would locate them inside if possible. Makes for easier troubleshooting during witer months.

Thanks Pinza...I think I will run em inside.

Would a sw44 switch still need to be plugged in if you are only using 1 or 2 of the outputs?

I understand if you are using all 4 outputs it should be plugged in so that the receiver will not have to power it.

Thanks
Glenn

Yes, it is a requirement.

The receivers do not power the switch.

I recently purchased a new DishNetworks 3708 Multiswitch SW44 switch to replace my SW21 switch. The literature with the Dishnetworks switch indicated it would work with Sat 82 and 91. I am hoping to eventually get Sat 82 and after reading threads on here, understand I can futureproof myself now and use inputs 1a and 1b for my current Sat 91 setup only, leaving inputs 2a and 2b empty until I run the feeds from LNBF 82. I have a 5200 PVR, a 3100 and a 4100. All have worked fine for years with the SW21.

I put the SW44 in place, connected the power inserter and everything came up okay. I had a bit of trouble with a patch cable on the 4100 when I discovered from the wall outlet to the back of the receiver was actually RG59 and when I replaced it with RG6, the problem was corrected.

The problem I am having now is that occassionally (not always) I lose the signal and off it goes in search of a transponder. This happens on ALL the receivers, so I know it's got to be the SW44. The receiver either eventually finds a signal, and if not the message is to press "up or down" and then I usually get a signal (but not always). It only happens when I change channels, not while watching a program. As I said, it happens on ALL the receivers.

I have checked the input and output connections and even reversed 1a and 1b, and back again, and all seems fine. I suspect the power inserter but not sure how to check that. I have tried plugging it into a known working electricial outlet, but without any indicator lights, I have no idea if it's actually getting power. The receiver that is using that output port where the power is inserted receives the signal, so I know the connections to and from the inserter must be good.

Before I take it out and put back the SW21, does anyone have any thoughts?

Trish :)

Have you run a check switch? What does that say?

To me it seems like a bad connector from the lnb to the switch. What kind of connectors you using?

Your receivers probably think you're still using sw21s; doing a check switch could fix the problem.

Your receivers probably think you're still using sw21s; doing a check switch could fix the problem.
Thanks, I will give that a try and see if it helps.

Yup that worked. Prior to running "check switch" it wasn't showing a switch existed. After running it on all three receivers it came back and showed the SW44 switch was there and it passed all the tests. The only thing all three receivers showed is that there was no input on 2a and 2b, which for now is the case.

I have changed channels using the guides on all TVs several times since doing the check switch and so far it has been solid and not lost the signal.

Thanks! Trish :)

Success.......

As you have discovered the SW44 will work just fine with one Satellite feed (2 lines from 91).

Success.......

As you have discovered the SW44 will work just fine with one Satellite feed (2 lines from 91).
Yup, that's why I did it. Now I just need to run a second coax (RG6) from the 2nd LNBF (the first is already there -- a leftover from my DirecPC days) and then connect to the SW44. That will get me access to some of the other channels on the 2nd satellite and then sometime in the next 12 months I will make the move to HD, which requires more $$$ (new TV, new PVR, upgraded service) than I care to spend right now. But, at least I am ready.

Trish :)

I just installed a SW44 to permit installation of additional receivers
I have a single dish with 2 pair of cables from 2 LNDB's each feeding into 2 3X8 switches (1 for 91 & 1 for 82) - I'd planned on cascading 2 SW44's off these.
I've connected 2 feeds from the (91) 3X8 and 2 feeds from the (82) 3X8 into the SW44 and off of the SW44 I've connected 4 ExpressVu recievers - 2 3100's & 2 2700's (old but still capable of delivering programming)
When I connected & did the 'check switch' , I got the following results:

Both 2700's connected to ports 3 & 4
signal strength is 90/91% on 91 - Transponder 11
Displays
Installed Switch Model: SW44
Dish Input: 1B 1A 2B 2A
Satellite: 91 91 82 82
Transponder: Even Odd Even Odd
Status: Satellite Reception Verified

1 3100 is connected to port 2
signal strength is 94% on 91 - Transponder 11
Display as follows:
Installed Device: SW44
1A 1B 2A 2B
Satellite: 91 91 82 82
Transponder: Odd Even Odd Even
Status: Satellite Reception Verified

the remainimg 3100 is connected to the power inserter that is connected to port 1
signal strength is 89% on 91 - Transponder 11
HOWEVER the display after completing check switch is:
Installed Device: Unknown
1 1 2 2
Satellite: 91 X X X
Transponder: Odd X X X
Status: No switch box detected

Since 2,3,& 4 are funtioning perfectly I assumed there may be a problem with port 1 so to confirm I switched the cable feeds between ports 1 & 4.
When I ran 'check switch', the displays correspondingly changed, i.e., the reciver formerly on port 4 that detected the switch and all satellites and transponders was now only detecting the odd feed from 91 and nothing else - seems like there's a prnblem with port 1

Incidently, the other feeds from the 3X8's are feeding 2 SW2 that in turn each feed 2 HD receivers - a 6100 & 6141 which are functioning flawlessly
I'm hesitant to connect a SW44 to feed these 2 until I can get the current SW44 problem resolved

What have I done (or not done) that's causing port 1 to not function properly

Any advice is greatly appreciated

I think that you have too many switches in the mix. As far as I know, you can use one of the following two methods to cascade 2 - SW44's:

1 - Use 4 high frequency splitters (all ports power passing) to feed 2 - SW44's
2 - Use 2 SW24 or SW34 to feed 2 - SW44's

Using SW21's and SW44's together will not work to the best of my knowledge. You may be able to get this to work with the 2 - SW38's and 2 - SW44's ... have never tried this before. I have used both of the above with equal success.

Your wiring sounds perfect, so I would think it has to be an SW44 or connector/ceble issue with Port #1.

Just as a matter of interest, as you have already connected SW21's to feed your HD receivers I am surprised you did not do the exact same thing for the other lines, this would have given you the same total of outlets (8) and you would not require any additional power inserters etc.

Thanks kandkt & Pinza

kandkt - I'm trying to get to your method 2 - 2 3X4's feeding 2 SW44's.
I guess I'm 1/2 way - 2 3X4's - 2 lines out of each feeding 2 SW2's & other 2 lines out of each feeding the SW44.
Once I get the SW44's port 1 problem corrected I'll replace the 2 SW2's with 1 SW44 - hopefully without the same problem
Pinza - before I inserted the SW44 into the mix, I was originally feeding 4 receivers out of a 3X4. When I got the 6100 I added the 82 LNB & 2 cables - 1 for future expansion & 1 directly into the SW2 that came with unit and fed the signal from 92 off of the 3X8, removing a 2700. When I added the 6141, I did the same since it worked earlier - now had 2 surplus 2700's.

I switched SW44's and got the same result @ port 1
I'll check the cable/connections to port 1

Thanks for the support so far - wouldn't get this from Bell......

Here is the picture that saves a thousand words.....lol

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=682376&postcount=3

Hi. I have a current set up with two 9200 receivers running with four satellite inputs through an SW44 switch. I need to add another new 9242. I own three SW44 switches, a legacy Bell 2x4 switch, an SW21 and a 3x4 switch and wanted to know can I somehow combine what I have to get me the six outputs I need from the four input lines I have running in from the dish?