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SW44 switch discussion

512K views 981 replies 212 participants last post by  Allan B 
#1 · (Edited)
Another very common installation is the SW44 switch. It typically uses two inputs from 82 and 2 inputs from 91 which will allow 4 outputs but can also be used with 2 inputs from one sat to output 4 lines like a SW24. This switch also requires a power adaptor to be used.

Some people have said it works without a power adaptor but I personally would not recommend it because your receivers will then need to power the switch and lnb's.

It is an indoor and outdoor switch however needs to be plugged indoors.
 
#729 ·
sw44 to sw34

hi guys, just wondering if you guys could help me out with something.

My current bell setup is 91, 82
82 goes into sw44
91 goes into a sw34 - 2 outputs go into the sw44 and the other two go to receivers

what i want to do is flip the setup so 91 and 82 both go into the sw44, and then 2 outputs go into the sw34

would i then have a total of 6 outputs available ( 2 remaining from sw44 and 4 from sw34) that each carry both signals?
 
#731 ·
Problem with adapter plug on power inserter

I am having a problem with the power adapter plug on the power inserter for my SW44. I was doing some rearranging of my cabling and noticed that I had lost signal at my receivers. After some fiddling I figured that the problem is at the plug that connects the power supply to the power inserter. I can wiggle it and restore the signal but its pretty flaky. That plug is a real PoS.

I don't want to pay for a new power inserter if I can avoid it. It doesn't look like it would be easy to open the inserter to allow me to solder the 24 volts directly. However, my switch is indoors and I am only using 2 of the 4 output ports on it. Can a just connect the 24 V power line directly to port 1 (using a coax stub) run my receivers off port 2 and 3 and not use the power inserter or would this be a no-no.
 
#732 ·
Not a good idea.

The plug should push in, then half a turn to the right and it should lock. Well sort of. Yes it is a terrible design.

If you are only using 2 lines, why not get a pair of SW21's, that would mean no more power Supply/Inserter.
 
#733 ·
Care to expand on why that wouldn't be a good idea. To me it looks like the inserter is just putting 24 volts on port 1 while passing signals to/from a receiver if connected. If not connected to a receiver its only function is putting the 24 V on port 1. Why wouldn't it be OK to just do that without the inserter.
 
#735 ·
OK...But now I can answer the question after actually measuring the voltage the inverter puts out. Its stepped up to close to 40 volts... so thats why it wouldn't work, at least not directly with the 24V adapter.

Anyways its all beside the point, because it wasn't the power plug that was the problem. It was actually the f-connector on the short piece of coax from the inserter to the SW44. I guess the centre conductor wasn't long enough to make a reliable connection. When I was playing with the power plug I was actually making and breaking the f connector connection. Replaced that cable and everything is good now.
 
#736 ·
Just to follow-up and correct the record. I thought it was strange that the voltage out of the power inserter would measure so high (40 V) when the adapter was rated at 24 V. I checked the voltage directly out of the power adapter plug and it also measures 40 V with no load, which is the way I measured the output from the power inserter. I checked with a electronics guy at work and he said its normal for that class of power adapter to behave that way. Under load the voltage should drop to the rated level.
 
#737 ·
Loss of channels

Hi everyone,

I have a dual LNB dish pointing at 92 and 81. The 4 lines from the dish are feeding a SW44 as follows: 91 into 1a and 1b and 82 into 2a and 2b. Until today the only output was from port 1 of the SW44 through the power inserter to a 6131 HD receiver. I was always able to get all of the SD channels and most of the HD channels (some HD channels do not work even though the guide shows them in blue and not red - I've always chalked this up to incorrect guide presentation on Bell's part or channels moving around all the time).

Today I tried connecting a 4100 SD receiver to port 2 of the SW44. The 4100 could see the 91 satellite but not the 82.

I did a check switch test on the SD receiver and got errors (unfortunately I do not remember exactly what they were). I then went back to the HD receiver and did a check switch test there and got the error about finding fewer satellites than previously detected.

On the HD receiver, when I check the signals I do get strong signals on both 91 and 82 on both even and odd transponders (between mid-80s to mid-90s). The power inserter is working, as without it I get zero signal strength.

My questions are: (1) should I save the test on the HD receiver as is or will that cause problems; (2) should the SD receiver at least see the 82 satellite (even though it will not be able to output the HD channels on 82); (3) do I have a bad switch; (4) is there anything else I'm missing here?
 
#738 ·
To me it seems your power inserter isn't plugged in properly, is your 6131 getting HD channels if you don't save the check switch? Is the wire going to the 4100 a straight feed from the SW44 ? (is it possible you may have bumped the dish and now it doesn't get 82?) I would start by checking your connections and plug at the power inserter side then try check switch again
 
#739 ·
Hi m3repair,

I believe that the power inserter is plugged in properly because when I don't plug it in the signals at the 6131 for both 91 and 82 show zero strength. When I plug the inserter back in the signals show in the 90s for 82 and in the mid-80s for the 91. Also, without saving the check switch, I do get HD channels at the 6131 (just not all of the ones that are shown in blue in the guide). So for now, I suppose I shouldn't save the check switch so that I don't loose channels until I get to the bottom of this, correct?

The wire going to the 4100 is a fairly long RG6 cable (over 50 ft) and it terminates at one of those wall plates. From the wall plate another cable is connected to the 4100. I will re-check when I go home tonight this last cable, as it seemed to be a little thinner than an RG6.
 
#740 ·
Do not forget that the 4100 will NOT see all the Transponders of 82, it only sees a few of them. Running a Check Switch on it will tell you if there are problems.
 
#741 ·
Do not forget that the 4100 will NOT see all the Transponders of 82, it only sees a few of them. Running a Check Switch on it will tell you if there are problems.
Hi Pinza,

I replaced the cable from the wall plate to the 4100 with a brand new RG6 cable, ran the Check Switch on the 4100 and got the following:

Port: 1B 1A 2B 2A
Satellite: 91 91 X 82
Transp: Even Odd X Odd

Status: Problem detected, check connections
Switch: Installed Switch Model SW44

When I go to the Point Dish screen I get good strength on all transponders for 91 but only get a signal on transponder 15 on 82.

Upstairs on the 6131 I get good signal on all transponders for . For 82 i get good signal on all transponders except for 16 (could this explain why I cannot watch some of the HD channels?). When I go to the Installation Summary screen I get the following:

Port: 1 2
Satellite: 91 82
Transponder: OK OK
Device:
Status: Reception verified
Switch: SW44

However, when I run the Check Switch test on the 6131 I get the "fewer satellites" error message. I'm stumped.
 
#750 ·
installation help please

Hi, so I purchased a SW44 and installed my lines to it today but no luck. Can anyone help out here:
I have 2 lines coming from the dish into the switch, 1 for 91 and 1 for 82, the 91 is going into 1a and 82 is going into 2b. And then i have one line going from the switch into the house to the power inverter and then to the tv. and i have a 2nd line coming in going directly to a receiver. i did a system info and it shows me that both 91 and 82 has no signals. i have it hooked up as per the directions from a Bell rep. what did i do wrong?
 
#759 ·
Hi, so I purchased a SW44 and installed my lines to it today but no luck. Can anyone help out here:
I have 2 lines coming from the dish into the switch, 1 for 91 and 1 for 82, the 91 is going into 1a and 82 is going into 2b. And then i have one line going from the switch into the house to the power inverter and then to the tv. and i have a 2nd line coming in going directly to a receiver. i did a system info and it shows me that both 91 and 82 has no signals. i have it hooked up as per the directions from a Bell rep. what did i do wrong?
The first thing you did wrong was listening to the Bell rep lol. Some of the stuff that I've heard them tell customers is just ridiculous.
 
#751 ·
Hi. U almost did it right. Sounds like the Bell Rep wasn't very clear.

The SW44 requires FOUR cables INTO the switch.

Two lines from the 91 LNB go into 1A and 1B

Two lines from the 82 LNB go into 2A and 2B.

When you make this correction, DISCONNECT the power inserter first, so as to not damage the switch.

When the new lines are connected, re-connect the Power Inserter and do a Check Switch test on both receivers.

Check Switch Test Procedure: using the remote, press MENU, 6, 1, 1 Go to Check Switch and select Check or Test.

Your receivers will undergo 38 tests, and if it passes, it will indicate the Device as SW44, and show that you are receiving 82 and 91.

Press cancel 3 or 4 times to get out of the menus, and let the receiver reset and load the Guide Info.

The acid test is this: after the receivers have re-booted and loaded the Guide Information, try looking at Channel 212 (CTV Toronto in SD) and Channel 800 (CTV Toronto in HD).

If both channels are working, you've fixed your problem.

Good luck.
 
#753 ·
Remove both LNB's and make sure EACH of them has TWO outputs.

You need TWO cables from the 91 LNB to the SW44 (into 1A and 1B)

You need TWO cables from the 82 LNB to the SW44 (into 2A and 2B)

Or, does your dish have single, wide LNB on it, with a logo on the back of it saying DP Plus?

If it's a big DP Plus LNB, you do not need an SW44 switch.

The switch is already built-in.

What type of dish do you have???
 
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