Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums banner

Multiswitch Discussions

214K views 389 replies 106 participants last post by  frenchophile 
#1 ·
When we ordered our 630 yesterday, our deal included the installation of a multiswitch. I'm not sure if it's the 4 X 8 or the 5 X 8. Anyway, I must admit, I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of it is. We will have four lines when the installation is complete. My understanding from what I've read here is that you need all four lines to use the multiswitch. We will then have a 630, a 530 and a 505. That's why we received the multiswitch. So, let's say we plug in all three receivers. What is the benefit of this? We still only have the programming available on four separate feeds at the same time, right? It isn't like we suddenly have eight separate feeds available to us just because we have the multiswitch, right? So, in theory, we can record two things on the 630, one thing on the 530 and watch the other feed off the 530. That's four. What can the 505 do separately from this if it's plugged into the multiswitch? Do you understand what I'm asking? I know this may seem like a lame question, but honestly I don't understand it and the threads I've read don't clarify it for me. By the way, I'm also happy to read an explanatory thread. If someone knows of one, that would be great if you would paste in the thread.

The Hans
 
#33 ·
Or... If it's not an HDTV on the 530 you could use the coax out (TV3/4) connection and run the signal from the 530 to the TV over the single, existing coax and locate the 530 closer to the dish where it might be more convenient. You probably will get some noise using that method but it's better than nothing if that's your other choice. You could also use a stand-alone distribution modulator and get a cleaner signal to your TV.

The UHF remote will work through walls for quite a distance, particularly if you use a length of coax to extend the antenna.
 
#35 · (Edited)
My question is similar. I have a 530 and a 505. I have ordered the 630 (reading here today, I see that I have to call "for the deal") My dilemma's are as follows:

if I opt to return the 530 for the 630, I should be fine for amount of lines.
if I opt to keep the 530+630 I will need a multiswitch?
if I opt to keep all 3, then I definitely need the multi switch .

My main problem I guess is that when the installer hooked up my sat, my 530 went through the crawl space and up to my living room, but the other line (505) was tied into a locked cable box located inside my garage. I believe this is where there is a splitter determining which outlet to be used (ie bed 1, 2, or 3). I do not have a key for this box. Do I just drill the lock out, or if I'm adding lines, I would need an installer anyways, and he should be able to open???

Thanks, still trying to determine if I need the 2 pvr's or not. Those who have a pvr in bedroom, is it used much? or more for lets watch the girls gone wild on hdtv before bed?

Btw hoping not to hijack this thread. sorry
 
#36 · (Edited by Moderator)
Multiswitch for PVR's

Is there ANY chance of signal quality loss if you have to incorporate a multi switch into the mix? I am looking at one or two new 630 PVR's and if I go with two I would need a multiswitch. (I would run one 630 PVR, plus 2 505's; or 2 630 PVR's plus 1 505)

I might avoid adding 2 PVRs if the answer is yes there is a chance of signal quality loss. I would then just stay with one 630 plus 2 505's , and therefore not need the multiswitch. Any comments are appreciated!

Nick
 
#37 ·
Only the old 2x2 and 2x4 non powered multiswitches degraded the signal and then not enough to worry about except in extreme conditions.

Current 4(5)x8 multswitches are POWERED and have a small amp to compensate for the insertion loss.
Normally about 7DB or so.

You should not worry about adding such a switch.

Due to the digital nature of the signalm as long as you a a miniscul amount stranger than what is required to decode the signal, then even the strongest signal will appear identical.

Why we strive for best EcbNo and signal strenth are on those occasion were the signal becomes naturally attenuated by weather and such.

The difference between what you have and when it drops the signal is often called rain fade margin.
 
#45 ·
Can they be placed outside?
Mine is outside as in a garden shed underneath the dish which is installed on the house eves. When I had a stacked dish, I always had problems with corrosion in the 2 x 2 switch, even with cable boots and insulation. Since the larger multiswitches are powered with a brick cable to a wall plug, I would never install one in the weather.
 
#46 ·
Polarity of power supply

For all of you ordering / have the Eagle Aspen multiswitches, Could u please confirm for me the polarity of the 24V DC power supply?

I think it should be -ve on the outside, with a +ve center electrode.

I have a Eagle Aspen that I bought on ebay a few years back, but being dumb, I didn't reallize the item I was bidding on didn't come with a PS. I found a 24v DC PS at the local liquidation/surplus store, and I might convert it to a coaxial output to get my 630 up and running.

Thx,
Peter
 
#48 ·
my 630 and multiswitch came yesterday and the installer is coming on Friday to hook it all up - he'll be adding a 4th line for the 630 (already have 2 lines to a 530 and 1 to a 505) - I want to connect the 505 to a 3rd tv - will the installer supply the coax to connect the 505 to the multiswitch, or do I need to go buy some myself?

(the coax now going to the 505 will be one of the 2 used for the 630 - I want to then use the 505 on a 3rd tv)
 
#50 ·
ahh...I never thought of that...I guess that's something I can do myself then, isn't it? get some coax, connect it to the switch, and to the 505? easy peasy, right? :eek:

Edit: nevermind - I just realized I already have a coax cable - it's connected to the line out of the 505, and goes to the 3rd tv - so when the 630 is installed to the tv where I have the 505, I'll just disconnect the cable from the 505's out, move it to the input, and connect the other end to the switch

hopefully...but I'm sure the installer can at least help me with that much...
 
#51 ·
jimsathome,
I'm new to satellite. In the image posted, I'd like to know if my hookup will be correct (install on Friday). After the 4 lines are run to the 4x8 multi-switch... lines 1 and 2 out will go to one PVR, lines 3 and 4 out will go to my 2nd PVR and line 5 out will go to my 3rd digital box (non-PVR). Is that correct?
 
#52 ·
jimsathome,
I'm new to satellite. After the 4 lines are run to the 4x8 multi-switch... lines 1 and 2 out will go to one PVR, lines 3 and 4 out will go to my 2nd PVR and line 5 out will go to my 3rd digital box (non-PVR). Is that correct?
That will work out fine for you. All 8 out ports are the same so it makes no difference which output ports you pick but the way you stated it would be a good way to do it for future reference.
 
#54 ·
matcodesign, that switch will work. Your LNB head on your dish has four coax cable connectors at the bottom. Run RG6 coax cable from all four of them to the four inputs on the top of the multiswitch. On the bottom of the multiswitch is 8 output ports, you can use any of them to send the signal to your receivers, again using RG6 coax cable. Make sure the switch is powered by the single coax connector on the side.
 
#56 ·
matcodesign, that is correct, it does not matter what cable goes to what spot, what does matter is that all 4 cables are ran from the LNB to the inputs of the switch. It should not matter with the power but I would connect it before connecting the lines to the receivers.
 
#58 ·
Can a Multiswitch Reset Itself?

We're having some reboot issues with our 630 and now a second 630, which rebooted about 12 times in about four hours once activated. Technical escalation was thinking it could have to do with the multiswitch. We put two lines directly into the 630 without using the multiswitch. The 630 only rebooted when we tried (three times) to do the firmware download (00.10 to 00.13). It didn't reboot other than that.

After the guide of the second 630 fully loaded, we tried the download again and it worked. We also thought we actually figured out why, specifically, the 630 rebooted when we tried the guide download, so due to this, we thought it really was the multiswitch.

We plugged the 630 back into the multiswitch, expecting it to reboot like crazy again, but it didn't. In fact, it's been pretty stable. Technical escalation said that people think that 00.13 download helps all kinds of things it doesn't really have anything to do with. In the case of many, many reboots, it really wouldn't help that. Therefore, in theory, the update is not why it stopped rebooting.

Now, the multiswitch was unplugged for about six hours when we had the 630 plugged directly into the lines and not through the multiswitch. Is it possible, somehow, that the multiswitch's being unplugged could have (theoretically) allowed it to "reset" itself? And that the multiswitch could have been the problem re: the many reboots, but it now fixed itself?

The new 630 went from 12 reboots in four hours to none. I think there must be a reason and I'm trying to figure out what it could be...

The Hans
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top