Did I buy the wrong F splitter

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Did I buy the wrong F splitter

geekiegeek

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#15981 18-Sep-2007 22:54

Brought a hills splitter from DSE. Cabled it up and tested both ends of the split with my sky stb but only one works - the one with power out written next to it! the splitter seems to only have power going out one side.

Is this a problem? The other end will be plugged into a HVR3000 but I'm a day or two away from having my PC up and running to test.

If anyone knows the answer let me know andmaybe I can return this one and get one with power out on both sides.

mcraenz

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#87104 18-Sep-2007 23:43

This is the correct one. Only 1 device either the DVB-S PCI card or Sky STB will power/control the LNB. So only one device will set the LNB to vertical or horizontal polarity. But doesn't matter to much though because you'll only be using horizontal presumably. (Both sky and freeview are on horizontal now). What this all means though is that when you test the splitter you'll have to have either device plugged in to the power-pass side. It's no good testing one side at a time.

Plug the power-pass side in to the sky stb and the other side into the PC and everything should just work. :-).

If not then review your wiring; are you using screw-on F connectors? if so then make sure you don't have some of the outer braid on the cable shorting out to the center pin, (somtimes there can be a tinly little wire left over that's hard to spot. Been there done that! ;-)

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allstarnz

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#87135 19-Sep-2007 10:24

I've got a splitter like that.

I suggest using the Sky box in the powered, as that is always on. That way you don't have issues with the HTPC trying to take over.

geekiegeek

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#87146 19-Sep-2007 11:10

Phew! Its all good. As stated it works fine with both plugged in. Next up is getting MediaPortal with TVServer3 up and running.

Thanks guys.

mruane

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#87165 19-Sep-2007 14:04

Hey Geekiegeek, can you make notes of how you get your Media Portal going, software installed - and that kind of stuff. There's another member in a different thread that has had all kind of issues with Media Portal, so your experiences will be valuable. I intend to document the software I load on to my HTPC when I start building it this weekend, so the more documented experiences we have the better. There appears to me more and more people heading down this track so good records good be really helpful for them later.

Cheers Mike

geekiegeek

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#87168 19-Sep-2007 14:12

Sounds like a really good idea. I'll take screen shots along the way as I think that is the best solution for most people.

I'm starting with a clean install of XP which should also help matters + I have been through the entire "calling all NZ MP users" thread on the MP forums and pulled out as much relavent information as I can find - some good stuff on there re EPG from DVB with Sky channels included.

I'll post everything up on my blog as I go http://www.geekzone.co.nz/geekiegeek

mruane

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#87177 19-Sep-2007 15:09

Yes, I really think it will be worth the effort. McRae's blog is also great value and I will get mine up when I am done as well.

The NZ thread is about the longest on MP's forum, but as you said there is some really useful stuff in there. It took me quite some time to get the EPG for SKY channels sorted but I have that now. Darned if I can get it to control the SKY box though. Once you have defined the channel as a SKY channel that's it. You cannot change the entry so that it gets EPG from the satellite but the signal from the A/V ports on the card.

Sorry - going off topic. Best stop there.

Cheers and good luck with the installation.
Mike

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itxtme

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#87206 19-Sep-2007 18:14

I guess im that other guy :P

Look foward to seeing how you get on!!