Dual Output LNB and the Windows 7 HTPC

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blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#62869 16-Jun-2010 13:26

Hi Guys

I just wondered if anybody has gotten one of these working with Windows 7 Media Center:

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/noise-dual-output-10750mhz-band-p-40.html

I have installed one in my setup, but I now get "No TV Signal" when I try to use live TV.

The interesting thing is that when I go through the TV install on media center, I get good signal strength and a satellite scan finds 129 channels. It's just when I try to view say TV1 it will tell me I have no TV signal.

Any comments would be appreciated.

My HTPC - Case Antec Fusion Remote, MOBO Intel DH67BLB3, CPU Intel Core i5-2400S 2.5 GHz, RAM 8GB DDR3 1333, HDD 120Gig Corsair Force Series 3 SSD system | WD Caviar Black 2TB data, Tuners Black Gold BGT3595 dual DVB-S/S2, dual DVB-T, Video nVIDIA GeForce GT 520, 1024MB, Sound Intel® High Definition Audio (onboard), OS Windows 7 x64

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#342513 17-Jun-2010 00:22

What have you got the cables connected too?
I.e. STB and DVB-S Tuner, 2 x DVB-S tuner..

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#342624 17-Jun-2010 11:51

Hi there - thanks for your response.

My HTPC has 2 DVB-S cards in it:

1 x Hauppauge Nova-S-Plus
1 x TeVii S470 DVB-S2

In the roof at the LNB, I have put two outputs from the LNB into the splitter to a single cable. This then gets split down at my HTPC box into the two DVB-S cards.

I had another crack at playing with it last night. I think that the problem is with the LNB not getting the voltage to change from one of the cards. Sometimes freeview channels will work but not SBS, and then sometimes vica verca.

Very weird...

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#342635 17-Jun-2010 12:25

blur: Hi there - thanks for your response.

My HTPC has 2 DVB-S cards in it:

1 x Hauppauge Nova-S-Plus
1 x TeVii S470 DVB-S2

In the roof at the LNB, I have put two outputs from the LNB into the splitter to a single cable. This then gets split down at my HTPC box into the two DVB-S cards.

I had another crack at playing with it last night. I think that the problem is with the LNB not getting the voltage to change from one of the cards. Sometimes freeview channels will work but not SBS, and then sometimes vica verca.

Very weird...

I imagine you previously had a setup where there was a single output from the LNB which you split at the bottom into both cards, but then ran across the problem that SBS and freeview couldn't be watched at the same time due to polarities being different?

I'm afraid what you're trying to do won't work.
Basically SBS and Freeview Sat run on different polarities, horizontal and vertical and are controlled by either of the tuner cards. Combining the cables just confuses the signal and the controlling tuner cards. To get the results you want you'll have to run another cable down to the 2nd card.

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#342739 17-Jun-2010 17:10

Yeah, this is the conclusion that I'd come to...

So what you are saying is simply run 2 cables down from the dual LBN, one from each port pf the LNB into each of the cards into my HTPC?

This makes sense, provided that each port on the LNB is able to be either verticle of horozonal. This means that I could record freeview and SBS, or both SBS, or any combination at the same time.

Would this be a fair assesment?

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#342827 18-Jun-2010 00:44

blur: Yeah, this is the conclusion that I'd come to...

So what you are saying is simply run 2 cables down from the dual LBN, one from each port pf the LNB into each of the cards into my HTPC?

This makes sense, provided that each port on the LNB is able to be either verticle of horozonal. This means that I could record freeview and SBS, or both SBS, or any combination at the same time.

Would this be a fair assesment?

Thats how understand it from the multiple answers I've received (looking to do the same thing myself as currently running dual tuners from a single LNB output) and I will be doing the same thing myself in a couple of weeks. Single line works fine until I try and watch SBS and Freeview satellite at the same time. Another way is to use Twinax (twin coxial) line but that is expensive and amounts to the same thing (running 2 lines but inside one cable). Apparently there is also a stacker/destacker hardware combination that could also work if you like wasting thousands because running an extra line for $30 isn't your thing :-)

You could add a splitter + more tuners as needed if you want 3-4 channels recorded in MC7 (which only allows recording from one channel at a time per tuner currently).

I'm running Mediaportal so only need 2 tuners and I can record all the channels on freeview/SBS at once (limited only by transfer rates to harddrives), not that I'd ever need to do that :-)

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#342845 18-Jun-2010 08:13

Thanks for your response. I'm fortunate enough to have a roll of RG-6 so it won't be too much bother to run another cable down from the dish.

Just a matter of finding the time!

I don't suppose you have a solution to adding Intelsat 5 to the mix for BBC World?

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#342868 18-Jun-2010 09:21

blur: Thanks for your response. I'm fortunate enough to have a roll of RG-6 so it won't be too much bother to run another cable down from the dish.

Just a matter of finding the time!

I don't suppose you have a solution to adding Intelsat 5 to the mix for BBC World?

Hmm, just worte a long reply but my login timed out and I lost everything.

So a quick reply this time :-)

I haven't installed intelsat aligned dishes before, but I did note this:

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/zenus-optus-bracket-intelsat-dishes-p-547.html

So perhaps you can have a dual LNB setup with the dish aligned for intelsat 5 and one LNB pointed normally while the other is attached to the bracket I linked too.

Other options (not exhaustive and others may have better ideas):

1) Add another satellite dish with intelsat alignment (make your neighbours think you work for the CIA :-) ).

2) Add a dish mover so you can rotate to whatever satellite takes your fancy.
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/moteck-sg2100-dish-mover-p-32.html

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elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#343017 18-Jun-2010 14:04

Actually, it looks a little tougher than I thought as I didn't realise intelsat 5 needs C band (rather than KU band for Optus D1).

Here are some other threads you might want to check out:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=55736

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=49530

Cheers

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#343022 18-Jun-2010 14:19

Yeah, I've seen these threads. I think what I might do is buy the 90cm dish with a C band LNB and keep it seperate for the moment.

My problem however, before I spend the money on the dish, is that I can't see Intelsat 5 in the list of satellites when you configure Windows 7 Media Center.

Are you able to see if you can see it in MediaPortal?

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#343037 18-Jun-2010 15:02

blur: Yeah, I've seen these threads. I think what I might do is buy the 90cm dish with a C band LNB and keep it seperate for the moment.

My problem however, before I spend the money on the dish, is that I can't see Intelsat 5 in the list of satellites when you configure Windows 7 Media Center.

Are you able to see if you can see it in MediaPortal?

I'm no win 7 MC expert but will have a look later tonight. Is there no Transponder scanning available?

blur

384 posts

Ultimate Geek

#343038 18-Jun-2010 15:10

Yeah, there is. Once you have chosen the satellite (or multiple satellites if your card is DiSEqC compatible), you can then do a full satellite scan for all known transponders, or a single transponder scan where you get to choose:

Carrier Frequency
Symbol Rate
Polarization

The problem is, Intelsat 5 is not on the list, and nor is Optus D2 for that matter. The older, and as I understand it, redundant Optus B3 is listed instead.

Not sure if you can change or not, and I have had real trouble getting an answer to this question.

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#343047 18-Jun-2010 15:41

Hmm.. just found this:

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/forum/index.php/topic,981.msg4531.html