Directv HD newbie- which sat question

[3oldman]

I travel in an RV so I'll be tearing down and setting up a lot. I have years of experience setting up SD, but so far the HD is not going well at all.

Equipment: DTV Slimline dish with SWM (single, small lnb). Power inserter, WNC DTV splitter, First Strike FS1 meter. AFAIK it's all set up properly. I get a varying voltage of between 18-21v to the LNB.

My first problem is knowing which satellite to try to find. The FS1's database has 2 99s, 2 101s, and I'm not sure which one of those I'm supposed to be using. The FS1 techie told me to check the LyngSat page, but that isn't helping much. Those 6 digits numbers don't seem to match anything I have, and I don't know what they are.

Ok.. I'll stop there and see what kinds of answers I get. Thanks a bunch.

 

[Jimbo]

I travel in an RV so I'll be tearing down and setting up a lot. I have years of experience setting up SD, but so far the HD is not going well at all.

Equipment: DTV Slimline dish with SWM (single, small lnb). Power inserter, WNC DTV splitter, First Strike FS1 meter. AFAIK it's all set up properly. I get a varying voltage of between 18-21v to the LNB.

My first problem is knowing which satellite to try to find. The FS1's database has 2 99s, 2 101s, and I'm not sure which one of those I'm supposed to be using. The FS1 techie told me to check the LyngSat page, but that isn't helping much. Those 6 digits numbers don't seem to match anything I have, and I don't know what they are.

Ok.. I'll stop there and see what kinds of answers I get. Thanks a bunch.

When pointing the Slimline3 or 5, first thing you want with ANY dish is making sure the mast is Plumb ...
I'm presuming your using a tripod.
You'll want to point at the 101.
I generally, when starting from scratch, I set the Tilt and Elevation first ... then move the left and right slowly, you have to be patient as it takes a second or so to come in, you don't want to go right past it.
Also a compass will help you greatly.

Don't know what to tell you about the meter your using, I never use one.
I don't think you can use it to find the 99 or 103 unless it's a very new meter that I haven't heard of ... Some of the others here may know more about it.

Problem with most meters is they find ALL the Sats up there, not just the ones you want.

Once you find the 101 and peak it the best you can, the 99 and 103 should fall into place if your tilt and elevation is correct.

The numbers they give you for aligning is a starting point.

Make sure your SWM is plugged in, if not you won't get any signal as the PI is what powers the LNB, unlike tyhe Non SWM set ups where the recvr powers it.

 

[3oldman]

Which 101?

 

[Jimbo]

Which 101?

IF you use your recvr meter, you'll only find the correct one.

 

[3oldman]

I'm not understanding how I'm going to use my receiver meter. It doesn't make any sound. I'm outside. And, my receiver cannot power this lnb.

And you're not supposed to connect the coax to this receiver until the dish is set up.

 

[raoul5788]

You may need a helper to tell you what the signal meters are doing if you can't see it from the dish. The power inserter powers the lnb. I don't know where you heard you shouldn't connect the coax to the receiver until the dish is set up. Do like Jimbo said, make sure the mast is plumb, set the tilt and elevation, point the dish for the azimuth connect the power inserter to the lnb and the receiver. Leave the bolts loose enough to move the dish without it flopping around. Then check the meter and see if you have any signal. If you don't then move the dish slightly and see if that makes a difference. Eventually you will get some signal. When you do, tighten the bolts enough to keep the dish from moving. Then push on the back of each edge of the dish and note what happens to the signals. This will tell you in what direction to adjust the dish. By being patient you will be able to get the numbers in the upper 80s and lower 90s. Good luck, and don't give up! Oh, and don't be afraid to come back and ask again!

 

[3oldman]

"You may need a helper to tell you what the signal meters are doing if you can't see it from the dish. ."
I purchased a meter to beep at me since the receiver does not.

"I don't know where you heard you shouldn't connect the coax to the receiver until the dish is set up. "
I heard(saw) that on a Directv youtube video about setting up the SWM dish. Maybe that's the "professional" way of doing things.
--------------------
One output of the PI is for power, other is signal to receiver. Am I understanding that I can simply connect that up to the dish and receiver and use the receiver to tune? If that's true, that's much simpler.. but I'd really like to find a way to use the meter because I may be alone doing this.

 

[Jimbo]

"You may need a helper to tell you what the signal meters are doing if you can't see it from the dish. ."
I purchased a meter to beep at me since the receiver does not.

"I don't know where you heard you shouldn't connect the coax to the receiver until the dish is set up. "
I heard(saw) that on a Directv youtube video about setting up the SWM dish. Maybe that's the "professional" way of doing things.
--------------------
One output of the PI is for power, other is signal to receiver. Am I understanding that I can simply connect that up to the dish and receiver and use the receiver to tune? If that's true, that's much simpler.. but I'd really like to find a way to use the meter because I may be alone doing this.

Its nice to have a meter IF it's one capable of powering the SWM, many don't.

The Video shows you how to do it without having a recvr hooked up, thats fine if you have the correct meters and are experienced at setting these up

I thought about getting a meter till I found it easier to just set the thing up and not waste my money on a meter.

Yes, you can connect the stuff all together and use the recvr tuner. You;ll never get a signal without the PI being hooked up as thats where the voltage for this type of LNB comes from.

 

[3oldman]

you can connect the stuff all together and use the recvr tuner.

So, I can simply use the PI alone for one DVR? No splitter thingy?

 

[Jimbo]

So, I can simply use the PI alone for one DVR? No splitter thingy?

Yes, it kinda defeats the reasoning about using the SWM set up other than the single line, but ya you ca do it.

Sent from my Samsung Epic using SatelliteGuys

 

[BobStokesbary]

3oldman,
I faced the same situation; RV setup and I didn't want the wife shouting out the window. I use an Accutrac II with the Direct ASL-1 and a 5 LNB SWM head. I bought that model so I had the 119 sat for skew alignment. Your setup is probably different so you will either need to get a different meter that can work on the 99, 101 and 103 sats or you will have to have someone shout the information out the window after you get the initial setup done.

You can, however, still use your meter to do the initial setup if you want. I can't find the particulars on your meter, but it sounds like it was built for OTA signals which means it probably has no SWM capability. (For one thing it only can generate 18 volts to drive the LNB and the SWM head needs 21 volts so it is inadequate for that.) To make it work you can add a D* ASL-1 Alignment tool which will allow you to inject the 21 volts you need to drive the SWM. You need to install it in the coax line as indicated in the illustration.

First, you need to know the azimuth, elevation and tilt needed for your dish. The site I use for these number is Dish Pointer. The thing I like about this site is that you can even move the pointer around if you can't get it set to the correct address. But, it usually works OK with the address. Just make sure the "Satellite" window is set to 101W DIRECTV 4S. You get all the settings (including skew) right under the picture of your location.

Next, I setup the tripod. As said before, it is critical to get your pole absolutely vertical. This is critical since you are picking up 3 birds with your setting. Once you have that done, use the numbers on your mount to set you initial elevation and skew. ( I find that these are usually pretty close as they are.) Tighten things enough on those two setting so that they do not move around while you are setting the azimuth.

Next, I disconnect the power inserter from the receiver and plug it in. (Yes, your are correct, you need to have the receiver out of the circuit while you are aligning the satellite otherwise the meter picks up the SWM signal and not the satellite signal.) I have a coax that runs to the outside of the RV which I connect to the power DC power-in post on the ASL-1 and run a short coax to the SWM head.

Now you do the aiming. Rotate the dish for the highest reading. When you get the highest reading tighten the 3 bolts that hold the dish on the pole. Confirm that you still have the peak reading you had before you started the tightening. The next step is loosening the elevation nuts a bit and move the dish up an down for the highest reading on the meter. When you get the highest reading, tighten them and move the azimuth. I switch the coax to the 119 setting and rotate the disk for the highest reading. Now, make sure that everything it tight, uncouple the dish coax from the meter and connect it to the coax coming from your RV. The final step is to go inside he RV and reconnect the receiver coax to the IRD post on the power supply. At this point you should have a very acceptable picture. I seldom have to make any additional adjustments, but if you do you will need to have someone in the RV looking at the signal strengths while you move the dish.

I know this all sounds a bit complicated, but after you do it a couple of times it will be about as easy as your SD dish.

Hope this helps,
Bob

 

[schneid]

Long thread above with lots of correct answers. As the OP, I use an SWM SL3, a PI, to my HR20-100 in my rolling shack. That is dish to receiver with the PI in-line.

This is how I do it:

The PI should be plugged in but the receiver should be disconnected. At least for me that is.

When I park, I use the Android App "Satellite Finder" to get Azimuth, Elevation, and Tilt for DirecTV's Bird parked at Longitude 101 for my exact GPS position. You use can other resources and apps but I like Satellite Finder best.

I pull out my hiking compass and orient myself to the general direction of the stated direction to the 101. Satellite Finder and Dishpointer will also show the Birds through the camera lens. Compass is quick and dirty.

I then plant my TV4RV.com HD Tripod with the included compass in place and included bubble level across the top of the mounting surface. I line its EZ Aim mark to the 101, stomp the legs into the dirt, and level the mounting surface. I pull out my dish, pre-set the Elevation and Tilt, and mount it to the Tripod aligning it with already aimed EZ Aim markings. Most of the time, I am done here. I will have signal. Unfortunately, it's the other times that drive us nuts.

Link to TV4RV.com Tripod:

http://tv4rv.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=13

To check, I introduce a DirecTV ASL-1 between the dish and the PI with my Accutrac meter hooked up. It is simply a gizmo that will power the SWM. An unpowered SWM will not generate a signal. If I have a peaked signal, I power up the receiver. If the receiver is powered on during this process, it screws up my meter. If I have 90% plus on the 101, I go get a beer.

Link to ASL-1

ASL-1 Satellite Alignment Signal Locator for SL5-S and SL3-S Dishes (ASL-1P) from Solid Signal

But this is for the other times. Because of magnetic anomalies, aka Deviation (Variation is pretty well charted), something at your local site can throw you off and cause you to lock on the wrong bird. Provided your mast is ABSOLUTELY plumb and you have the Elevation and Tilt correctly set, you can usually slooowly swing the dish either way until your receiver shows the best signal on the "correct" 101. Go get a beer.

For the times I am totally lost, I own a ridiculously expensive gizmo called "Align-a-site". I don't recommend it but it helps, sometimes, especially in the trees.

I settle for 90% on 101 as I use an SL3 with a "Dish 1000.2" reflector. It ain't no match for the giant Slimline but it is much easier to handle. I use an HR20 because it will tune, and record, OTA programming and it is fitted with a 1TB internal drive. Old, yet more capable than the new ones.

Bottom line is:

Know the correct settings for your location. Enter Zipcode into receiver, look it up on the Dispointer.com website, or have an App on your phone.

Pre-set Elevation and Tilt.

Have a accurate aiming system to the "correct" 101.

Have a way to establish an ABSOLUTELY plum mast. NO fudging here (unless you have a properly calibrated Align-a-Site). An askew mast will mess with everything else.

 

[raoul5788]

Long thread above with lots of correct answers. As the OP, I use an SWM SL3, a PI, to my HR20-100 in my rolling shack. That is dish to receiver with the PI in-line.

This is how I do it:

The PI should be plugged in but the receiver should be disconnected. At least for me that is.

When I park, I use the Android App "Satellite Finder" to get Azimuth, Elevation, and Tilt for DirecTV's Bird parked at Longitude 101 for my exact GPS position. You use can other resources and apps but I like Satellite Finder best.

I pull out my hiking compass and orient myself to the general direction of the stated direction to the 101. Satellite Finder and Dishpointer will also show the Birds through the camera lens. Compass is quick and dirty.

I then plant my TV4RV.com HD Tripod with the included compass in place and included bubble level across the top of the mounting surface. I line its EZ Aim mark to the 101, stomp the legs into the dirt, and level the mounting surface. I pull out my dish, pre-set the Elevation and Tilt, and mount it to the Tripod aligning it with already aimed EZ Aim markings. Most of the time, I am done here. I will have signal. Unfortunately, it's the other times that drive us nuts.

Link to TV4RV.com Tripod:

Heavy-Duty Combo Package

To check, I introduce a DirecTV ASL-1 between the dish and the PI with my Accutrac meter hooked up. It is simply a gizmo that will power the SWM. An unpowered SWM will not generate a signal. If I have a peaked signal, I power up the receiver. If the receiver is powered on during this process, it screws up my meter. If I have 90% plus on the 101, I go get a beer.

Link to ASL-1

ASL-1 Satellite Alignment Signal Locator for SL5-S and SL3-S Dishes (ASL-1P) from Solid Signal

But this is for the other times. Because of magnetic anomalies, aka Deviation (Variation is pretty well charted), something at your local site can throw you off and cause you to lock on the wrong bird. Provided your mast is ABSOLUTELY plumb and you have the Elevation and Tilt correctly set, you can usually slooowly swing the dish either way until your receiver shows the best signal on the "correct" 101. Go get a beer.

For the times I am totally lost, I own a ridiculously expensive gizmo called "Align-a-site". I don't recommend it but it helps, sometimes, especially in the trees.

I settle for 90% on 101 as I use an SL3 with a "Dish 1000.2" reflector. It ain't no match for the giant Slimline but it is much easier to handle. I use an HR20 because it will tune, and record, OTA programming and it is fitted with a 1TB internal drive. Old, yet more capable than the new ones.

Bottom line is:

Know the correct settings for your location. Enter Zipcode into receiver, look it up on the Dispointer.com website, or have an App on your phone.

Pre-set Elevation and Tilt.

Have a accurate aiming system to the "correct" 101.

Have a way to establish an ABSOLUTELY plum mast. NO fudging here (unless you have a properly calibrated Align-a-Site). An askew mast will mess with everything else.

Good advice you have given here. Regarding plumbing the mast, I use a post level, they are easy to use and more accurate than the built in bubble level. As to your HR20, did you replace the hard drive in it? They come with a 320 gb drive, IIRC.

 

[schneid]

"Regarding plumbing the mast, I use a post level, they are easy to use and more accurate than the built in bubble level."

True, but as I am using a tripod, I have no post, just a stubby mast covered by the dish mount assembly. Not enough room to squeeze in a level. I have to settle for the level plane of the top of the tripod. Nothing beats the TV4RV.com Tripod Kit. You can now even use your own surveyors tripod as he is now selling a machined aluminum tripod mast.

Photos of my SL3, Phase III mast Assembly, and "Dish 1000.2" reflector perched on a TV4RV.com HD Tripod.

https://picasaweb.google.com/104481312076791094670/RecentlyUpdated?authkey=Gv1sRgCIKfkozFzbTnigE

I have since swapped in a SWM LNB and painted over the unholy Dish logo.

"As to your HR20, did you replace the hard drive in it? They come with a 320 gb drive, IIRC."

I evoke the Fifth Amendment. But I have heard ;-) , for the HR20-100, that it is a a pretty easy swap with the proper Torx screw driver. I have also heard the HR24's are a b__ch to swap.