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Strange technical 'dilema' with Shaw Direct 605 Receiver


ARIBOY

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I have a strange dilemma with my 605 HD-PVR receiver (Shaw direct) , that maybe someone can explain or direct me to someone who can.

I have an oval dish with an LNB with 4 outputs. I will call them outputs 1,2,3,4 going from left to right.

Outputs 1 and 2 are connected to the 605 receiver inputs A and B respectively.

Apparently the 605 HD receiver needs two separate inputs from the dish in order to be able to view all stations (I hardly ever use the PVR function of it).

If I disconnect input B, then I can only see every other channel.

Output 3 is connected to the living room TV

Output 4 is connected to a coax cable, but is not used (no receiver at the end).

Now here comes the funny part, if I take output 4, and connect it to a new receiver, that part works great, However..... On the existing 605 receiver, it has the same impact as disconnecting output 2 from input B. In other words, I lose every other channel on the 605 HD-PVR.

Has anyone had a similar experience with this type of dilemma ??

would welcome suggestions.

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Well, as long as we're guessing, I have a 630 and yes, you need both feeds to get both regular and HD channels because they come from two different satellites. The receiver sends up a voltage to the LNB('s) on the dish to receive the channels and when you connect to a new receiver you are feeding a new voltage and return path for the satellite signal to be decoded by the receiver. Now, without a few cervezas and a lot of head scratching I'd have to think long and hard as to your specific circumstance.

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I have a dual satellite quad output LNB on a 75E elliptical dish hooked to a 505 HD receiver. The dual satellite LNB picks up signals from both satellites and sends them down a single coax. If the 605 has PVR functionality then the second coax allows the receiver to record one channel while watching another. I'd think that without the second cable you'd get all channels on the receiver for direct viewing and if you moved that same cable to the PVR input you'd be able to record every channel but see nothing.

Have you tried moving the cable attached to the A input to each output of the quad LNB? Could be a bad LNB or perhaps the dish is not aligned properly and is not picking up each satellite.

If you get the same result from each output of the quad LNB then it could be an alignment issue. Each output should put out the same signal so if something changes when moved across all 4 then it could be related to the physical LNB.

This is a lot easier than trying to merge LNB signals from 2 separate dishes pointed to Dish Network's satellites 110 and 119. That required a multiswitch and several SW21's to channel all the signal into a single coax cable.

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As John said, you only need on cable (usually RG 6) from you 75 E Quad LNB per receiver, not two. However when you are using a DVR, it works great with one cable if you are only watching live TV with it but should you also want to record, then you need a second cable to the second receiver built into the DVR.

Right now between here and up north I have a DVR 530, a 600 and a 605 and I only run one RG 6 cable to each because, I no longer record on the DVR 530

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The Shaw 605 does NOT have PVR capability, only the 630 has of the "600" series receivers. It is ONLY the 630 PVR that requires two separate coax cables coming from the dish/switch. This has nothing to do with HD but rather it is a requirement to operate the PVR functionality. There are two tuners in the 630 that allow you to watch one live channel while the recorder is recording a different channel. All 3 of the new generation Shaw 600 series receivers have full HD functionality.

The 605 that you have (as well as the Model 600) should provide all channels (both SD and HD) with only one infeed coax cable from the switch. The symptom you mention that you have on the 605 (where you are missing some channels) sounds like a switch or dish problem.

There is typically a 4x4 switch which is a square metal box mounted near the dish (or dishes depending on what antenna setup you have) that combine the signals from 2 separate satellites. There will be 4 connectors labelled "In" and 4 connectors labelled "Out" on this switch. If you have an elliptical Shaw dish (like the 75E) it is aimed in such a way as to capture the signals from the two Shaw satellites. There will be 4 coax cables coming from the LNB on the arm in front of the dish down to the "In" connectors on the switch. If you have two separate dishes, they are aimed differently with each one aimed at the alternate Shaw satellites. There are 2 input coax cables coming from each dish's LNB for a total of 4 inputs to the switch. Connected to the outputs are the receivers.

I my case I am using both a Shaw 630 PVR and a 600 non-PVR receiver. As mentioned above, the 630 PVR requires two cables from the switch (I used outputs 1 & 2) and the 600 uses another one (output 3). This gives me the ability to attach another 600 or 605 on the remaining one (output 4) if I want to.

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There is typically a 4x4 switch which is a square metal box mounted near the dish (or dishes depending on what antenna setup you have) that combine the signals from 2 separate satellites. There will be 4 connectors labelled "In" and 4 connectors labelled "Out" on this switch. If you have an elliptical Shaw dish (like the 75E) it is aimed in such a way as to capture the signals from the two Shaw satellites. There will be 4 coax cables coming from the LNB on the arm in front of the dish down to the "In" connectors on the switch. If you have two separate dishes, they are aimed differently with each one aimed at the alternate Shaw satellites. There are 2 input coax cables coming from each dish's LNB for a total of 4 inputs to the switch. Connected to the outputs are the receivers.

The only time a separate switch is necessary, when there is a dual-quad LNB, is if your dish for Shaw is not elliptical (except in the case of connecting more than four receivers)/

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On the 530 and I am told on the 630 I can and do have only one cable hooked up. I hooked to the connecter that went to the tuner that is used for watching and I get all of the channels. Should I want to record then I need a second cable connected to the second connector on the back of my DVR 530 and I am sure the 630.

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I just tried pulling one of the feed lines off the back of my 630 and the result is I cannot get approx. half of the channels.

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OK Guys, Am I bad - I just rechecked , and the unit is indeed a 630, not a 605, so sorry for any confusion.<br /><br />The problem however stands. It appears from answers that a single cable (i.e. output 1 to input A), should be sufficient to view ALL the channels (if no recording is taking place), and that the 75E oval dish should handle this. As I said, right now, with the connections as described earlier, I only get alternate channels if only one coax is connected.(i.e. channels 140, 142, 144, etc are OK, and channels 141, 143, 145, etc are blank)

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It sounds like you are either getting the horizontal and not vertical feeds, or visa versa. Maybe 8 years ago, I had to ensure that I was hooked up to the first plug on the quad LNB to power the LNB to change polarity.

To check whether it is a polarity problem check the channels HERE and see if all you are getting is horizontal or vertical polarity channels.

Good luck

Oh, remember folks, ariboy has the new scheduling/programming format (Channels starting at 1), not the classic format (Channels starting at 200)

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Oh, I was afraid you might ask that. If it is still true and it was at one time. The first one would be when looking at the four cable connectors on the back of the Quad LNB, is the one to the left. If you had a receiver connected to that that is unplugged or nothing is plugged into it, at one time you would not be properly powering the LNB.

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Ok, I figured it was a nice day to drag out the ladder and hike up on the roof a few times. So, looking at the LNB from the dish side, I'm plugged into the two on the right, the top of the LNB says Sat A. I could find no configuration using one wire only in any port that would give me all channels and no configuration at the receiver end, so I gave up and went back to my far right LNB ports and now everything works. Not that it matters to me as long as it works, it was just a curiosity.

I should add that I pulled one lead off the receiver then tuned to a channel I normally get but that was now blank then moved the lead to the other input on the receiver and it worked.

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I didn't mean one wire. I meant RG-6 coaxial cable the same type you get cable TV from . It has a center copper wire covered by insulation, then copper sheathing covered by usually black plastic. At the end of the cable is a screw on connecter that screws onto one of the four connectors at the back of the Quad LNB. The connecter farthest to the left used to be and may still be the one that must be connected to a plugged in receiver

Yes at the top of the LNB is written Sat A and Sat B which refers to the white lens like devices closer to and pointing towards the satellite dish. One is in front of the Sat A label (points at any satellites located at 107.3 degrees West Latitude), while the one in front of Sat B points at a second satellite located at 111.1 W . The 60 and 75 E LNBs are called Quad LNBS because of the 4 cable connectors I referred to above, not because they each have 2 LNBs. (The newer LNBs also point at Anik G-1 which is yet to be launched

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Sorry for the "wire" nomenclature, obviously it's a coax, not speaker wire? In fact, I crimped new connectors on it when I installed the dish 2 years ago. And it will work using the far left connects, but still needs 2 feeds to get all the channels, so who knows? Now, when I had a 505HD on that dish it got all channels with only one feed, but not now.

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OK Guys, Am I bad - I just rechecked , and the unit is indeed a 630, not a 605, so sorry for any confusion.<br /><br />The problem however stands. It appears from answers that a single cable (i.e. output 1 to input A), should be sufficient to view ALL the channels (if no recording is taking place), and that the 75E oval dish should handle this. As I said, right now, with the connections as described earlier, I only get alternate channels if only one coax is connected.(i.e. channels 140, 142, 144, etc are OK, and channels 141, 143, 145, etc are blank)

Ariboy,

This is not correct. It is only the 600 or 605 that will receive ALL channels with only one infeed coming from the dish. In order for the 630 to give you ALL channels that are broadcasting live (and to which you are subscribed), you MUST have two infeeds (RG6 coax) from the switch (usually a 4x4) connected to the receiver. I have not researched why this is but I assume it must be the way the Motorola reciver's tuners work. I can duplicate the problem you are having on my 630 by disconnecting one of the infeeds from the switch.

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Thank you all for all your suggestions, but I am sitill confused.

I have tried all the coax cables on all the LNB outputs (all 4) ,and the problem remains in that I lose alternate channels with only one cable connected to the 630HDPVR (without trying to record anything).

some of the answers appear to suggest this is normal, others seem to suggest It should work with only a single cable.

If at least one person can confirm that they can see ALL channels with only a single coax cable connected, then will take it from there. So If it is working with a single cable for all channels of your 630, please speak up.

thanks

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I only know how the 600 and 605 work and the 630s predecessor, the 530. To just watch TV and not record, I only need one cable to the LNB (Usually RG-6) I would find it strange that the 630 would require 2 cables, Oh I just phoned up Ajijic Electronics and asked them (766-1117). Mario confirmed that I am correct that the 630 works just like the 530

You only need one cable connected to one of the 4 outlets, (I always hook up to outlet one on the left), to watch all of the programs you have subscribed to. Should you want to record on the 530 or the 630 you need a second cable for the second tuner. Each cable can provide you with all of the channels you subscribe to be they horizontal or vertical polarity.

I'm talking all Shaw Direct equipment. It's the same up north whether I'm using the 60 E hardware or down here with the 75 E LNB and matching 75 E elliptical dish that measures 26.5 by 36.5 inches.

Do I know much about Star Choice/ Shaw Direct? Well some. I used to write about them in the Guadalajara Reporter and I've had same since 2000 and was up at 2 AM in the morning Feb 21st 2001 when the Star Choice first fired up Anik F-1 which reached us in Mexico

Now don't laugh. I was using an 18 foot dish and then downsized to a 2.4 meter and of course as I said above use the 75 E here and 60 E up there. But to confirm what I have posted, why not check with your local trusted satellite dealer.

Oh and the switch on my DirecTV system that picks up signals from 3 satellites sends all of the signals down be they left or right circular via one RG-6 cable, not two. I would need two if I sent the signal to two tuners

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Hey maybe it's not that way at your place. I'm just saying that's how it normally works with Shaw Direct equipment and if you don't believe me, either phone up a satellite dealer or come on over to my place and we can take the elevator to where I have my LNB and you and connect and disconnect cables at your will and then ride down to the receivers and see how they work.

Sorry your equipment doesn't function as does a correctly connected Shaw Direct System. And if you don't believe me or the satellite dealers down here, and if you have a legal Shaw account, you can reach their technical folks in Canada at 1-888-554-7827. They will confirm that what I posted above is the way a correctly working and hooked up Shaw Direct System works.

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Hey, just send ShawDirect.ca an email from their support section. They'll tell you. It does sound like the verticals or horizontals are not working. A 630 should only need two cables to enable the recording. Consider this: one feed brings all the channels. The second feed brings all the channels into the recorder. Ya.

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