Satellite TV receiver question

[Fritzo]

If I have two receivers, and want to add a 3rd, can I just buy a receiver and get a cable coupler, then connect the receiver to an existing line? Or do I need to do something with the dish to add another receiver?

 

[FoBoT]

which dish do you have? some only support two recievers

 

[Fritzo]

Dish Network installed it (it has an arm in the middle of the dish with 3 "bumps" if that helps. Man...what a noob ).

 

[ecopure]

You need a dp34 switch - 3 lnb input 4 outputs

 

[Cerebus451]

From my experience, I have never successfully split a satellite cable to feed 2 receivers. It would only work intermittently. You would need to run a cable from the satellite all the way to the third receiver to be sure it would work properly.

As FoBoT mentioned, the multiplexer on your satellite may only support 2 receivers (this is a box that takes the 3 satellite signals and combines them into a single signal to send to the receivers - typically they come in 2, 4, and 8 receiver configurations). If that is the case, you would need to replace that as well in order to be able to hook up a third receiver.

As an aside, you can also contact Dish and they may be willing to do the install for you for free if you are willing to agree to keep their service for another year.

 

[ecopure]

Unless you have a dish 1000 dish - that has 4 outputs already

 

[JeepinEd]

I have a DirecTv dual LNB dish (2 cables coming out of it). I connected them to a multiplexer and now have 8 outputs (only using 5).
No problems whatsoever. I purchased it 6 years ago, so I can't tell you what brand it is. I do remember purchasing it at Fry's electronics.

 

[5to1baby1in5]

DSS Multiswitch info

 

[LordSnailz]

I believe ecopure is right, you just need a switch for it.

 

[ecopure]

directv or dss switches will not work with dishnetwork. You must get a switch for dishnetwork (dp34)

 

[WTT0001]

Sounds like you may have a superdish (arm with 3 lumps). It should have a box like set at the end and then a single one off to the side. If you have a superdish you will have a DP34 switch somewhere in the system (3 lines from the dish to the 34 switch and "1" for each receiver coming off of it).

That being said, you can't "split" one of the existing lines, each line needs to be a "home run" from the dish (there may be a ground block somewhere but don't worry about it). Run a line from the "bottom" side of the 34 to your receiver, run a switch test (menu, 6, 1, 1), Activate it, and you should be good to go.

WTT