The ConneXxions FAQ

The answers to many common connectivity questions.

• Fitting a Co-axial Plug
• Fitting an F Plug
• S-Video Connections
• S-Video Problems
• Installing a Sky Remote Link
• Satellite LNB, Splitter and Switch issues

 

 

Fitting a Co-axial Plug:

 Fitting an F Connector

• About 25mm from the end, use a knife to cut around the outer plastic covering. Be careful not to cut the braided copper wires inside! Pull off the plastic cover. Separate the braided copper wires then twist them together.
• Cut off the exposed metal foil shield.
• Cut off the white plastic insulation to expose the inner wire core, leaving about 3mm of white plastic insulation. This reduces the risk of the braided copper wires touching the inner wire core which must never happen!
• Push the copper pigtail back over the outer sheath and screw an 'F' connector over it as far as it will go. Make sure that the inner wire core can not touch the braided copper wires. Cut off the exposed wires.
• 'F' connectors outside MUST be sealed to keep water out, otherwise it will run through the cable, damaging the inside of the LNB and the satellite receiver. Water runs VERY quickly through coaxial cable by "capillary action".
• Be sure to use Self Amalgamating Tape. Cut off about four inches (100mm) and peel off the plastic backing.
• Wrap the tape around the cable, just below the 'F' connector, stretching it strongly as you wrap in a spiral. Overlap by at least half the width of the tape so it bonds to itself. Continue to stretch and wrap it around the cable then the 'F' connector all the way up to the body of the LNB.
• Now stretch the excess length and spiral it back down the cable to finish off the joint neatly.

S-VIDEO (S-VHS) Connections

Connecting a TV to a PC or Laptop via an S-VIDEO cable

S-VIDEO or S-VHS is video (picture) only interface, many outputs have 7 pins, although only 4 are needed for common consumer applications (PC to TV etc) all our cables are suitable for transferring a video image from a PC/Laptop, DVD player to a TV. The additional PINS are most often used for digital audio out (Via a hybrid adaptor cable).

Common Problems: 1 No Picture

The most common problem experienced with an external video connection is selecting the source on the TV. This is usually done via the TV/AV button on the TV remote or by selecting the S-VIDEO input via a menu option.

Im rare cases the S-Video output of a PC or laptop may need to be enabled via the graphics adaptor configuration on the computer.

Common Problems: 2 Black and white Picture

The picture is Black and White when using SVHS using a SCART adaptor (or scart to s-video cable), why?

Your TV may not be compatible. Check the manual. S-Video can be transferred through SCART connections. However, it was not part of the original SCART standard, and not every SCART-compatible device supports it for this reason. Also, S-Video and RGB are mutually exclusive through SCART, due to the S-Video implementation using the pins allocated for RGB. Many SCART-equipped televisions and some VCRs (especially older models) do not support S-Video, resulting in a black-and-white picture if attempted to use, as only the luminance signal portion is used. Black-and-white picture in itself can also be a sign of incompatible colour encoding, for example NTSC material viewed through a PAL-only device. The solution may be to use a composite video connection via the scart and an adaptor.

Installing a SKY Satellite REMOTE LINK

• Make sure that the satellite receiver and TV’s are disconnected from the mains before you start.

• Ensure that good quality coax cable comes either directly from the RF2 outlet of your satellite receiver or from the outlet of your RemoteLink amp in a continuous uninterrupted run.

• Insert the cable into the socket at the back of the RemoteLink eye T-piece with a standard coax plug. Push the coax plug on the short cable at the front of the T-piece into the aerial input at the back of your TV and position the "Eye" with line of sight to your remote control.

• Reconnect the TV’s and satellite receiver to the mains. The satellite receiver will detect the presence of the amp and switch the power supply on within a few seconds lighting the LED on the RemoteLink Eye.

• You will now need to tune each TV to show the satellite channel (this may need reference to your TV handbook).

• In order to get the Satellite receiver to respond to commands from rooms with RemoteLink Eyes, take the following steps using your remote control:

On your Sky remote...

1. Press SERVICES (SERVICES menu will appear)

2. Press number 4 (SYSTEM SET-UP)

3. On SKY remote instructions insert press 0, 1, SELECT consecutively

(This will take you to INSTALLERS SET UP)

4. Press 4 (RF OUTLETS)

5. Scroll down using the down arrow on the remote control to RF Outlet Power Supply

6. Using the left or right arrows select ON

7. Cursor down to Save New Settings and then press SELECT

8. Press the BLUE SKY button at the top of the SKY remote control to return to previously viewed channel

Your Remote-Link system should now work.

Master LNB Switch Guide

Internal Switches
 

There is a switch inside (almost) every LNB, this is a Voltage Controlled Switch, this causes the LNB to receive the Vertical polarity transponder signals or the Horizontal polarity transponder signals, the voltage in the coax cable coming from the receiver is what switches this switch, 13volts = V transponders, 18volts = H transponders.

This is why you can NOT simply add a splitter to run 2 receivers from 1 LNB port, only 1/2 the channels are ever on the cable at one time. There is one Voltage Controlled switch on a single output LNB, there are two Voltage Controlled switches on a Dual LNB.

The solution to running extra receivers from a single dish is to fit a dual or quad LNB with additional cables. Sky Digibox Receivers require one LNB output per receiver whilst SkyPlus and SkyHD Receivers require two LNB outputs per receiver.

Using a splitter which can pass voltage on both legs allows 2 receivers to be connected to one dish, although only one receiver can be used at any time, the unused receiver must be turned to standby. This may be a temporary solution where say one receiver is in a living room and the other in a bedroom. A more suitable solution may be to run an extension from the RF2 port on the satellite receiver

External Switches

There are only 2 main switches that work with most if not all FTA receivers and regular (legacy) LNBs they are the 22khz switch, which connects 2 LNBs to one receiver, and the DiSEqC 4x1 switch, which connects up to 4 LNBs to one receiver.

22khz switches, these are really simple, they look like a splitter but are a simple ON or OFF switch, 0khz and 22khz are the 2 input ports then one out to receiver port, when you have 22khz OFF in your receiver the 0khz port is connected, when you have 22khz ON in your receiver the 22khz port is connected. This switch is for hooking up 2 LNBs to one receiver.

The 22khz switch has a big brother, it is a DTV 22khz 4x4 switch. This switch has 4 inputs to hook up 2 DUAL LNBs and can be hooked up to as many as 4 receivers. The 2 inputs are labeled 13v,0kHz & 18v,0kHz (remember the LNBFs internal voltage switch), and the other 2 inputs are also 13v,22kHz & 18v,22kHz. This allows both polarities from each LNB to be inside the switch at all times, so any of the 4 receivers can access any polarity on either of the 2 LNBs.

These switches also come in 4x8 or 6x8 for 2 or 3 satellites and hooking up to 8 receivers.

 

 

Disclaimer: Information provided here is for guidance only. It is the readers responsibility to verify whether it applies to their situation and their equipment. Please consult your product manufacturers documentation or visit their website. Incorrect connections can result in equipment damage or risk to life. If unsure please consult a suitably qualified professional.