# New 921 not working



## drsimnal (Sep 26, 2004)

I had an 811/510 and 310 installed at the beginning of Sept. (swictched from cable). Didn't know if dvr for HD would be worth it, but once I started using the dvr on my non-hd set, I was hooked. My installer told me if I wanted to get a 921, I'd just plug it into the spot where the 811 is (in basement). Went to local store yest, salesman confirmed, just plug it in and so I brought it home and did so, then called Dish to activate it. No picture, just a banner would appear and it said it couldn't lock onto a satellite. :nono2: Called back, and only now I'm told (after I mentioned it) that it needs two feeds (input one and two--I had plugged the coax from the 811 into input 1) and that I have to run another cable from my switch (in the attic) to the basement (three stories!). :eek2: 
Is this right? We used the existing cabling to hook everything up the first time, and there is only one cable that runs down to the basement. Help!


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## mwgiii (Jul 19, 2002)

You got bad advise. While you just plug it in, the 921 requires 2 feeds.

If it is impossible to run the 2nd feed, then buy the DPP44 switch and a DPP Seperator. This switch allows only 1 feed to the 921.

Here they are:
http://www.dishstore.net/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=160
http://www.dishstore.net/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=159


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

mwgiii is correct - that's the answer, but you need to be sure that the rest of your gear can drive the DPP44. Considering your install is new, you should be fine.

You haven't told us your setup, so I'm making assumptions here.

You say you have a switch in the attic. If it's a DP34, no further checking is needed. Swap it for a DPP44 and DPP Separator and the 921 should work fine. It may be best to put the DPP44 power inserter on a different feed than the 921's. Jury is out on whether that is actually a problem, but why not play it safe. 

If the switch is something else, there may be some issues with getting-r-done.


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## drsimnal (Sep 26, 2004)

Thanks for the advice. Could I place the DPP44 switch and separator somewhere else than the attic? I.e. could they go in the basement off the line that comes down to the 921? And leave the 34 in the attic? Sorry if dumb question, but most of this stuff is greek to me. My other thought is to return 921 and forget about it until later.


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## sluggo (Sep 16, 2004)

drsimnal said:


> Thanks for the advice. Could I place the DPP44 switch and separator somewhere else than the attic? I.e. could they go in the basement off the line that comes down to the 921? And leave the 34 in the attic? Sorry if dumb question, but most of this stuff is greek to me. My other thought is to return 921 and forget about it until later.


I think that if I am correct, the dp separator for the dpp 44 switch will only work so far on the 322 and 522. No software yet for the 721 or 921. Sorry :eek2:


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

drsimnal: The separator sits as close to the back of the receiver as is convienent. The DPP44 needs to go someplace "nice" where it can have one feed cable for each satellite to be received. That's at least 2 - 110 & 119. I strongly discourage putting it in an attic due to heat considerations.

sluggo: You are mistaken. The 721 & 921 have supported the DPP Separator for quite some time now.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

drsimnal, in addition, the DPP44 switch must replace the DP34 switch, not be used with it. to get the switch in the basement, you must run the lines from the satellite dish to the switch location. Very likely, you have a dishpro twin lnb on your dish, with 2 lines running from it to a DP34 switch. Those 2 lines will have to run to your DPP44 switch location.


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## drsimnal (Sep 26, 2004)

Thanks guys! I looked at my invoice from the installation, and I do have a Dish Pro twin and a DP34 as Mark said. How hard would it be to switch from the 34 to the 44? Would I mess up my other receivers? Unlike most of the posters here, I'm a girl, and a girl who really does not want to go up in my attic. I called the installation people ("Dish Network Services") and they said I had to call Dish. So I called Dish, and the CSR said they didn't have the seperator for sale and wouldn't advise doing this. In her opinion, the only possiblility was a new cable run (again, 3 stories). So, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Forget about talking to the worthless CSRs about this. Swapping out the DP34 for a DPP44 is quite easy for anyone that can hook up most anything electronic - like TVs & VCRs. Just make sure that all your receivers are unplugged before touching it. A "Check Switch" must be done on all receivers as soon as they are turned back on.

*Mark:* When you say "the DPP44 switch must replace the DP34 switch, not be used with it.", you mean just for this poster's application, correct? I can think of no reason why DPP44 & DP34 could not be cascaded together. If this is incorrect, please enlighten me.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Yes, I was referring to drsimnal's current situation. As for cascading a 44 with a 34, I've never really thought about it. It might work, but my gut reaction would be that the 44 would have to be the first in the chain.


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## leemathre (Sep 25, 2003)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Yes, I was referring to drsimnal's current situation. As for cascading a 44 with a 34, I've never really thought about it. It might work, but my gut reaction would be that the 44 would have to be the first in the chain.


You are correct Mark, at least according to Jamie McDaniel, one of Dish's engineers. I asked him specificallyabout cascading the DP34 with the DPP44. He told me that they will work together and that the DPP44 should be the first one in line.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Thanks for the confirmation. It makes sense, and is a good thing to know.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)




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## ajohnson (Jun 28, 2004)

I can comfirm that you can cascade a dp34 after a dpp44, that's what I'm currently running. If I ever hook up a 4th satellite feed, I'll have some decisions to make


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