Developed by the satellite builders Eutelsat, originally to enable users to switch between the two popular satellites over Europe -Astra and Eutelsats own Hotbird satellite, it was adopted by most set top box manufacturers and is now standard.
DISEQC 1.0 allows up to 4 lnbs to be switched into one output. DISEQC 1.1 allows up to 16 lnbs into one output.
The lnbs can be on one dish or several dishes. The packages on this website commonly use a single dish to pick up 2, 3 or 4 satellites.Spain2 for example uses a two way diseqc switch and a single dish to give ALL the available free Spanish channels, which are distributed over Hotbird and Astra 1 satellites.
There is a further DISEQC protocol, DISEQC 1.2 which is used to control a motor or positioner which steers a dish to the right angle to receive signals from a satellite.
This was further advanced with USALS (Universal Satellites Automatic Location System ) sometimes referred to as diseqc 1.3, which uses the DISEQC commands to select preset positions automatically, without the installer having to program each position.
A lot of European packages need access to 2 satellites. A two way diseqc switch like the Technomate
This is the All-Europe dish, capable of all the free and encrypted channels from 4 satellites. Typical use is for:
- German
- French (TNT or Fransat)
- Italian
- Spanish
- Polish or Russian
Specialist diseqc 1.1 units like this one from EMP Centauri can handle more than four LNBs. It also has various command modes, which you can change only with a module.
Setting up a receiver to work with DiseQc commands
with a 4 way switch, select the diseqc 1.0 command menu. The 4 positions are usually numbered but some receivers use ABCD instead
with an 8 or 16 way switch , select the diseqc 1.1 command menu. The 8 positions are usually 1 to 8
When the correct lnb is selected for the satellite indicated in the diseqc menu, the signal strength display will show a signal is present. Traps for the unwary – if the same frequency is used on 2 of the satellites you are trying to set up, the signal indicator may show ok, when you are on the wrong satellite. If you start the scan process and find the channels are not as expected, exit and reselect the diseqc position.
If the diseqc menu is not set up at all, the satellite connected to port one will come through to the receiver. This can be useful sometimes, if you ever consider using a Sky box in place of your diseqc compatible receiver ( Sky boxes have no diseqc control built in ) then use the Astra2 ( Uk freesat and Sky ) in diseqc position 1.
There are two types of switch available , the usual common one is called a committed switch. Diseqc 1.0 commands are for this type of switch. When it is necessary to cascade switches eg
In this case if all switches were the same type ( committed ) then it cannot work properly as all switches would respond together. What is needed is for the first layer ( the 2 way ) to respond first, then the second layer , so any of the 8 lnbs can be selected. This is done by making the second layer uncommitted types. Each will ignore commands for the other type. Uncommitted type switches are not common and usually 4 times the price.
Use the diseqc 1.1 setup menu for uncommitted/committed cascaded switches. Unfortunately not all receivers follow this ‘standard’. Technisat do, and in their diseqc 1.1 menu you will find options like 2/3 which would be set first layer switch to 1(of 2) and set the second layer switch to 3(of 4) . Technomate on the other hand would use LNB 1 to 16 and hide the actual settings from the user.
Newer switches have another trick function, to operate with receivers that have no diseqc 1.1 functionality, they can be set to operate with diseqc 1.2 commands. These are set up as satellite ‘positions’ rather than switching ports, the EMP switch pictured above will do all functions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2.