Used these switches for my TV to switch between cable and satellite in the back bedroom. Worked quite well once. That was a year ago. This winter I wanted take down dish and switch to cable the day before heading back home. Tried over a hour to to make it work to no avail, had no idea what was up. Finally took the connection off the switch and hooked it up directly. Worked! Switch was bad and only did it once before. SATELLITE BILL warned me over a year ago these switches weren't up to the task. Put it on the back burner to change them out. Now I have to. Don't use them!!

Without knowing which brand/model A/B switches you have, it's difficult to make any judgements about our own switches. I have RCA and GE branded A/B switches for instance, that have been in service reliably since 2008.

Sorry about that. Was on the iPad and did not have a photo of switch on it. Here it is.

Buy a quality A/B switch that passes power and you will be fine. The one you had was junk.

like you saidthis type of SWITCH (not a signal splitter)is not constructed to pass powershould NOT be used on a circuit with DC power to antenna or sat dishonly use on TV input side for SIGNAL ONLY

I did use one of those for years in my stick home to share one satellite cable between my garage and my office. However, I am not sure it made a difference but it was a non SWM. Have since converted every thing to SWM.

Warning-using slider type A-B switch | Good Sam Community

FlatBroke
Explorer II
Apr 16, 2015
Found out all this the hard way. You wouldn't believe the hundreds on sale on the Internet advertising them as A-B switches for cable to satellite. Hence my post. Stay away from them.
OK, those in the know. What is a better true A-B switch, one with push buttons or the slide switch?
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Apr 16, 2015
ChopperBill wrote:
Sorry about that. Was on the iPad and did not have a photo of switch on it. Here it is.

That is a High Isolation switch, it is designed to ensure a RF modulator from games and such from being accidentally sent back through the antenna or cable company.

The contacts of those switches where never intended to be used with power over coax devices like a sat receiver to LNB so most likely might work for a short time then the contacts start burning/pitting to the point they no longer make a good connection..
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Apr 16, 2015
I did use one of those for years in my stick home to share one satellite cable between my garage and my office. However, I am not sure it made a difference but it was a non SWM. Have since converted every thing to SWM.
MrWizard
Moderator
Apr 16, 2015
like you said
this type of SWITCH (not a signal splitter)
is not constructed to pass power
should NOT be used on a circuit with DC power to antenna or sat dish
only use on TV input side for SIGNAL ONLY
Bobbo
Explorer II
Apr 16, 2015
Buy a quality A/B switch that passes power and you will be fine. The one you had was junk.
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Apr 16, 2015
Sorry about that. Was on the iPad and did not have a photo of switch on it. Here it is.
Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Apr 16, 2015
Without knowing which brand/model A/B switches you have, it's difficult to make any judgements about our own switches. I have RCA and GE branded A/B switches for instance, that have been in service reliably since 2008.

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Warning-using slider type A-B switch

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