Will an A/B switch work in reverse?

Good deal, Bobbo. Thanks.

RetiredBob wrote:

Bill.Winegard wrote:


A/B or a diplexer (2 actually) with DC pass on only one leg is required.

Bill, do I really need two, since I have a single feed in and two feeds out, to cable in and satellite in on the control box?

Go back up to my diagram and look at figure 1. That is exactly the situation that I was addressing in figure 1 until I bought my Vuqube.

I have always used 2 (one at each end of the run) but it's possible you could use just one inside the coach and split the runs to OTA and Satellite from there. Never tried it, but I may have been over thinking things.

Bill.Winegard wrote:


A/B or a diplexer (2 actually) with DC pass on only one leg is required.

Bill, do I really need two, since I have a single feed in and two feeds out, to cable in and satellite in on the control box?

In my case a diplexer wont pass two satellite signals. Wish they had something besides converting over to SWM. Which I did for the RV because I wanted to use the DRV and only had one cable to the living room.

RetiredBob wrote:
Okay, I'm unable to find a coax A/B switch locally, so I wonder if a simple splitter would work. I understand that a splitter divides the power equally between the two outputs, but if I'm only using one output at a time(either cable or satellite) would I be getting full power to that unit? Or do I need a diplexer?

A/B or a diplexer (2 actually) with DC pass on only one leg is required.

Also, watch the diplexer (splitter) you buy. Some don't pass power at all. Some pass power to only one of the legs. Some pass power to both legs. In my diagram above, one of the diplexers passes power on both legs, and one only passes power on one leg so I don't get power backfed into the cable system.

RetiredBob wrote:
Okay, I'm unable to find a coax A/B switch locally, so I wonder if a simple splitter would work. I understand that a splitter divides the power equally between the two outputs, but if I'm only using one output at a time(either cable or satellite) would I be getting full power to that unit? Or do I need a diplexer?

There is a Radio Shack store in Portage MI. They have the A-B switch you need.

You can not use a splitter for this application.

Tha satellite receiver supplies the power to the LNB in the dish and a splitter will not pass the LNB power.

Even with the A-B switch you will have to be careful. If the switch is in the wrong position and the satellite receiver is ON when you connect to cable, you will be feeding the LNB power back on the cable system. When this happens you could damage the receiver or the park cable system or both.

The only way to safely do what you want is to install a separate connector on the side of the RV for the satellite receiver and use the A-B switch to select between the output of the receiver (A) and the park cable (B).

Okay, I'm unable to find a coax A/B switch locally, so I wonder if a simple splitter would work. I understand that a splitter divides the power equally between the two outputs, but if I'm only using one output at a time(either cable or satellite) would I be getting full power to that unit? Or do I need a diplexer?

Actually, I have a plethora of A/B switches and splitters (called diplexers for satellite use). Figure 2 in the picture below is my current setup. It has 2 diplexers, 1 A/B switch, and the video control center acts as another A/B switch.

It allows me to use:
1. RV park cable (no satellite receiver inline)
B. standard satellite antenna using receiver but no control box (hookup at home)
iii. Vuqube VQ2100 satellite antenna using receiver but MUST have control box between receiver and antenna. That control box is absolutely incompatible with B above. (satellite on the road)

And all using only one (1) coax connector into the RV.