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    #21
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    IMO, Do not do anything if it is working correctly now.
    All this talk about shielding makes me wonder why the sensor wires inside the ASC1 are not shielded? Seems if shielding was that critical or important, then it would have been done inside the ASC1.
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    #22
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    Placing the Chieta diseqc switch behind the ASC1, or between the ASC1 and the actuator solved the dish moving problems with the ASC1. Placing the diseqc switch behind the ASC1 also caused the C band dish to be moved when the Ku satellites are called. This problem exists because I am using diseqc 1.2 commands on both C and Ku bands. The diseqc numbers are not the same for both bands, but they are similar. This problem Would Not Exist IF the ASC1 could function like the Vbox and Gbox positioners!

    The easiest thing for me to do right now is to put the ASC1 on a shelf where it belongs, and use a Gbox that will work. I like the ASC1, but it just has too many little bugs or issues. I will try to reinstall the ASC1 once there is no need for the Chita diseqc switch.
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    Meine Dreambox One ist ein Stück Scheiße!.
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    #23
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    A very small dc to dc downconverter was installed to eliminate the replacement transformer. Roughly 4 pounds of Heat Generating weight has been removed from the ASC1. I also eliminated the lnb voltage being produced by the ASC1. This was done by installing A 2 way splitter, with one side of the splitter going to the ASC1, and the other side oif the splitter going to the FTA receiver. There is no reason for the ASC1 or any positioner to supply the lnb voltage in my setup. It was also very aggravating to lose the satellite signal when the ASC1 was turned off. Installing the splitter allows the ASC1 to automatically receive the dsieqc commands, and to automatically move the dish antenna.

    Another spec has been found to be wrong. The ASC1 is advertised in the owner's manual as having 40VDC motor relays. In reality, the ASC1 has 30VDC motor relays. The Version 7 Owner's Manual also lists the Output Voltage of M1 / M2 at 32Vdc (typical), with 38Vdc (maximum). The same manual lists The heavy duty power supply as 36Vdc @ 5 amps. How can you have 36 volts at 5 amps when the typical voltage is 32 volts? Nothing that is written about this product can be believed. It is understandable to have some typos, but everything should be corrected in the second version. These errors exist in the seventh version!!!

    A picture showing the small dc to dc converter installed, and the small replacement transformer removed is attached.

    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
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    #24
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    I wouldn't be surprised if someone on the other site is realizing that he should have tested the unit more thoroughly for actual vs. advertised specs. Or, maybe he did and thought why bother correcting the specs when one can always blame the factory.
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    #25
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    The output of a power supply is easy to check. It is not like trying to check a lnb which can have thousands of variables with ten people coming to ten different conclusions on the lnb performance.

    In electronics, 36 volts @ 5 amps means that the output of the power supply will be 36 volts when 5 amps of current is needed. It does not mean there is 36 volts at some point in time, then 5 amps at another point in time. Putting 36 volts @ 5 amps in the specs for the ASC1 is a lie, fib, misprint, or whatever else you want to call it, along with the fantasy of the 40vdc relays.

    The wording for the ASC1 at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] was recently changed to this:
    Designed with the versatility to control and power both LNBFs, LNBs, pass switch commands and generate or regenerate switching voltages, the ASC1 works on virtually any consumer or commercial system. Packed with the lifting power rated to a maximum of 36Vdc and 5amps,

    So now we have a claim of 36 volts and 5 amps, which is misleading at best, but it is a True statement. The ASC1 can do 36 volts without any load, and it can do 5 amps if it is loaded hard enough. But it cannot do 36 volts and 5 amps at the same time!

    Why not write what it is capable of doing instead of being deceptive or misleading? Make a chart such as this one?
    37 volts at bridge rectifier, no load.
    34 volts at 0.5 amps
    32 volts at 0.8 amps
    27 volts at 3 amps
    25 volts at 4 amps (100 watts)
    20 volts at 5 amps.(100 watts)


    You will not get much more than 100 watts of dish moving power from a stock ASC1. I cannot understand why 5 amps is even mentioned in the specs except for sales because the power output at 4 amps is roughly the same for 5 amps, which is about 100 watts. Maybe the ASC1 should be loaded harder so a reading of say 7 amps at about 15 volts could be seen? Then change the rating to 7 amps instead of 5? LoL.

    This is not the way things should be done. You cannot trust the specs of Titanium or most other fta manufacturers.
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    #26
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    Why don't you ask Brian?
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    #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by tesla420 View Post
    Why don't you ask Brian?
    :
    Any explanation about the specs of this product and why they are listed the way they are should be made public. He is welcome to respond in this thread if he desires to do so.

    The ASC1 has a great feature that allows you to save and reload satellite positions. This feature does a very good job of allowing the correct positions to be restored if sensor wire becomes loose or something else happens that throws the count off on every satellite.
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    #28
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    Interesting threads on this and other sites about the modifications that el bandido was performing on his ASC1, observations and comments about the product. I am participating in this thread to support the ASC1 product and to get input on next generation development. I will do my best to answer any questions and provide information that will be helpful in the operation and any custom modifications that you wish to perform. I think that it is very cool that you have used the ASC1 as the basis to build a better mousetrap! Myself and few other hobbyists have modded ASC1s for dual axis, Arduino/RSP control, etc.

    There have been several hardware versions of the ASC1 main PCB that have been produced during three manufacturing runs. I made and/or approved component changes in these revisions. You are correct to observe that the relays are rated 10a at 30v and the specification sheet still lists the rating from the original design. I will reflect this correction in the product listings and the spec sheets in the upcoming weeks. This error was my oversight and I will thoroughly review the text and specs for accuracy. Most important to me is that these 30v 10a relays rating remained within the product specifications and provide reliable performance. With several thousand ASC1 units sold, relay failure has been an extremely rare occurrence.

    The original text provided that I provided to the resellers for product descriptions in early 2014 incorrectly stated 38V @ 5A. We made several changes to the hardware and coding as we originally had ramped in/out the M1/M2 voltage in an attempt to minimize actuator/mount wear. We were not satisfied with the performance of the actuator ramping so eliminated the function and set the maximum voltage to 36Vdc. This descriptive text was changed and revised text provided to the resellers in Q3 2014 to reflect the 36V Max and 5A Max as it has always been printed on the product spec sheet and on the giftbox. I had decided that the description should reflect similar language that is used with other controllers and legacy IRD sales materials. A reseller shared the observation of 36v @ 5A to my attention last month and I knew that this text was wrong and should no longer have been used in the description. We noted two product listings (including my own Ebay listing and the reseller's site listing) still included the original incorrect descriptive text. I believe that all ASC1 listings now include the correct language providing the Maximum Voltage 36Vdc and Maximum Amperage 5A.

    The wiring inside the ASC1 housing is routed and several of the potentially interactive pairs are twisted to prevent interaction between various circuits. There is no need for shielded cables inside the case for the sensor circuit as the low frequency (> 100hz) coupling would not occur on these short jumpers with separated wire routes. It is always recommended to use shielded wiring for the sensor and (if used) servo distribution. Unshielded distribution might be an option for short cabe runs, but will be a problem as the length increases. I have found that beyond 25-35' satellite systems often experience movement errors unless shielded distribution is used. It is best practice to connect the shield at the controller GND terminal and leave open on the dish side.

    Just a thought about count issues with the upgraded SMTP switching power supply installed in el bandido's ASC1. I had originally tested several switching power supplies on the pre-production builds, but was not satisfied with the RF noise they introduced to the system. After testing several SMTP PS models, I instead opted for a linear supply that I believe to be more robust, reliable and less prone to introducing noise. Has the upgraded SMTP PS been tested for noise which could be masking sensor counts? Also, the increased power in the distribution wiring and to the motor may result in increased coupling or motor noise. It would be interesting to observe on a scope the SMTP PS interaction with the ASC1 hardware, system components and distribution. el bandido, do you have interest the capability to capture and share scope testing?

    The reasoning behind the ASC1 providing LNB power is that LNBs are designed to operate on 15-23Vdc, but STBs polarity switch between 13 and 18Vdc. The low voltage in the vertical polarity setting reduces performance on most LNBs. If I was to get a do over on the ASC1 LNB power, I would add one more setting, LNB power Loop-Through to provide one more option for the diversity of users and their wants/needs.

    I look forward to participating in an exchange that will improve our product and assist ASC1 users with operation of their systems. As always. I am available to discuss any observations, concerns or suggestions via phone, email or on the forums.
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    #29
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    Power for the dish motor or power for the actuator should be expressed in watts. The specs for most dish movers or positioners I have seen list amperage and wattage. Here is one example: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

    My modified ASC1 is running great, and it is producing the power for the dish now that I wanted. The Atlanta, Ga. area does not usually have extreme winter weather, but it can get cold at times. Snow and icing(s) may also happen in the winter months. In general, the power needed to move the dish may be a bit or even a lot more in the winter as compared to the Summer months. I have made lots of tests on how much energy it takes to move my particular dish system in the Summer, and plan to document what it takes to move it this winter.

    This picture is pretty typical of the voltage (35.6) and amps (4.16) I will see when the dish starts moving in the Summer months.
    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

    The only time I have had trouble with ASC1 positioner counts was due to ASC1 factory wiring. One of the wires had almost broken on the inside rear panel, and this was causing the ASC1 to miss counts. The sensor wires are very small, and will break easily. Mine could have broken from it being disassembled, or it could have broken in shipping.
    My reasoning on the sensor wires needing shielding is simple: If you shield on the outside, do the same for the inside. Others have reported count issues. They may also say there Vbox does not have the count issue. Vbox does not have sensor wires because the sensor connectors are attached directly to the board. So shielding the sensor wires on the inside of the ASC1 makes sense to me, plus you never know what will be running right beside the ASC1. Some should not have count issues when others do not. It has to be something simple.

    Here is a video demonstrating my ASC1 moving from 135 West to 78 West: My dish panels and lnb feed weighs about 350 pounds. This weight does not include the polar mount.
    [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

    Replacement Power Supply Noise has not been a problem. I tapped into the ASC1 bridge rectifier which means I am running through the same dc voltage filters as the stock ASc1 power supply. My only ASC1 change was introducing 36 volts dc to the ASC1 motherboard. So if anything, mine is double-filtered - once from the replacement power supply where the ac to dc conversion takes place now, and then again when the 36 volts is introduced at the ASC1 bridge rectifier.
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    #30
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    My modified ASC1 shows a measley 4.5 watts of power being consumed in standby, or when the dish has stopped moving. I thought this was a bad number, but the same watt meter shows 61 watts when connected to a 60 watt ac lamp.

    The ASC1 has thermal protectors which no one has written about. Before I modified the ASC1, I tested it to see what it was capable of. I created a series of low wattage light bulbs so I could adjust the load for the ASC1. The stock ASC1 produced a steady 3 amps or about 80 watts for three minutes continuous until thermal protection shutdown. The stock ASC1 was allowed to cool, Next, The stock ASC1 produced a steady 4 amps or about 100 watts for one minute continuous until thermal protection shutdown.

    The dish mover from Rick's satellite was purchased. [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
    This Vbox has a higher voltage output (42 volts), and would move the dish a bit faster than the ASC1 at low amperages of less than about 1.5 amps. An attempt was made to load this VboxII with 3 amps for 3 minutes, which would equal the ASC1 test. The Vbox transformer quit working completely two minutes into this test. The transformer had to be replaced.

    It would be great if the ASC1 could be connected to the network the same as a fta receiver. Doing this would give the capability or the possibility for the enigma2 linux receivers to display the output of the ASC1 on the tv screen. It would be great to have the counts seen on the tv screen instead of having to look at the ASC1.

    Provide adjustable voltages of up to 22 volts for the lnb

    Provide adjustable voltages for the dish motor or actuator. Dc voltages drop quick on long runs. Providing up to 42 volts and 200 watts of power would be great.

    Make provisions for a diseqc switch to be ran in front of the positioner. Really this is illegal in fta, but people do it. Not all diseqc switches are capable. The Chieta and some other diseqc switches make it possible, but the current AASC1 will have no part of it. Somehow Vbox and Gbox allow it.

    Allow 10 gauge motor wires to be connected. I run 12 gauge wires, and would like to be able to connect them to the dish mover with ease.

    Show dc volts and amperage or watts for the dish motor when it is moving.
    This is a very common thing to do in industrial settings. Monitoring the amperage will alert you to possible problems. It is real easy to spot dish binding or bad spots in the actuator when you have a good ammeter connected.
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