New HD Service Install Questions

[dlmater]

I have an installation appointment on this Friday for a Directv HD install.

I have been searching and reading now for a few days but still have a few questions in preparation for the install. I have installed some of the earlier satellite systems in the past and prefer to do all the work inside my house personally, I am very particular about outlet box locations, cable routing etc. My goal is to have as much done as I can do before the installer arrives so it is basically a "plug and play" install.

A little background. I am a current Dish Network customer (non-HD) for about two years. Cable service of any kind is not offered where I live although I live only 10 minutes or so outside Richmond, VA. I tried upgrading to HD service with Dish but was told by the tech and two subsequent managers there was no way to do so due to trees blocking the low 21 degree elevation required for the new dish (too many trees to even consider cutting). I receive the current Dish SD service flawlessly; the dish is approximately 175' to 200' from the house on a 6' pole to clear the tree line. I have two separate rg6 lines running from the current dish into the house, buried.

I have signed up for one Directv HD receiver (no DVR) for the den and one SD receiver for the bedroom.

Questions:

1. I have read, and still a little confused on how many lines will need to go from the dish into the house. Is it 4 or will the two lines I presently have be sufficient?

2. If more than 2 lines are required, can they be multiplexed on one line (or two) at the dish instead of running all four the entire distance to the house? Are the multiplexers weather resistant or would a weather resistant box or enclosure at the dish be sufficient?

3. It appears, may be wrong, that the azimuth and elevation settings required for the Direct HD install are similar to the current Dish Network settings I have, same area of the sky, SSW, and relative elevations of 30 to 40 degrees. Any educated guesses as to the chance of success getting a clear signal with Direct HD based on my current success with Dish sd?

4. The 2 current rg6 lines coming into the house terminate in the den. I have regular coax from the den into the bedroom. Will I need rg6 running all the way into the bedroom for the sd receiver or will regular coax be sufficient?

Sorry for the long post. If I missed the answers to these questions in my searches, I appologize.

I am extremely anxious to get HD service. Hopefully Directv has the answer. If not, anyone want to buy a house out in the country?

Dennis

[mjones73]

First off how many and of what model receivers are you planning to have installed?

1) If you need to feed more then two tuners, yes you'll need more then two lines. Personally I'd suggest running all 4 to a common location so in the event you ever need more then 4 a multiswitch can be easily added.

2) No, the current multiswitch can't combine lines. The SWM can but it's not widely available yet and it will still limit what you can feed with it.

3) Not sure

4) It may work, you would need to try it out.

[litzdog911]

3) The DirecTV HD satellites are several degrees east of the Dish satellites (99/101/103-deg W for DirecTV vs. 110/119-deg W for Dish). So if you have a clear shot several degrees to the east of your current setup, then you should be fine. See the link in my signature below for more information about the satellite locations.

DirecTV will provide a free site survey if you're not sure.

[dlmater]

First off how many and of what model receivers are you planning to have installed?

I have requested one hd receiver (without DVR) and one sd receiver. I called a few days ago before I found this forum and did not think to ask the model numbers. I really did not want to have run and bury additional rg6 lines at this time given the distance from the house, 175' to 200'.

If I understood you correctly the existing two rg6 lines would be sufficient for now as long as I only have two receivers.

Thanks so much for the responses.

Dennis

[mjones73]

The run distances may be a problem though, sorry I missed that in the first post.

[bwclark]

Sorry to piggy back onto this thread, but I have similar questions. As a current cable user, I am going to D* for the HD Plus package with an HR21, ie HD DVR for an HDTV and a basic receiver for a small 13" analog set in my office.

I wish to leave the current cable lines in place for the locals. Will use a cable receiver for them to the HDTV.

I need to go under the house and put in some coax for the satellite service.

1) For the HD service, how many lines do I need from the HDTV to the outside wall where a connector can be placed for lines from the dish. Can't they come inside and split it for the two connections at the HR21?

2) How many lines do I need for the basic receiver...just need one tuner in use on it, so I guess I will run one line to the same outside wall location?

Cable Guy(for now)

[litzdog911]

Sorry to piggy back onto this thread, but I have similar questions. As a current cable user, I am going to D* for the HD Plus package with an HR21, ie HD DVR for an HDTV and a basic receiver for a small 13" analog set in my office.

I wish to leave the current cable lines in place for the locals. Will use a cable receiver for them to the HDTV.

I need to go under the house and put in some coax for the satellite service.

1) For the HD service, how many lines do I need from the HDTV to the outside wall where a connector can be placed for lines from the dish. Can't they come inside and split it for the two connections at the HR21?

2) How many lines do I need for the basic receiver...just need one tuner in use on it, so I guess I will run one line to the same outside wall location?

Cable Guy(for now)


Just figure on one coax cable per tuner .... Receivers have one tuner and DVRs have two tuners.

The four cables from the dish should run together to a common location in your house. That's where your multiswitch should be mounted (a multiswitch is how satellite cables get "split"). DirecTV will provide a Zinwell WB68 multiswitch that has eight outputs, enough for four DVRs (2 tuners/cables per DVR).

[bwclark]

Ok, so I will run one cable from the analog set in the office to the location of the HDTV where the multiswitch will be located.

But I prefer to run the four wires from the HDTV to the outside wall as I need to get under the house...ugh!

Should be able to connect up all four to the four from the dish with a four way splicer.

OK?

Do they use RG 59/U? or what do I buy?

Thanks!

[DX9100]

Should be RG-6 on everything now. It's probably impossible to find RG-59 now unless it's been in someones basement for years.

[BattleZone]

Should be RG-6 on everything now. It's probably impossible to find RG-59 now unless it's been in someones basement for years.

DirecTV requires (their installers) to use SOLID COPPER RG6 swept-tested to 3GHz. The reason for this is because the HD dish's LNB pack requires more power than older dishes, and line loss on longer cable runs can reduce voltage enough that the switch in the LNB won't switch.

If you're running new cable, I would recommend running 2 coax lines to each TV location to a central, easy-to-access location, and run 4 coax lines from that location to where the dish will go (or someplace where it can be hooked up to). The central location will either have some version of a "barrel" connector if you only have up to 4 tuners, or will be where a multiswitch is located if you have more than 4.

If you're going to do the work, do it right the first time and run plenty of cable. You might not need it today, but your needs/wants may change faster than you imagine.