New install questions from a new subscriber

[crimsonreefer]

I'm a total newb to Direct TV so sorry for being redundant with my questions.

I'm moving into our new house this weekend and will have DTV installed with one HD-TV DVR and 2 standard receivers. I also have a dedicated media closet where all of the RG6 and Cat-5 lines currently terminate. The installer who came out today stated that he would need to install the dish on the opposite side of the house from where our electric meter is located, because of trees, but ground the lines where our electric meter is located.

Because of this he stated that it would be better if I rescheduled and do some additional work before the actual DTV install. He proposed that I have 4 new RG6 lines run from outside the house at the meter through the attic and then on to the dish. Then another 4 lines run from the dish to the media closet. There he could install a multiswitch and carry the correct signals throughout the rest of the house.

Does this sound correct? I don't have any problems doing this but I want to make sure that what the installer told me is sound and correct.

I appreciate any info you DTV experts can provide.

[joe diamond]

Probably good advice,
IF he is working through the DTV HSP system they will eventually run the lines BUT it will not be pretty. There is nothing in the FREE Basic installation about hiding wire.....or even attaching it to the building. Some techs will try to be neat but what you describe will look better if done by you or a competent cable tech. Get a few estimates. DTV won't pay for it.

At least one of the lines from the dish to the ground block should have a ground wire attached to the side of the cable (RG6 with ground).
Joe

[putty469]

I did the same thing that your installer proposed. I bought my own two-wire with ground RG-6 and ran it from my media board (OK, so I don't get a closet!) to the place I wanted them to drill through the outside wall. I also re-ran a bunch of cable jacks with new RG-6 and Cat-5 while I had my gear out. This assures that things will be neatly bundled with tie-wraps or staples, and that you know 100% of your system setup. Good luck!

[joe diamond]

I did the same thing that your installer proposed. I bought my own two-wire with ground RG-6 and ran it from my media board (OK, so I don't get a closet!) to the place I wanted them to drill through the outside wall. I also re-ran a bunch of cable jacks with new RG-6 and Cat-5 while I had my gear out. This assures that things will be neatly bundled with tie-wraps or staples, and that you know 100% of your system setup. Good luck!
putty,
The more the user gets involved in the installation the better! Your way, you know where everything is and if you label the lines you can reconfigure your system as needed.

I would add running some pull wires (or strings) through tight areas.
Also, as I get into many different home settings as an installer the two best features I have seen are: 1. a wire chase (or several) from attic to crawl space / basement. A 6" x12" duct in stacked closets is enough.
2. Designing a stairway into the family room allows the primary TV to be built into the dead space under the stairs and all the accessories;recorders, players, distribution systems etc. can be in there along with the multiswitch for the rest of the building.

When I compare the results of a rushed & under trained installer doing a FREE installation with the end product of a skilled designer using competent tech and the correct components I just shrug & move on.

Joe

[crimsonreefer]

Thanks for info guys. :) I'll call around and get some estimates for the work.

[pacjag]

Where is the closet with respect to the electric meter and with respect to the
proposed dish mounting position? Sounds to me like the installer is hung up
on doing the dish grounding at the meter.

[spazz1968]

Do what the installer ask . You will appreciate it in the long run

[Grentz]

I am confused why you would have 4 lines from the meter going to the dish and 4 lines from the media area going to the dish...that would make it so you have 8 lines at the dish total 4 going to the meter, 4 to the media area.

Does he mean go from Dish --> Meter --> Media Area? That would make more sense cause then he runs the 4 lines through the grounding block at the meter.

[joe diamond]

I am confused why you would have 4 lines from the meter going to the dish and 4 lines from the media area going to the dish...that would make it so you have 8 lines at the dish total 4 going to the meter, 4 to the media area.

Does he mean go from Dish --> Meter --> Media Area? That would make more sense cause then he runs the 4 lines through the grounding block at the meter.

You have it right.
The cable with ground wire runs from the dish to a ground block (or multiswitch that is grounded) near the electric bond. The distribution box should be in this area. From the distribution box the lines run to the receivers.

Know that the power to run the dish LNB comes from the receiver to the dish and then back to the receiver as a circuit.

For HD systems with more than four lines a WB6x8 multiswitch REQUIRES four lines from the dish to the multiswitch. From the switch you get eight sat lines.

Joe

[Grentz]

You have it right.
The cable with ground wire runs from the dish to a ground block (or multiswitch that is grounded) near the electric bond. The distribution box should be in this area. From the distribution box the lines run to the receivers.

Know that the power to run the dish LNB comes from the receiver to the dish and then back to the receiver as a circuit.

For HD systems with more than four lines a WB6x8 multiswitch REQUIRES four lines from the dish to the multiswitch. From the switch you get eight sat lines.

Joe

Thats what I thought, but that is not what the OP originally stated. He said "4 new RG6 lines run from outside the house at the meter through the attic and then on to the dish. Then another 4 lines run from the dish to the media closet."

Which would be
Dish --> Meter
Dish --> Media Area

Not
Dish --> Meter --> Media Area
like it should be.

The corrected OP statement would be:
"4 new RG6 lines run from outside the house at the meter through the attic and then on to the dish. Then another 4 lines run from the meter to the media closet."

[djsmiles]

i would like to run the lines in my house, i used to install for mediacom, and i know how these installers running around in crappy trucks with a magnet sign on their door do installs, quick and ugly. my utility room is on the same side of the house as the electrical meter so that's no problem. but how can i find out where my dish should be installed so that i can run the appropriate lines?

[Grentz]

http://www.dishpointer.com/

enter your location in there.

Then select under MultiLNB Systems what dish you are going to use. For HD, it will be Directv 5LNB.

[djsmiles]

wow, that's cool. does the Dtv installer use something like this when he comes to the house? so i want the dish to point in that direction, and just keep it out of line of any trees?

[Grentz]

Most installers will probably just use a compass.

Yes, you want the dish to point in that direction and have a clear view of the sky.

[djsmiles]

my other question is about the number of coax cables i need to run. the other thread i read said 4 coax cables from the satellite to the utility room and then 4 out to the electric meter? that seems like a lot of cable.

[Bill Broderick]

djsmiles,
I think that you probably misunderstood what the installer wants. The wires will go from the Dish to the electric panel (which is near the location of the meter) and then the wires will continue to the wiring closet. It's really one long run, which goes through the grounding point. You don't need to run two sets of wires to the dish.

I can understand the installer suggesting that you run the wires from the grounding point to the closet. However, he should be running the wires from the dish to the grounding point, unless you need some special wiring to that point, which isn't covered by the standard install.

[TigersFanJJ]

However, he should be running the wires from the dish to the grounding point, unless you need some special wiring to that point, which isn't covered by the standard install.

The standard install only covers burial up to 10' of cable and doesn't cover hiding the cable. Some techs will bury a little more than 10' for free, but not much more. So if the OP wants that long of a cable run neatly hidden or buried, he is best off doing it himself.

[carl6]

When checking for line of sight on dishpointer.com or other sites, you need to check line of sight for 99, 101, 103, 110 and 119 orbital positions. The aiming instructions for the 5-LNB dish are used to set the dish az/el/tilt, but the line of sight needs to be checked for all five satellite positions.

Carl

[djsmiles]

so just to clarify, there's 4 coax cables running from the dish to the electric panel, then 4 to the utility room, where i will run 1 to the family room and 1 to the living room. see where i'm confused? i only have two rooms with tv's.

[pacjag]

so just to clarify, there's 4 coax cables running from the dish to the electric panel, then 4 to the utility room, where i will run 1 to the family room and 1 to the living room. see where i'm confused? i only have two rooms with tv's.

For a standard receiver you need one line per receiver. For DVRs you need two lines per receiver.

[randyk47]

The basic Slimline cabling is 4 cables. You don't have to use all of them but if one or both of your TV setups are going to be DVR's then you'll need two cables to each TV location. If you're just going with H21 receivers then one cable to each location is sufficient and you'll have two left over for future locations or upgrade later on to an HR21 HD DVR.

[Bill Broderick]

so just to clarify, there's 4 coax cables running from the dish to the electric panel, then 4 to the utility room, where i will run 1 to the family room and 1 to the living room. see where i'm confused? i only have two rooms with tv's.


In your original post, you said that you have one HD DVR and two standard receivers. You need two cables for the DVR and one for each of the standard receivers. You could run cables directly to those locations from the grounding point. But if you decide to add an additional receiver or change one of the standard receivers to a DVR, you will need a multi-switch and a new line going to the new equipment. A utility room is a perfect location for the multi-switch.

[pacjag]

In your original post, you said that you have one HD DVR and two standard receivers.

Unless he is using two logins that was the OP and not djsmiles.

[Bill Broderick]

Unless he is using two logins that was the OP and not djsmiles.


Good point. I didn't realize that the person asking the questions had changed.