Getting ready to move and have a question about SWM (I think)

[Milkman]

I don't follow all of the new DTV technology as close as most of you, so I figured I would ask on here, since what I am asking for may not be released yet.

My question/history is as follows:

My wife and I have been searching for a house, and we FINALLY found one in the area we want to be in, so I am pretty happy about that.

So, my wife is worrying about stuff like what kind of furniture we want to get for the living room, and I am worried about technical stuff like my DirecTV move! :)

With that being said. We are moving to a house that has 2 coax connections per room, but each one being on opposite sides of the room. So for all practical purposes, one could consider it as just a SINGLE coax connection per TV. I think the SWM module (could be using the wrong terminology) allows for both tuners to utilize a single coax. Is this technology currently available, and on the DTV trucks??? Is it part of the standard install package, or will I have to pay extra for it, etc...

ALSO, I currently have a DirecTIVO R10 that I want to hook up as well. If I recall from stuff I read some time ago, the receiver has to be compatible to use the SWM, so I am not sure what I am going to do there. I know DirecTV will run coax, but in all of my experience with them, they ALWAYS want to run it from the outside of the house and drill through an outside wall, as opposed to the right way of running it through the attic. I don't want them drilling holes in the outside of my house, so that isn't an option. A friend of mine seems to think that we can probably wire it ourselves. The only thing I worry about is the 2x4 that are horizontally placed around half way up the wall between each beam. Not sure if this house was built like that or not, but my hunch is that it may be. I would be willing to entertain any suggestions on the R10 as well. Any solutions you guys share with me would probably be used in other rooms as well, since we will now have to activate more receivers throughout the house, and I would like for them to be DVR's.

Thanks to all in advance! :)

[David MacLeod]

from what I've read swm would be very useful here (expect for the r10 unless it works on the legacy port) but I think you have to purchase it yourself. theres a post in the igeneral forum dealing with this issue that is recent where swm was promised but not delivered. http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=1584151#post1584151

glad you found a home you like, good luck with everything there. sorry I could not help more.

[The Merg]

SWM will allow you to use only one input for both tuners in your HR20, but you would still need two inputs for your R10. One thing to consider is that if the house was wired for cable, it is possible that one cable has been split multiple times in order to wire the house. You CAN run the DirecTV signal over a coax cable that has a regular cable splitter on it to SWM devices.

As for the R10, the SWM's do have a legacy port on them and cables coming from those ports need to follow the regular rules of satellite signals that you currently use. That is, the cable run cannot be split using traditional cable splitters and you basically need to have each of the legacy cables going directly from the SWM to your receiver. I suppose you could have the legacy outputs go to a regular multi-switch so you could then support more than one legacy DVR receiver, but I'm not sure if that is actually possible.

- Merg

[veryoldschool]

SWM will allow you to use only one input for both tuners in your HR20, but you would still need two inputs for your R10. One thing to consider is that if the house was wired for cable, it is possible that one cable has been split multiple times in order to wire the house. You CAN run the DirecTV signal over a coax cable that has a regular cable splitter on it to SWM devices.

As for the R10, the SWM's do have a legacy port on them and cables coming from those ports need to follow the regular rules of satellite signals that you currently use. That is, the cable run cannot be split using traditional cable splitters and you basically need to have each of the legacy cables going directly from the SWM to your receiver. I suppose you could have the legacy outputs go to a regular multi-switch so you could then support more than one legacy DVR receiver, but I'm not sure if that is actually possible.

- Merg
This isn't true.
The splitters need to be rated at 2 MHz to 2 GHz. "Cable" splitters aren't.

Milkman:
A SWM8 would work fine, but needs to be bought on your own for now. Look for Dave29 here and he will be glad to help you get one.

The SWM has three legacy ports for older receivers, but the R10 would need two coax feeds for both tuners.

You will need to find out where the coax run through the house and how/where they come together/split off.
The dish needs four feeds to the SWM8 and it has two [SWM] outputs that can be split with the right splitters. "Most likely" you can use the cables already run.

[The Merg]

This isn't true.
The splitters need to be rated at 2 MHz to 2 GHz. "Cable" splitters aren't.

Milkman:
A SWM8 would work fine, but needs to be bought on your own for now. Look for Dave29 here and he will be glad to help you get one.

The SWM has three legacy ports for older receivers, but the R10 would need two coax feeds for both tuners.

You will need to find out where the coax run through the house and how/where they come together/split off.
The dish needs four feeds to the SWM8 and it has two [SWM] outputs that can be split with the right splitters. "Most likely" you can use the cables already run.

I knew the splitters had to fall within a certain range, but I thought that certain cable splitters did fall within that range. Is that not so?

- Merg

[veryoldschool]

I knew the splitters had to fall within a certain range, but I thought that certain cable splitters did fall within that range. Is that not so?

- Merg
"Cable" doesn't go over 1 GHz, while SWM goes to almost 2 GHz.
"Cable" can start at around 40 MHz and SWM needs to pass the 2.3 MHz control signal.

[RobertE]

Also keep in mind that depending on where the PI (power inserter) is place in the chain, you'll need a splitter that is power passing on one port as well as the 2-2300mhz requirement.

I'm pretty sure that 99% of your standard "cable" splitters will fail either the power passing, the Mhz requirement or both.

[jdmac29]

One word Skywalker splitters, that is what I purchased no problems with my swm5, hr20 and hr21.

[bobnielsen]

A lot of "cable" splitters will work. The frequency range specification will (hopefully) ensure it.

[veryoldschool]

A lot of "cable" splitters will work. The frequency range specification will (hopefully) ensure it.
:confused:
All of the "cable" splitters used by my cable company were 1 GHz rated.
I have tested these on a SWM system with the installer's meter [for SWM] and with two of the exact same model, one passed and the other didn't.
The first five channels passed on both, but the higher three [for eight channel] had problems.

[dave29]

i have also done the same tests with "cable" splitters and have come up with similiar results as VOS

[dave29]

just use high freq splitter and you wont have to worry about it

[Milkman]

Thanks for all of the input, and the well wishes.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a splitter that they have had a LOT of experience with, that seems to work consistently? I would hate to get a splitter like what VOS referenced above whereas one of the same model works and the other doesn't. I would love to know if there is one that CONSISTENTLY works for anyone.

Of course this entire problem would solve itself, if DTV installers would go through the attic as opposed to drilling from the outside when installing new drops. :(

[dave29]

i like the sws and sts series splitters. i know VOS likes skywalker signature series splitters(as do i)

[dave29]

milkman, btw, if you need help on getting everything you need.... send me a pm and i can get you set up

[Milkman]

Well it looks like I have no options. Since DirecTV installers won't go through my attic, I will just have to try to run additional lines to each room. I could get the SWM through 'dave29' (thanks Dave). But that wouldn't work with my legacy receiver, and the way I look at it is if I am in my attic "TRYING" to run my own cable for my legacy receiver, I may as well run them for my other receivers too...

sigh.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[tonyd79]

You could always upgrade your receiver.....

[dave29]

you could always get rid of that old r10 and get a r16;)

[The Merg]

"Cable" doesn't go over 1 GHz, while SWM goes to almost 2 GHz.
"Cable" can start at around 40 MHz and SWM needs to pass the 2.3 MHz control signal.

Aaahhh... When I read the specs, I thought that the splitter had to be within that range, not that it had to be that range.

Thanks for the clarification.

- Merg

[Tiger62]

... if I am in my attic "TRYING" to run my own cable for my legacy receiver, I may as well run them for my other receivers too...


As far as the horizontal 2x4s in the walls...
Just go to Lowe's and buy a 4' long one-inch wood bit (about $15-$20) and let the fun begin:) Just be aware of electrical cable runs in the same wall space. Assuming you're reasonably proficient with power tools and have a little (OK, a LOT) of patience, It's not as bad as it sounds. Good luck. (I always run my own cables)

[rey_1178]

One word Skywalker splitters, that is what I purchased no problems with my swm5, hr20 and hr21.

jd mac. your swm5 works well with your HR12? can ota be added to the swm5?

[dave29]

jd mac. your swm5 works well with your HR12? can ota be added to the swm5?

ota can be diplexed in externally on the swm5

[Ken984]

Get the SWM, by the time you buy all the tools, rg6, wall plates, compression connectors etc., you will wish you had done the swm. Replace the r10 with a newer receiver(or just go with one tuner for while).

[Milkman]

Get the SWM, by the time you buy all the tools, rg6, wall plates, compression connectors etc., you will wish you had done the swm. Replace the r10 with a newer receiver(or just go with one tuner for while).

I am already running one tuner on the R10, but it has been killing us. :)

To be honest, I would rather have direct runs, rather than counting on the switch. If the switch goes bad, who knows what the effect would be. It would PROBABLY be only one tuner available on all of the boxes, but I suppose it could only be a single LNB available, or totally dead as well. So it isn't really about cost. At least if I use "standard" equipment, DTV can come out to replace anything that goes bad.

The way I look at it, is that I run single RG-6 quad shield, and I know what I got, I have all home runs, and be in good shape. PLUS, I will take this same opportunity to run Cat 5E to my rooms as well. Since I am up there, I may as well, right?!?! :) Get rid of some of this slow wireless around my current house.