House wired for Cable - Any way to use 2 tuners in HR-21 without rewiring the house?

[BigDPW]

Okay so the house we are moving into is wired for cable TV and there has been a cable outlet with one coax run from each room out to an area outside.

The DirecTV installation is happening now and I did not realize that you need 2 cables from each DVR reciever back to the dish to use both of your tuners in the DVR.

So I have one less cable than I need running to the two rooms with DVRs.

I have talked to my regular electrician and he is planning to come out and drop a new cable to each of those rooms and wire them through to the walls where the current cable outlets already are.

Before I have him come out and do that is there anyway to use a multiswitch or splitter in order to just use the single coax to each room the way it is now and still utilize both tuners in my receivers?

If there is a way to do that what are the potential drawbacks?

I am pretty sat tv illiterate so bear with me on this!

Hopefully I can get some good advice as this seems to be a great place for Sat TV owners to come!

[Greg Alsobrook]

yes... this can be done... you need what is called an SWM (single wire multiswitch)... you can buy one here... http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=SWM-8

no drawbacks... and will probably be cheaper than having an electrician out to drop more lines...

oh... and btw... :welcome_s to DBSTalk!!! :)

[tcusta00]

You can also PM user dave29 here (http://www.dbstalk.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=35925) for a SWM price - he can get them as well.

[dave29]

as airrocker said... you need a SWM. i have been selling them on this forum since january. if you want to pm me i can get you set up with everything you need. oh yeah, mine are $35 cheaper than solid signal too.;)

[tcusta00]

There he is :lol:

[dave29]

here i am:D

[veryoldschool]

here i am:D
Now why did I think I might find you here? :lol:

[dave29]

Now why did I think I might find you here? :lol:

i always know where to find you too:p

[BigDPW]

So where/how would I go about hooking this up? Near the dish? Under the house? Inside the house? What will I use to split the signal behind each receiver?

Currently the dish is on the corner of the house. The wires run halfway down the end wall and go into the "hood" that DTV installed to connect to the houses wiring. Then the houses wiring enters the crawl space and heads to each room.

My electrician said that for about $130 bucks he could drop the wires to each of the outlets inside. Seems the SWM switch may be more expensive.

Also the installer today said that using any kind of equipment to split the signal will cause problems with loosing channels? True?

Why can my parents have Dish Network with HD DVR and not need this SWM? Different technology?

[dave29]

[QUOTE=BigDPW;1597488]

Also the installer today said that using any kind of equipment to split the signal will cause problems with loosing channels? True?
QUOTE]

not if you use the right equipment;)

[dave29]

So where/how would I go about hooking this up? Near the dish? Under the house? Inside the house?
-ANY OF THE ABOVE

What will I use to split the signal behind each receiver?
-NOTHING, THE COMPATIBLE RECIEVERS WILL DO THIS INTERNALLY


Currently the dish is on the corner of the house. The wires run halfway down the end wall and go into the "hood" that DTV installed to connect to the houses wiring. Then the houses wiring enters the crawl space and heads to each room.

My electrician said that for about $130 bucks he could drop the wires to each of the outlets inside. Seems the SWM switch may be more expensive.
-SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT DEAL, IF HE IS FISHING ALL OF THE CABLES



Also the installer today said that using any kind of equipment to split the signal will cause problems with loosing channels? True?
-NOT TRUE, YOUJUST NEED THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT


Why can my parents have Dish work with HD DVR and not need this SWM? Different technology?[/QUOTE]
-YOU SAID IT"DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY"

[BigDPW]

Does it have to be powered? If so that limits my options for where to put it?

[Greg Alsobrook]

Does it have to be powered? If so that limits my options for where to put it?

yes, it is powered...

[dave29]

yes it is powered, but the power inserter is an inline inserter and can be placed behind one of your receivers

[BigDPW]

My set up:

_____ xxx(No cable here - can have electrician install)
|_____ |H| _______________________ (Cable Outlet)Receiver #1 (HD DVR) Living Room
Dish |_____ |U| xxx(No cable here)
|_____ |B| _______________________ (Cable Outlet)Reciever #2 (DVR) Sunroom

[BigDPW]

yes it is powered, but the power inserter is an inline inserter and can be placed behind one of your receivers


So I could put the SWM outside near the hub or just under the house and have the inline inserter behind my TV.

Then I can take just one coax and hook it from the wall outlet directly to the reciever without a splitter? Or will I need the two way splitter behind each TV?

[dave29]

you would hook up the 4 wires from the dish and then just run 1 line to each compatible dvr and you will get both tuners. what model dvr's do you have

[dave29]

So I could put the SWM outside near the hub or just under the house and have the inline inserter behind my TV.

Then I can take just one coax and hook it from the wall outlet directly to the reciever without a splitter? Or will I need the two way splitter behind each TV?

-yes

-no splitter needed, just one line into the back of the receiver

[BigDPW]

HR21 and R15

[BigDPW]

I am a bit surprised that there is no reason to split the signal and hook a coax to each Sat-Input on the back of the box?

[veryoldschool]

I am a bit surprised that there is no reason to split the signal and hook a coax to each Sat-Input on the back of the box?
The receiver does this [inside] when it's detected the SWM.

[SDizzle]

HR21 and R15

R15 is not SWM compatible.:nono2:

[dave29]

you will have to replace the r15 with a r16 or r22 to be able to run both tuners off of 1 cable

[BigDPW]

Can you "split the signal" behind the R15 box?

I am leaning toward just having the electrician drop some new cables since it will be cheaper. The only problem is I won't be able to expand to other rooms or move the boxes around... I am okay with that for now I think...

Any other advice?

[veryoldschool]

Can you "split the signal" behind the R15 box?

I am leaning toward just having the electrician drop some new cables since it will be cheaper. The only problem is I won't be able to expand to other rooms or move the boxes around... I am okay with that for now I think...

Any other advice?
Since the R15 isn't a SWM compatible receiver, no. It would need to work off the "legacy" [as in old style] ports. Exchanging it for a R16 would give you the most freedom to move your receivers around [once all your equipment is SWM compatible].
Moving to SMW can be costly, but a SWM8 will let you have up to 4 DVRs [eight tuners] and in the "long run" may be cheaper than fishing wires as needed.

[David MacLeod]

and in the "long run" may be cheaper than fishing wires as needed.
__________________

I would think the swm would also be easier to troubleshoot. no bbc's, only 1 cable run to the unit. if there ever were a problem I would think you would save money due to this.
I don't have an swm but is this the case?

[dave29]

I would think the swm would also be easier to troubleshoot. no bbc's, only 1 cable run to the unit. if there ever were a problem I would think you would save money due to this.
I don't have an swm but is this the case?

you pretty much hit the nail on the head. i agree with your statement, and with a swm8..... you have a much more flexible set-up if you needed to add a receiver or move one to another room.

[David MacLeod]

thanks Dave29, I had been wondering about that and thinking on it for a bit. the post gave the vehicle to ask the question :)