New to DirecTV

[jwolfe99]

Hi I am getting DirectV soon, and I was wondering if all of my tvs need a phone line to be connected. I am going to purchase one DVR and three basic receivers. Thanks for the help.

[Michael D'Angelo]

:welcome_s to DBSTalk, jwolfe99!

You do not need a phone line connected to any of them. The only thing you need a phone line for is if you want to order PPV from the remote or use caller ID.

[Mike Bertelson]

For PPV you can order via phone or online so the receivers don't need to be connected.

Mike

[curt8403]

Hi I am getting DirectV soon, and I was wondering if all of my tvs need a phone line to be connected. I am going to purchase one DVR and three basic receivers. Thanks for the help.


directv prefers phone lines connected, but does not require it.

[jwolfe99]

Thanks for the help you guys. Its a relief too, because like I said I have four tvs to install it on and only one of them has a phone line anywheres near it. It saves a lot of work. Thanks again.

[Sharkie_Fan]

I guess I'll be the first to bring the obligatory "YOu know you aren't purchasing" comment.

Some CSRs and some of the stores where you can get receivers are not always that great at letting you know that. The "regular" price for receivers is a leased receiver.

I don't think that's a bad thing, and it's not a knock on DirecTV - just thought you should know what you're getting into. We see threads around here from time to time with people thinking that they "purchased" receivers only to find out that it's a "lease".

[jwolfe99]

Hey again, I actually have one more question: What exactly needs to be hooked up? What kind of cables/cords are going to be installed. I have the installation set up for July 3rd and I think I am going to move around some stuff in the living room and I need to know how much room i need. Thanks.

[litzdog911]

Hey again, I actually have one more question: What exactly needs to be hooked up? What kind of cables/cords are going to be installed. I have the installation set up for July 3rd and I think I am going to move around some stuff in the living room and I need to know how much room i need. Thanks.

The installer will run four RG6 coax cables from the dish to a centrally located mulitswitch. From the multiswitch, he'll run two RG6 cables to your DVR and one to each Receiver. Depending on the TVs in each room, he'll connect the appropriate audio/video cables from the DirecTV Receiver to your TV.

[jwolfe99]

Thanks again. Im not trying to sound stupid, but I probably will... anyway... How are the cables getting from the multiswitch to each room? are they ran from the basement into the rooms or what? I know I probably sound like an idiot but ive never had any kind of satellite before.

One more question that I have is that I already have Comcast cable and High Speed Internet, and I was wondering if it is possible to keep the Comcast High Speed Internet, and if so are there any problems in doing so?

Thanks again.

[BattleZone]

The included "free" install should also be called a "basic" install; it generally means the simplest method of getting cable where it needs to be. In most cases, this means running the cable down the outside wall, drilling through, and bringing the cable in behind the TV. Depending on the circumstances, some installers may be willing to run the wires through the attic or basement, and come through the ceiling or floor (and some customers would never allow this).

Running cables down the inside of a wall (called a wall fish) is custom work, and depending on the house, may be difficult (read: more expensive) or impossible. Other custom work may apply to get you something you deem "more desirable" for your situation. Your installer should give you options.

If you have some ideas of what you want, you're going to have a better chance of getting that if you prepare. When I quote custom work, I charge a lot more if the attic is full of Christmas decorations and junk that I have to move around, vs. a clean, lit attic that I can move around in, for example. You'd be amazed at how many people put zero thought and effort into their install, and leave someone at home who has no idea what's going on, and then wonder why their install isn't done the way they wanted. What I'm saying is that the better you prepare, and the easier you make it for the installer, the more likely you'll get what you want, or at least something you can live with.

[jwolfe99]

Thanks for the help. One last thing... the only thing im having trouble grasping is how the cords are getting from the dish to inside my house. If i've read everything correctly there will be two cords running from the dish to a multiswitch. (One other question: where is the multiswitch usually put at? in the basement or in one of the rooms with the TVs?) Then from the multiswitch two cords will go to the DVR and one cord will go to the other three standard receivers.

Correct me if im wrong about any of that, but the thing im not getting is where are the cords running from the dish to the multiswitch at? Are they outside, running from outside the house to inside it? Wouldn't that make the cords extremely prone to damage when it rains? i.e. spark and catch on fire?

Maybe and hopefully im completely off on this, but could somebody help clear that up for me.

[BattleZone]

There will be 4 coax cables run from the dish to the multiswitch. From there, you will have 2 lines to each DVR and one line to each non-DVR receiver. You'll need to work with the installer to figure out the switch location and the cable paths.

The cable is RG6 coax cable. It is designed to be outside. It has a PVC outside jacket, so as long as the jacket isn't cut or worn through, there's no problem with rain.

[Sharkie_Fan]

Before I got the SWM LNB, I had my multiswitch outside. The house was already wired for cable, so there was a single point of entry. I put the multiswitch there. I used some of the wires already in placed, and added some of my own in places where more cabling was needed.

I have a crawlspace under the house, so my original installer was going to crawl under the house and drill up through the floor (the original cable installer, before we bought the place, did the same thing.) I wanted all my cables fished in the wall, and didn't want to pay for it, so I asked the installer to leave enough cable to run where he was going to run. Since there were already cables, all the receivers worked, so the installe could finish his install, be on his way to the next job, and I got my cabling done exactly the way I wanted it.

My folks and my sister both have DirecTV, and neither wanted to do the same amount of work that I did. So their cables run along the outside of the house and in through exterior walls to the rooms where they need service.

Both their installers did a very nice job, sealing up all the holes and making everything look nice an clean.

As IIP said, the cable is OK to run outside without any problems.

[jwolfe99]

Alright now I understand. Thanks to everybody that helped me.

[Sharkie_Fan]

Alright now I understand. Thanks to everybody that helped me.

That's what we're here for! All of us were "rookies" once, too. Glad to help anywhere we can. ;)

[jwolfe99]

One last question I swear... Like i've said im going to have a DVR in one room and one standard receiver in 3 other rooms.

The family plans on getting some stuff fixed up and putting 2 more tvs in two other rooms. Will the installer run cables to those extra 2 rooms for me right now so its ready once I get two more recievers or will I have to call up DirecTV order 2 more receivers and get an installer to install two new cords in a week?

We plan on getting the two recievers in about a week or two and I really would rather have the guy run the cables into those rooms first. Will he or not? Thanks.

[evan_s]

normally no. The install only covers cables for receivers being installed at that time. You could pay him a little extra to do them at that time or just have another install done when you need the receivers. Even if you have the cables already run directv will still probably want to schedule an install for additional receivers so thats probably the best option. If you purchased the additional receivers from bestbuy or other locations it is pretty easy to activate the receivers if the cabling is already run.

[curt8403]

normally no. The install only covers cables for receivers being installed at that time. You could pay him a little extra to do them at that time or just have another install done when you need the receivers. Even if you have the cables already run directv will still probably want to schedule an install for additional receivers so thats probably the best option. If you purchased the additional receivers from bestbuy or other locations it is pretty easy to activate the receivers if the cabling is already run.

paying the installer to run extra cables might be cheaper than the 80 - 99 cost to have them run later. if the lines are in place. D* can drop ship a rcvr to you

[jwolfe99]

Ok. Thanks. I guess I will pay extra if they are willing to install it for me.

[DishCSR]

One last question I swear... Like i've said im going to have a DVR in one room and one standard receiver in 3 other rooms.

The family plans on getting some stuff fixed up and putting 2 more tvs in two other rooms. Will the installer run cables to those extra 2 rooms for me right now so its ready once I get two more recievers or will I have to call up DirecTV order 2 more receivers and get an installer to install two new cords in a week?

We plan on getting the two recievers in about a week or two and I really would rather have the guy run the cables into those rooms first. Will he or not? Thanks.

Just a head's up.. the additional receivers (after initial install) will cost you 69.00 for each receiver + 50.00 new cust fee + 99.00 install fee +tax, all payable upfront with a debit or credit card, they cannot be "billed" to your account