Is the SWM8 compatible with Phase 2 or Phase 3?

[Satellite Samurai]

I was advised by AVS Forum to try this question here:

I understand this system was built to facilitate five satellites, but I was doing some research for a friend of mine and I was curious if this switch would work on his Phase II Dish.

It passes the 101 and 119 satellites that the Slim Line uses, so in theory shouldn't it work? The receiver being uses is a R22 and it's a situation where running a second line would be damn near impossible.

If anyone has tried this or can give me confirmation, that would be great. I talked to PDI Sat, maker of some of the SWM Expander products and they were scratching their heads at this too with the whole "yeah, in theory" explanation.

[mjones73]

It will work with the Phase III as long as your SD locals are on the 101, 110 or 119 sats.

The signaling between the dish and receivers is the same as far as I know regardless if the dish is a Phase III or a newer 5 LNB model, is there some magic going on between the SWM8 and 5LNB dish that will only let those two work together?

[GlennJ84]

If you are going to make the SWM8 Investment anyways, why not spend the $30 dollars and buy a new slimline dish off craigslist?

They are easy to install and the cost is minimal these days.

Just my .02

[Satellite Samurai]

Agreed, it would be a lot cheaper just to buy a SL3 or SL5 SWM Dish. But the nerd inside me needs to know if this would work. Theoretically this switch passes those signals, and I can't understand why not having all satellites going into this would stop the signal from passing.

[RobertE]

The SWM8 will work with nearly any DirecTv dish, be it the basic 18" dish with dual LNB, Phase II & III, AT-9 (sidecar) & AU-9 (slimline (both 3 & 5 lnb versions). The only dish that I know of that won't work is the old, old single LNB sony dish.

[LameLefty]

The SWM8 will work with nearly any DirecTv dish, be it the basic 18" dish with dual LNB, Phase II & III, AT-9 (sidecar) & AU-9 (slimline (both 3 & 5 lnb versions). The only dish that I know of that won't work is the old, old single LNB sony dish.

Sony isn't the only one who made those old single-LNB dishes are they? I seem to remember RCA made them too. :p

[carl6]

Sony isn't the only one who made those old single-LNB dishes are they? I seem to remember RCA made them too. :p

Yeah, I've still got one here someplace, collecting dust.

To the OP, I can think of no reason the SWM would not work in the situation you propose, so long as all of the receivers/DVRs are SWM compatible. Obvously if he later upgrades to HD, a new dish would be required.

Carl

[rudeney]

Agreed, it would be a lot cheaper just to buy a SL3 or SL5 SWM Dish. But the nerd inside me needs to know if this would work.

The only issue with that would be if you have any "legacy" receivers that will not work with the SWM. If so, then the SWM-ODU is not the way to go, but a SWM module (i.e. external switch) would be. The only receviers that work with SWM technology ar the HR2x, H2x, R22, R16, and D12.

[Bkegg]

Hey guys I'm new on the forum. I'm a tech sup over in the Houston market up reading on this site trying to pull out an all nighter. I just completed the wild blue course then routing till 12 or 1 am after the course has jacked my whole schedule up. Meeting in the morning so no sleep is better than being late when Tom Bu is in the building.

Anyway had one thing to add off on the SWM8. It's become my new baby since starting the MDU stuff a few months back.

The SWM8 system can be set up to run legacy reciever. Its awesome.

1. Use a SL3 or SL5 with the four leads to a 6x8

2. Cascade off the 6x8 into your SW8 or 5.

Four remaining ports on your 6X8 will run the legacy. Also this setup can be used to setup 16 tuners for SWM!

Not sure if this can be done off of the 6x16. I had a 6x16 but I wasn't able to test this out. I don't see any reason why it would not.

The SWM8 switches with a non residental power passive splitter is the way to go.

[dave29]

yes, you can cascade a swm8 off of a wb68, and a wb616.

[LameLefty]

yes, you can cascade a swm8 off of a wb68, and a wb616.

Sure, but for real flexibility, hook 'em up in parallel. :) Yeah I know the average installer can't or won't do it that way because it takes too long and takes too many parts (connectors, jumper cables, splitters, etc). But the number of connection options with them run in parallel is fantastic. ;)

[David MacLeod]

Sure, but for real flexibility, hook 'em up in parallel. :) Yeah I know the average installer can't or won't do it that way because it takes too long and takes too many parts (connectors, jumper cables, splitters, etc). But the number of connection options with them run in parallel is fantastic. ;)

and if the wb switch fails (wb68 never fail right..) the swm will still work.

[dave29]

Sure, but for real flexibility, hook 'em up in parallel. :) Yeah I know the average installer can't or won't do it that way because it takes too long and takes too many parts (connectors, jumper cables, splitters, etc). But the number of connection options with them run in parallel is fantastic. ;)

i wouldnt cascade it, im just saying that you can. i have 2 swm8's and 2 wb68's all ran in parallel

[houskamp]

Ran that way with a SWM5 for close to a year till I got the SWMline dish..