View Full Version : What SWM equipment do I need?
I have been searching for 2 hours and i can't identify what equipment I need. Directv could'nt help either.
Current setup:
Single 18" dish with dual LNB with two rg-6 coax to RCA 2X4 powered switch in basement.
SD DVR with two coax inputs from switch in family room.
Two separate SD receivers from switch, single coax runs in bedrooms.
Want to upgrade to HD DVR service. Looks like Washington DC locals need 5LNB dish.
I want to install a new HD DVR where the current SD DVR is (family room) and move the SD DVR to a bedroom with a single coax run. And also run a legacy receiver in the other bedroom.
Can Directv install a new dish for free? I installed the existing equipment myself and the switch and nothing is owned by Directv. Just want to know if I can use existing RCA powered switch or what excatly I need. Thanks!!!!!
Tom Robertson
12-22-08, 11:16 PM
Welcome to the forums, mark44! :welcome_s
Normally, as part of the HD upgrade you will get a new dish, suitable for your locale (most often the Slimline 5lnb).
You likely won't need SWM, nor benefit much from SWM unless your SD receivers or SD DVR are SWM compatible. D12 or R16 models.
What is likely the best option is for 4 lines to run from the dish to the basement. Then run those lines directly to the receivers using the existing coax. (Though if the lines can be replaced with new, they should be.)
In the future, a switch could then be installed in the basement, either a WB68 or SWM. Or if you can get a second line to the bedroom with the SD DVR, then you can ask for a WB68 now.
Good luck, Merry Christmas!
Tom
Thanks for the response.
The receivers are DRD420RE and the SD DVR is DVR DR80
Can these use single coax or SWM ?
An additional coax run to bedroom would be prohibative. :(
Is there any use for my RCA powered 2X4 switch?
Additional coax runs from dish to basement would alos be an issue since a structure has been built since inbetween with foundation.
LameLefty
12-23-08, 09:08 AM
Thanks for the response.
The receivers are DRD420RE and the SD DVR is DVR DR80
Can these use single coax or SWM ?
Wow, that old RCA SD receiver is a blast from the past. I think my first two receivers were from that era (late '90's). :)
Unfortunately, neither of them use SWM technology. For the SD receiver it doesn't matter, as it only uses one line anyway. Your old DVR will need two for dual-tuner functionality.
An additional coax run to bedroom would be prohibative. :(
Usually an HD Upgrade order includes relocating at least one existing receiver - in your case they should run the second line for your old SD DVR when they do that. Directv did it for me when I upgraded to HD about 26 months ago - an old Phillips DSR6000 Tivo receiver got moved to my daughter's room and they ran a second line of coax for it.
Is there any use for my RCA powered 2X4 switch?
Not really, I'm afraid.
Another option to consider is replacing your old DVR with an R16 or R22 SD DVR (both of which are SWM capable) and your old receiver with a D12 (also SWM capable). Then your single run locations could support dual tuner capability.
Okay, thanks.
I'm a DIYer and installed all my stuff years ago.
Would like to still do a DIY.
I assume i could install power injected SWM dish connected to a 2.5-2000MHz splitter (replzacing my 2X4 switch) and use the exisitng coax runs to the receivers (losing dual tuner functionality on the SD DVR) and add a new HD DVR tuner and all would be well? We just need the one HD TV in the family room at this time.
I just can't figure out yet if the Wash DC locals are in HD. The Directv website says no, but, the antenna site says yes? :confused: I called Directv and they only have the scripted responses. Is there a technical number I can call?
Thanks to all. I was a member back in 2000 when I originaly set all my stuff up and this forum was very helpful. This was also back when all the cards were being zapped and all that other fun stuff back in the day!
I did my original install and got 95-100% signal strength. Is the oval dish pointing doable?
If you go SWM, your old DVR and receiver will not work at all. They are not capable of understanding the SWM signal.
The only way to determine if you can/can't get HD locals is via zip code. However, you may also be able to receiver them over the air, in which case you would use the external AM21 receiver with your HD DVR (but not an option for non-DVR receivers).
Oh, thanks.
So none of that equipment will work with SWM technology?
So the voltage and control signals and what not of the old receivers will not work because the SWM is now a channelized frequency and the receiver needs to know what channel it should listen to?
bummer.
I guess I would need to use some kind of switch that can use legacy connections.
Thanks.
Tom Robertson
12-23-08, 09:42 AM
An external SWM8 in your basement (or at the dish for that matter) will supply a single SWM coax for up to 8 tuners, plus 3 legacy coax that could be sent into the house for up to three older tuners.
Can you run one or two more lines into the basement from the dish?
I have two coax to the dish location from the basement where the distribution hub for all the inside wiring is located. A building has gone up between the dish and the basement, so, that's why I was trying to use the exisinting dish cables. I do have a spool of RG-6 but it would be a lot of cable run. My current cable has the ground wire integrated into the jacket as well, I think that grounds to the elec panel or ground rod, I forget, it was a long time ago and I'll have to go look. I think the ground was important at the time.
The dish can't be relocated due to line of sight issues.
Might have to just do a total system upgrade, but, the SD receivers are doing their job now and I hoped to use them.
If you can stomach an upgrade of all new equipment, it would likely be cheaper for you and a little less hassle to just get new equipment and a SWM-capable dish, so that you could use the 1-wire solution to any DVRs you have, both SD & HD. You can buy the equipment outright on ebay or solidsignal (solid is the choice of most on this forum), but if you have been a customer since 2000 it is likely that DirecTV will upgrade most, if not all of your equipment for free in exchange for a programming commitment.
Also, I'm not sure what satellite your locals come from, but you mentioned having LOS issues.....there is a new slimline LNB that only has one horn (just points at the 101 SD satellite and the two HD satellites) as opposed to the three-horn LNB (points at 5 satellites total) that can sometimes cure LOS issues. The other two satellites are used for some international programming and local channels for some customers I believe, but if you're not in one of those markets the Slimline-3 LNB is the one you want to get, especially if you're doing the alignment yourself. It comes in both a SWM and non-SWM model.
I have two coax to the dish location from the basement where the distribution hub for all the inside wiring is located. A building has gone up between the dish and the basement, so, that's why I was trying to use the exisinting dish cables. I do have a spool of RG-6 but it would be a lot of cable run. My current cable has the ground wire integrated into the jacket as well, I think that grounds to the elec panel or ground rod, I forget, it was a long time ago and I'll have to go look. I think the ground was important at the time.
The dish can't be relocated due to line of sight issues.
Might have to just do a total system upgrade, but, the SD receivers are doing their job now and I hoped to use them.
If you can't (or if it's impractical to) run any more lines from the dish to the basement, then you're probably going to have to upgrade your equipment to SWM-capable equipment to take advantage of HD at all........the SWM-8 switch we have talked about that gives you legacy ports requires all 4 lines that come from the slimline dish to be connected to the switch, something that looks to be impossible in your current situation. The SWM-dish only has one wire, and your current wiring would probably be sufficient. Even if you just upgraded your dish and nothing else, you would only have two tuner capability currently, as the multiswitches available all require 4 lines to be run from the dish to the switch before they can expand your tuner capability past 4 (with the exception of the SWM).
zip code is 20879
Thanks for all the help everyone!
:D
Yes, they have a current HD promotion for "new" customers!
Maybe I need to find their "retention" phone number....heh heh
zip code is 20879
Thanks for all the help everyone!
:D
Yes, they have a current HD promotion for "new" customers!
Maybe I need to find their "retention" phone number....heh heh
From what I can gather from the D* website as well as the transponder maps here, you should be able to get 6 of your local channels in HD and the rest of them in SD, all with the slimline-3 LNB dish (you can use the 5 but as I said earlier, the SL-3 is preferred if there are LOS issues). Your locals don't seem to be on the satellites the SL-3 doesn't pick up, so unless you subscribe to international programming you would get all of the channels you need.
Oh, and if you call direcTV and say "cancel service", you will be forwarded to retention. :D
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