Zinwell WB616 vs. TERK WB616

[DBSNewbie]

Specs-wise, are these two multiswitches exactly the same?

With the 6x16 multiswitches now being discontinued, I was thinking of purchasing a back-up in the event that one of my multiswitches fails.

When looking online, it seems that it's easier to find the TERK available.

Thanks for your help.

[dettxw]

If it ain't broke don't fix it
Technology is changing.
You'll want a Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM) in the future.

[DBSNewbie]

If it ain't broke don't fix it
Technology is changing.
You'll want a Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM) in the future.

Generally speaking, the SWM would be the wise upgrade path. However, because of my out-of-the ordinary setup, (19 tuners total with 6 HD DVRs in the den alone) the simplest and most practical solution is to swap out the secondary, cascaded 16-way powered multiswitch in the den or the primary one in the attic, if either one ever fails.

Even if they come out with SWM16 in the near future, I would still need to get at least a couple of them, along with a bunch of splitters. :)

[dsw2112]

Generally speaking, the SWM would be the wise upgrade path. However, because of my out-of-the ordinary setup, (19 tuners total with 6 HD DVRs in the den alone) the simplest and most practical solution is to swap out the secondary, cascaded 16-way powered multiswitch in the den or the primary one in the attic, if either one ever fails.

Even if they come out with SWM16 in the near future, I would still need to get at least a couple of them, along with a bunch of splitters. :)

"DBSNewbie" -- that's a heck of a misnomer if I ever heard one! Maybe DBSEverywhere would be more appropriate! Kudos, that's one hell of a setup! :hurah:

[dettxw]

Yep, that's out-of-the ordinary for sure! :eek2:
Guess I should have taken the time to read your signature, but was multitasking and missed it.

There is lots of talk about a SWM16 though.
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=164073&highlight=swm16

[DBSNewbie]

Yep, that's out-of-the ordinary for sure! :eek2:
Guess I should have taken the time to read your signature, but was multitasking and missed it.

There is lots of talk about a SWM16 though.
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=164073&highlight=swm16

Yes. I heard about the upcoming swm16. From what I understand, they're still not available and when they do come out (please correct me if I'm wrong) they will be nothing more than a couple swm8's combined together, instead of one singular chassis.

Anyhow, anyone have an answer to the question in the original post?

Are the TERK and Zinwell switches (apart from the name on the front) exactly the same?

Thanks.

[rudeney]

Yes. I heard about the upcoming swm16. From what I understand, they're still not available and when they do come out (please correct me if I'm wrong) they will be nothing more than a couple swm8's combined together, instead of one singular chassis.

I think it's more than that as it will have the ability to pass the new Ethernet-over-coax signals between the two 8-tuner channels.

Anyhow, anyone have an answer to the question in the original post?

Are the TERK and Zinwell switches (apart from the name on the front) exactly the same?

Well, if you look at the two on solidsignal.com, the link to their PDF "spec sheets is identical (i.e. both are the same Zinwell WB616 spec sheets).

[DBSNewbie]

Well, if you look at the two on solidsignal.com, the link to their PDF "spec sheets is identical (i.e. both are the same Zinwell WB616 spec sheets).

Thanks.

I did notice that (same spec sheet). Can't remember if it was solidsignal or another website where I first saw it.

I was a kind of confused, though, as I just thought of it as some kind of "wrong link".

I checked for other websites and they have the Zinwell PDF for the TERK product. So I guess they are same, but just with different stickers.

[Tom Robertson]

Generally speaking, the SWM would be the wise upgrade path. However, because of my out-of-the ordinary setup, (19 tuners total with 6 HD DVRs in the den alone) the simplest and most practical solution is to swap out the secondary, cascaded 16-way powered multiswitch in the den or the primary one in the attic, if either one ever fails.

Even if they come out with SWM16 in the near future, I would still need to get at least a couple of them, along with a bunch of splitters. :)

Actually a single SWiM16 would manage the job for you. It has 4 fully capable legacy ports along with the 16 SWiM tuners. Unlike the orginal SWiMs, these legacy ports pass the Ka signals.

Alas, I have a few more ports in use, so a single SWiM 16 won't make it for me. :)

(Tho the Packer room only has 4 HR2x and 2 H2x.) :)

Cheers,
Tom

[BattleZone]

The SWM-16 external switch will *electronically* be like two separate SWM-8's, but physically it will be a single contained unit. They are expected to be released around the new year.

[DBSNewbie]

The SWM-16 external switch will *electronically* be like two separate SWM-8's, but physically it will be a single contained unit. They are expected to be released around the new year.

Thanks.

Someone posted a link above that had a PDF file of the SWM16 for a 32 tuner configuration. It had a drawing of what the new MS looks like.

http://forums.directv.com/pe/action/forums/displaythread?rootPostID=10586181

[DBSNewbie]

Actually a single SWiM16 would manage the job for you. It has 4 fully capable legacy ports along with the 16 SWiM tuners. Unlike the orginal SWiMs, these legacy ports pass the Ka signals.

Alas, I have a few more ports in use, so a single SWiM 16 won't make it for me. :)

(Tho the Packer room only has 4 HR2x and 2 H2x.) :)

Cheers,
Tom

Hey Tom,

You are right. I guess a single SWM16 would accommodate at least 19 total tuners. And, getting back to my issue in my original post, if one of my WB616's does fail, I would be able to place a single SWM16 in its place (The 4 "legacy" ports on it will act as pass-thru ports that will allow me to cascade another multiswitch off of it).

BTW, I know that the SWM is pronounced, "Swim" rather than saying the letters, "S-W-M". Is that why you refer to the multiswitch as a "SWiM", so that it will be said that way, or are they really abbreviated that way now.

[Tom Robertson]

Hey Tom,

You are right. I guess a single SWM16 would accommodate at least 19 total tuners. And, getting back to my issue in my original post, if one of my WB616's does fail, I would be able to place a single SWM16 in its place (The 4 "legacy" ports on it will act as pass-thru ports that will allow me to cascade another multiswitch off of it).

BTW, I know that the SWM is pronounced, "Swim" rather than saying the letters, "S-W-M". Is that why you refer to the multiswitch as a "SWiM", so that it will be said that way, or are they really abbreviated that way now.

The lastest SWiM logos I've seen are just like that. On some equipment and the huge display at CEDIA this year.

Cheers,
Tom

[netraa]

somewhere, on some shred of documentation i saw somewhere...

Single Wire Integrated Multiswitch

Not sure what, where, or when, but i remember seeing it. For all I know it was an internal memo from the office and nothing official, but I do remember the 'Aha' moment I had when I saw the 'I' and went about my regularly scheduled day.

[CJTE]

Actually a single SWiM16 would manage the job for you. It has 4 fully capable legacy ports along with the 16 SWiM tuners. Unlike the orginal SWiMs, these legacy ports pass the Ka signals.

Alas, I have a few more ports in use, so a single SWiM 16 won't make it for me. :)

(Tho the Packer room only has 4 HR2x and 2 H2x.) :)

Cheers,
Tom

Waait a minute now...
Are you telling me that if the SWiM-16 actually hits production, I can put say a WB616 behind it, and connect HD equipment to the WB616 (Since the SWiM-16 is passing the KA band AND it has 4 legacy ports, not 2).


RLY!?

[RobertE]

Not if, but when. I hear that the elves are hard at work on them. ;)

[Tom Robertson]

Waait a minute now...
Are you telling me that if the SWiM-16 actually hits production, I can put say a WB616 behind it, and connect HD equipment to the WB616 (Since the SWiM-16 is passing the KA band AND it has 4 legacy ports, not 2).


RLY!?

To quote Shrek, "Really, really." :)

There are very good signs about the SWiM-16.

Cheers,
Tom

[CJTE]

Waait a minute now...
Are you telling me that if the SWiM-16 actually hits production, I can put say a WB616 behind it, and connect HD equipment to the WB616 (Since the SWiM-16 is passing the KA band AND it has 4 legacy ports, not 2).


RLY!?
To quote Shrek, "Really, really." :)

There are very good signs about the SWiM-16.

Cheers,
Tom

That actually sounds pretty cool. Now that I spent like $200 on a WB616, and got an extra WB68 from DirecTV... I'm really looking forward to buying an SWiM-16 (NOT!)


Side note: Media over Coax is awesome for older homes!! But I imagine its not compatible with DBS based systems do to the high frequencies used for HD?

[Tom Robertson]

That actually sounds pretty cool. Now that I spent like $200 on a WB616, and got an extra WB68 from DirecTV... I'm really looking forward to buying an SWiM-16 (NOT!)


Side note: Media over Coax is awesome for older homes!! But I imagine its not compatible with DBS based systems do to the high frequencies used for HD?

Media Over Coax, otherwise known as MoCA is not compatible. But DIRECTV has their own adapters that seem to be based on MoCA technologies, just at lower frequencies. And is cool stuff :)

Cheers,
Tom