Is this a good switch for my set up?

[keeneking]

I will be moving in two weeks and will be doing a self install again at my new house. I currently have a HDVR2 and a std round 18"? dish and I will be adding a second DVR (Pioneer 810HS). I have been reading a lot about multiswitches and I am thinking about buying a Zinwell 4803 4x8 switch. I chose this switch based on some positive things I have read and on the idea that I might add a third DVR sometime in the future. I have never used or installed a multiswitch before. I plan on doing a chimney mount for the dish and putting the switch either in an unfinished, full sized attic or on the outside of my house and running the necessary two cables to each DVR. It sounds easy but I'm sure I am forgeting something. Any words of wisdom, advise, or comments about my switch choice or install plan? Is it better to put the switch inside the attic? Does it matter how far I put the switch from the dish? How is the switch powered? Forgive the multiple novice questions, but I want to do this right. Thanks! PS...I tried to use the DTV Easy mover service but the house I am moving to is in a former Pegasus area and I never received a callback from a local installer in the promised 72 hours. What a hassle this has been. So much for making moving easy.

[jdspencer]

Will you be using the 18" round dish at the new house? If yes, then the 4x8 switch isn't needed. Can you get your locals from DirecTV, and on what satellite? You only need a 2x8 for the equipment you have, and most of those are unpowered.

If you install the newer Phase III triple LNB oval dish, then the 4801 will work just fine. What you want to do is run all four lines from the Phase III to a common location where you would attach the 4x8 switch. The switch is powered by using a separate coax line connected to a power supply. If your attic gets hot in the summer, I wouldn't put it there.

I'd try the movers program again. They will install the new dish etc for you. However, I'd do as much work as possible first.

[gor88]

If you live in Keene, NH, you receive your channels from Boston. In this case, you wouldn't need a Phase III, unless you want HD. In this case, a 2 X 8 multiswitch should work fine with a round dish.

Also, your address may qualify for NY/LA distant channels. Just tried 101 main st, Keene, NH 03431 and it qualifies for all 4 major nets.

[keeneking]

My new address qualifies for both the Boston Locals and DNS from NY & LA.
Do I have to chose one of the two or can I have both? I currently have the Boston locals and it would be nice to get the NY stations also. Does anyone know the answer to this?

[jdspencer]

The only ones that can answer that question with certainty is DirecTV. If you get the right CSR that is.:)

[lowjeep]

My new address qualifies for both the Boston Locals and DNS from NY & LA.
Do I have to chose one of the two or can I have both? I currently have the Boston locals and it would be nice to get the NY stations also. Does anyone know the answer to this?

Yes!! If your new address is eligible and you are willing to pay for the channels than of course you can have both your locals and the DNS. Hmmm... I guess I'm the right CSR and you didn't even have to wait on hold. How's that for D* customer service? :D

[dswallow]

My new address qualifies for both the Boston Locals and DNS from NY & LA.
Do I have to chose one of the two or can I have both? I currently have the Boston locals and it would be nice to get the NY stations also. Does anyone know the answer to this?
How are you qualifying for both without waivers?

The only way you can get a local market is to be in a local market; if you're in a local market, you have stations claiming you, that, without a waiver in place for them, prohibit you from subscribing to DNS channels.

What does this page report when you enter your address? http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressEntry.asp

[Bob Haller]

Chimney mounts are bad idea. the wind causes the dishes to vibrate, over time this can weaken chimneys, and cause cracking of the chimney cap. invsible from the ground the cap is cement around the liner.

once it cracks water gets in and freezes, liner cracks, liner collapses into chimney and locks flue.

carbon monoxide poisioning and death risk.

all invisible from the ground, if you do a chimney install you MUST check it every year!!

I nearly died from CO poisioning

[Mike500]

I will be moving in two weeks and will be doing a self install again at my new house. I currently have a HDVR2 and a std round 18"? dish and I will be adding a second DVR (Pioneer 810HS). I have been reading a lot about multiswitches and I am thinking about buying a Zinwell 4803 4x8 switch. I chose this switch based on some positive things I have read and on the idea that I might add a third DVR sometime in the future. I have never used or installed a multiswitch before. I plan on doing a chimney mount for the dish and putting the switch either in an unfinished, full sized attic or on the outside of my house and running the necessary two cables to each DVR. It sounds easy but I'm sure I am forgeting something. Any words of wisdom, advise, or comments about my switch choice or install plan? Is it better to put the switch inside the attic? Does it matter how far I put the switch from the dish? How is the switch powered? Forgive the multiple novice questions, but I want to do this right. Thanks! PS...I tried to use the DTV Easy mover service but the house I am moving to is in a former Pegasus area and I never received a callback from a local installer in the promised 72 hours. What a hassle this has been. So much for making moving easy.

The Zinwell SAM4803 is a good switch. It will serve any current and currently projected future DirecTV appication, including the round dish and the oval dish in the Phase I, II and III configurations. It is, however, more switch than necessary for the 18 inch round dish. It is powered through a coaxial cable using standard "F" connector via plug in "wall wart" power supply.

Attic mounting is fine. I'd mount in the air flow slipstream at the base of the attic 2x4 outside wall top plate right above a soffit vent to facilitate cooling. Keep the attic insulation off of the switch. For most installs, however, I prefer to mount the switch on the ceiling outside under an eave, the connection ports horizontal, and with drip loops sloping downwards from the connector ports to drain off condensation and rain splash. Cables into the attic can go in through small holes made into the undersides of the soffit. This corner area is also where there are rain gutter downspouts. Cables or the ground wire can be run under the downspout or in the corner "J" channel used for vinyl siding, should the house be so clad in siding.

The strongest place on a house is the three corner convergence of the roof and the two walls at the corner of the house. This is also where the wood of the house framing rafters are easiest to locate. Accordingly, I prefer always to mount in this area. In this area, only short cables are needed to reach the switch mounted under the soffit/eave.

[gor88]

dswallow,

The reason why keeneking can get both Boston locals and NY/LA distants is that he lives in a white area considered to be too far away to get a grade B signal of all major network affiliates. The SHVIA does not care whether or not you have a locals package available. It is strictly based on whether or not you can get a decent signal OTA with a big antenna.

Changes to the law this year may block people with locals from getting them, though.

BTW, I get FOX NY due to the fact that we didn't have a FOX affiliate for over two years in Jackson, MS. We have had a new affiliate on the air for a year, but that new station hasn't been added to the Distant Qualification database for DirecTV. Hopefully, it won't be added anytime soon, since the owners were too cheap to install MTS stereo equipment. :D I only watch the local FOX for local programming. For the network stuff, I watch FOX NY!