Will D*installers pull cables thru existing conduit?

[donshan]

I have a question about what D* will do for me to add an additional HR20 DVR in our BR and also connect my OTA antenna for HDTV locals. The OTA is essential to get our 5 local HD stations since my DMA is WAY down the list for D* locals.

When the house was built I installed a 1 inch conduit from a wall box behind the TV that runs about 15 ft up to the roof overhang near a removable air vent for access from the outside of a single story house. This open conduit end is about 20 feet from my present 5 LNB dish with two RG 6 now going to the Family Rm big screen with the first HR 20 which also has a third RG6 from the OTA UHF antenna mounted beside the dish run to the HR 20 OTA input.

Before I call D* about an upgrade I would appreciate any info as how to ask the right questions and if D* installers will run 3 RG-6 lines from the BR up this conduit to the dish, connect two of them to the dish, and then connect the third RG 6 to my OTA antenna mounted right beside the dish with a splitter. ( there is plenty of gain for a splitter). Also what sort of grounding block should I ask for where the cables enter the house?

Is this so far outside the "normal" install that D* will do, or will I have to install the cables myself?

Thanks for any comments and other's experience.:)

[Dusty]

It's ouside the standard installation, which by now is well defined. They run the cables in closest distance to the outside wall and drill a hole through it, run the wires across the floor. Anything else is non-standard. You've got to talk to your installer.

[saryon]

Yea, talk to the installer when they get there. I heard it's $25/run for additional lines, $75/run to fish.

[donshan]

It's ouside the standard installation, which by now is well defined. They run the cables in closest distance to the outside wall and drill a hole through it, run the wires across the floor. Anything else is non-standard. You've got to talk to your installer.

Thanks. I was afraid that was the answer. There is a Bathroom door between the outside wall and the wall where the LCD is wall mounted beside the conduit box on an inside side wall.

I can just see us falling flat on our *** tripping over those cables on the floor crossing the bathroom doorway!:lol:

I suspect I may run the conduit part and see if they will do the rest of the outside part. Actually I still have Charter basic cable on this new HDTV now and they will put in a HD cable box for $23.95, so I may need to negotiate too.

[ctwilliams]

When we built our house I installed a conduit that exited out of the side of a dormer next to where I wanted the dish placed and ran to my equipment room in the basement.

They ran four coax cables through it without extra charge, but I think it was because it made their job easier than running them down the exterior wall.

Hoperfully you will get a good installer.

[Stuart Sweet]

It couldn't hurt to ask the installer nicely, after you've greeted him warmly and with a friendly handshake. They're people too, and while rules are rules, there is always some latitude when they are out in the field.

[donshan]

It couldn't hurt to ask the installer nicely, after you've greeted him warmly and with a friendly handshake. They're people too, and while rules are rules, there is always some latitude when they are out in the field.

Good suggestions all. I need to see if I can get the same local guy D* sent out to install my upgrade HR-20 and 5 LNB dish last June. If I can get him he owes me a little. He did not know how to set up local OTA channels on the HR-20 and I trained him on the setup , and he was happy for all the info about our five local OTA HDTV stations I gave him. It was a good install- win-win for both of us. I even have an electrican's snake and can run it up the conduit and be all ready to pull cable like it is the only way the job should be done.

[jautor]

If it were me, I'd greet him with a handshake and point to a pull string that I had fished through before he got there, and kindly explain how much easier it will be for him to just attach his wires and pull...

Anything works as a pull string, BTW... Old phone wire, an existing piece of coax (that can be replaced by one more being pulled through).

Good foresight on having the conduit installed!

Jeff