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DirecTV HD Satellite Dish - How many coax cables?

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
After canceling DirecTV in April and going to cable to save some money, we're going back to DirecTV but we're getting HD service now. I assume the installer will replace the dish we have on the roof (one from about 2000) with a current one.

However, I still want to use my TiVo HD for OTA ATSC and there is another run up to the attic/roof so I can attach an antenna to that - but I want to make sure that the new HD service won't be using that.

How many cables will be connected to the HD satellite dish? Currently the dish uses two, but I'm not sure if it will require 3.
 
rahlquist

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#2 ·
al4 said:
After canceling DirecTV in April and going to cable to save some money, we're going back to DirecTV but we're getting HD service now. I assume the installer will replace the dish we have on the roof (one from about 2000) with a current one.

However, I still want to use my TiVo HD for OTA ATSC and there is another run up to the attic/roof so I can attach an antenna to that - but I want to make sure that the new HD service won't be using that.

How many cables will be connected to the HD satellite dish? Currently the dish uses two, but I'm not sure if it will require 3.
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Each HD tuner uses 1 connection. Each HD DVR can use 1 or 2 connections depending on if you want to pay (or luck out and get one) for a SWM which can run a 2 tuner DVR over a single cable from the SWM.

A little info on a SWM. There are 2 models that I am aware of. Your Dish and its 4 lnb connections would go to it. Then for example there is a SWM8 which can feed 8 Tuners. A normal receiver has one tuner and a dvr 2. Unfortunately they are not 'the norm' on installs yet, they can be purchased separately and used however.

If you dont get SWM then you will need one cable per tuner which can be fed out of a normal multiswitch.
 
BattleZone

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The *standard* answer is that you will need 4 cables coming from the dish down to a ground block. From there, if you need 4 or less active tuners, lines will be run directly from the ground block to the receivers. If you need 5 or more tuners, the 4 lines will run into a WB68 multiswitch, which has 8 outputs, and the lines to the tuners will run from there.

There is a new technology called SWM (single wire multiswitch), but it is very new, and at this time is only installed for NEW customers who order a specific configuration of equipment. The version used in residential work is integrated into the LNB of the Slimline dish (the 5-LNB dish used for HD), and only a single coax comes out from it. The coax is split and can feed 8 tuners, BUT only the latest receivers work with this technology, which means your HR10 is not compatible with SWM-slimline dishes.

There is an external SWM unit available, intended for commercial installs, that you can purchase. 4 lines from a standard slimline dish feed it, and one line comes out to be split to feed your SWM-enabled receivers. It also has 3 "legacy" ports that can feed older non-SWM-capable receivers. DirecTV will NOT supply these (called SWM-8), but they cost about $130 these days if you think you want one. They allow the 2-tuner DVRs to be fed with a single cable which runs both tuners, which is the primary benefit.
 
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#8 ·
Grentz said:
Yes, they will install what is necessary for the number of receivers and service you ordered ;)
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ONLY. Anything not on the workorder is customer, and will cary a charge, and will possably be refused based on time. I have no problem doing extra runs if a) time permits, b)is feasable withing alloted time c)its not a long run, like 10-20 feet i'll do free, but basicaly a 5th run from dish im gonna charge.

Hopefully u'll get a precall from the tech that day and let him know at that time, he may elect to run to a few "easier" jobs first and ask if he can roll later in order to do the extras ur askin, it all depends on his workload, and who knows u could get a tech with just ur upgrade/install and the rest are service calls, or box for box swaps.
 
BattleZone

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#9 ·
al4 said:
Will the DirecTV installer run one or two more additional cables to support the new dish?
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Yes, but there may be additional charges if you want/need those lines wall fished, run though the attic, or whatever. A standard install means running cables on the outside of the house; anything non-standard is a chargable item.
 
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Discussion Starter · #10 ·
They installed it - satellite dish was installed on the back of the house exterior where the fireplace extends out, and then they ran four wires off the exterior part of the house across and in where the cold air return is and over to the wall.

I got a Zinwell WB68 Multi-Switch.

However I got an HR21-200 (when I wanted a -700 - what is the difference between the -200 and -700 and does that affect how easy it is to use an external drive?).

I wasn't here, but when I got home they had pulled out my TiVo HD (instead of putting it elsewhere in the rack) and hooked it up - with an HDMI cable, and the optical, and no network cable (it was hooked up to the TiVo HD).

And they didn't leave me a power cable to use with the TiVo HD. Oh, and I turned on the TV - saw the DirecTV, so I had to go to a different input to look at my TiVo HD and I noticed the green for the Now Playing List was ... off. Checked the TV settings and they had re-calibrated it.
 
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