[Hootermancs]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried looking and couldn't really figure out an exact answer.

I just got my hr20 installed and hooked up, my installers were amazing, my lowest signal is a 94. But they did not have my extra d11's that i ordered, or a wb68 in the van. So they asked what I wanted them to do, I told them just run the wires to the rooms and I'll hook them up, and then the installer dropped off my d11's and wb68 the next day.

So wiring the wb68 in is no problem, but my question comes in with my OTA ant. I believe its possible for me to just hook my ant into one of the flexports on the wb68, and then just use a diplexer on my hr20, is this correct?

Right now I have the little FTM dongles on the hr20 and I was reading some stuff on here about people saying they dont play well with multiswitches is this correct? Or is that just when dtv upgrades the fw to support the FTM signal?

And lastly, right now they have my signals going through a grounding plate and as I understood them I am just replacing that with the wb68, do I have to worry about grounding the wb68 too?

Thanks for anything guys!

 

[bobnielsen]

You really ought to have a separate cable for OTA, since if diplexed it could interfere with signals from the 99/103 LNBs. It won't be a problem right now, but will next year after new satellites are launched. Those dongles aren't for FTM, but are b-band converters which will be used for those same new satellites. It is possible to put these converters directly after the WB68 and add a diplexer after the converters for OTA (the flex ports won't work for that). This should work, but since those frequencies aren't used yet, nobody knows for sure. If you don't have any grounding blocks on the antenna side of the WB68, grounding that would be a good idea.

 

[Hootermancs]

so for right now i could plug the OTA into one of the flexports and it would properly diplex the signal into the outputs? I would just like to get the OTA signal into my boxes asap, I'll worry about properly running the OTA by itself when I have more time.

also, should I just leave the grounding block that they used in there and just put the wb68 in right after that? Because I dont see an actual port or anything to ground to on the wb68, or should i just ground to one of the screw holes of it when I mount it.

Thanks for all the info

 

[old7]

The flexports will NOT work for OTA. The WB68 is not designed to have OTA diplexed on.

Yes, leave the grounding block in place and install the WB68 after that. Install the WB68, or any multiswitch, vertically, so that the ports are on the right and left. If you install it with the ports on top and bottom, you will have problems with moisture getting into the multiswitch.

 

[Hootermancs]

ok

thanks for the tip on mounting the multiswitch

 

[carl6]

To diplex with the WB68 you need to install the diplexer after the output of the WB68, then another at the receiver location. This will probably only work for a few months until the next two satellites are on line.

Carl

 

[DFDureiko]

Please forgive my very simplistic question. I had an R10 with oval dish and one basic reciever in the house. I bought HR20 at CC and replaced R10 and activated it, recieved all channels except my locals. Installer came out five days later to install slimline 5 sat dish, he was done in 30min and simply replaced dish, I noticed dish has 3LNB's on it. Now I get the locals and HD package just fine.
On this forum I've noticed people saying you must have a new Multiswitch installed with the HR20/5sat dish? I don't believe he did this, Why or why not would one need this.
Thanks
Dan

 

[carl6]

If you are now getting your local HD stations on the satellite, the dish you got is the slimline 5-LNB dish. It is larger than the old oval dish.

You only need a multiswitch if:
a) you need more than four connections, OR
b) you have a separate dish for locals (72.5), OR
c) you have a separate dish for international (95).

From posts on various forums, I thought that installers were supposed to install a WB68 regardless, however it will work just fine without one, as long as you don't meet one of the three criteria I noted.

Carl

 

[bobnielsen]

One thread indicated that the first production run of Slimline dishes had a problem and a multiswitch was needed with these in all cases. This apparently has been fixed with later units.

 

[spunkyvision]

You only need a multiswitch if:
a) you need more than four connections, OR

How many connections can i have with the multiswitch? Do I need to ask for it? I just signed up for the HR20...Retention knows I currently have 2 dishes one front of the house that has 2 connections (or runs to one tv for dual tuner tivo) and the one on the back goes to 6 runs...2 dual tuner tivos (total of 4) and 2 single tuner tivo connections (total of 2)...She said they would take the dish down off the front of the house and everything would be off the back new dish..

 

[bobnielsen]

WB68 multiswitch has 8 outputs. There are models with 12 and 16 also, but they are much more expensive, so they might cascade 2 (or use power-passing splitters with two) instead.

 

[FastEddie]

I have the slimline dish and the 6x8 multi switch.

I also have a 4x8 powered multiswitch that runs off the 6x8 that I hooked my HR20 up to and am able to receive the MPEG locals. I went to channel 490-494 and had all the sats. I just wonder if I got lucky and the 4x8 powered unit is a zimwell or if the way its connected to the 6x8 is such a configuration that it works.

I have all my HD locals.

The 6x8 has the first two ports going straight to my HR20 and the last 4 ports feeding the 4x8 the 4x8 then has all 8 ports feeding the rest of the house (2 HR10-250's & 2 R-15's) I took the lines off my HR10-250 and switched them with the HR20 to see if it would work and it did...weird huh?

 

[carl6]

I believe the full bandwidth capabilities of the WB68 won't be used until sometime next year (2007) after the next two satellites are on-line.

Carl

 

[prdola]

I have triple LNB dish and just purchased HR-20 Receiver. What do i need to start receiveing HD chanels.
Do I need 4x4 multiswich ?

 

[ericlhyman]

I currently have 3 HD-DirecTivos. When I replace them with 3 HR20s, will the standard new multiswitch suffice or will a special one be needed for this many boxes?

 

[carl6]

prdola: You need a new dish (the 5-LNB). If you need a multiswitch, the current one specified for use with that dish is the WB68, which is a 6x8.

ericlhyman: Pretty much the same answer I gave prdola. If you are going to have 4 or fewer DVR's total, then the 6x8 multiswitch will do the job. If you plan to keep 2 or 3 of the DirecTivos going also, then you will need either two 6x8's or one 6x16.

Carl

 

[spunkyvision]

Carl: Can i use that WB68 with the 3lnb dish? I do not have the hr20 running off that dish. I am looking to get rid of the powered switch

 

[JVM]

prdola: You need a new dish (the 5-LNB). If you need a multiswitch, the current one specified for use with that dish is the WB68, which is a 6x8.

ericlhyman: Pretty much the same answer I gave prdola. If you are going to have 4 or fewer DVR's total, then the 6x8 multiswitch will do the job. If you plan to keep 2 or 3 of the DirecTivos going also, then you will need either two 6x8's or one 6x16.

Carl

Where is there documentation that the 5 LNB dish requires a 6x8 multi switch? I have 4 lines going to a 4x8 powered multi switch with 5 lines coming out (2 DVR and 1 receiver).

 

[carl6]

Carl: Can i use that WB68 with the 3lnb dish? I do not have the hr20 running off that dish. I am looking to get rid of the powered switch

Yes, although you can use any multiswitch in that case.

Carl

 

[carl6]

Where is there documentation that the 5 LNB dish requires a 6x8 multi switch? I have 4 lines going to a 4x8 powered multi switch with 5 lines coming out (2 DVR and 1 receiver).

When the new satellites go on-line later this year, there will be downlinks from the dish to the receiver outside the frequency handling capability of the 4x8 and you will not receive them properly.

Installation should include a WB68 if you need a multiswitch. Your 4x8 should have been replaced with the WB68.

As to a specific reference, not off the top of my head. I'm sure someone will add that information.

Carl