[Canis Lupus]

The receiver and dish with some cable are on their way via UPS. When they get here, I'm gonna go ahead and set up the HR-20 and the AT-9. My plan is to get those going with 2 of the inputs, then temporarily connect my current SD DirecTivo to the other 2 inputs and run them side by side. My install is scheduled for 11/5 and if I run into any probs (like out of stock etc.) I'm gonna tell them I already have the hardware, and have them come anyway to tweak the dish, install the multi-switch, and move the DirecTivo to the bedroom with proper cabling (which I already told D* I wanted to do).

Since I'm in Boise, I have a 2 dish setup where 1 of them is pointing at the satellite where my locals are. My question is:

I'm assuming the new dish is pointing at every satellite, so I assume I can take down both dishes, install the AT-9 and still get my current SD locals. Is this correct?

Thanks.

 

[litzdog911]

If Boise's SD Locals come from the 72.5-deg satellite, which I think they do, then you need to keep that dish. The new AT9 5-LNB "sees" the 99, 101, 103, 110 and 119 satellites, but not 72.5-deg.

Just connect the cable from your 72.5-deg Locals dish to the "Flexport" input on the Zinwell WB68 multiswich.

 

[litzdog911]

Yes, according to Lyngsat, your Boise locals are beamed from 72.5-deg W ....
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/directvusa72.html

 

[matto]

If Boise's SD Locals come from the 72.5-deg satellite, which I think they do, then you need to keep that dish. The new AT9 5-LNB "sees" the 99, 101, 103, 110 and 119 satellites, but not 72.5-deg.

Just connect the cable from your 72.5-deg Locals dish to the "Flexport" input on the Zinwell WB68 multiswich.

This would be a great time to find out from D* whether the Slimeline is designed to accomodate an optional additional LNB assembly that integrates into it.

 

[litzdog911]

This would be a great time to find out from D* whether the Slimeline is designed to accomodate an optional additional LNB assembly that integrates into it.

I doubt that it does. The dish's reflective/focal area would have to cover a very wide section of the sky to "see" all of the satellites from 72.5-deg to 119-deg W.

 

[Canis Lupus]

Yes, according to Lyngsat, your Boise locals are beamed from 72.5-deg W ....
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/directvusa72.html

Man you guys so rawk. Thanks for looking that up litzdog.

So since I'm getting the dish and the receiver first, then waiting for the installer to bring the multiswitch (so I don't have to buy it), what I'm left with for the time being is the current 4 x 4 Zinwell that's there now. So do I want to do this?:

Run 2 outs from the AT-9 directly into the HR-20.
Run the other 2 outs from the AT-9 into the Zinwell (to feed the DirecTivo).
Run the 2 outs from the 72.5 satellite into the Zinwell (to feed the DirecTivo).

Or will the Zinwell 4x4 not likely support the AT-9 feed going to the DirecTivo ( I don't think it has wide of enough Mhz range but maybe enough to still pull the SD channels)?

(Obviously I'm trying to keep the DirectTivo going until the installer moves it so the wife doesn't shoot me for missing DH)

And my other question is: Is it easy for me to tell which dish is which? i.e. as I look Southeast from where the dishes are, would the 72.5 dish be pointing more north or more south?

Thanks again litzdog and the rest.

 

[carl6]

The 72.5 will be pointing more EAST.

I'm not sure about mixing multi-satellite feeds without the proper multiswitch. If you really want to play with the AT9 and the HR20, set them up separate from your other dishes/system. When the installer does come, you can get everything patched back together.

By the way, the AT9 uses a different mount/mast than the older dishes, so you can't just remove the old dish and install the new one. You might as well put it up in addition to, rather than in place of, your existing dish. Then when the install is complete, the old 101 dish can come down.

Carl

 

[litzdog911]

You don't want to use that old Zinwell with your new AT9 because it will not properly switch the new Ka-band LNBs (99-deg and 103-deg satellites). Any chance you could get the new multiswitch (Zinwell WB68) sooner?

 

[Canis Lupus]

The 72.5 will be pointing more EAST.

I'm not sure about mixing multi-satellite feeds without the proper multiswitch. If you really want to play with the AT9 and the HR20, set them up separate from your other dishes/system. When the installer does come, you can get everything patched back together.

By the way, the AT9 uses a different mount/mast than the older dishes, so you can't just remove the old dish and install the new one. You might as well put it up in addition to, rather than in place of, your existing dish. Then when the install is complete, the old 101 dish can come down.

Carl

Thanks Carl. That's a good plan. I was planning on replacing that 101 dish knowing that I would need the new mast, but hey - why not have 3 dishes up for a while right? I guess the only thing holding me back from having all of them set up is that I wouldn't really want to burn so much of the cable to have them all running (as I mentioned the recording on the old DirectTivo is still critical with not only potential recording issues but certainly the locals because of no OTA input yet). But I guess since I'll already have 2 cables coming through a window somewhere anyway, why not have 4 if it's temporary? Good suggestion thanks.

 

[Canis Lupus]

You don't want to use that old Zinwell with your new AT9 because it will not properly switch the new Ka-band LNBs (99-deg and 103-deg satellites). Any chance you could get the new multiswitch (Zinwell WB68) sooner?

Thanks litzdog. I think I'll go with Carl's suggestion since most of it is temporary anyway 'til the installer comes. This way I don't have to buy the WB68 and the rest of the necessary cable runs to move the DirecTivo to the bedroom, which is on the other side of the house. I'm assuming I can use the sightline of the 101 dish to get me in the right "neighborhood" when I mount the AT-9 next to it?

Thanks guys. Big help.