B-Converter location question

[smpjmp]

First off, a thank you to everyone on this forum for all the help and great information.

My question is about the location on the B-converters. Instead of locating them on the back of my (2) HR20's, I move them to 4 ports on the output side of my Zinwell 6x16. The last installer that came out said that that won't work when they start using those frequencies. My location is St. Louis, MO and I believe that my locals are not using those converters. The cable length between the converters and the receivers is about 35 feet. Do I need to move them back to the rear of the receivers? I moved them to the multi switch so I could slide the receivers back further on the shelf they are on.

Thanks again.

I will go back to lurking now.

 

[iceturkee]

gosh, good question, i'll answer to the best of my ability. i believe you will eventually need those b-band converters on the back of your h20 and hr20 to receive the mpeg4 programming. this will become more necessary after directv 10 is launched in early july and the additional hd programming becomes available this fall.

 

[Jimbo]

First off, a thank you to everyone on this forum for all the help and great information.

My question is about the location on the B-converters. Instead of locating them on the back of my (2) HR20's, I move them to 4 ports on the output side of my Zinwell 6x16. The last installer that came out said that that won't work when they start using those frequencies. My location is St. Louis, MO and I believe that my locals are not using those converters. The cable length between the converters and the receivers is about 35 feet. Do I need to move them back to the rear of the receivers? I moved them to the multi switch so I could slide the receivers back further on the shelf they are on.

Thanks again.

I will go back to lurking now.

I believe you will NOT need them on future recievers.
As for your now, I would find a way to weatherproof them and let it go as it is.

Jimbo

 

[iceturkee]

i believe it was the april directv newsletter that was offering subs a chance to get their b-band converters if they didn't have any presently. i specifically recall the article said the converters would be necessary when the new sats went up!

 

[Ramy]

Welcome to the forum smpjmp!!!

 

[smpjmp]

Thanks

Thanks for the input. I guess my question is not so much wether or not I need them now or in the future, but wether the location of the converter matters. My switch is located in my basement in a Leviton Media enclosure and the 4 converters are connected to the switch before the cables that go to the receivers. The installer thought that I would have noise issues with this arrangement. Along those lines, I noticed that when I tune to some of the 90's channels, I only get a black screen. Mostly the NGC Sneek Preview channel. Is this common, or should I try moving the converters and checking the channel again?

Thanks

 

[raoul5788]

Thanks for the input. I guess my question is not so much wether or not I need them now or in the future, but wether the location of the converter matters. My switch is located in my basement in a Leviton Media enclosure and the 4 converters are connected to the switch before the cables that go to the receivers. The installer thought that I would have noise issues with this arrangement. Along those lines, I noticed that when I tune to some of the 90's channels, I only get a black screen. Mostly the NGC Sneek Preview channel. Is this common, or should I try moving the converters and checking the channel again?

Thanks

The NGC hd sneak peak channel isn't on much. Check the guide for that info. As far as the location for the b band convertors, I have no idea, but they shouldn't prevent you from moving the receiver back. They should fit behind the receiver with no problem.

 

[cforrest]

BBC is not needed until D10 is in the air and the new HD channels are launched. If you screwed them into the output, I assume you had a small coax run and then used a barrel connector, otherwise the BBC is on backward. I would just put them behind the receiver to be sure of no problems, so the BBC can do its thing once D10 is up and we have new HD channels.

 

[Jimbo]

BBC is not needed until D10 is in the air and the new HD channels are launched. If you screwed them into the output, I assume you had a small coax run and then used a barrel connector, otherwise the BBC is on backward. I would just put them behind the receiver to be sure of no problems, so the BBC can do its thing once D10 is up and we have new HD channels.

I just got a HR20-100, it had NO b band converters, does the -100 not require them, thought I'd heard that previously , but never had one before so didn't pay close attention.

Does the HR20-100 already have this converter built into it ?

Jimbo

 

[Brewer4]

No they should be in the box. My HR20-100 came with them. They are in these little cardboard grayish boxes. If not included, you can go to website and request them. I dont have link. Does anyone remember the link to order them?

 

[cforrest]

Here is the link to BBC landing page: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4200018

Link to order BBC: http://directv.qrs1.net/bbc/bbcForm.jsp

 

[Brewer4]

Thanks cforrest.

 

[iceturkee]

No they should be in the box. My HR20-100 came with them. They are in these little cardboard grayish boxes. If not included, you can go to website and request them. I dont have link. Does anyone remember the link to order them?

i think it was the april newsletter that the link was mentioned. i did some research online thursday and i couldn't find the newsletter.

take this with a grain of salt, i asked the installer who just left. he told me the reason you'll need the converters in the fall is because most of the hd programming will be on sat 99, which requires the converter. since this isn't coming from anyone official at directv, he may or may not know what he's talking about!

 

[Brewer4]

A sticker on the side of the box states that you need them when the new sat launches. I've seen a few posts saying you dont but as long as it doenst hurt anything, go ahead and install them.

 

[iceturkee]

i'm pretty sure you will need them, brewer!

 

[Jimbo]

Here is the link to BBC landing page: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4200018

Link to order BBC: http://directv.qrs1.net/bbc/bbcForm.jsp

Thanks for the link cforrest,
Thanks for the help also Brewer,
After looking around I found that I DO have the BBC's and I am all set.

Jimbo

 

[iceturkee]

good deal jimbo! and thanks for posting the link cforrest.

 

[texasbrit]

Just to clarify.
The b-band converters do nothing today. Some installers and techs have strange ideas that you need them to get 99, or you need them to get local HD channels, but none of that is true. Installing them now is a good idea because first, if they have any effect on your current system they are faulty and need to be replaced, and second, it makes sure you don't lose them.
When the new satellites DirecTV10 and 11 launch (into the 99 and 103 slots) they will transmit signals in the b-band. The H20 receiver and HR20 DVR can't receive b-band signals, so the b-band converters move the signals back into a frequency band the H20/HR20 can receive.
They need to be installed "close" to the H20/HR20 - in fact they are supposed to be plugged directly into the H20/HR20 input connectors. But no-one really knows what "close" means....They are NOT reversible, so installing them anywhere else would need extra connectors anyway.

 

[magicofdisney]

When the new satellites DirecTV10 and 11 launch (into the 99 and 103 slots) they will transmit signals in the b-band. The H20 receiver and HR20 DVR can't receive b-band signals, so the b-band converters move the signals back into a frequency band the H20/HR20 can receive.

If the H20 and HR20 were conceived to replace all other receivers, why were they not prepared to receive the b-band signal?

 

[texasbrit]

If the H20 and HR20 were conceived to replace all other receivers, why were they not prepared to receive the b-band signal?

That's a good question, I have not seen a good answer. But the new single-wire multiswitch (SWM) which is expected to be available later this year, won't work WITH the bbcs, if you use the SWM you will have to remove them.

By the way, there is now a bbc test channel, for those of you who have the H20 or HR20. Go to channel 499. If you see a searching for satellite message, your bbcs are installed and working. If you see an info slide, they are not. I assume that if you have them installed too far from the receiver, the info slide will appear because it thinks you do not have them installed.