Building a new house and have some questions about satellite install

[lemosley01]

We met with the company that will be doing the structured wiring in the house that is being built. He indicated that the roof drop will include 3 runs of cable, but that E*/DTV were actually wanting up to 5 to allow handling HD?

I was under the impression that I would only need 1 or 2 cable drops from the dish to handle SD and HD?

All cable terminates back to a central location. We are planning on having a dual tuner DVR in one room, a single tuner DVR in another, and possibly one or two other non-dvr SD boxes in two other rooms (in the future).

Also, can I use a single run to the dual-tuner DVR then use a diplexer to split the signal to the two tuners in it (and will this still allow HD?), or do I need to have two actual runs from the satellite switch (sorry, don't know the terminology)? We had two runs from the switch in the old house to service the dual-tuner DVR.

My current plan is to have 2 cable outlets in the room that will have the dual-tuner DVR - one outlet will feed the DVR, the other will be used to feed the signal from output 2 back to an RF modulator so the other TVs in the house have access to that tuner.

Thanks for any help - we're not at the point where we MUST make the decision, but that will be happening in the next month or two and I want to be prepared.

 

[garys]

With HD, you would need three lines to a Dish Network switch, switches can then be cascaded to allow more coax runs from the point of the original switch. Lines output from the switch cannot be duplexed to run additional receivers. If you use a DishPro switch, a coax run is needed for each tuner (dual tuners would then need two lines). If you use a DishProPlus switch, you would need one coax run for each receiver (dual tuners can make use of a DPP Separator to feed both tuners, you cannot use a Separator to run to different receivers). Hope this helps.

 

[lemosley01]

With HD, you would need three lines to a Dish Network switch, switches can then be cascaded to allow more coax runs from the point of the original switch. Lines output from the switch cannot be duplexed to run additional receivers. If you use a DishPro switch, a coax run is needed for each tuner (dual tuners would then need two lines). If you use a DishProPlus switch, you would need one coax run for each receiver (dual tuners can make use of a DPP Separator to feed both tuners, you cannot use a Separator to run to different receivers). Hope this helps.

I'm not quite sure what you said. Is tere a dictionary of acronyms/terms around here or elsewhere?

DishPro is the old switch, correct? I believe that is what we had in the old house (since I'm not there anymore, I can't look), but it required to separate runs to the dual tuner DVR - a separate either couldn't be used or wasn't available at the time (around 3 years ago when it was installed).

It sounds like I 'only' need 3 drops from the roof mount for the dish to handle HD and SD for the whole house? Is there some reason why I would need 5 drops or is that just for future proofing?

Also, is the answer any different for DTV? I didn't want to crosspost the same question in two different forums for fear of being rude.

 

[jwestpfahl]

Direct TV will use 4 cables for their dish. A 5th cable could be used for an OTA antenna or as a spare.

 

[585960]

I would have 3 sets of dual w/ground run. DTV and E* each could use yp to 4 lines, one for OTA, and a spare line, to boot. Coax can go bad you know.

 

[garys]

I'm not quite sure what you said. Is tere a dictionary of acronyms/terms around here or elsewhere?

DishPro is the old switch, correct? I believe that is what we had in the old house (since I'm not there anymore, I can't look), but it required to separate runs to the dual tuner DVR - a separate either couldn't be used or wasn't available at the time (around 3 years ago when it was installed).

It sounds like I 'only' need 3 drops from the roof mount for the dish to handle HD and SD for the whole house? Is there some reason why I would need 5 drops or is that just for future proofing?

Also, is the answer any different for DTV? I didn't want to crosspost the same question in two different forums for fear of being rude.

Legacy is the "old" equipment. Current is DIshPro and DishProPlus, DP switches cost less than the DPP. You would need two runs to dual tuners but only one if you use DPP (DPP Separators come with dual tuner receivers or you can pickup at local dealers). You can still use DishPro if you can wire enough lines from the switch. Three lines are needed from the dish(es) to the switch but you may want more for backup. Don't know about Direct.

 

[GeorgeLV]

Spend the extra money to overbuild your communications wiring. Monoprice charges less than $50 per 1000ft of RG6. At those prices, there's no excuse not to future proof your house by running at least two lines to every room.

 

[lemosley01]

Thanks for the info.

George, the additional two drops (total of 5) from the roof will run $330, which is kind of high for just running cable.

It will make adding OTA easier, in the end.

 

[Jared Twomey]

With HD, you would need three lines to a Dish Network switch,

Unless you are in an area that uses an FSS satellite... in which case you need 4.

I would run 5 coax from the dish location (and maybe 2 more if you think you may ever need to get satellite internet). And 2 runs to each wallplate in each main room(living room, bedrooms,office, ect), and 1 to any secondary rooms (kitchens, bathrooms, patios, ect). With that, and possibly a few diplexers, the installers should be able to hook it up anyway you want

 

[Claude Greiner]

Minimum 4 cables to the roof, 5 if you want to include an off-air.

Behind each Tv, you want a minimum of (2) Coax Runs, a CAT 6 and a telephone line.

On your main Tv, and in the master bedroom, increase to 4 Coax runs and add a 2nd CAT6.

See my house.

New House Photos

Have you considered doing any of the wiring yourself? Just as an example my house cost me $6000 in matterials to wire, if I had to pay someone to wire it for me it would have easily cost me $10,000 if not more!

 

[Claude Greiner]

Heres an example of all the plates in my house...

 

[Chris Freeland]

You might also want to run some conduit from your roof to your distribution panel, this way if your needs change in the future you can easily add or subtract cables easily as needed. I too plan on building a new home in the next year or so and this is what I plan on doing. I am also thinking of doing FTA satellite eventually in addition to E* or D* and ota. Also my local power company is running fiber for a smart grid system and will add phone, cable and faster broadband service via fiber starting in early 2009, once it reaches my new house I may switch from satellite to this new service depending on price, channel and package line up available at that time. I want my structured wiring system as future proof as possible.

 

[cgtyoder]

I built a new house 4 years ago, and did all the coax/Cat5 wiring myself. I have a "network room" in the basement, where all the drops in all rooms terminate - a "star" topology. The 2 coax cables coming in from my DishPro sat dish are then routed through the house to the room with my 722 unit, and then 1 more coax comes back down to the network room (so - 3 total coax lines to the room with the 722 unit), where it is attached to a multi-way splitter, which goes to many rooms - I can switch cables from any room around. Same idea if you had more tuners (and, if you have the RF remotes for the additional single-tuner units, put the tuner(s) in the network room, run the output to a splitter and have that go to multiple rooms at once).

When the Dish installers come to install the new DishPro/Plus, they will provide the (2 runs for my 722) coax from the DishPro itself to wherever in your house (at least that's what they did for me) as part of the install. You shouldn't need to have your wiring company pre-place the coax outside of your house. If you're unsure, call Dish or a local installer and ask what is provided in the standard install package.

 

[brewerdude]

don't skimp on cabling at this point - put in way more than you'll think you'll need.

also make sure you put in plenty of cabling for speakers. and if you're buidling a paitio/deck, don't forget about wiring out there.

 

[Claude Greiner]

You might also want to run some conduit from your roof to your distribution panel, this way if your needs change in the future you can easily add or subtract cables easily as needed. I too plan on building a new home in the next year or so and this is what I plan on doing. I am also thinking of doing FTA satellite eventually in addition to E* or D* and ota. Also my local power company is running fiber for a smart grid system and will add phone, cable and faster broadband service via fiber starting in early 2009, once it reaches my new house I may switch from satellite to this new service depending on price, channel and package line up available at that time. I want my structured wiring system as future proof as possible.

Conduit is a good idea!

I bought some orange flex conduit used for fiber optics and have a seperate conduit run to each box so I can fish additional cables in the future!

 

[Andrewwski]

I built a new house 4 years ago, and did all the coax/Cat5 wiring myself. I have a "network room" in the basement, where all the drops in all rooms terminate - a "star" topology. The 2 coax cables coming in from my DishPro sat dish are then routed through the house to the room with my 722 unit, and then 1 more coax comes back down to the network room (so - 3 total coax lines to the room with the 722 unit), where it is attached to a multi-way splitter, which goes to many rooms - I can switch cables from any room around. Same idea if you had more tuners (and, if you have the RF remotes for the additional single-tuner units, put the tuner(s) in the network room, run the output to a splitter and have that go to multiple rooms at once).

When the Dish installers come to install the new DishPro/Plus, they will provide the (2 runs for my 722) coax from the DishPro itself to wherever in your house (at least that's what they did for me) as part of the install. You shouldn't need to have your wiring company pre-place the coax outside of your house. If you're unsure, call Dish or a local installer and ask what is provided in the standard install package.

Yes, you want the wiring company to place the wiring for the dish. Either you get the wires ran to that location before the house is finished, and everything is nice, neat, and easy; or you have Dish Network come out, drill through the side of your house, and staple cables up the side. Your choice. I say run everything first.

It's not a bad idea to run conduit from your wiring room to both the basement and attic. By doing so, you should have a way to run any cables in the future should you need them.

 

[cgtyoder]

Yes, you want the wiring company to place the wiring for the dish. Either you get the wires ran to that location before the house is finished, and everything is nice, neat, and easy; or you have Dish Network come out, drill through the side of your house, and staple cables up the side. Your choice. I say run everything first.

It's not a bad idea to run conduit from your wiring room to both the basement and attic. By doing so, you should have a way to run any cables in the future should you need them.

I agree - you don't want the installers mucking up the outside of the house. I have conduit in from the outside for phone and coax, and my dish is mounted on a post away from the house and the cable is buried, so it is a different situation from the OP.

I too have PVC conduit pipe going throughout the house for the cable runs - forgot to mention that. Of course that is good to have for future-proofing.

 

[Andrewwski]

I agree - you don't want the installers mucking up the outside of the house. I have conduit in from the outside for phone and coax, and my dish is mounted on a post away from the house and the cable is buried, so it is a different situation from the OP.

I too have PVC conduit pipe going throughout the house for the cable runs - forgot to mention that. Of course that is good to have for future-proofing.

Great if you have conduit everywhere...I think it's too much of a pain...but if you have conduit from basement-attic with the wiring area included, you can pretty much get anywhere with a fishtape.