Can I self-install additional HD receiver with what I have?

[JaredG]

I just switched from Dish last week. I have one Hr24 and one H24 with the whole home DVR and internet connection. Due to my poor planning, I now want to add another HD tuner to the mix.
Here' what I have right now:
single coax from dish --> SWiM Power Inserter (P121R1-03) --> 4-way green splitter (MSPLIT4R1-03)
Coming out of the splitter I have one connection to the HR24, one to the H24, one to the internet interface (DECABBIMRO-01), and a fourth connection that is unused.
Based on that, can I order another H24 and connect it to the open connection on the splitter? Is it that simple? I really don't want to pay the $50 installation if that's all there is to it.
I appreciate any help you can provide.

Jared

 

[BobStokesbary]

Jared,
It should be no problem. Just use the right cable & connectors, etc. You will probably have to go through the whole "whole home DVR" setup again. When I disconnect and unplug one of my receivers, I lose ability to see the other DVR. So, I have to unplug both DVRs and then plug one in and let it boot up completely, then the other. No big deal, it just takes about 15 minutes for the bootup. You would probably have to do the same on all 3 receivers. If it were me, I would do it.
Bob

 

[SA Holly Springs GA]

I just switched from Dish last week. I have one Hr24 and one H24 with the whole home DVR and internet connection. Due to my poor planning, I now want to add another HD tuner to the mix.
Here' what I have right now:
single coax from dish --> SWiM Power Inserter (P121R1-03) --> 4-way green splitter (MSPLIT4R1-03)
Coming out of the splitter I have one connection to the HR24, one to the H24, one to the internet interface (DECABBIMRO-01), and a fourth connection that is unused.
Based on that, can I order another H24 and connect it to the open connection on the splitter? Is it that simple? I really don't want to pay the $50 installation if that's all there is to it.
I appreciate any help you can provide.

Jared

If your for sure the open wire is the one you need then yes it's that simple. Double check your connectors and change out the wall plate barrel to blue internal. And your good to go

 

[JerseyMatt]

Double check your connectors and change out the wall plate barrel to blue internal.

Or you can just leave the existing barrels in the plates and it'll work just fine.. A barrel is a barrel. There is nothing different between a 'standard' one and a 'blue' one that makes one pass a higher frequency than another. It's a marketing ploy to sell more (and more expensive) connectors, just like the blue F fittings. The black ones work just fine.

 

[SA Holly Springs GA]

Or you can just leave the existing barrels in the plates and it'll work just fine.. A barrel is a barrel. There is nothing different between a 'standard' one and a 'blue' one that makes one pass a higher frequency than another. It's a marketing ploy to sell more (and more expensive) connectors, just like the blue F fittings. The black ones work just fine.

If that's the case then how's this work.

Transponder 1-4 Tuner 1
98 100 99 98
Transponder 1-4 Tuner 2
98 78 99 77

Transponder 1-4 Tuner 1
98 100 99 98
Transponder 1-4 Tuner 2
98 100 99 98

First set of numbers is your white barrel

Second set of numbers is the (marketing plot) high frequency blue barrels.

I see this daily.

I've made it a habitat to change em out.

 

[cparker]

To the OP. Instructions from my installer were that I should make the coax connection to the splitter, the last thing I do. "Don't connect a cable here and have it unconnected on the other end. It will disable your MRV." But he definitely said all I have to do is hook up a cable to the splitter. I think once they hook up MRV and essentially put the coax on the network, the ends have to have terminators on them if they aren't hooked up to something.

Regarding the blue barrels vs white barrels:
I try to use the best materials I can (within reason). If a white barrel works.... fine, but for how long? No I don't mean the barrel will degrade over time. But as we change things, we add connections, add cable, change this, modify that.... The point is that there are so many "pieces" (whether cable, connectors, splitters, etc) between the dish and the receiver, that I feel it's important to use good "pieces" wherever and whenever I can. One white connector in your wall outlet may or may not be a big deal, but several on that cable run may degrade signal noticeably enough to affect performance.

I used quad shield cable. Was it overkill? Would a good, standard RG6 have worked? Maybe? Probably? But I knew I was going to be crossing electrical lines and/or paralleling them a bit closer than I'd like. (I like to keep 18" away from electrical lines if I have to run parallel to them. I cross at 90 degrees and they don't touch). Would an installer use quad shield? I doubt any of them would use it normally. My point (and I really do have one) is to use the best you can wherever and whenever you can so you minimize potential problems. There is a "practicality" factor that comes into play though. What you would LIKE and what's PRACTICAL may be 2 different things.

 

[SA Holly Springs GA]

To the OP. Instructions from my installer were that I should make the coax connection to the splitter, the last thing I do. "Don't connect a cable here and have it unconnected on the other end. It will disable your MRV." But he definitely said all I have to do is hook up a cable to the splitter. I think once they hook up MRV and essentially put the coax on the network, the ends have to have terminators on them if they aren't hooked up to something.

Regarding the blue barrels vs white barrels:
I try to use the best materials I can (within reason). If a white barrel works.... fine, but for how long? No I don't mean the barrel will degrade over time. But as we change things, we add connections, add cable, change this, modify that.... The point is that there are so many "pieces" (whether cable, connectors, splitters, etc) between the dish and the receiver, that I feel it's important to use good "pieces" wherever and whenever I can. One white connector in your wall outlet may or may not be a big deal, but several on that cable run may degrade signal noticeably enough to affect performance.

I used quad shield cable. Was it overkill? Would a good, standard RG6 have worked? Maybe? Probably? But I knew I was going to be crossing electrical lines and/or paralleling them a bit closer than I'd like. (I like to keep 18" away from electrical lines if I have to run parallel to them. I cross at 90 degrees and they don't touch). Would an installer use quad shield? I doubt any of them would use it normally. My point (and I really do have one) is to use the best you can wherever and whenever you can so you minimize potential problems. There is a "practicality" factor that comes into play though. What you would LIKE and what's PRACTICAL may be 2 different things.

Good words

 

[JaredG]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I had to do some more searching to figure out what these "barrels" were, but I think I'm up to speed now.
Thanks again.

 

[JerseyMatt]

There's a big difference between using a higher quality connector or cable (ie: RG11 over RG6, QS over single, compression over crimp) versus using a connector that is more expensive simply because it uses a buzzword. There is absolutely nothing different internally between a blue and a white barrel or ground block. All they do is join the center pins and shields of two male F connectors with the same bridge clip, just a different color plastic (and plastic has exactly zero RF shielding properties). Same thing with the blue versus black F compression connectors. There is absolutely no difference. On an F connector, there is no part of it that even touches the core where the RF travels! So why is the blue one almost twice as expensive as the black one in both cases? Because it's a gimmick.

Gold plated connections are a gimmick too, but only because they are sold on the wrong benefit. Most big box store losers will tell you that gold plated connectors give better sound and picture quality, which is a lie. The benefit to gold is that it doesn't corrode or oxidize like nickel does, so the connection stays electrically stable for much longer. But telling the customer that doesn't sell nearly as many high markup gold cables as telling them it looks and sounds better does.

 

[JerseyMatt]

If that's the case then how's this work.

Transponder 1-4 Tuner 1
98 100 99 98
Transponder 1-4 Tuner 2
98 78 99 77

Transponder 1-4 Tuner 1
98 100 99 98
Transponder 1-4 Tuner 2
98 100 99 98

First set of numbers is your white barrel

Second set of numbers is the (marketing plot) high frequency blue barrels.

I see this daily.

I've made it a habitat to change em out.

I can do that too, twice in a row without changing anything and get similar variations. Maybe the connection was loose before it was changed. Maybe an airplane was crossing through the beam when you ran the first test. Maybe an airborne duck farted and it echoed at a frequency that resonated on transponder 2 and 4. The fact that it's only on one tuner points to something at the LNB.

Habitat?

 

[SA Holly Springs GA]

There's a big difference between using a higher quality connector or cable (ie: RG11 over RG6, QS over single, compression over crimp) versus using a connector that is more expensive simply because it uses a buzzword. There is absolutely nothing different internally between a blue and a white barrel or ground block. All they do is join the center pins and shields of two male F connectors with the same bridge clip, just a different color plastic (and plastic has exactly zero RF shielding properties).

You are right on the plastic and how is has 0 shielding properties but im afraid your mistaken if your saying they are exactly the same internally. White barrels have a internal seizing pin that is made of the traditional phosphor bronze or copper. The blue barrels have a internal seizing pin that is made of beryllium copper. Beryllium copper combines high strength with non-magnetic qualities. It also puts tighter grip on the copper core for better dbm pass through.

That duck that farts, he only showed up on the jobs that had white barrels on the HD DVR. Whats up with that?

 

[SA Holly Springs GA]

I can do that too, twice in a row without changing anything and get similar variations. Maybe the connection was loose before it was changed. Maybe an airplane was crossing through the beam when you ran the first test. Maybe an airborne duck farted and it echoed at a frequency that resonated on transponder 2 and 4. The fact that it's only on one tuner points to something at the LNB.

Habitat?

All I changed was the barrel.

Never is it anything to do with the LNB.

 

[JerseyMatt]

You don't have to change anything to get two different results. You can just run the test twice in a row and get two different results. It's the nature of the way a satellite signal penetrates the ever changing atmosphere. And I didn't say it was a PROBLEM with the LNB, it could just be something IN THE WAY of the LNB (like a cloud or the farting duck) at the time you ran the test.

Since you have an excuse for the blue barrels (which I'm sure millions of people using standard wallplates for D* will attest that they're working just fine), why don't you tell us what makes the blue male connectors so special that they are 'high frequency rated' and more expensive than the black ones. Oh, and how much you want to bet if you pull the insulator out of the female connectors on a receiver, SWiM splitter, or DECA (which are all white, BTW), you'll find not your special beryllium bronze, but a regular old nickel plated copper squeeze pin? I'll give you a hint: I just did it.

 

[SA Holly Springs GA]

You don't have to change anything to get two different results. You can just run the test twice in a row and get two different results. It's the nature of the way a satellite signal penetrates the ever changing atmosphere. And I didn't say it was a PROBLEM with the LNB, it could just be something IN THE WAY of the LNB (like a cloud or the farting duck) at the time you ran the test.

Since you have an excuse for the blue barrels (which I'm sure millions of people using standard wallplates for D* will attest that they're working just fine), why don't you tell us what makes the blue male connectors so special that they are 'high frequency rated' and more expensive than the black ones. Oh, and how much you want to bet if you pull the insulator out of the female connectors on a receiver, SWiM splitter, or DECA (which are all white, BTW), you'll find not your special beryllium bronze, but a regular old nickel plated copper squeeze pin? I'll give you a hint: I just did it.

Ya I get that your SS isn't gonna be the same every time you check TPs. But it isn't gonna be 20 off. I understand if it's 1 or 2 off each time but not 20.

Especially when it's the same with non blue barrels the 2nd 3rd and 4th time but once you switch to a blue barrel, both tuners are nearly even instead of 20 apart.

What does color of the rcvr, splitter, and deca barrel have to do with anything? (BTW only the old SL3S GL and DECA s have white insulation)
Blue barrels are blue because if they were all white then you couldn't tell which was which with the naked eye. The difference between them is the properties used to make the squeeze pin. (hence the higher cost and high frequency). Which brings me to my question....How can you tell that the squeeze pin is made of regular old nickel plated copper?

I tell ya what. Go by a meter that reads Hz and dbm so you can see it first hand like I do.

I'm not saying that it's impossible to work through a regular barrel but it has caused me (and others) problems in the past so I don't even try it with regular barrels. I just automatically change them.

 

[donbrew]

I just switched from Dish last week. I have one Hr24 and one H24 with the whole home DVR and internet connection. Due to my poor planning, I now want to add another HD tuner to the mix.
Here' what I have right now:
single coax from dish --> SWiM Power Inserter (P121R1-03) --> 4-way green splitter (MSPLIT4R1-03)
Coming out of the splitter I have one connection to the HR24, one to the H24, one to the internet interface (DECABBIMRO-01), and a fourth connection that is unused.
Based on that, can I order another H24 and connect it to the open connection on the splitter? Is it that simple? I really don't want to pay the $50 installation if that's all there is to it.
I appreciate any help you can provide.

Jared

When did they start charging $50 to add an additional receiver? Or, am I just complacent because I pay $6.99 a month for PP, and that includes a service installation each year?