Dual LNB servicing one SD receiver and one SD DVR

[CatByte]

Directv gave me a R16/300 DVR last week. I also have a SD receiver. The issue is that I have a dual LNB on an 18" round dish so there are only 2 cables. One cable goes to my SD receiver and the other goes to my DVR. So, right now I can't watch TV and record at the same time on the DVR unit. Will I be able to get 2 cables to my DVR if I get a splitter like this one?

2 X 4 MultiSwitch (Converts 18-Inch Dual to an 18-Inch Quad)
(MS2X4WB multiswitch)
www.prosatellitesupply.com/tools/switch-2x4.html

Also, do I have any other options here? It would be nice to just deal with one cable running to the DVR if that's at all possible. If I understand correctly, I can't use SWM with this dish and these receivers. I can not install a slimline dish because they are too heavy for the location where it would need to go so upgrading to an HD solution is out of the question.

 

[Lanarian]

okay.. A little clarification. An 18" Round Dish only has one LNB.
If your dish is perfectly round (a circle) then it is, in fact an 18" Round Dish, which has one LNB.
The LNB(s) look like Bulbs that are attached at the end of the arm that stick out from the dish.
If, when you look at the dish, it's actually an oval, and it has "Slimline" written in the middle of it, AND, it has two bulbs sticking out of arm, then it is most likely a slimline 3 (memory's failing here... could be a Slimline 5, Guys, help me out)
Describe the dish a little better, using the description I gave you, and we can tell you what kind of splitter you'd need to use.
By any chance, is there a black box with a single green light on it, on the floor behind the R16?

 

[texasbrit]

okay.. A little clarification. An 18" Round Dish only has one LNB.
If your dish is perfectly round (a circle) then it is, in fact an 18" Round Dish, which has one LNB.
The LNB(s) look like Bulbs that are attached at the end of the arm that stick out from the dish.
If, when you look at the dish, it's actually an oval, and it has "Slimline" written in the middle of it, AND, it has two bulbs sticking out of arm, then it is most likely a slimline 3 (memory's failing here... could be a Slimline 5, Guys, help me out)
Describe the dish a little better, using the description I gave you, and we can tell you what kind of splitter you'd need to use.
By any chance, is there a black box with a single green light on it, on the floor behind the R16?

No, an 18in round dish has a dual LNB, the dual LNB is under a single cover. There are two cables coming from an 18in round dish, which as the OP says, allows you to drive two tuners. To drive more than two tuners, you need to connect the two cables to a multiswitch - there are several options here, the least expensive is probably a 2x4 (or 3x4) which you can pick up for only a few dollars. Or you can even use a WB68 which will give you 8 outputs, you can get those for less than 10 dollars. Each tuner must have a direct run to the multiswitch, no splitters allowed!

 

[Mr Tony]

yeah all you need is a switch like this
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...zinwell&_nkw=3x4+multiswitch+zinwell&_sacat=0

(the 3rd input is for an antenna)

Hook both cables from the LNB to the switch and then 3 lines out (2 to the DVR 1 to the receiver) and you're done

 

[Lanarian]

I stand corrected.. thank you for clarifying.
Apparently the training I received left a little to be desired.. probably why I spend so much time reading this board.. I've learned a heck of a lot more here than I have at work.
You guys Rock!
Thanks again!

 

[Mr Tony]

Thats what we're here for

When I started with Directv back in 2010 I set up a Phase III because all I had was SD. That was the old smaller oval that got only 101/110/119.

 

[HoTat2]

Directv gave me a R16/300 DVR last week. I also have a SD receiver. The issue is that I have a dual LNB on an 18" round dish so there are only 2 cables. One cable goes to my SD receiver and the other goes to my DVR. So, right now I can't watch TV and record at the same time on the DVR unit. Will I be able to get 2 cables to my DVR if I get a splitter like this one?

2 X 4 MultiSwitch (Converts 18-Inch Dual to an 18-Inch Quad)
(MS2X4WB multiswitch)
www.prosatellitesupply.com/tools/switch-2x4.html

Also, do I have any other options here? It would be nice to just deal with one cable running to the DVR if that's at all possible. If I understand correctly, I can't use SWM with this dish and these receivers. I can not install a slimline dish because they are too heavy for the location where it would need to go so upgrading to an HD solution is out of the question.

Yes, if you wish you can convert to SWIM by running the two outputs from the round dish to the 99/101 18v and 99/101 13v inputs of a SWM-8 module. Search for it along with the associated power inserter (or "PI") on e-bay for the best deals.
However, unless your SD receiver is a D12, only the R16 is compatible with SWiM, and your receiver may have to be run to one of the SWM-8's legacy ports.

It's somewhat wasteful to do all this, but if you really want to keep just a single coax line to your R16 and want both tuners active, then this is the way to go then.

 

[Joe Diamond]

I stand corrected.. thank you for clarifying.
Apparently the training I received left a little to be desired.. probably why I spend so much time reading this board.. I've learned a heck of a lot more here than I have at work.
You guys Rock!
Thanks again!

If you go back far enough DirecTv actually issued and installed both single and dual LNB components on the 18" SD dish.
But what is discussed here is a dual LNB for a round SD dish.

A thougt = This guy wants more lines but can't use a Slimline dish....but he could install a Phase III instead of the round dish; same mast. This would give him four SD ports. Without the SWM eq he is going to have to run two cables from somewhere for his recorder.

Your training should have included an application sheet.........there are many styles of dish out there and some will not ever work with certain receivers. There are two mast sizes. The dishes can "see" at least one to five sats with others possible. It is a lot to expect to memorize. Even experienced aircraft crews read the same checklist every time......memory sucks!

joe

 

[CatByte]

Thanks for the replies everyone...

Yes, if you wish you can convert to SWIM by running the two outputs from the round dish to the 99/101 18v and 99/101 13v inputs of a SWM-8 module. Search for it along with the associated power inserter (or "PI") on e-bay for the best deals.
However, unless your SD receiver is a D12, only the R16 is compatible with SWiM, and your receiver may have to be run to one of the SWM-8's legacy ports.

It's somewhat wasteful to do all this, but if you really want to keep just a single coax line to your R16 and want both tuners active, then this is the way to go then.

My second receiver is a D12/100. So then I'd be fine with SWIM? The reason I have an interest in using only one cable with the DVR is that there's a bit of a difficult cable run ahead of me. The coax cables from the dish are very accessible inside the house at the entry point. It gets challenging to run cable from from there to the DVR. It can be done but it won't be fun.

While I installed my own dish and ran my cables years ago, I've never messed around with SWIM. If everyone thinks it would be more advantageous to do the cable run instead, that would be the route I go. Otherwise, are there any tricks or issues with doing the SWIM that might be useful to know?



EDIT 8:50PM EST: Ok, I see why the SWIM option might be a little overkill... there's a bit of a cost differential between the multiswitch option and the SWIM option. That and for the sWIM, it looks like multiple things are needed as opposed to just the one multiswitch. I'm going to go with the multiswitch.

 

[CatByte]

By any chance, is there a black box with a single green light on it, on the floor behind the R16?

Nope, no black box. The coax goes directly from the LNB on the dish to the R16's input port.

 

[HoTat2]

Nope, no black box. The coax goes directly from the LNB on the dish to the R16's input port.

Well more specifically, in the OP's case if he chooses a legacy install, since it's only a two output round dish (or formally called a "Phase I" dish) it's therefore two cables from the R16 to a legacy voltage/voltage + tone multiline multiswitch and one from the D12 to the multiswitch.

 

[HoTat2]

Thanks for the replies everyone...



My second receiver is a D12/100. So then I'd be fine with SWIM? The reason I have an interest in using only one cable with the DVR is that there's a bit of a difficult cable run ahead of me. The coax cables from the dish are very accessible inside the house at the entry point. It gets challenging to run cable from from there to the DVR. It can be done but it won't be fun.

While I installed my own dish and ran my cables years ago, I've never messed around with SWIM. If everyone thinks it would be more advantageous to do the cable run instead, that would be the route I go. Otherwise, are there any tricks or issues with doing the SWIM that might be useful to know?



EDIT 8:50PM EST: Ok, I see why the SWIM option might be a little overkill... there's a bit of a cost differential between the multiswitch option and the SWIM option. That and for the sWIM, it looks like multiple things are needed as opposed to just the one multiswitch. I'm going to go with the multiswitch.

Oh yeah, the SWiM option is going to be more expensive even with the deals you may find on e-bay or some other. You'll need the SWM-8 multiswitch itself, the PI, and a SWM splitter. So its a bit more involved for sure.

But for some home constructions which find it impossible or quite impractical to run additional coax lines, SWM is the only other option and more than worth the additional cost.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Oh yeah, the SWiM option is going to be more expensive even with the deals you may find on e-bay or some other. You'll need the SWM-8 multiswitch itself, the PI, and a SWM splitter. So its a bit more involved for sure.

But for some home constructions which find it impossible or quite impractical to run additional coax lines, SWM is the only other option and more than worth the additional cost.

He says there is no way to install a slimline so no SWM..............Of course he could put a pipe adapter on the round dish mast and get a slimline / wSWM that way/

Joe

 

[texasbrit]

He says there is no way to install a slimline so no SWM..............Of course he could put a pipe adapter on the round dish mast and get a slimline / wSWM that way/

Joe

Of course he can have SWM, just buy an SWM8 multiswitch with power inserter, connect the two cables from the dish to the 99/101 ports on the SWM8, now he has SWM with eight ports. One cable to the DVR, one cable to the receiver.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Of course he can have SWM, just buy an SWM8 multiswitch with power inserter, connect the two cables from the dish to the 99/101 ports on the SWM8, now he has SWM with eight ports. One cable to the DVR, one cable to the receiver.

If that will do it you da man!

He said he couldn't change dishes and I didn't know you could do what you said.:clap
!sadroll Joe