Help!

[jagiv]

I have a Direct TV Slimline-5 dish on my roof with .jpg pictures attached to this thread.

*Note* When viewing my pictures please ignore the adjacent "Dish Network" satellite dish on the roof with 3 white wires attached to it as it is not in use.

I do not know the exact model of my Slimline-5 dish and weather or not it includes the SWM technology already built into it.

In the photo you can see 2 connected black RG6 coax cables coming from the Slimline-5 LNB.

Each of these connected wires makes their way into the house to different rooms for connecting my current equipment consisting of 2 HD receivers (H21-200 & H23-600). This set-up works fine and was configured by a Direct TV installer.

As you can also see in the picture are the other 2 RG6 coax cables coming out from the Slimline-5 LNB. These 2 wires are capped and dangling right there in the picture.

I ordered a 3rd receiver today, it is the latest DIRECTV Plus DVR receiver.

I also want to put what will be the extra HD receiver in the kid's room where I will have to run a RG6 coax.

What I will want to have connected are (2)HD receivers and (1)HD DVR receiver which will require a total of 4 channels of information.

Here is my question and correct me if I am wrong because I probably am

Do I first need to verify if my Slimline-5 LNB has SWM built in to save myself the expense of a SWM-8, if it is then can I just buy a Direct TV approved splitter and make the necessary connections to one of my two feeds coming down and into the house?

If the Slimline-5 LNB does not have SWM built in then will I need the SWM-8?

In order to verify if the dish has SWM built into it, I am thinking of waiting for my DIRECTV Plus DVR receiver to be delivered, once I get it I can trade places with one of my existing HD receivers. I would hook up the RG6 coax cable to the Sat 1 input, leave Sat 2 input empty. Then proceed to record 2 channels at once on the new HD DVR.

If I am able to record 2 channels at once with my DVR would this verify that I am getting 2 channels of information through one single physical RG6 coax feed? I would also run upstairs and check to see if I lost signal in the other room with a connected HD receiver undisturbed.

If I can not record 2 channels at once with the HD DVR then I assume that the LNB is does not have SWM built in. I will then have to purchase the SWM-8 kit and install it, but then again I will have some questions regarding that as well because the wiring schematics show 4 RG6 cables coming into it and I only have the 2 RG6 cables coming down from the roof and I'm not about to go up there just yet.

One thing at a time lets see if I am onto something here first since it’s fairly apparent that I don't know sh*t about dish technologies!

 

[harshness]

DIRECTV should offer to install the HD DVR and move the receiver.

What needs to happen:

Another cable needs to be run from the dish to the DVR location (perhaps one of the DISH cables is already there).

A cable needs to be run from the dish to the kid's room.

DIRECTV should not charge for this unless you've figured out a way to screw yourself out of a free professional installation.


Based on what you've shown us, your dish has a legacy LNB which requires a run direct to each tuner. The installers, should you choose to use them, may replace the LNB with a SWiM LNB to simplify their job.

 

[jagiv]

Thanks for the reply Harshnes!

Is there an option where I would not have to go up to the 3rd floor roof or have to contract a pro for the install?

I was hoping I could take the two leads coming down from the legacy LNB and connect them into the SWM-8 multiswitch at ground level.

I guess its not that simple. Is it that all 4 wires from the legacy LNB have to connect to the multiswitch and or would I have to necesarrily replace the legacy LNB with a SWiM LNB just to connect to a SWM-8 multiswitch?

 

[Jimbo]

jagiv,
Looks like you do NOT have the SWiM set up.
You mentioned only 4 tuners, 1 HR DVR and 2 HD recvrs.

You don't necessarily need the SWiM , but it would make connections easier.
Without the SWiM you would want 2 lines going to the HD DVR and 1 to each other recvr.

You have what you need equipment wise already there, IF you have the right number of lines to the correct rooms.

Now, if you go to the SWiM or they add the SWiM for you (swim only needs 1 line to each recvr) may make it easier for you / them.
However, with theSWiM setup they will replace the LNB and add a Power Inserter and a SWiM splitter to run your lines to.
All your lines will have to run to the Splitter first and then it's tied into the power insertor.

So it depends on how you want to go with it, if your DISH lines are going to the same rooms, you more than likely have what you need to make the changes with out the SWiM ...

 

[JAG72]

I was hoping I could take the two leads coming down from the legacy LNB and connect them into the SWM-8 multiswitch at ground level.

I guess its not that simple. Is it that all 4 wires from the legacy LNB have to connect to the multiswitch and or would I have to necesarrily replace the legacy LNB with a SWiM LNB just to connect to a SWM-8 multiswitch?

You have to have all 4 coax connections from the LNB to a SWiM switch. No matter what you end up doing, it will require going up to work on the dish.

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks for the reply Harshnes!

Is there an option where I would not have to go up to the 3rd floor roof or have to contract a pro for the install?

I was hoping I could take the two leads coming down from the legacy LNB and connect them into the SWM-8 multiswitch at ground level.

I guess its not that simple. Is it that all 4 wires from the legacy LNB have to connect to the multiswitch and or would I have to necesarrily replace the legacy LNB with a SWiM LNB just to connect to a SWM-8 multiswitch?

Basically, you SHOULD have 4 lines coming down from the Slimline dish to a ground block already, then you may not have needed to go up there.
You could have rewired everything with the current Slimline set up and been good to go.

 

[jdspencer]

To add another receiver you have to have it connected to the dish. In your case the dangling lines would have to be used. Thus a need to go on the roof. You could connect the SWM8 to the four lines and then have one line going into the house. But this would also require a trip to the roof. Or the SWM LNb could be swapped for the legacy LNB, but here again a trip to the roof is required.

 

[jagiv]

Got it! Thanks for all the replies everyone! Looks like I will be renting a ladder from the Home Depot and make a trip to the roof.

I will keep the current setup, just run the 2 lines from the roof down to the grounding block and then run one line to the kid's room and the other line where the DVR is going and call it a day.

Thanks for making me understand the limitations of the system and educating me!

 

[Jimbo]

Btw jagiv,
For future reference.
If you go into the menu's , I think it's under Info, that will give you alot of info on your system, in there it will tell you what type of Dish set up your running.