Installing Dish TV with existing cable TV

[LLK]

Task: Installing my Dish TV (500) with my existing cable TV.
Existing Equipment:
1.Cable TV (Brighthouse)
2.DVD,VCR
3. Dish Receiver & dish signal
4.FutureSmart structured wiring system which distributes TV/Phone to entire house
5. NetMedia 3 channel modulator, which carries the DVD & VCR.

Goal: To distribute the Dish signal through the FutureSmart system.
Existing problems:

1. I can find only 1 clear cable TV channel for the NetMedia modulator to operate on. I previously used 3 channels, but something has changed with the Brighthouse cable channels and have lost use of 2 other channels. I have spent much time on searching for available TV channels.

2. FutureSmart literature says that the incoming Dish coax cable must not be connected to the "signal-in" module on the FutureSmart equipment because of voltage load on the Dish signal, which could possible "wipe-out" the equipment.

3. The NetMedia Modulator literature shows a diagram with the DishTV signal directly connected to the Dish receiver (SAT. IN) which is then patched out of the receiver to 1 channel of the NetMedia Modulator. The modulator signal is then routed back to the FutureSmart Distribution module and connected to the "Modulated Signals INPUTS". THIS CONFIGURATION DOES WORK, however:
1. The TV picture quality is not acceptable (line inteference from?)
2. I have to use the only available TV channel for the Dish TV which means that I have to manually change cables when I want to use the DVD or VCR.

In discussing this with others there has been a suggestion of using a "Splitter" for the incoming Cable & Satellite cables. I'm afraid to connect the satellite coax in front of the FutureSmart modules because of Existing Problem #2.
Another suggestion was to "blank-out" the cable channel signal to free-up a channel(s) for the modulator to work.

I will greatly appreciate help.
Larry

 

[Van]

It sounds like you have two items that may be faulty, the netmedia and the future smart both seem to have issues possibly caused by a power surge or brown out.

I've never liked equipment thats supposed to make things simple like these items as they generaly make things more difficult. I'd call up the service departments for both devices and explain what each is doing before going any further to see if there is indeed an issue with them.

The device mentioned is not a splitter but a diplexer that combines two diferent signal types and then seperates them, problem is that you have to make sure you get the right ones for the right application as not all will work with two like signals.