Long cable runs

[ts7]

What is the maximum length to run RG6 from a switch to receiver in SWM system? I'm looking at a couple runs that could be 300-500' (in a school). Any suggestions?

For schools, DirecTV provides the equipment and programming but leaves it to the school to get installed. Equipment has been received but not installed - still trying to find a commercial installer in my area. I thought I would at least try to get the long cable runs out of the way using school maintenance staff after hours but wanted to make sure it was done right.

Thanks

 

[texasbrit]

What is the maximum length to run RG6 from a switch to receiver in SWM system? I'm looking at a couple runs that could be 300-500' (in a school). Any suggestions?

For schools, DirecTV provides the equipment and programming but leaves it to the school to get installed. Equipment has been received but not installed - still trying to find a commercial installer in my area. I thought I would at least try to get the long cable runs out of the way using school maintenance staff after hours but wanted to make sure it was done right.

Thanks

For those sort of lengths, conventional residential equipment won't cut it. DirecTV says you are limited to about 125ft, in reality it can be more than that but not if you are using an 8-way splitter. And longer runs are also possible using RG11. But you really need to use the equipment designed for MDUs (multidwelling units) such as the equipment (amplifiers etc) from Sonora Design. You can get this from solidsignal, who will also help you to identify exactly what you need. The tutorials here http://sonoradesign.com/content/tutorials/ are a great place to start, they will help you build a signal loss diagram for your installation which will show what sort of equipment you need and where it needs to be installed.
Or you can put in a second dish

 

[TheTechGuru]

Is there any reason you "need" to use SWM?

If 8 or less receivers why not use a multiswitch with a inline amp in the long runs?

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=02&p=LA141&d=Sonora-DBS-14-dB-Gain-Line-Amplifier-(LA141)

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=02&p=SD-LA20&d=Sonora-SDLA20-DBS-Line-Amplifier-(SD-LA20)

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=02&p=SD-LA14&d=Sonora-SDLA14-DBS-Line-Amplifier-(SD-LA14)

 

[texasbrit]

Is there any reason you "need" to use SWM?

If 8 or less receivers why not use a multiswitch with a inline amp in the long runs?

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=02&p=LA141&d=Sonora-DBS-14-dB-Gain-Line-Amplifier-(LA141)

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=02&p=SD-LA20&d=Sonora-SDLA20-DBS-Line-Amplifier-(SD-LA20)

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=02&p=SD-LA14&d=Sonora-SDLA14-DBS-Line-Amplifier-(SD-LA14)

..and what advantage does that give you? You would also be trying to overcome the voltage drop from the receiver to the multiswitch for the 13v/18v signalling, you don't have that problem with SWM....

and that's a piece of Sonora equipment, I already recommended Sonora as the source...

 

[TheTechGuru]

Because with SWM you need to amp both directions vs reg switching you only need to amp the downstream.

 

[texasbrit]

Because with SWM you need to amp both directions vs reg switching you only need to amp the downstream.

So you use Sonora's SWM amplifier....in fact, unless you are using Whole Home (for which you need SWM anyway) you don't really need to amp both ways because the control signals from the receiver are at such a low frequency they will go thousands of feet before attenuation is a problem. Anyway, using the correct SWM equipment makes that a non-issue

 

[Joe Diamond]

Ya know,
After the technical issues regarding this one are resolved.........I gotta think what could be on any DirecTV channel that could be of use to an educator in a school setting? Children will have a long and happy life without any TV. As an installer I have seen bare apartments with a TV, a toaster and a coffee pot that needed a DirecTV installation. That is to say....the quality science and literature programming DirecTV does offer are available at home. School time should be an opportunity for children to interact with educators.

Just sayin'

Joe

 

[ts7]

Ya know,
After the technical issues regarding this one are resolved.........I gotta think what could be on any DirecTV channel that could be of use to an educator in a school setting? Children will have a long and happy life without any TV. As an installer I have seen bare apartments with a TV, a toaster and a coffee pot that needed a DirecTV installation. That is to say....the quality science and literature programming DirecTV does offer are available at home. School time should be an opportunity for children to interact with educators.

Just sayin'

Joe

Well, it's not like the TV will be an all day babysitter.

DirecTV provides all the gear (up to 4 receivers) and service for no charge. It is a special Education channel lineup made up primarily of the "educational" channels plus the locals - no sports or general entertainment channels. One of the receivers is an HR24 so programs can be recorded. The only charge associated with the setup is the one-time installation.

I really don't anticipate this getting a lot of use but it is good to have for emergencies, watching newsworthy events and the occasional episode of Sesame Street.

 

[TheTechGuru]

My high school had a wall mounted TV in every classroom connected to the full local analog cable line up from Time Warner. I remember watching CNN on 9/11 as it happened in class on a projector that was connected to the cable.

Now one time when we had a free day with a substitute someone put the TV on Jerry Springer...

But as far as educational, I think the OP should get all DVR's because the best educational programming does not come on at the best times, plus teachers need to be able to show the same program to all of their classes (assuming this MS or HS).

Good channels, PBS, Science Channel, Discovery, Smithsonian, H2, History, Nat Geo, Sprout (if elementary), NASA (if it ever comes back! lol), all the news channels (if HS) [especially C-SPAN lol]. Put it on C-SPAN and have them write a essay on what they observe, oh right, if they did that currently it would be blank right?

 

[Joe Diamond]

My high school had a wall mounted TV in every classroom connected to the full local analog cable line up from Time Warner. I remember watching CNN on 9/11 as it happened in class on a projector that was connected to the cable.

Now one time when we had a free day with a substitute someone put the TV on Jerry Springer...

But as far as educational, I think the OP should get all DVR's because the best educational programming does not come on at the best times, plus teachers need to be able to show the same program to all of their classes (assuming this MS or HS).

Good channels, PBS, Science Channel, Discovery, Smithsonian, H2, History, Nat Geo, Sprout (if elementary), NASA (if it ever comes back! lol), all the news channels (if HS) [especially C-SPAN lol]. Put it on C-SPAN and have them write a essay on what they observe, oh right, if they did that currently it would be blank right?

I could go along with the recorder idea and a system that could send specific stuff to a specific classroom. AND on 9/11 I was a teacher in a juvenile detention center. The Discovery Channel was the only science in the building; no text books. I left the TV coverage from NY on all morning.

The recorder idea looks pretty good but kids can get all that stuff at home. Even Power Point presentations dumb down the message except in math and perhaps for maps. "News" channels are a little too slanted one way or another to present in a school setting.

Then, once the system is in it can be modified to do some real good.

Joe

 

[TheTechGuru]

News ya, but the C-SPAN's are "as is happening" and also NASA.

 

[Joe Diamond]

News ya, but the C-SPAN's are "as is happening" and also NASA.

It is my fault for adding this digression...........but..........some teachers are terrified about what could happen to them if they mention something that goes contrary to the beliefs of the student / parent group. For this reason current local newspapers and by extension daily TV news are not used in schools;.......Johnny should not be forced to watch a family member doing a perp walk after robbing the local liquor store. Likewise NASA is a great science source but if you are sure the earth is 4000 years old and flat you don't want some teacher telling your kid differently. While my examples are exaggerations there is still the fundamental teacherly wisdom about never showing AV material that has not been previewed.

Most TV is beamed to an audience with about a seventh grade education. The plan is to move kids beyond junior high school.

Joe