Need help understanding DirecTV setup

[rbdaves]

Hello.
I am an RVer and brought my DirecTV slimline dish and HR22-100 HDDVR receiver with me.

The dish is a slimline multi-sat KA/KU LNB with Built-in 4 output Multi-switch. When I dismantled the system in California, there were three cables coming out of the multi-switch. Two long cables attached to B-band converters then to the receiver's "Satellite in (1) (SWM-2)" and "Satellite in (2)" ports. A third cable was routed to a point just outside of the dish's LNB arm. It was connected to another cable, but, right now, I have no idea what it did.

I have purchased a heavy-duty tripod and the dish is in place with azimuth, elevation and skew yet to be set. The mounting post is plumb and the tripod is secured against wind gusts.

Now the questions: Intuitively, the two longer cables attach to Sat-in (1) and (2), respectively, but what the heck is the other, shorter, cable for. Also, is there any importance as to which of the longer cables attaches to which Sat-in port?

I read something about a "SWM" which fixes things so that only one cable needs to be routed to the receiver. What's this all about. How much does it cost?

 

[jdspencer]

That dish you have can support up to four tuners (DVRs use two). Sometimes an installer will connect to an unused port on the LNB in order to use a signal meter. This is helpful when the dish needs to be aligned again without having to disconnect a line.

SWM stands for single wire multiswitch. It allows DVRs to enable both tuners with just one line from the SWM LNB on the dish.
A search here for SWM will give you a lot of info.

Here's the SWM LNB that will receive 99, 101, and 103 sats.
DIRECTV SL3-SWM SlimLine Single Wire Ka/Ku Triple LNB With Built-In Multiswitch (SL3-SWM) - DIRECTV Slim Line - SL3-SWM -

 

[Jimbo]

Hello.
I am an RVer and brought my DirecTV slimline dish and HR22-100 HDDVR receiver with me.

The dish is a slimline multi-sat KA/KU LNB with Built-in 4 output Multi-switch. When I dismantled the system in California, there were three cables coming out of the multi-switch. Two long cables attached to B-band converters then to the receiver's "Satellite in (1) (SWM-2)" and "Satellite in (2)" ports. A third cable was routed to a point just outside of the dish's LNB arm. It was connected to another cable, but, right now, I have no idea what it did.

I have purchased a heavy-duty tripod and the dish is in place with azimuth, elevation and skew yet to be set. The mounting post is plumb and the tripod is secured against wind gusts.

Now the questions: Intuitively, the two longer cables attach to Sat-in (1) and (2), respectively, but what the heck is the other, shorter, cable for. Also, is there any importance as to which of the longer cables attaches to which Sat-in port?

I read something about a "SWM" which fixes things so that only one cable needs to be routed to the receiver. What's this all about. How much does it cost?

Not sure what the other line might have been for.
Often you will see 4 lines coming out of the LNB, depending on the set up they may or may not be needed.

I don't like using the SWiM when camping as it just requires more connections to try and get behind everything, (a power inserter and a SWiM splitter), so when I camp, I only use the older set up, yes I do a Slimline 3, but not the SWiM.

You have to run 1 line to the recvr from the dish regardless, I just made up 2 line s and taped them together that way when I roll the one out, the other is there as well.

 

[rbdaves]

JDSpencer & Jimbo
Thanks for that input.

Any importance having to do with which cable goes to which receiver port.

Also, the receiver has several different input and output "thingies"
I assume the USB port is to connect to a computer, as is the ethernet port.
As I understand the s-video out port, that is a video feed for attaching to a device with an s-video in port.
I assume the digital audio out coax is for attaching to an amplifier.
What does the optical output device do?
I assume the HDMI is for high definition video input to a High def. TV set.
The SATA port must be for some kind of attachment to a computer device.

How am I doing?

 

[jdspencer]

There is no preference on which coax from the dish goes to the two sat inputs.

The USB port is used to connect the AM21 OTA tuner to receive local stations.
The ethernet port is used to connect to the internet via a router so that you can use On Demand.
S-video and the red/white outputs are to connect to an SD TV.
The digital coax and optical audio outputs are used to connect to an AV receiver.
HDMI is for high def connection.
The SATA port is for an external hard drive.

 

[rbdaves]

Got my satellite dish aimed. The input you fellows provided was a big help...thanks

 

[jdspencer]

Glad we could help.

 

[Jimbo]

Got my satellite dish aimed. The input you fellows provided was a big help...thanks

Glad we could help.

Glad you got it going !