Newbie, Help with equipment selection

[hex45]

I just bought a house and the previous owner has some old hacked-in setup for his dishnetwork system. I want to upgrade/fix it to fit my needs. So I will try to explain what I hope to achieve and perhaps some of you can help me work it out.

I want HD reception.
I want local channels(3 orbital locations, correct?).
I want to support at least 4 single tuners or 2 dual tuners.

Currently there are 2 RG6 cables run from the outside into my "closet" in the basement. All the connections to my wall jacks originate from this closet. So this is where I would want the 4 (or more) signals to be able to branch off and go straight to the receivers.

So, I guess my main question is this... Is there any setup that would allow me to connect the needed satellites to the two existing RG6 cables that are already run into the "closet" and then in the closet use some switch to break up the signals and send them to the 4 receivers?

Thanks

 

[silversurfer]

Welcome to Satelliteguys! We are glad your here...I will move this post to the dishnetwork forum so that it can be answered more quickly...

 

[ShadowEKU]

Short answer maybe

Are you sure you look at 3 orbial locations? if you for sure do.. then you will need another line coming down. If you only have to look at 119 and 110 (like me zip 40601) then those 2 existing lines are fine.

HD requires the standard Dish 500 (2 slots) for now... that may change extremely soon

Locals Vary by local market... like I said my locals are on the standard 2 bird dish.

All that said... whether its 2 lines or 3 lines coming to your distribution box you will need a switch called a DP34 if the LNB is DishPro (3 inputs 4 outputs) or a SW64 if its a legacy LNB.

 

[boba]

Short answer maybe

Are you sure you look at 3 orbial locations? if you for sure do.. then you will need another line coming down. If you only have to look at 119 and 110 (like me zip 40601) then those 2 existing lines are fine.

HD requires the standard Dish 500 (2 slots) for now... that may change extremely soon

Locals Vary by local market... like I said my locals are on the standard 2 bird dish.

All that said... whether its 2 lines or 3 lines coming to your distribution box you will need a switch called a DP34 if the LNB is DishPro (3 inputs 4 outputs) or a SW64 if its a legacy LNB.

You need to change your answer slightly if a SW-64 is used he will need 6 lines run in if he puts the switch indoors or 4 cables if the switch is outside. Converting the system to Dish Pro would be best way to go seeing equipment should all be new Dish Pro.

 

[ShadowEKU]

You need to change your answer slightly if a SW-64 is used he will need 6 lines run in if he puts the switch indoors or 4 cables if the switch is outside. Converting the system to Dish Pro would be best way to go seeing equipment should all be new Dish Pro.

That is true... hadnt thought about taht... but yes converting to dishpro... especially since they are phasing out the legacy stuff as fast as they can would be the bes option.

 

[hex45]

I am not married to the current equipment. So I could easily upgrade to the DishPro system.

Now, what would be the setup if I did move over to the DishPro?

 

[ShadowEKU]

Dish Pro lnb's work with all the current dish pro and dish pro plus items.

Again.. are you locals on the main 119/110 dish or are they on a super.

If they are on the 119/110 slot you will use a Dish Pro Dual LNB. you can use the 2 outputs. plug port one into port one of the dp34 in the distribution point, and port 2 into port 2. you will then have 4 outputs from the switch. and if you want to add more recievers in the future the DP34 switch has cascading outputs so you can add more switches.

if they are on a super you will require a 3rd line coming from the dish location. let me put it this way. as many sats as you are looking at you will need that many lines from the dish to the distribution point for a good setup.

IF you were only using 2 tuners it would make things a little different but that isnot really the case.

There are other options but they start out at around $240.00 and arnt completely stable yet.

 

[hex45]

My zip is 20121. The previous owner's setup has two dishes, I think a Dish500 and Dish300. They had 6 lines 1A-3A and 1B-3B running into the switch and 4 outputs to receivers. Maybe that will help.

It seems to me that I will need a 119/110 dish and a 61.5 dish. So I guess the minimum I can run from the dishes themselves is 3, correct?

I am also assuming there is NO way to take the 4 outputs of the switch, combine them to 2 outside and split them back into 4, right?

 

[SimpleSimon]

Following in Shadow's good footsteps

From what you say, we now know: The existing equipment is "Legacy". There is/was a SW64 in use - 6 lines from the LNBFs (eyes) to the switch, then up to four to the receivers.

If the switch and LNBFs are still there, you might as well use them - until you need more than 4 tuners.

Now, the DishPro conversion will be replacement of the eyes with a DP Twin for the 500 (110/119) and a DP Single for 61.5. These 3 cables go to a DP34 which can feed 4 tuners. More than that is probably going to be another DP34, although a fifth tuner of just 110/119 can be done using just a DP21.

Alternative for the switch is a DPP44 - it's got some advantages - that's the $240 solution that Shadow was talking about.

 

[hex45]

From what you say, we now know: The existing equipment is "Legacy". There is/was a SW64 in use - 6 lines from the LNBFs (eyes) to the switch, then up to four to the receivers.

Totally correct. Actually I got over there today and could finally see both dishes in the good sunlight. One is a legacy Dish500 and the other was a DirecTV - much to my surprise.

If the switch and LNBFs are still there, you might as well use them - until you need more than 4 tuners.

There are only 2 lines properly wired into the distribution point. For the other 2 they drilled a hole through the wall and ran them along the baseboard - very sloppy and tacky. These two lines, I think, went directly to receiver placed with a TV in the corner of the room.

Now, the DishPro conversion will be replacement of the eyes with a DP Twin for the 500 (110/119) and a DP Single for 61.5. These 3 cables go to a DP34 which can feed 4 tuners. More than that is probably going to be another DP34, although a fifth tuner of just 110/119 can be done using just a DP21.

This is motly likely the route I will go. Just gotta find the cleanest way to get those 3 cables from the new DP eyes into the distribution point.

Now, what is the difference between the LNB with 2 outputs and the LNB with 1 output? Are the single outputs just newer equipment?

 

[ShadowEKU]

Dish Pro LNBs have switches built into the unit (im not 100% sure about the legacys)

You should just have to run 1 new line to the distribution point... if the old cables are RG6 and rated at or above 2.8 ghz you can use them (i would suggest new ends since you are going to need ends for a new run either way (use compression if you can they are best)). Im not sure if there is a general rule but usually the way the dishpro stuff goes. Single means it only looks at one bird and as a general rule has 1 output as there wouldnt be a need for a switch or anything along those lines. A DP Twin looks at 2 birds and has 2 outputs (Twin being that the outputs are the same (switched). The Twin has a switch built in. A DP quad looks at 2 birds and has 4 outputs (switch obviosly built in)

Your new wiring will need inputs 1 and 2 of the twin going to switchport 1 and 2 respectively with the wing sat input in input 3. Then you will have your 4 outputs from the swith.

Hope this helped and please ignore the many type-os as im very tired this evening.

 

[hex45]

So the single outputs just basically have a voltage switch built into them?

Got some more news. It turns out all the local channels that I want are located on the 110 satellite. If I get a DishPro500 that will cover 110 and 119 and I wont even need the extra eye for the 61.5 satellite.

Finally, with a new DishPro500 I will only have 2 cables coming off the LNBs. Then I can connect those 2 to the outside connections and they will be fed into the distribution point. Excellent.

Have I got all this correct?

 

[chaddux]

If I get a DishPro500 that will cover 110 and 119 and I wont even need the extra eye for the 61.5 satellite.

There is no such thing as a DishPro500. There is a DISH500 with LNBs that are either Legacy or DISHPro. What city are you in?

 

[hex45]

I guess I meant a Dish500 with DishPro LNBs.

Centreville, VA - zip 20121

 

[SimpleSimon]

Terminology, technology, it's all so confusing. Let's straighten some out.

Legacy and DishPro are two incompatible technologies. They can NOT be used in the same system.

'500' and '300' refer to the DISH, NOT the electronics. A 500 is capable of pulling in 2 satellites that are 9 degrees apart. For example, 110/119.

Legacy puts one band of transponders (odd OR even) on a cable based on voltage-switching. DishPro puts BOTH bands on the same feed cable at the same time - thereby requiring the better cable. Legacy uses 950-1450MHz, DishPro uses that plus 1650-2150MHz. DishProPLUS allows 2 bands from different birds. Ignore that for now.

The number of cables coming from the LNBF varies by several different reasons, depending on the LNBF type. When using an external DP switch, you need one cable per bird. Legacy switches with multiple outputs require 2 cables (one odd, one even) per bird.

If you HAVE decided to replace everything with DP gear, it's as I said in Post #9, that you have said is your "most likely".

EDIT: chaddux beat me to the punch a couple of posts back.

 

[hex45]

Cool. You all have been a lot of help. I think I know what I need to do now. Basically just have them replace the "legacy" LNBs with DishPro LNBs.

Last thing... for the HDTV I wont need any special hardware just the HD receiver, right?

 

[chaddux]

Last thing... for the HDTV I wont need any special hardware just the HD receiver, right?

And an HD TV, of course.

 

[ShadowEKU]

Right, the main HD stuff is on the 119/110 dish. CBS-HD on the other hand requires a waiver and a second dish

 

[K R Kimmel]

And receiving you local OTA HD channels would require some sort of OTA antenna.

Visit CheckHD or AntennaWeb to see what channels should be available and what type of antenna would be required to pick them up.

 

[hex45]

And another question comes up... How would I integrate the HD atenna into this setup I am trying to configure?

Would I simply need a couple of diplexors?