Newbie Needs Install Help

[Hoshwa]

Hi Everyone. Hope this is the right forum for these questions. I have a two story house with a flat roof. I ran 1 1/2 emt out of the roof about two or three feet from a cast iron vent pipe. I ran 5 RG6 cables out of a mini weatherhead down into a homerun closet where I ran 1-2 cables to every wall of the house while the drywall was off! I recently got around to doing the dish project as I have multiple remodel projects going at one time, telephony etc. etc. Well, I talked with a engineer at Direct TV who recommended against mounting the dish to the pipe and suggested I either do a no-pen install on a platform metal box or mount to the roof surface, which i prefer not to do as I am going to put down a industrial vinyl application roof. I ran about 10 feet of cable out of the weather head. I was thinking of making up an extension that would take the cable to the fascia that points South and mounting it to the side of the house overlooking the back yard. Lots of trees around. The fellow I spoke with told me that all I need is one cable into the homerun closet and from there I can get a 8 way splitter enough for two DVR play/record boxes and 4 additional locations. Here is my question? Will I lose signal if I piggyback on to the existing cable on the roof and what type of connector would I use to make it a watertight splice? Do you folks recommend crimp or compression fittings. I have crimp tool but not a compression tool. is it expensive, difficult to learn how to use? I am thinking that if I run a cable to the fascia and mount the dish, when it comes time to pull off the roof and replace it which will be in about 4-6 weeks, I can merely unscrew the cable from the connector on the dish, remove the dish from the fascia and I am good to go until the roof is redone and then just remount the dish! The engineer told me that if I do not have a meter I will not be able to do the job adequately myself. is this true. Do I really need a meter to get a good signal? So if I can terminate the cables, extend to the fascia and mount the dish, what do I need an installer for? Where can I buy the equipment inexpensively. I understand that the install companies give you several locations and boxes with an install, but wonder if it is because they tie you to a contract? If I do it myself, with my equipment, is it month to month? Also, what is the advantage of Direct TV over Dish or visa versa? Sorry for all the questions, but I am new and wanting to get the only TV I have so far hooked to satellite. Eventually I will have about six locations, with only one needing to be set up to record. Help!!!

 

[jdspencer]

If you are a new customer, and order enough receivers, then DirecTV might install the SWMLine dish which has one cable outlet. The disadvantage with this is that the dish can only support a maximum of 8 tuners (DVRs use two). This dish is not as easy to align.
DIY will not prevent a 2 year commitment as that's tied to the purchase of the receivers (even if not bought through DirecTV).

Definitely use compression fittings. The tools and fittings can be found at Lowe's. Not expensive at all. I wasted one connector when learning how to do it, but have not messed one up since.

There a few threads around here and other forums comparing Dish with DirecTV.