Ordered Directv, would like to pre-wire what I can, help?
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What ever you decide to run, use RG-6 wire and do not put fittings on them, the D* installer will put the ends on them that they use.
Chris,
All this depends on whether or not they install SWM, but that seems to be standard now so I would plan for that. There will be one RG-6 line from your dish to a splitter. Location of the splitter is usually in a basement or attic. Then you will run a single RG-6 wire from the splitter to each of the receivers and your cinema connection box. The cinema connection box is usually placed somewhere near your router, but you could put in CAT-5e from your router to your TV and put the cinema connection box there. Co-located with one of the TV's will be a power inserter for the SWM head in the dish.
I would let your installer run the line from your dish to your splitter since that really should be solid copper core wire and that is very hard to find in standard retail quantities. Unless you have serious compelling reasons (like all your runs are in-wall and you want to do the in-wall wiring yourself) you should also let the installer run one of the wires that goes from the TV with the power inserter to the splitter as well. Copper coated steel (which is most of the stuff you can buy at retail) is OK for RF but sucks for the 21 volts to the SWM. Also, unless you have the right equipment and connectors, leave them off for the installer to do. They have the right equipment for that.
I did all my pre-wire since it was basically in-wall or special routing. My installer asked if he could replace the dish to splitter wire with his and I agreed. Everything works just fine.
Enjoy,
Bob
All this depends on whether or not they install SWM, but that seems to be standard now so I would plan for that. There will be one RG-6 line from your dish to a splitter. Location of the splitter is usually in a basement or attic. Then you will run a single RG-6 wire from the splitter to each of the receivers and your cinema connection box. The cinema connection box is usually placed somewhere near your router, but you could put in CAT-5e from your router to your TV and put the cinema connection box there. Co-located with one of the TV's will be a power inserter for the SWM head in the dish.
I would let your installer run the line from your dish to your splitter since that really should be solid copper core wire and that is very hard to find in standard retail quantities. Unless you have serious compelling reasons (like all your runs are in-wall and you want to do the in-wall wiring yourself) you should also let the installer run one of the wires that goes from the TV with the power inserter to the splitter as well. Copper coated steel (which is most of the stuff you can buy at retail) is OK for RF but sucks for the 21 volts to the SWM. Also, unless you have the right equipment and connectors, leave them off for the installer to do. They have the right equipment for that.
I did all my pre-wire since it was basically in-wall or special routing. My installer asked if he could replace the dish to splitter wire with his and I agreed. Everything works just fine.
Enjoy,
Bob
Thanks for the replies. After posting this question I read about the requirement for solid copper wire, the wire I have is copper clad, so I may let him do most of it. The problem is the access is through a crawlspace, and the main TV is inside a converted fireplace. The crawlspace is tight is places. I have compression connectors and tools and one reason I was going to try to do some of it is I installed an OTA antenna and was going to go ahead and run that wire to the TV and if I was doing that I thought I might as well run the sat wires, but I don't have solid copper, so I will wait.
Don't worry about the crawlspace as he's most certain used to it. You can always do it for him if you feel compelled. Do you plan on running it through the walls or coming straight up from the floor? If you are running it through the walls, he may try to tag you for custom labor. This can likely be avoided if you already have something fished that will allow him to easily get the cable through.
You will get the SWM with your setup.
You will get the SWM with your setup.
when I added a receiver and upgraded to HD I ran a new wire that was copper clad. Didnt put the ends on and the tech used it
Besides being RG-6,the cable also has to be sweep tested to 3 GHz,at least that's what the installer told me when I originally got DIRECTV.
Solid Copper only makes a difference on long runs. Almost any RG6 will work just fine in runs less than 100'. RG-59 works without any problem as long as it's not the power line. Yes we would rather replace RG-59, but it is not always possible.
So don't worry about copper clad wire it will work just fine.
So don't worry about copper clad wire it will work just fine.
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