Pre-install questions

[Alto101]

I am set to have Dish installed next Friday and have a few questions. I am currently a Voomer so I don't know much about the Dish installation process. I wish this forum had a pre-install FAQ like the Voom forum does since I am sure all of my questions would be answered by it.

Here is what I am getting: 942 with America's Everything Pack + locals + HD pack. The 942 will be installed in my living room with a coax run to the non-HD tv upstairs in the bedroom.

What kind of satellite signal should I receive for each of the various satellites that I need to pick up? I know my Voom dish only has to see one satellite and I have a 97% signal reception. Also, what satellites will I be pulling channels off of? My zip code is 47150, Louisville KY area.

I already have an OTA antenna mounted that is currently hooked up to each of the coax runs with a diplexer and then split out at each Voom STB with another diplexer. Since I will now have two coax runs going to my living room, how do I handle the OTA antenna. Will it be combined with a diplexer into one of the coax lines, or will they want to run a separate coax for it?

I am counting a minimum of three coax runs that will need to be made for the 942, two from the satellite to the 942 and one from the 942 to the upstairs bedroom. Does the standard Dish install package limit the number of coax runs and total cable length? I want to leave my existing Voom system alone since I plan on watching it until it goes dark. Who knows, maybe a miracle will happen and it won't go dark

Thanks!

 

[Alto101]

One more question....

Will I be receiving a Superdish or a Dish 500? I see a lot of references to these names on this board, but don't totally understand the diffrerences between them.

 

[TYORK]

One more question....

Will I be receiving a Superdish or a Dish 500? I see a lot of references to these names on this board, but don't totally understand the diffrerences between them.

I am no sure what you will be getting in your area but . but the differences is in some are the superdish is need to get locals witch requires 3 lmb here in indy i know they are used for sure in places like Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, Richmond, and I thank down around New Albany area as well . and the superdish is a lot bigger than your standard dish . the dish 500 is use in all the other area cause they can get local off of the 2 lmb dish

hope this will help.

t

 

[mdonnelly]

I can't answer all your questions, but here's a shot at some.

1. The installer should be able to run just one satellite cable into your 942, if he uses a Dish Pro Plus Twin LNB, and a DP Separator at the 942 to split the signal.

2. All the Louisville, KY locals except for two are on the 110 satellite. That means you'll get a Dish 500 dish. The other two are on 61.5, the same azimuth as the VOOM satellite. You may be able to use that dish with a switch to connect the two dishes.

3. I don't know why you shouldn't be able to use your same cables for the OTA with Dish.

As far as what is included in a standard install, I can't help. Mine was pretty basic.

Here's a link to some good E* info: http://ekb.dbstalk.com/

 

[TYORK]

I am counting a minimum of three coax runs that will need to be made for the 942, two from the satellite to the 942 and one from the 942 to the upstairs bedroom. Does the standard Dish install package limit the number of coax runs and total cable length? I want to leave my existing Voom system alone since I plan on watching it until it goes dark. Who knows, maybe a miracle will happen and it won't go dark

Thanks!



i don't think you will have a problem they will run i think it is upto 125 ft of cable for each line. and it also depend on who is doing it. but you should be ok on this

t

 

[TYORK]

What kind of satellite signal should I receive for each of the various satellites that I need to pick up? I know my Voom dish only has to see one satellite and I have a 97% signal reception. Also, what satellites will I be pulling channels off of? My zip code is 47150, Louisville KY area.

I already have an OTA antenna mounted that is currently hooked up to each of the coax runs with a diplexer and then split out at each Voom STB with another diplexer. Since I will now have two coax runs going to my living room, how do I handle the OTA antenna. Will it be combined with a diplexer into one of the coax lines, or will they want to run a separate coax for it?

your signal strength should be up around 108 to 125 if you get the dish 500 and yes your OTA should work the same as it does now.

t

 

[Alto101]

First Tyork saved my Voom installation, now she is assisting me with my Dish install Only wish I lived closer to Indianapolis so I could request her to do my install....

I was unaware that a diplexer could combine two satellite lines into one and then split it out again at the STB, but it makes sense. There is so much to learn about the technical side of installs.

If the installer runs one coax to the 942 and splits it out at the STB, can he/she also combine the OTA antenna with this coax? Can a diplexer accomodate three different inputs? Based on the name, diplexer, I would assume the answer is no.

 

[Alto101]

your signal strength should be up around 108 to 125 if you get the dish 500 and yes your OTA should work the same as it does now.

t

So Dish 500 does not use a percentage system like Voom? What is the max signal strength possible and what is the lowest signal strength before the picture starts to breakup?

 

[TYORK]

So Dish 500 does not use a percentage system like Voom? What is the max signal strength possible and what is the lowest signal strength before the picture starts to breakup?

no
high is 125
should be around 70 or maybe lower

 

[TYORK]

First Tyork saved my Voom installation, now she is assisting me with my Dish install Only wish I lived closer to Indianapolis so I could request her to do my install....

I was unaware that a diplexer could combine two satellite lines into one and then split it out again at the STB, but it makes sense. There is so much to learn about the technical side of installs.

If the installer runs one coax to the 942 and splits it out at the STB, can he/she also combine the OTA antenna with this coax? Can a diplexer accomodate three different inputs? Based on the name, diplexer, I would assume the answer is no.

i have never see diplexer that will split 3 ways only 2 but the reason for the diplexer is to split you sat and ota signal.

 

[Alto101]

i have never see diplexer that will split 3 ways only 2 but the reason for the diplexer is to split you sat and ota signal.

I am still confused

I will need two lines from the satellite to the 942 and one line from the antenna to the 942. This makes three separate coax lines.

I can combine the antenna and one satellite line or I can combine the two satellite lines together using diplexers, but there is no way to combine all three lines together, correct?

If I understand this correctly, this is how I think I will proceed. I will combine the two satellite lines and run a seperate coax for the antenna.

Will this work?

 

[TYORK]

you can combine the antenna and one sat.line I am not sure how it will work going to you other tv i am sure there is a way to get you ota up there though. but on just a regualar receiver what you would have to do it but a splitter on the ota and they you would have 2 diplexers one for each sat line but i am not that sure one how this work on the 942 where both line go in and one comes back out to the other tv but i would all most bet that it will work some how .

maybe someone else can answer this for you cause i am just not sure.

t

 

[Alto101]

you can combine the antenna and one sat.line I am not sure how it will work going to you other tv i am sure there is a way to get you ota up there though. but on just a regualar receiver what you would have to do it but a splitter on the ota and they you would have 2 diplexers one for each sat line but i am not that sure one how this work on the 942 where both line go in and one comes back out to the other tv but i would all most bet that it will work some how .

maybe someone else can answer this for you cause i am just not sure.

t

The 942 does not allow OTA output to the second tv, I will be picking up the SD locals over the satellite dish for my upstairs tv. So no need to worry about OTA going to the second tv, only the main tv.

 

[TYORK]

Ok so if you do not have the ota line already there than you will need 1 line with a diplexer for the sat and ota and than the other line will just be sat only so you will only need 2 lines this way running in .

t

 

[Alto101]

Ok so if you do not have the ota line already there than you will need 1 line with a diplexer for the sat and ota and than the other line will just be sat only so you will only need 2 lines this way running in .

t

Okay, I am finally making sense of all of this

Is there any disadvantage to combining the two satellite lines togther and running a seperate line for the OTA? This way I would always have a seperate line into the house from the antenna.

 

[Dish Dude]

do not combine 2 sat lines together if you are using DPP LNB'S or Switches you can get by with one Sat feed using a separator for the 2 feeds and one antenna

 

[Alto101]

do not combine 2 sat lines together if you are using DPP LNB'S or Switches you can get by with one Sat feed using a separator for the 2 feeds and one antenna

Hmmm....lots of new terms that I don't understand.

How does the seperator get installed?

What are DPP LNB and switches, I am know what a LNB is but am not familiar with the terms, DPP and switches.

 

[Dish Dude]

Dish Pro Plus, They make a Twin and a 44 switch, 4 orbital locations, 4 outputs, The x522's, 625,721,921 and 942 can all use a separator. The separator basically allows one cable to go to 2 tuners on any of these boxes mentioned. Think of it as a backwards splitter, and no you can't use an actual splitter it has to be a dpp separator. This is just for the sat feed only. You can actually diplex in the antenna on this line as well, but play it safe and have a separate cable for the antenna

 

[Jared Twomey]

First Tyork saved my Voom installation, now she is assisting me with my Dish install Only wish I lived closer to Indianapolis so I could request her to do my install....

I was unaware that a diplexer could combine two satellite lines into one and then split it out again at the STB, but it makes sense. There is so much to learn about the technical side of installs.

If the installer runs one coax to the 942 and splits it out at the STB, can he/she also combine the OTA antenna with this coax? Can a diplexer accomodate three different inputs? Based on the name, diplexer, I would assume the answer is no.

A diplexer can't combine the two satellite lines into one. You can only do this with a DishProPlus LNB and a DishProPlus Seperator. Then you can diplex that line for the OTA signal. If the installer doesn't use Dish Pro Plus stuff on your install, don't let them do it... for what you are wanting thats the only way to go.. Plus you can have the 61.5 tied into the Dish 500 LNB so that you don't require another switch....

 

[jergenf]

The installers will run up to two coax to your 942 from your dish500 (you're not getting superdish because it not needed for Louisville). You'll want to keep your existing TV antenna as separate coax. The signal typically can vary from 85 to 125 for various transponders. Hope for the same level for your OTA antenna. I would request that they leave your existing Voom dish alone because it may come in handy in the future.