Required Equipment Question

[dancrouse]

I'm considered moving back to D*. I have installed it at three other houses (before HDTV) and never had any issues with the installation; however, things now appear to be more complicated.

In my current house, everything is pre-wired and it would be difficult to add more cable. I have two RG-6 cables running from the outside to my cable switch box in a closet. From there I have one RG-6 cable running to each room. I would like to install 4 HD DVRs. Which LNB will I need? Which multiswitch spilter will I need? Will I need anything else?

 

[rad]

If this would be a new DirecTV install then they should give you a Slimline dish with a SWMLNB. The SWMLNB allows for one wire from the LNB to a splitter which can then be split 4 ways to go to the HD DVR's.

 

[dancrouse]

If this would be a new DirecTV install then they should give you a Slimline dish with a SWMLNB. The SWMLNB allows for one wire from the LNB to a splitter which can then be split 4 ways to go to the HD DVR's.

Thank you ... when I call DirecTV and start talking Multiswitches, they just get confused and on three occasions disconnected me or put me on hold forever. Who can I buy this equipment from. I may be able to do the install myself, if not I wonder if there is any company in Atlanta that could help with this.

 

[rad]

Thank you ... when I call DirecTV and start talking Multiswitches, they just get confused and on three occasions disconnected me or put me on hold forever. Who can I buy this equipment from. I may be able to do the install myself, if not I wonder if there is any company in Atlanta that could help with this.

If you're a new install they should give you all the equipment for free as part of it. If you do want to buy it yourself check out Solid Signal | Digital Converter Boxes, DIRECTV® Systems, HDTV Antennas, DISH Network, satellite equipment and home entertainment supplies & accessories, they had dishes, LNB's, SWMLNB's and SWM8's but it's going to cost you $100 to over $200 depending on if you go with the SWMLNB or a LNB and SWM8. As for a dealer, check this page, DIRECTV - Find a Retailer or your phone book is the only advice I can offer, sorry.

 

[dancrouse]

One more question ... I understand a multiswitch in built into the SWMLNB. Will I need another multiswitch inside to spilt the signal to four HD DVRs or will my a passive spilter work.

 

[JosephB]

One more question ... I understand a multiswitch in built into the SWMLNB. Will I need another multiswitch inside to spilt the signal to four HD DVRs or will my a passive spilter work.

a splitter will work, but not necessarily the one you have. You can pick up a SWM approved splitter from solidsignal or weaknees.com. Check those sites out to see the specs to see if the one you have matches.

 

[William1]

Weaknees rocks! They took very good care of me, were able to easily answer my questions. Could not get anyone at SolidSignal to do so, by phone or email. Same at Sadoun. If you have to buy stuff, go to Weaknees. Plus they are less expensive to boot!

 

[soccer918843]

if they dont have the swim equipment u will be screwed because u will then need 2 wires for each dvr alot of contractors dont have alot of swim equipment

 

[William1]

That is why, I bought my own and installed it before the DTV installer arrives. If he has one, I'll ask him to give it to me and I'll send it back to the place I bought it. If he does not have one, then I'll be covered.

 

[dancrouse]

Very helpful ... one last question. I have been reading on the web that HD with DirecTV may be waterdowned a bit. It is possible that my satellite HD may not be as good as I'm getting off the cable? I'm trying to get more HD here, but I want it to be good HD.

 

[srenker]

Very helpful ... one last question. I have been reading on the web that HD with DirecTV may be waterdowned a bit. It is possible that my satellite HD may not be as good as I'm getting off the cable? I'm trying to get more HD here, but I want it to be good HD.

That was true with the first generation of HD receivers that used the older MPEG2 compression method. D* is working to move customers off that equipment and they have been whittling down the HD channels the old equipment can receive.

All equipment that is installed today uses MPEG4 compression, which is much more efficient, so they do not have to compromise picture quality to fit in the signal bandwidth they have. When I went to HD, I looked at friends' setups with Comcast vs. D*, and I chose D* on picture quality. Even though I have half my condo balcony taken up by the dish.

 

[dancrouse]

That was true with the first generation of HD receivers that used the older MPEG2 compression method. D* is working to move customers off that equipment and they have been whittling down the HD channels the old equipment can receive.

All equipment that is installed today uses MPEG4 compression, which is much more efficient, so they do not have to compromise picture quality to fit in the signal bandwidth they have. When I went to HD, I looked at friends' setups with Comcast vs. D*, and I chose D* on picture quality. Even though I have half my condo balcony taken up by the dish.

Ok ... so as long as I stay with the H21 or H22 receivers, I should be fine? Also ... By reading this blog I now realize there are both a SWM3 and a SWM5 LNBs. Do I care which one?

 

[srenker]

Ok ... so as long as I stay with the H21 or H22 receivers, I should be fine? Also ... By reading this blog I now realize there are both a SWM3 and a SWM5 LNBs. Do I care which one?

H21 and H22 are current generation and will be fine. D* does not issue new HD equipment that does not receive MPEG4.

The LNBs probably do not make a difference for you. The two extra orbital slots are used for SD locals in some markets (MUCH smaller than Atlanta) and MPEG2 HD. If you were activating international programming (other than the handful of Spanish channels we all get), you would automatically get a SWM5 plus another dish - long story.

 

[dancrouse]

How many HR2* DVRs will I be able to run off a SWM LNB? I assuming 4. Will I be able to add more? Will I be able to add additional standard receivers?

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Only 8 tuners are supported and each DVR uses two of them. You could use multiple SWM8 switches fed with splitters from a standard Slimline dish to feed more receivers. Directv doesn't supply these for residential use, so you would need to purchase them yourself.

 

[dancrouse]

Will I still require a phone line connection if I have an ethernet internet connection for the HD DVRs?

 

[rad]

Will I still require a phone line connection if I have an ethernet internet connection for the HD DVRs?

Nope, not required if it's connected to the internet. But then again, DirecTV hasn't been really strick about that rule anyway.