Upgrading to Get HD

[Animator50]

I currently have 4 receivers in my house, all of them SD. Three are D10s and one R16-300 DVR. The dish is an older round one labeled KTI. It has two cables coming off of it that attach to a 3x8 multiswitch. I would like to upgrade the DVR with a HD DVR, and one of the standard receivers with a HD receiver. Eventually I'd like them all to be HD but for now those two are the only important ones. I think I understand the basics of what all is required for this upgrade, but I was wondering if you could help me figure it out.

So I'll need a slimline dish. Since I don't need international channels I would get a 3 lnb over the 5. As far as SWM, if I want the D10s to still work I'd need the lnb with 4 cables which connect to a SWM8 multiswitch with legacy ports. If I get a SWM lnb with only one cable then the D10s will no longer be able to be used and I'd have to upgrade to newer receivers. Is that correct?

I'd also need a SWM splitter to make runs to the 4 receivers and one power inserter. Now does it matter which receiver the power inserter is connected to? Looking at Directv's website, the HD DVR I'd get is a HR24 and for the HD receiver a H25. Do these require a deca or anything like that? I don't plan on connecting ethernet to any receiver.

I'm going to talk to Directv and see what they say, but generally would I be better off buying and installing the dish other equipment myself before ordering a HD box, or is it cheaper to let Directv install it all?



Thanks for the help and clarifications.

 

[Mr Tony]

honestly...let DIrectv do the install. You already will get a 2 year agreement with the upgrade....let them upgrade the dish too

The easiest thing to do is see if they'll give you D12's in place of the D10's....the D12's are SWM compatible
Then the installer just hooks up a SL3 (3 LNB) dish and a SWM8. One cable from the dish to the splitter. Hook up the receivers and thats it. Simple

But if you keep the D10's then yes you need the non SWM LNB (with the 4 outputs) and a SWM8. 4 cables to switch. You can hook the HD DVR and the HD receiver to the SWM output (need a splitter) and the 2 D10's to the Legacy ports

 

[Animator50]

I'll ask for D12s then. That sounds simple enough. Thanks Iceberg.

 

[Mr Tony]

I would talk to retention and see what they can do for ya.

 

[texasbrit]

And 3LNB vs 5LNB is not necessarily based on the need for the ethnic channels on 119. Certain DMAs get their SD locals from 119 (although since you say your location is SF this probably won't apply to you) and there are also some religious and music channels on 119, and they would require a 5-lnb dish.

 

[Animator50]

Thanks for the info texasbrit. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[raoul5788]

texasbrit is correct, if you get SF local channels, they will install the 3 lnb unless you get a package that has channels from 119.

 

[Mr Tony]

or sometimes the installer may have one extra that they can install