I would like to know how Dish Network installer may setup cabling and
splitter to install four receivers in a house.

Currently, I am using DirecTV (with 2 receivers), and I plan to replace
it with Dish Network (with 4 receivers) in the near future.

I have already setup a central panel where the video cables from all
the rooms home run to it. Currently, DirecTV has two video cables
coming from the satellite dish, and I extend them to reach the central
panel, and directly hook up to the video connections of two rooms. I
don't use any splitter because I only have 2 receivers and there are
only two video cables coming from the satellite dish.

Now, I want to know how Dish Network installer will install cabling in
my house, and whether they will need a splitter. Hopefully, I can do
most of the work myself; then I can use better quality video cable than
what the installer will use, and hopefully I can save the $50
additional installation fee for 4 receivers with foreign TV programs.

My questions a

- How many video cables come from one satellite dish of Dish Network?
One, two, or four? I am under the impression that if I need to receive
foreign TV shows via Dish Network, I need two satellite dishes. And if
each dish comes with 2 video cables, I will have totally 4 video cables
coming from satellite dishes. If this is the case, I don't really need
a splitter to split the video to 4 receivers; I can simply connect each
incoming video cable to each receiver (via the central panel).

- If there is only a combined total of one or two video cables coming
from the satellite dish(es). I assume we need a splitter to split the
video signal to 4 receivers. Which splitter do they use?

I really prefer to do this cabling myself. The DirecTV installer ran
cable all over the place including horizontal surface in outdoor where
squirrels chewed it up. And the cable is thin video cable instead of
thick shielded cable. Therefore, I prefer to limit the installer to
mount the satellite dish, run video cables from the satellite dish to
the basement, tune the satellite dish and receivers, and I will finish
all the cabling indoor myself.
Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

Jay -

Recc. you post this over at: rec.video.satellite.dbs - looks like they
have the knowledge you seek.

Matt

Thanks for the link. I will go there and ask around.

Jay Chan

wrote in
ups.com:

I would like to know how Dish Network installer may setup cabling and
splitter to install four receivers in a house.

Currently, I am using DirecTV (with 2 receivers), and I plan to replace
it with Dish Network (with 4 receivers) in the near future.

I have already setup a central panel where the video cables from all
the rooms home run to it. Currently, DirecTV has two video cables
coming from the satellite dish, and I extend them to reach the central
panel, and directly hook up to the video connections of two rooms. I
don't use any splitter because I only have 2 receivers and there are
only two video cables coming from the satellite dish.

Now, I want to know how Dish Network installer will install cabling in
my house, and whether they will need a splitter. Hopefully, I can do
most of the work myself; then I can use better quality video cable than
what the installer will use, and hopefully I can save the $50
additional installation fee for 4 receivers with foreign TV programs.

My questions a

- How many video cables come from one satellite dish of Dish Network?
One, two, or four? I am under the impression that if I need to receive
foreign TV shows via Dish Network, I need two satellite dishes. And if
each dish comes with 2 video cables, I will have totally 4 video cables
coming from satellite dishes. If this is the case, I don't really need
a splitter to split the video to 4 receivers; I can simply connect each
incoming video cable to each receiver (via the central panel).

- If there is only a combined total of one or two video cables coming
from the satellite dish(es). I assume we need a splitter to split the
video signal to 4 receivers. Which splitter do they use?

I really prefer to do this cabling myself. The DirecTV installer ran
cable all over the place including horizontal surface in outdoor where
squirrels chewed it up. And the cable is thin video cable instead of
thick shielded cable. Therefore, I prefer to limit the installer to
mount the satellite dish, run video cables from the satellite dish to
the basement, tune the satellite dish and receivers, and I will finish
all the cabling indoor myself.
Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan


from the antennas I've examined,there's a separate coax from the LNB to
each receiver.The 4 receiver Dish antenna has two LNBs,each with dual
outputs.
The LNB coax cable has to be wideband,low-loss and presumably well-
shielded.(900-1400 Mhz,IIRC)
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Thanks for the info.

This means I should expect to see 4 video cables coming from Dish
Network dishes. And I don't need to use a video-splitter. Good. I will
ask the installer to route those 4 cables to the central panel in my
basement where I will connect those 4 cables to the video connector
corresponding to the rooms that should get the receivers.
OK, now I know what to talk to the installer.

Jay Chan

4cables to home!

~kjpro~


wrote in message
ups.com...
I would like to know how Dish Network installer may setup cabling and
splitter to install four receivers in a house.

Currently, I am using DirecTV (with 2 receivers), and I plan to replace
it with Dish Network (with 4 receivers) in the near future.

I have already setup a central panel where the video cables from all
the rooms home run to it. Currently, DirecTV has two video cables
coming from the satellite dish, and I extend them to reach the central
panel, and directly hook up to the video connections of two rooms. I
don't use any splitter because I only have 2 receivers and there are
only two video cables coming from the satellite dish.

Now, I want to know how Dish Network installer will install cabling in
my house, and whether they will need a splitter. Hopefully, I can do
most of the work myself; then I can use better quality video cable than
what the installer will use, and hopefully I can save the $50
additional installation fee for 4 receivers with foreign TV programs.

My questions a

- How many video cables come from one satellite dish of Dish Network?
One, two, or four? I am under the impression that if I need to receive
foreign TV shows via Dish Network, I need two satellite dishes. And if
each dish comes with 2 video cables, I will have totally 4 video cables
coming from satellite dishes. If this is the case, I don't really need
a splitter to split the video to 4 receivers; I can simply connect each
incoming video cable to each receiver (via the central panel).

- If there is only a combined total of one or two video cables coming
from the satellite dish(es). I assume we need a splitter to split the
video signal to 4 receivers. Which splitter do they use?

I really prefer to do this cabling myself. The DirecTV installer ran
cable all over the place including horizontal surface in outdoor where
squirrels chewed it up. And the cable is thin video cable instead of
thick shielded cable. Therefore, I prefer to limit the installer to
mount the satellite dish, run video cables from the satellite dish to
the basement, tune the satellite dish and receivers, and I will finish
all the cabling indoor myself.
Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

Obviously different installers do things differently. Our 3-receiver
DirecTV system (including one DirecTivo box) has an elliptical
triple-LNB dish. Two RG6 cables (complete with the "hanger" wire, as
used by the cable TV companies) come straight down from the dish into
the house, and all other connections are inside the house: one is split
to feed all three receivers, and the second one goes to the second input
on the DirecTivo (dual tuners).

My only complaints a

1. They didn't ground the dish, other than through the shield of the cable.

2. They used a 4-way splitter and (I only just noticed when I went to
check on something in order to write this message) did not use
terminator caps on the two unused outputs.

Perce


On 01/26/05 11:41 am tossed the following
ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

I would like to know how Dish Network installer may setup cabling and
splitter to install four receivers in a house.

Currently, I am using DirecTV (with 2 receivers), and I plan to replace
it with Dish Network (with 4 receivers) in the near future.

I have already setup a central panel where the video cables from all
the rooms home run to it. Currently, DirecTV has two video cables
coming from the satellite dish, and I extend them to reach the central
panel, and directly hook up to the video connections of two rooms. I
don't use any splitter because I only have 2 receivers and there are
only two video cables coming from the satellite dish.

Now, I want to know how Dish Network installer will install cabling in
my house, and whether they will need a splitter. Hopefully, I can do
most of the work myself; then I can use better quality video cable than
what the installer will use, and hopefully I can save the $50
additional installation fee for 4 receivers with foreign TV programs.

My questions a

- How many video cables come from one satellite dish of Dish Network?
One, two, or four? I am under the impression that if I need to receive
foreign TV shows via Dish Network, I need two satellite dishes. And if
each dish comes with 2 video cables, I will have totally 4 video cables
coming from satellite dishes. If this is the case, I don't really need
a splitter to split the video to 4 receivers; I can simply connect each
incoming video cable to each receiver (via the central panel).

- If there is only a combined total of one or two video cables coming
from the satellite dish(es). I assume we need a splitter to split the
video signal to 4 receivers. Which splitter do they use?

I really prefer to do this cabling myself. The DirecTV installer ran
cable all over the place including horizontal surface in outdoor where
squirrels chewed it up. And the cable is thin video cable instead of
thick shielded cable. Therefore, I prefer to limit the installer to
mount the satellite dish, run video cables from the satellite dish to
the basement, tune the satellite dish and receivers, and I will finish
all the cabling indoor myself.

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
Obviously different installers do things differently. Our 3-receiver
DirecTV system (including one DirecTivo box) has an elliptical
triple-LNB dish. Two RG6 cables (complete with the "hanger" wire, as
used by the cable TV companies) come straight down from the dish into
the house, and all other connections are inside the house: one is split
to feed all three receivers, and the second one goes to the second input
on the DirecTivo (dual tuners).

DishNet looks at different sats through different LNBF, this is why they
require multiple cables.

My only complaints a

1. They didn't ground the dish, other than through the shield of the
cable.

No big deal.

2. They used a 4-way splitter and (I only just noticed when I went to
check on something in order to write this message) did not use
terminator caps on the two unused outputs.

Another no big deal.

~kjpro~

Perce


On 01/26/05 11:41 am tossed the following
ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

I would like to know how Dish Network installer may setup cabling and
splitter to install four receivers in a house.

Currently, I am using DirecTV (with 2 receivers), and I plan to replace
it with Dish Network (with 4 receivers) in the near future.

I have already setup a central panel where the video cables from all
the rooms home run to it. Currently, DirecTV has two video cables
coming from the satellite dish, and I extend them to reach the central
panel, and directly hook up to the video connections of two rooms. I
don't use any splitter because I only have 2 receivers and there are
only two video cables coming from the satellite dish.

Now, I want to know how Dish Network installer will install cabling in
my house, and whether they will need a splitter. Hopefully, I can do
most of the work myself; then I can use better quality video cable than
what the installer will use, and hopefully I can save the $50
additional installation fee for 4 receivers with foreign TV programs.

My questions a

- How many video cables come from one satellite dish of Dish Network?
One, two, or four? I am under the impression that if I need to receive
foreign TV shows via Dish Network, I need two satellite dishes. And if
each dish comes with 2 video cables, I will have totally 4 video cables
coming from satellite dishes. If this is the case, I don't really need
a splitter to split the video to 4 receivers; I can simply connect each
incoming video cable to each receiver (via the central panel).

- If there is only a combined total of one or two video cables coming
from the satellite dish(es). I assume we need a splitter to split the
video signal to 4 receivers. Which splitter do they use?

I really prefer to do this cabling myself. The DirecTV installer ran
cable all over the place including horizontal surface in outdoor where
squirrels chewed it up. And the cable is thin video cable instead of
thick shielded cable. Therefore, I prefer to limit the installer to
mount the satellite dish, run video cables from the satellite dish to
the basement, tune the satellite dish and receivers, and I will finish
all the cabling indoor myself.

Good to know that your DirecTV installer at least keep the cables
indoor instead of running the cables
indoor-and-then-outdoor-and-then-indoor-again.

The DirecTV installer grounded the dish to a metal rod that is also
being used as a ground by the power company.

I don't quite understand why this is bad not to cap those two unused
outputs. Are you afraid of dust getting into the connectors? How does
the cap look like?

Jay Chan

In article .com,
wrote:

I don't quite understand why this is bad not to cap those two unused
outputs. Are you afraid of dust getting into the connectors? How does
the cap look like?

It's not just a cap; it is a metal connector with a 75 ohm resistor
inside it to act as a load when a TV is not connected to the outlet.
Splitters are designed for specific loads on the outputs. If a load
is missing, all kinds of ugly things happen such as reflections, huge
losses at some frequencies etc. etc. etc.

I learned this the hard way, inside a cable TV headend. "Thou shalt
leave no connector unterminated!"

It's not just a cap; it is a metal connector with a 75 ohm resistor
inside it to act as a load when a TV is not connected to the outlet.
Splitters are designed for specific loads on the outputs. If a load
is missing, all kinds of ugly things happen such as reflections, huge
losses at some frequencies etc. etc. etc.

Thanks for explaining why we may need a "cap" on unused TV connectors
in a splitter. Currently, I only plan on replacing DirecTV with Dish
Network, and Dish Network will have four cables coming in to connect to
four receivers; this means there will not be any splitter involved, and
there will not be any unused connector. Therefore, I don't need to
worry about "cap" for now.

This info will become helpful if I later on decide to install a HDTV
antenna for getting off-the-air HDTV signal; in that case, I will need
to use a splitter to split video signal coming from the HDTV antenna,
and I will likely have some connectors in the splitter unused.

Jay Chan

In article .com,
wrote:
It's not just a cap; it is a metal connector with a 75 ohm resistor
inside it to act as a load when a TV is not connected to the outlet.
Splitters are designed for specific loads on the outputs. If a load
is missing, all kinds of ugly things happen such as reflections, huge
losses at some frequencies etc. etc. etc.

Thanks for explaining why we may need a "cap" on unused TV connectors
in a splitter. Currently, I only plan on replacing DirecTV with Dish
Network, and Dish Network will have four cables coming in to connect to
four receivers; this means there will not be any splitter involved, and
^^^^^^^^^

there will not be any unused connector. Therefore, I don't need to
worry about "cap" for now.

This info will become helpful if I later on decide to install a HDTV
antenna for getting off-the-air HDTV signal; in that case, I will need
to use a splitter to split video signal coming from the HDTV antenna,
and I will likely have some connectors in the splitter unused.

Jay Chan


Re the vocab used he what is a "receiver"?

A plain tv or vcr -- or something specially related to satellite connections?


Thanks,

David

Another question: (as you can see I know *nothing* about satellite tv, not yet)

Say you've got four tv's in the house.

And two dishes -- per earlier post from someone, so that you
can see foreign tv too (if that is true).

Now, how do you hook each tv to this system, in a way that
each one can watch whatever channel it wants, plus whether
foreign or not?

Is there some kind of a network-controller that distributes the
desired signal to the tv that wants it?

Or just physical connection to each, with a rats-nest of
cables hooked in behind each tv?

Or what?


Thanks

David (totally ignorant on this subject, eager to learn)

wrote:
It's not just a cap; it is a metal connector with a 75 ohm resistor
inside it to act as a load when a TV is not connected to the outlet.
Splitters are designed for specific loads on the outputs. If a load
is missing, all kinds of ugly things happen such as reflections, huge
losses at some frequencies etc. etc. etc.

Thanks for explaining why we may need a "cap" on unused TV connectors
in a splitter. Currently, I only plan on replacing DirecTV with Dish
Network, and Dish Network will have four cables coming in to connect to
four receivers; this means there will not be any splitter involved, and
there will not be any unused connector. Therefore, I don't need to
worry about "cap" for now.

Two comments: the signal coming from the Dish is digital. Getting the
high-quality cables you mentioned before is probably not going to give
you better picture quality. Second, the "splitter" is not really a plain
splitter as you would use for an analog cable signal. It's more like an
NxM switch that allows each tuner to connect to any LNB on any of the dishes.
This could mean that the "cap" (terminator) is not really needed, but more
importantly: if you were to connect each of the 4 cables coming from the
dishes directly to an input on a tuner, then each tuner would be limited as
to what channels can be watched on it. You probably don't want that.