Question about installation and type of switch needed

[jwill535]

I have a 5lnb dish, 2 HD DVR's in different rooms and an HD box in another. The DVR downstairs has two lines run to it and the on upstairs only has one to it. Now my question is, do I need the SWM8 or can I get away with SWM5?

I have 4 lines coming into the house from the dish, there is some sort of splitter connected to it right now. Is this where I would put the switch? Is it easy to self install or should I try to talk DTV into doing it for me?

[WK-Jeff]

Depending on how your house is wired, you may be better off to have the SWM8, with its SWM1 and SWM2 ports.

[jwill535]

is it easy to install. I just have the four lines coming into the house, 2 lines go upstairs to a living room and bedroom and the other two go to a DVR in the basement. Can I connect it in the basement where the lines come in? I imagine the power source in on the line between the wall and the single line that I am sending to the new DVR(replacing HD box in living room).

[jwill535]

Do I also need another splitter after the SWM8?

[WK-Jeff]

Yes, you can install it in the basement where all of the lines meet, and yes, you will need a 1x2 splitter; you'll connect two receivers to the splitter and the third directly to the SWM2 port. The power supply can be installed at the location of one of the receivers or in the basement.

[jwill535]

I hooked up the incoming 4 lines to the SWM8, then the Swm1 line to the power source then from that went to the splittler and then all 3 lines needed went out and I still get searching for signals.

[WK-Jeff]

Be sure you have everything else set up properly: No B-band converters, for example. Power on each receiver one by one, and be sure in the satellite setup that you choose SWM as the type of setup/multiswitch.

[jwill535]

Does it matter where the 4 lines go in? They arent seperatly labled coming off of the dish. Where do I select for it to be SWM?

[WK-Jeff]

The four lines go into the 4 ports of the swm that are NOT labeled 'flex port'....but it doesn't matter which of the 4 goes to which input.

The SWM can be selected when you go through satellite setup on your HR20/21.

[jwill535]

Ok so more then likely the reason it wasn't receiving a signal is because I hadn't switched it to SWM mode?

[jwill535]

I thought you needed to have the B-Band Converters connected in order receive the HD channels?

Do I switch it to SWM mode before I make the switch or after I power it on after hooking up the SWM?

[WK-Jeff]

No B-bands with the SWM. Period. No exceptions.

You switch to SWM mode after you connect the SWM.