Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Newbie and New Construction

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Newbie and New Construction

    We are just getting ready to wire our retreat/future retirement house and learned yesterday about SWM from our installer.

    I would really appreciate feedback as to the best way to wire a dish system from scratch. Completely new to satellite--we've had cable available everywhere else we've lived.

    Everything is wide open, so there's no limit to access. We've already run conduit to the location where the 20' tower will go for the dish--the run to the central location in the house is about 125'.

    Layout: main house will have up to maximum 6 HD TVs and need individual room control over each. A separate apartment over the detached garage will have another HDTV--that can be fed either thru the main house, direct from the same dish, or from another, dedicated dish.

    I've heard about DirecTV's option where two sets can share one control box, but wd prefer each TV to function independently in each room--no rf signals to try to control between rooms.

    Perhaps we'll have one DVR. But mostly, we're looking for excellent service of HD signals to each TV plus capability for any future enhancements.

    Installer has given us the following options
    1) SWM--1 feed (125') into the main house and split all 7 TVS off that (6 locations ea within 50', the garage location another 100').
    2) 4 feeds off one dish, all going to one central splitter that would split to (I think) up to 8 or more TVs. (Lengths same)
    3) Two dishes--one would directly service the apartment above the garage--and reduce the run to 125' b/c it will not have to go thru house. But I'm not sure if that setup will require a separate account (prefer to keep everything as one account).

    And there's the question of provider--is one better than the other? I know we can get DirecTV, but there are a cpl other, newer companies that are also available. Will we get local channels thru dish provider, or need another antenna on top of the tower?

    Thank you for helping me sort this out. --Mark

  • #2
    First, we think DirecTV is the best for satellite! Especially if you watch sports, DirecTV really is the leader.

    Probably #3 is the best move. The length of that extra run out to the apartment could require amplification, so you keep things simple if you just get a second dish. And, no, you don't need a separate account if it's all one household.
    Been here a long time . . .

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the feedback, Michael.

      If we have one dish for the house, and the opportunity to lay in as many coax lines as needed since everything is open now, is SWM or ZeeBox or other necessary; does it offer any enhancement over multiple wires in an completely new installation?

      I read the info on the ZeeBox and like the idea to integrate web content with HDs t-out the house--so in that case, would investing in Zee be better for my application than SWM?

      --Mark

      Comment


      • #4
        I really haven't heard of a ZeeBox.

        A SWM does have some advantages over a standard installation, including the ability to diplex OTA or cable into the same line, and also full access to the upcoming home networking features that will be coming out, with the most ease (they will probably be available other ways, but SWM should make the installation most straightforward).
        Been here a long time . . .

        Comment


        • #5
          So given the direction technology is moving and if you had no access restrictions or limitations, what prewiring would you do today between the dish and HDTVs?

          Comment


          • #6
            You will want everything home-run wired--4 lines from the roof/dish to a central wiring closet, where you would have power, and from there lines out to every room in your house.

            Comment

            Working...
            X