[Tivogre]

Tomorrow, an installer will be coming to upgrade my dish, and leave me with an HR20 so I can take advantage of the new HD goodness.

I have a fairly complex system... 4 lines from the dish go to a 5x8 powered multiswitch.

4 lines go to two SD Tivos; The other 4 lines go to ANOTHER powered 5x8 multiswitch.

4 lines go to two more SD tivos; The other 4 lines run direct down to my home theater.

These 4 lines go into a THRID powered 5x8 multiswitch that gives me 8 outputs in the AV cabinet.

Currently, 4 of those are used (1 SD Tivo, 1 HR10-250), and 4 are "available" for quick connecting additional units for test, etc.

I will use two of those "available" lines for the HR20.

So, Let's see... that makes a total of 16 outputs, using 3 powered 5x8 multiswitches.

Here's a diagram:

My question... do I need DIRECTV to replace all three multiswitches with KAKU compatible units?

If so, it doesn't look like the WB68 is a powered multiswitch; I suspect this will be an issue for the long runs / multiple cascades.

What tyoe I switch do I need to make the installer use?

My thoughts are that the installer should use a powered 12 output KAKU multiswitch in the attic (inputs from the dish), and then can use all of the existing lines.

I think the 5x8 in the AV cabinet will also need to be replaced... but maybe an unpowered wb68 will work there?

Is there a better way?

 

[tucsonbill]

I've been struggling with these questions myself, thinking of replacing one of my SD receivers with an HR20. I can't see any reason from a what works viewpoint why you would need to upgrade anything but the first multiswitch in your cascade, but of course the HR20 would have be on that switch. The other receivers can't use the KA signal anyway, so why bother them with it?

From a logistics viewpoint I don't know the best answer for you, but I think what I suggest will work -- and the 6x8 should be something you can get the installer to do. Did you talk to anyone about it when you scheduled the installation? Looks like there's a 6x16 powered unit that ought replace everything for you, but I wouldn't expect the installer to have one with him if you haven't already talked about it. (Of course, as my wife will tell you, I've been wrong about a lot of things before.)

Good luck.

 

[litzdog911]

Your best solution is to replace all of those multiswitches with one Zinwell WB616 16-output multiswitch. None of your current multiswitches will work with the new 5-LNB dish anyway. Contact the installer ahead of time to see if they can get you WB616. Or they might also parallel two WB68 8-output multiswitches.

 

[Tivogre]

Well, today was no-joy.

When I scheduled the install with DTV I spent a good 1/2 hour with the guy explaining what equipment I had, and making sure that replacing "whatever needed to be replaced" was included in my work-order.

He said the Tech would be free to replace whatever equipment he needed to make the new dish work with my existing system (a lie, it turns out).

First thing out of the truck, I showed the Tech the diagram above and asked him what exactly was being replaced. He looked at the diagram and said that his work-order only showed a 6x8 replacement.

I told him that DTV said he would be able to replace "whatever he needed" and offered to get them on the phone to change the work-order. He said he needed to call his office first. It turns out that he didn't even HAVE a WB616 on the truck; "the warehouse" said they only get them in when DTV specifies them on the work-order (some warehouse!).

They re-scheduled me for Thursday afternoon, and assured me that they will have the WB616 for Thursday.

Why on earth would an installer not carry around a decent selection of equipment on the trucks to account for irregularities?!?

Now, I have to waste ANOTHER 1/2 day off on Thursday.

In any case, he is going to:

1. Put the powered WB616 in the attic (replacing the two powered multiswitches that are there now)

2. Use all of the existing "in-wall" wiring I have in place - he was grateful for that.

3. replace the third multiswitch in the AV cabinet with a WB68. This allows him to use only the 4 lines I have pulled from the attic down to the AV center and still get the required 6 outputs there.


I'll end up having several "available" ports on the WB616 in the attic for future expansion.


Lessons learned:

1. When scheduling an equipment upgrade, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED and that it is explicitly on the work order.

2. Never believe what a DTV CRS tells you.

 

[litzdog911]

Yep, valuable lessons. But it looks like your story will have a happy ending. Keep us posted.

 

[poppagene]

Mixing things up a bit:

Replace multiswitch #1 with a WB68 8-output multiswitch. Four lines from this can go to your HR20 and your HR10. The other 4 lines will feed into one of your existing 5 by 8 multiswitches. This will give you 8 outputs for your 4 SD Dtivos.

 

[Tivogre]

Mixing things up a bit:

Replace multiswitch #1 with a WB68 8-output multiswitch. Four lines from this can go to your HR20 and your HR10. The other 4 lines will feed into one of your existing 5 by 8 multiswitches. This will give you 8 outputs for your 4 SD Dtivos.

You're missing the fact that only 4 lines run (inside LOTS of WALLS) down to the AV center. I have been told (and the multiswitch manufacturer confirms) that you should not cascade the WB68s.

What you're suggesting requires 6 lines at the AV cabinet; I am NOT pulling two more lines through two stories of walls. 4 was supposed to be "future proof" because it was enough to put a dedicated multiswitch (of whatever size) at the AV cabinet location.

 

[poppagene]

You're missing the fact that only 4 lines run (inside LOTS of WALLS) down to the AV center. I have been told (and the multiswitch manufacturer confirms) that you should not cascade the WB68s.

What you're suggesting requires 6 lines at the AV cabinet; I am NOT pulling two more lines through two stories of walls. 4 was supposed to be "future proof" because it was enough to put a dedicated multiswitch (of whatever size) at the AV cabinet location.

Sorry, I didn't realize you were tyring to run a sd dtivo along with an hr10 and an hr20 at the AV cabinet. My solution would work if you only needed the HR10 and HR20 in the AV cabinet.

 

[BigBearf]

I have 3 WB616 and 8 HR10s, 4 SD-DVRs and 3 HR20's. I would recommend the powered multiswitches as they are cascadable. I have 2 WB68 at the end of three four wire pulls so that I can move my DVRs from one viewing area to the next as I desire.

BTW, the AT9 or Slimline dish and the WB616s work well with all of the above.

hope this helps,

BigBearf

 

[narrod]

Wow! 15 DVRs! That's $70 a month in receiver fees. What is your total monthly bill and what do you do with 15 recorders?

 

[coachO]

BigBearf, you have to explain your setup. I just added 3 HR20s to my existing 2 HR10s and I thought I was extreme.

 

[phox_mulder]

Wow! 15 DVRs! That's $70 a month in DVR fees. What is your total monthly bill and what do you do with 15 recorders?

One DVR fee covers all DVRs on the account.
Extra receiver fees on the other hand are running $70 a month.

phox

 

[narrod]

I have to HR20s, 1 HR10 and 2 Philips DSR 6000s activated and an HR10 in the box stored in my garage. I thought that was overkill but, clearly, I'm an amateur compared to some of the members here. We actually only use the HR20s everyday. The others are all in guest bedrooms and get little use.

 

[BigBearf]

I have 4 HR10s, 1 HR20 and a SD-DVR in the Media room connected to a 70" Sony XBR. I use all 10 inputs to record all NFL games during football season and all NBA games during the playoffs. Most of the HR10's have 750 GB drives and I have many HD movies and wife and grandkid record stuff on there own recorders.

I have 3 HR10 and 1 SD-DVR downstairs hooked to a XBR 46" flat panel over the fireplace that I use to record movies, games and TV series. I am contemplating adding one or two of the HR20s to this setup.

I have 1 HR10 and 1 SD-DVR in the bedroom hooked to a 32" XBR that the wife uses to watch HD and all the SD-DVRs are hooked by ethernet and are zippered in order to allow MRV. All units are zippered to allow photos and music in all locations.

I also have a HR20 in the kitchen and have one SD-DVR in the guest BR. The last SD-DVR is upstairs in my "tivo laboratory" where all the zippering, tinkering and troubleshooting takes place.

This setup allows me to move the units easily from area to area if I have any hardware or software problems. I will probably slowly migrate to all HR10s for OTA and SD and retire the SD-DVRs but that would be the end of the MRVing. I'll probably migrate to 2 or 3 more HR20s unless a D* MPEG4 Tivo units appears but I am not holding my breath.

I pay an average monthly bill of about $175 but it sure beats TWC and the lousy 8300 HDs that I have at my beach condo. I pay almost as much for 3 8300 HD DVRs from TWC and have much less HD content but D* is not available at the condo.

BTW, I highly enjoy messing with the my owned HR10s and SD-DVRs. I know its overkill but I always have something to watch when I want to watch it.

Hope this helps,
BigBearf