Switching from Dish to Comcast. X1 Self Install Advice

[carl07]

I currently have a Dish 722k that runs two tvs. I am a current Comcast internet customer and I am dropping Dish and adding an X1 Dvr with a hd box that runs off the X1 on my 2nd Tv.

Any advice on a self install? I am hoping that since I already have Comcast internet running and my house is wired for the 722k on 2 tvs that the X1 install should not be too hard.

Any advice? Would the X1 boxes connect similar to how the 722k does to a 2nd tv?

 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

I currently have a Dish 722k that runs two tvs. I am a current Comcast internet customer and I am dropping Dish and adding an X1 Dvr with a hd box that runs off the X1 on my 2nd Tv.

Any advice on a self install? I am hoping that since I already have Comcast internet running and my house is wired for the 722k on 2 tvs that the X1 install should not be too hard.

Any advice? Would the X1 boxes connect similar to how the 722k does to a 2nd tv?

As long as the wiring inside your house is good, everything should be fine. Basically the X1 shares it's recordings through the second receivers through MoCA. Depending on what secondary STB you get will effect certain aspects. Such as if you get a RNG150 as a second STB, this will use its own tuner and play recordings from the main DVR X1 using Moca.

The XID or XI3s will use a tuner from the main DVR X1 for linear.

The XG2 is a non DVR currently ( cloud DVR eventually ) and has 4 Tuners for linear. I recommend this over the RNG150. It's quicker plus more tuners available.

Let me know if you have any more questions.


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[carl07]

As long as the wiring inside your house is good, everything should be fine. Basically the X1 shares it's recordings through the second receivers through MoCA. Depending on what secondary STB you get will effect certain aspects. Such as if you get a RNG150 as a second STB, this will use its own tuner and play recordings from the main DVR X1 using Moca.

The XID or XI3s will use a tuner from the main DVR X1 for linear.

The XG2 is a non DVR currently ( cloud DVR eventually ) and has 4 Tuners for linear. I recommend this over the RNG150. It's quicker plus more tuners available.

Let me know if you have any more questions.


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Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it. I will start googling MoCA to learn more. My rooms are each wired directly with access to each outside at the box. When I had Comcast before with their old system, I used a two way splitter with one feed for internet and a second feed that split again for each of the 2 tvs. My thinking was that this would be better for internet. Not sure if that was any better than a three way splitter.

Planning for the X1, should I use a three way splitter at the box outside or split it half internet and half tv and then split the tv feed again?

Also, once the wiring is set up, are the boxes pretty much just plug in and activate?

 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

I would split it at the box outside. The X1 has a DOCSIS 3.0 modem inside. It uses and eSTB QAM for linear and VOD and uses the eCM DOCSIS for menus, guide, apps and web. If your signal is too low or too hot depending if it's USSNR OR DSSNR can effect VOD, Guide and even DVR scheduling and features. XI3s and XIDs use VOD over IP instead of QAM.

So if you can, stick to one 3 way splitter at the box. Stay away from running splitters if possible.

Once they are in when you activate it will ask you for the account number and the primary phone number on your account. After that you're set to go.

Let me know if I can help anymore.


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[mdavej]

I highly doubt Comcast will allow a self install on new TV service, despite the fact you already have internet. Given that Moca is new to you, I think it's best to leave it to the professionals. Plus they will have all the little bits you need like new 2GHz splitters and POE filters.

If you want to save a lot of money, forget X1 and get Tivo. It gets On-demand now just like X1, if that's a concern.

 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

I highly doubt Comcast will allow a self install on new TV service, despite the fact you already have internet. Given that Moca is new to you, I think it's best to leave it to the professionals. Plus they will have all the little bits you need like new 2GHz splitters and POE filters.

If you want to save a lot of money, forget X1 and get Tivo. It gets On-demand now just like X1, if that's a concern.

Comcast does allow SIK in most markets, even for new TV with MoCA.

 

[Bruce]

If you want to save a lot of money, forget X1 and get Tivo. It gets On-demand now just like X1, if that's a concern.

I have never understood the appeal of Tivo, you have a $200-300 upfront charge to buy it, then the monthly charge of $15 or the upfront lifetime charge which is, I believe, another $300, and what happens when the tech gets outdated, then more upfront costs.

I am happy paying my $7.99 a month ( price lock for another 2 years) for my X1 and my $3.99 a month for the HDMI DTA Box which is less then the monthly Tivo fee for 1 box.

 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

I have never understood the appeal of Tivo, you have a $200-300 upfront charge to buy it, then the monthly charge of $15 or the upfront lifetime charge which is, I believe, another $300, and what happens when the tech gets outdated, then more upfront costs.

I am happy paying my $7.99 a month ( price lock for another 2 years) for my X1 and my $3.99 a month for the HDMI DTA Box which is less then the monthly Tivo fee for 1 box.

I tried the TiVo Bold a few weeks ago. Took it back after one night, and went back with the XG1 DVR. The TiVo has come cool features such as the netflix, amazon and other video platforms on the device. Included with your search results. Honestly I found nothing really that made me think it was worth 400 for the 1tb version. I would consider it though if I was using it strictly for OTA.

 

[mdavej]

I have never understood the appeal of Tivo, you have a $200-300 upfront charge to buy it, then the monthly charge of $15 or the upfront lifetime charge which is, I believe, another $300, and what happens when the tech gets outdated, then more upfront costs.

I am happy paying my $7.99 a month ( price lock for another 2 years) for my X1 and my $3.99 a month for the HDMI DTA Box which is less then the monthly Tivo fee for 1 box.

That's a pretty sweet deal. I can't get Comcast, so I'll never see a deal like that. My Tivo, including hardware and lifetime, was $300. So my break even, even at $8 for DVR and $4 for each box (a total of $32 for my 6 TV house), would be under 10 months. So for me the appeal is saving money. I expect to get 10 years out of my box, so that's a total savings of several thousand bucks. On my cable system, best I could do would be $18 for a DVR and $7 for each box.

 

[carl07]

So with TIVO, it looks like I could get a TIVO box and Comcast Cable Car and use a TIVO mini to control live TV and DVD from my second TV.

Either way (XI or TV) it looks like my set up would be the same using a 3 way splitter at the box outside.

Moca filer prior to the splitter. ?

As far as a splitter goes I found this on Amazon. Does it look OK?

HOLLAND ELECTRONICS 3-WAY BALANCED SPLITTER MOCA COMPLIANT 5-1675MHz

I tried to insert an image but it got marked as spam. It is a 3 way splitter with each output as -5.5dB

 

[Rey]

The filter is before the filter and this is the splitter I used from amazon, same one you mention there. Click here

 

[mdavej]

If Comcast uses tuning adapters, plan on one additional 2 way splitter and POE filter.

 

[carl07]

If Comcast uses tuning adapters, plan on one additional 2 way splitter and POE filter.

If I go with Tivo, I will use a Tivo Bolt with a cable card so no tuning adapter.

 

[mdavej]

All cable card devices require a tuning adapter if the cable system is SDV. Bolt is not exempt. You need to confirm whether Comcast is SDV.

 

[mdavej]

Latest info I can find says that there are still no SDV systems on Comcast. So you are correct, no tuning adapter is required, but not because you have a Bolt, simply because Comcast isn't SDV.

 

[Tyralak]

Comcast does allow SIK in most markets, even for new TV with MoCA.

That's correct. Most of the work orders I get are failed SIK. House not wired right, had Uverse before, etc.