2 accounts, 1 dish

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empoweredh22

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Original poster
Sep 1, 2012
8
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Minneapolis
I am trying to get my satellite system set up at my apartment. When I first toured the place, I thought it seemed like it would be relatively easy, but the angles are just too awkward due to an overhang that come off my deck just a little too far.

I spoke with an installer and he noticed that the unit next to me has a dish as well. It just so happens to also be a DTV Slimline dish. He suggested I just tap into that dish rather than trying to get my own correctly positioned. I talked to my neighbor and he said that would be just fine. My understanding is DTV doesn't care about this since receiver access cards are used to authenticate channels, not the dish itself, and I will continue to maintain a separate account.

I went to work on this situation this afternoon. The first thing I found is that my neighbor's system is SWM. I've never actually worked with a SWM system before and don't entirely understand its purpose or function, so please forgive my ignorance. He actually has a SWM box in his house, which I've never seen before. Outside, he's got a 1-LNB (SL3S4NR2), 1-output cable running from the dish to the SWM adapter and then to his receiver.

My thought was to use my LNB instead of his, because it has a built-in 4 port multi-switch. It's my understanding that this multi-switch, combined with a B-Band Converter, serve the same function as a SWM. My 3-LNB is labeled SL5PIG-P. So I removed his LNB and put mine in its place. I wasn't surprised to see that he didn't have a signal, because I didn't touch his SWM equipment yet, which I assume I need to bypass and replace with the BBC. However, I also did not have a signal on my end. I tried with multiple cables but was not able to get anything. (We had confirmed a strong signal before I removed his LNB.) So I went from my SWM to my BBC to my receiver and got a whole of 0.

So my question is...Am I missing something obvious with this setup? For example, can only one port on my multi-switch be used? Would I be better off using a splitter than my multi-port? If I do that, I would need a SWM for my side as well, right? If I could get it to work with the multi-switch and the BBC, am I correct that I would simply eliminate the SWM box that he's currently using and go directly into the BBC and receiver?

Any thoughts or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
:welcome to Satelliteguys!

Keep the swm setup, it's easier to work with in this situation. How many receivers/dvrs does your neighbor have? If more than one, then he is using a splitter somewhere. If there is an unused port on the splitter, just tap into that and you should be good to go. If he is using all of the ports on the splitter, then you will need to get a bigger one for him. When you connect your receiver/dvr, it should detect the swm setup automatically.
 
Thanks for the fast and helpful reply! The SWM is inside of his house, and I need to run a cable outside across our decks. Can I split before the SWM, like between the dish and the SWM or would that not work? We're both working with single receiver setups.
 
You could use the non swm lnb and each of you connect one cable to the lnb, unless you have a dvr. In that case you would need to use two cables for each dvr. Also you would need a bbc on each cable unless you are using an H/HR23 model. You must also change the dish type to non swm in the menu. One more thing, the 3 lnb looks like one, and the 5 looks like three. There is no advantage to using the swm in this setup since you each have only one receiver/dvr.
 
Thanks! That was along the lines of my thinking. So in that case my equipment includes a 5 LNB 4 port multiswitch and the existing installed equipment would be a 3 LNB 1 port module.

There's no DVR's involved. So that seemed like the simplest solution to me as well. I have my receiver set to multiswitch rather than SWM and have a BBC connected. This is the setup that I had originally tried but for some reason it won't give me a signal. Any further thoughts what may be causing the problem if this setup should supposedly work?
 
Could be several things. Check all of the connections to be sure they are tight. Are you using RG6 cable? Is your receiver set to non swm dish type? Did you disconnect the power inserter when you used the non swm lnb?
 
The downside to this scenario is if the neighbor moves/"moves" or you all fallout. This stuff happens & if you're in a commitment, well, you know who the 1 is holding the candle at the burning end.
 
Good point. It would be hard to argue a loss of los when you haven't moved!
 
Forgive my ignorance, is RG6 different from standard coax cable? I'm using the same cable I've used in the past when just going simply from dish to BBC to receiver. Does a SWM require a different cable though? The receiver is definitely set to non-SWM. By power inserter what do you mean? I don't have a separate power box with the non-SWM situation. But it wasn't plugged into the receiver if that's what you meant.

I realize it's not ideal but this is my only option at the moment so I'll work with what I have for now. Thanks for the tip!
 
Just put an approved green label splitter at the SWM LNB output. The neighbor has a 21v PI somewhere in line. Connect his inbound line to the powered side of the splitter. Connect your inbound line to the other side. Newer receivers will detect the SWM setup. If not, you will need to manually set SWM and Slimline 3. If you have a convenient adjacent wall, put the splitter inside and drill a hole for your feed.

The setup would be LNB to top of splitter.

Powered side of splitter to his ODU connection on the PI with his receiver connected to the IRD connection.

Other side of splitter direct to your receiver.
 
Question! I never changed the dish type from Slimline 5 (which I've gathered is what I have based on the 3 "eyeballs") to Slimline 3 when I switched the dish over! Could that be why I didn't detect a signal with the BBC method?
 
RG6 is what is normally used in most applications, but some older setups have RG59 which doesn't always work very well. The power inserter is a small box that plugs into the wall. It's most likely in your neighbor's house and must be removed from the non swm setup.
 
Question! I never changed the dish type from Slimline 5 (which I've gathered is what I have based on the 3 "eyeballs") to Slimline 3 when I switched the dish over! Could that be why I didn't detect a signal with the BBC method?

Probably not, but you should change it to the correct setting. Make sure the power inserter is removed if you are using the non swm lnb.
 
OK, I will definitely have to try that. I'd rather avoid drilling just because my neighbor's already been nice enough to let me invade his living room and I don't really want to start making holes in the middle of the wall, abusing that privilege. I've never talked to the guy before so it's not like I have an existing relationship. So if I run a cable from the 3 LNB module to a splitter like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045DVIP4/?tag=satell01-20, then on one output plug in the neighbor's existing setup and on the other output go into a PI in my unit like this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005AME7Y8/?tag=satell01-20 and then from that to my receiver, and then make sure my receiver is set to Slimline-3, SWM, that should theoretically work. Would that be correct?

Thanks so much for all your help everyone! I'm hoping I understand this correctly and can order these SWM parts to get things running that way.
 
First off, you don't need a sws8, get a sws2 or an sws4. If you get the sws4, terminate the unused outputs. He already has a power inserter in his setup. You only need one.
 
I got the 8 because they were the same price, but this one was Green Label and Prime eligible. Also, his PI is indoors so I was thinking I'd get a second PI for my setup to avoid that drilling situation. Do I only need one PI even if it's between the splitter and the receiver? In that case, I could just throw a splitter in the mix and run another cable over to my receiver and be good to go?
 
If the neighbor has a swm setup & less than 8 tuners all you need to do is run a line from his switch to your receiver. No PI needed since he already has 1 in place.
 
If the neighbor has a swm setup & less than 8 tuners all you need to do is run a line from his switch to your receiver. No PI needed since he already has 1 in place.

I doubt the neighbor has a splitter since he has only one receiver.
 
I got the 8 because they were the same price, but this one was Green Label and Prime eligible. Also, his PI is indoors so I was thinking I'd get a second PI for my setup to avoid that drilling situation. Do I only need one PI even if it's between the splitter and the receiver? In that case, I could just throw a splitter in the mix and run another cable over to my receiver and be good to go?

You can just split his line before it goes into his house and install the splitter there. Make sure you connect his leg to the power passing port on the splitter and terminate the ports you don't use.
 
Not to beat a dead cow but just to confirm I understand....

I can go from dish to splitter, then in the red port of the splitter plug in his existing setup with the PI and from another port in the splitter go straight to my receiver.

Correct?

You guys are amazingly awesome! I'll report back to let others know how this works out.
 
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