Align SWM dish

[shepp.dj]

I have read a number of links on SWM technology. I am just looking to move from a standard def DVR and just found this site talking about SWM capabilities. I have installed a number of standard D*-TV dishes using the receiver and a TV. Can you not do this any longer with SWM? Am I basically forced to either purchase some type of alignment meter or pay an installer?

Can I mix non SWM and SWM receivers on a new Slimline SWM dish installation?

 

[Bob Nielsen]

If you get a HD receiver from Directv they will provide a suitable dish and installation. Legacy receivers will not work with a SWM dish.

 

[shepp.dj]

I am rather picky on how things are installed on my home. I look at many of the dish installs in my neighborhood and see why I seldom ask others for assistance. Just not sure based on other blogs if I can point a new SWM dish with just the receiver. Any ideas or again, must I have some type of meter to align. I currently have an older oval dish and had no issue pointing but not sure about the problems aligning with 5 birds.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Im in the same boat as you as I purchased a SWM 5 LNB Dish so I can pick up the baseball package.

I ended up spending $550 on a Superbuddy Meter to line up the Dish correctly, but thats my project to install it next week.

It would probably be cheaper to hire an installer to line it up for me.

 

[pepsi24]

Well, I feel spending 550 on a signal meter was a pretty harsh jump!

I recieved my SWM 5 LNB last week, took me one day (snow on the roof) to mount the dish and mono poles...... and a total of about 5 minutes to have someone in the house yell at me when I was turning it that I had signal. then about 5 more minutes "fine tuning it"...

Total cost....... about $2 for a bag of Ruffels! Not no $550 for a meter I would use one time!

It is not hard at all..... just make sure it it totally level with the built in level bubble, set your elevation that it tells you, and set your tilt that it tells you (SO EASY), the hard part is the azimuth (but you can get close, and just turn the dish VERY SLOW till you get signal).

 

[randyk47]

And this is why this "chicken" decided to install a SWM-8 rather than change out the dish. Why mess with a dish and alignment giving you high 90's pretty much across the board. Of course, it doesn't help that my dish is 25' up over a concrete driveway and you have to stand on a 45 degree pitched roof to work on it. Nope, not a DirecTV install as they said it needed to be there to get clear line of sight but was beyond their capability. Me and a TV tower tech installed it using climbing/safety gear. No way I was going to touch that.