Cabling requirement questions for new installation (long)

[FMB]

I've been on cable forever and I'm finally fed up with their level of service and support. One of the things I had to learn from other-than-the-cable-company, was my cable throughout the house was pretty old and wouldn't support the digital mode they went to last year (boxes would drop out weekly/daily). So, I ran new cable (RG6/U 150 Ohm CATV to 3Ghz). That seems to work ok, but many other issues with cable, so its time to change.

What I have done
When installing new cable, I installed a new rack/box in the garage. I ran the cable feed from where it hits the house, to the box. From there it splits and goes to 3 current rooms with TVs (one cable per) and their associated cable box but future will have a total of 7 or 8 locations (again, one cable per).

Additionally, ran new Cat6 from where the phone hits the house to the rack/box. In the box is my DSL modem then off to my home network which isn't finished yet. Plan to hardwire 7 locations for both phone and DSL, all coming back to the rack/box/switch. Also plan to run cable from the rack/box up into the attic and out the vent for the dish. I don't want cables run outside along the walls to the rooms, therefore, doing it myself in the attic and under the house.

What I want
Direct TV with the following features;
A HD and non-HD (take some time (read $$$) to change all tvs out to HD, already have one)
B Ability to record and view more than one program at a time. Specifically, since wife and I have different tastes, we are often in different rooms watching TV. She watches and records what she likes to watch as do I. We currently have two TIVO boxes which we will be getting rid of. We would still like to record as we do currently, but hopefully on the same machine and able to watch any of the recorded programs from any of the tvs.
C Ability to watch HD in the 5th Wheel when we go camping
D Ability to move tv and associated equipment into the Spare room for visitor (will have new cable and Cat6)

Questions
1. What can I expect from Direct when they come to install?
2. Is what I'm doing, running one length of cable per tv location, the right thing to do?
3. How many cables should be run from the rack/box to the attic vent, and how long of a tail should I leave?
4. Any additional hardware I should get?
5. What else should I know/do?

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

as a current comcast tech 6u isnt the greatest, theres still a db loss over it, just not as bad as 59 or copper shield. as a former directv tech, let me try to evaluate what you are trying to do You say you currently have 3 tvs, but want 8 in total if i am understanding correctly. You have a few different scenarios that may play out depending on what type of receivers you want. How many dvrs do you want? The directv dvr will function nearly the same as your current tivo, directv actually had official tivo receivers a few years back, so the 2 shows thing works the same. Now you say you currently have 2 tivos, were you interested in 2 dvrs to replace them? or just 1 dvr, as the directv hd box will interact with the dvr, being able to playback and schedule recording remotely. However if you get two dvrs, you can record up to 4 shows at once, and both dvrs will interact with eachother as well. this all has to do with how many wires to run up to your attic and onto the roof. Thing of a dvr as 2 lines (its only one, but just pretend as it does two things at once) the current swm dish that is installed in 99% of hd new installs only would require 1 wire from the dish to the grounding point, and then to your rack in the garage. That setup is good for 8 lines, now if you have 2 dvrs to be installed that leaves you with 4 "lines" so in total 6 rooms if im imagining your setup correctly. 2 short of your expectations. If you only get 1 dvr, that leaves you with 6 "lines" to run, 7 rooms in your case, in order to do everything, you need what is called a swm16. A swm16 requires 4 lines from the dish to the ground to the rack box. The problem is you are probably not going to get one without ordering equipment to occupy every line, (example 5 dvrs, as 5x2=10 which is more than the 8 line max from the swm dish normally installed). Also there is a flaw in your plan to run a line straight from the roof to your rack so it cant be seen on the outside. The hsp i worked for would fail the qc if the ground was not visible on the outside of the house. That varys from area to area and tech to tech. Your best bet is to post your general area, and try to find out which hsp installs your area, and talk to a tech that works there. Hope all this helped, enjoy your new directv, and good riddence to comcrap!! lol