Combining OTA with DirecTV AT9 Ku/Ka Band Satellite Dish

[jeffbags]

I am new to this forum so hello to everyone! I'm sure this question has been asked, but...Is there any way to combine OTA with the DirecTV AT9 Dish. From what I have read is that you cannot combine the signal since the HD channels utilize the same low frequencies as the OTA. With that being said, I am in one of the markets where local HD is not available and trying to find a short term solution. I can get one RG-6 from my attic to the distribution panel but from there it would be great if I could diplex to my other receivers. If duplexing is out of the question are there any other recommendations? I just have one 5 lnb slimline and one antenna in the attic. I ran 2 coax to each room but did not realize that the new HD receivers use 2 coax. The 2nd was supposed to be for antenna.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeff (a.k.a "The Newbie")

 

[jdspencer]

What receivers do you have? I ask because the newer receivers are capable of using the new single wire multiswitch (SWM). These receivers only need one coax to enable both tuners in the DVR. This would solve your problem.

 

[NutFlush920]

Welcome to the forum.

Short answer is yes you can diplex ota. As to how, depends on your setup.

Here is how when you are not using SWM (single wire multiswitch) technology. What you need to do is put the diplexer before the b-band converter at the distribution panel. It's would look a little something like this:

Distribution Panel
Dish -> Multiswitch -> Diplexer -> B-band Converter -> To room

Room
From Wall -> Diplexer -> OTA and Satellite to Receiver

 

[NutFlush920]

If you have SWM, it would be something like this. This is my setup. SWM only requires one coax line to each receiver and you can diplex OTA into the line.

 

[jeffbags]

I have 4 HR20-700's. I wonder if Directv would switch these out for me so that I would only have to use one cable??? Is the B-band the coax that goes to antenna 1 or antenna 2 on the back of my HR20? Please excuse my ignorance Also, I know what the HR21 and diplexors are in your schematic but what is everything else? The plate with 8 connections appears to be something you would use at the distribution panel which allows you to use only one diplexor at the panel. With my current configuration (HR20-700), I would need to diplex each B-band (4 since I have 4 receivers) at the panel correct? Is the grey box an amplifier?

I really appreciate the help from everyone!!! You guys are awesome!
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[NutFlush920]

You don't need to swap out your recivers. The HR20's are fine for single wire and diplexing. With SWM (single wire multiswitch) you just run a line to the satellite 1 input and skip the b band converter box.

SWM technology is new and just recently became the installation standard for DirecTV. It allows for a much easier install. Only one coax line is needed for each HR20. You only connect the line to satellite 1 in and you have 2 tuner's from that one line.

The "plate" that you are refering to is your multiswitch. You have 4 lines connected to it from your dish and then 8 out to your 4 HR20's. Think of it as a giant splitter in easy terms.

The b-band converter is a small retangler device that is most likely connected to the satellite inputs on the back of your HR20's then the coax is connected to that from the wall.

To diplex all you need to do is move one of the b-band converters down by your multiswitch then put the diplexer after that to feed the reciever with diplexed OTA and satellite signal.

 

[jeffbags]

Thanks for your help. So I will hang on to the HR20-700's and for each receiver I will remove one of the B-band converters and connect to the multiswitch at the distribution panel (4 B-band converters relocated to panel for 4 receivers). I will split the antenna signal 4 ways at the panel and therefore will have (at the panel) 4 B-band converters, 4 diplexers with each diplexer having one input from the satellite and one input from the antenna. Place another diplexer coming out of the wall at the tv and I should be good to go. I assume it does not matter whether I use the B-band converter from either Antenna 1 or Antenna 2. Hopefully this is a correct assumption.

Thanks again for all your help,
Jeff

 

[NutFlush920]

I think you should be good to go jeffbags. Be sure to post back your results. Good luck

 

[jeffbags]

NutFlush920: Your recommendations worked great!!! I moved the b-band converters to the distribution box and fed their signals, along with the antenna, into a 4-way diplexer.
I do have one more question. It turns out one of my receivers is a H20-100 which has only one b-band converter on the back. This allowed me to run directly from antenna to my second RG-6 connection (2 total) at the wall plate and into the antenna-in port on the H20-100 receiver. So, essentially I have a two-way splitter from the antenna with one output to H20-100 and the other output to the 4-way diplexer (3 satellite in ports used with one capped off with 75 ohm terminator) which are for my HR20-700's.
So here is the question: When I check my antenna signal strengths, why is the H20-100 locking in at higher strengths than that of the HR20-720's (which are being fed from the 4-way diplexer) The HR20-720's actually have constant fallout on one of the local OTA channels whereas the H20-100 does not.
Does this just indicate that I need to amplify the signal coming from the antenna 2-way splitter side which leads into the 4-way diplexer? I saw some 50-2200 MHz 10db amplifiers but wasn't sure if I should be amplifying the signal before or after the diplexer, or if it is even possible to amplify a signal that contains both OTA and satellite signals. If an amplifier is the answer would you have a recommendation for which one to use and how many would be required (this probably depends on whether or not I amplify the signal before or after the 4-way diplexer).

Thanks in advance for anyone's help on this...

Jeff

 

[NutFlush920]

Jeffbags, glad to hear it all worked out. I however, don't have an answer for the OTA signal problem. I personally don't use an amplifier so any input I have would be useless. Perhaps someone else might be able to help on that one.

 

[jeffbags]

Reduced OTA signal strength passing through 4-way diplexer?

Would anyone have any ideas on this issue. To summarize, I am sending my antenna signal to a two-way splitter. From there, one antenna signal goes straight to one of my satellite receivers and has a very good OTA signal strength. The other antenna signal leads into a 4-way diplexer and from there the combined OTA and satellite signal travels to 3 more receivers. The OTA signal strength on these receivers is not near as good as the single receiver connected directly to the antenna. Does this indicate that I need to amplify the antenna signal? If so, would I do this before or after the 4-way diplexer? Would I need a separate amplifier for each of the signals running to the three receivers and should 10db be adequate?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
Jeff