How to get OTA back?

[cr0mag]

I just had my 5 lnb dish installed, but for some reason... I now have LESS local HD programming then I did with my OTA.

Is there any way possible to get my OTA back without running a new coax to each IRD in my house?

Surely, D* considered this in their development. How many IRD/OTA installs did they sell over the years?

I read that by moving the B-Band bricks to the switch side of the diplexers may work... Does anyone know if this works?

Thanks....

I miss my HD locals.....

 

[Brewer4]

Right now OTA requires a dedicated line since the Ka/Ku multiswitches wont allow coupling when D10 lights up. They are working on a thing thats called single wire multiswitch which is close to release which will allow one wire down and OTA coupling. But its not publically available today. I think sometime in fall. As for BBC, I read someone moving it closer to multiswitch and it worked. Tune to 499 to see if it works. If you get searching for signal then it worked.

 

[cr0mag]

I'll try that..

Good advice. I knew that someone had to have a new type of switch/diplexer config in the works. I just couldn't believe that with all the OTA/Sat combos that have been sold over the years, that the guys at D* would suddenly want everyone to run another cable to their IRDs.

 

[Jimbo]

Good advice. I knew that someone had to have a new type of switch/diplexer config in the works. I just couldn't believe that with all the OTA/Sat combos that have been sold over the years, that the guys at D* would suddenly want everyone to run another cable to their IRDs.

Actually, I think the SWM device is so you can have only one wire to the rear of your DVR's for recording purpose.
I don't think it is for the OTA to be on the same line.

I could be wrong as I am not testing them and the new sat is not up and running yet, witch is why this came into play in the first place, this caused overlapping frequencies.

They have been telling people to run a seperate OTA line for about 8 months now.

There are a few people testing the SWM switch, maybe they will be able to answer that better.

Jimbo

 

[igator99]

I just had my 5 lnb dish installed, but for some reason... I now have LESS local HD programming then I did with my OTA.

Is there any way possible to get my OTA back without running a new coax to each IRD in my house?

Surely, D* considered this in their development. How many IRD/OTA installs did they sell over the years?

I read that by moving the B-Band bricks to the switch side of the diplexers may work... Does anyone know if this works?

Thanks....

I miss my HD locals.....

D* only carries WWL, WDSU and WGNO in HD in our area. You got to have Fox 8 in HD for the upcoming Saints season! I use an OTA plugged into the back of my H20 and it all works fine.

 

[bonscott87]

Good advice. I knew that someone had to have a new type of switch/diplexer config in the works. I just couldn't believe that with all the OTA/Sat combos that have been sold over the years, that the guys at D* would suddenly want everyone to run another cable to their IRDs.

First thing to realize is that people using OTA is in the vast minority. Most don't.

Second, the reason that OTA can't be diplexed in is that it's just the nature of the technology. The new sats use KA band transmissions. D10 and D11 use KA-lo band. This is the same frequency as OTA frequency. Thus why they can't be diplexed on the same wire, they use the same frequency. Just technically how it works.

 

[bonscott87]

Actually, I think the SWM device is so you can have only one wire to the rear of your DVR's for recording purpose.
I don't think it is for the OTA to be on the same line.

I could be wrong as I am not testing them and the new sat is not up and running yet, witch is why this came into play in the first place, this caused overlapping frequencies.

They have been telling people to run a seperate OTA line for about 8 months now.

There are a few people testing the SWM switch, maybe they will be able to answer that better.

Jimbo

This is how the SWM works. There are 2 versions, SWM 5 and SWM 8. The number equals the number of active FTM streams there can be. HR20=2 streams, H20=1 for example.

Anyway, the SWM has the BBand converter built right in so you don't need the external boxes anymore. What this means is that with the SWM 5 you can diplex in OTA *after* the SWM 5, on it's outputs in other words.
The SWM 8 has an OTA port built onto it and it will diplex in OTA to all output lines.

I personally have dedicated OTA lines run because the signal is just better without all the loss from splitting, diplexing and undiplexing. My personal choice anyway.

 

[Brewer4]

Yep OTA can be quite fickle and I keep mine separate. I think SWM is great for the future but my lines are all set so no changes planned in the future for me.

 

[mluntz]

Yep OTA can be quite fickle and I keep mine separate. I think SWM is great for the future but my lines are all set so no changes planned in the future for me.

I already had mine set up also. More channels at this point and less chance of rain fade issues.

 

[lakewoodvoomer]

Can someone list which local channels are available in HD with the 5 LNB dish in the DFW area? Also, do you really lose the OTA channels with the 5 LNB hook-up?

 

[uncrules]

Can someone list which local channels are available in HD with the 5 LNB dish in the DFW area? Also, do you really lose the OTA channels with the 5 LNB hook-up?

This link shows all HD LiL by DMA that you can get from D*

DIRECTV HD Locals by DMA Ranking

 

[Phoenix1]

The new sats use KA band transmissions. D10 and D11 use KA-lo band. This is the same frequency as OTA frequency. Thus why they can't be diplexed on the same wire, they use the same frequency. Just technically how it works.

Your intent is in the right place, but the technical details are not correct. OTA uses the VHF (30-300MHz) and UHF (300MHz-3GHz) bands (or more specifically a subset of these bands 54-216MHz and 512-806MHz). The new sats use the Ka (18-40GHz) band (or more specifically a subset of this band sometimes refered to as Ka-Lo, 18-20Ghz). These are definately not the same frequency.

What happens in a DBS receiver system is that the LNB attached to the dish downconverts the Ka (and Ku) band signal received from the satellite to a lower frequency that can be transmitted down the coax cable to your TV (Frequencies above about 2GHz won't travel down the coax, so there is a limited bandwidth to work with). Up until now D* has avoided using the OTA frequencies when downconverting, but they are running out of available bandwidth to use and will have to use the frequencies in use by OTA to send all the new HD channels from the LNBs to your TV.

Sorry for the geek talk, but I couldn't let your mis-statement go unchecked.

 

[cr0mag]

Soooo..... run a new cable or get an indoor antenna...

Your intent is in the right place, but the technical details are not correct. OTA uses the VHF (30-300MHz) and UHF (300MHz-3GHz) bands (or more specifically a subset of these bands 54-216MHz and 512-806MHz). The new sats use the Ka (18-40GHz) band (or more specifically a subset of this band sometimes refered to as Ka-Lo, 18-20Ghz). These are definately not the same frequency.

What happens in a DBS receiver system is that the LNB attached to the dish downconverts the Ka (and Ku) band signal received from the satellite to a lower frequency that can be transmitted down the coax cable to your TV (Frequencies above about 2GHz won't travel down the coax, so there is a limited bandwidth to work with). Up until now D* has avoided using the OTA frequencies when downconverting, but they are running out of available bandwidth to use and will have to use the frequencies in use by OTA to send all the new HD channels from the LNBs to your TV.

Sorry for the geek talk, but I couldn't let your mis-statement go unchecked.

That's some awesome info. I just ordered one of those picture frame indoor antennas and I'll just use that for a while. I'm tired of running coax all over the house!

 

[Phoenix1]

That's some awesome info. I just ordered one of those picture frame indoor antennas and I'll just use that for a while. I'm tired of running coax all over the house!

Thanks. I'm currently working on SAT COMM components, so this is my bread and butter.