HR21 and SWiM

[dpeople]

I moved into a new place last week and they already had a dish on the roof I went and tried to plug my HR21 in (don't know the exact model since I am at work and don't have internet at home yet) and noticed that there is only one wire coming out of the wall. I knew nothing about SWiM until this week. Can someone tell me exactly what I need to make the HR21 work with it. I've read multiple posts/websites on the subject and keep getting conflicting things. I've looked all over the house and have not seen a inverter? I checked out a friends setup and he also does not have an inverter but he has newer boxes do I need one? I also read someplace that I need a DECA. Should the coax be plugged into Sat 1 or Sat 2? I just don't want to spend money on things that I don't need. Thanks.

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys dpeople!

Swm setups come in two basic configurations, a swm lnb or a regular ka/ku lnb and a swm switch. The switch can be either a swm8 or swm16. The number indicates how many tuners it can handle. A swm lnb can use up to 8 also. Somewhere in line you need a power inserter, at least a 21 volt model for the swm lnb and a 29 volt model for the swm switches. Now to your setup. Are you sure it's a swm lnb? It would have only one cable from the dish, but so would a regular setup using only a receiver, not a dvr. Can you access the lnb to get the model number and tell us what it is? Then we can go from there.

 

[dpeople]

I can see the dish for the ground and it has the green SWM sticker on it. I know this picture is not good at all but it might be better then nothing.

 

[raoul5788]

Good enough if you can see the green swm sticker. Trace the cable to see if there is a power inserter anywhere. If not, you will need one, either 21 or 29 volt model will do. As long as there is no splitter anywhere, the power inserter can go behind the receiver.

 

[dpeople]

The line that comes of the sat goes into "service box" 3 lines then come out of that I can see and follow the 3 lines that come out I don't see a power source for a inserter just from looking at the box. I will have to try and open it tonight when I get home and see what is in there.

Do I need a DECA I have heard conflicting things on that.

 

[raoul5788]

No, you don't need a DECA, just connect an ethernet cable from your router to the port on the back of the dvr. You will likely find a splitter in the service box. It needs to be a swm splitter,and should have a line on it showing which port passes power. That's the leg the power inserter needs to be on if it's after the splitter, like in the house somewhere.

 

[dpeople]

Thanks for your help from looking at it before I'm assuming there must not be a PI connected.

 

[raoul5788]

Well, you need one! Don't connect the dvr without it. You need the PI to power the lnb correctly.

 

[dpeople]

Yup I ordered one today.

 

[dpeople]

so here was what was in the "service box" from what I have learned from you the red trimmed coax needs to be plugged into a PI then out of the PI into the SAT1 input on the back of the box. I do not need anything else and it should work. Correct?

 

[HIFI]

correct, you may have to rerun setup if your previous setup was different.

 

[raoul5788]

You may need to adjust the dish, too, but the connections will be correct.

 

[dpeople]

I thought of that too but I hope not when we toured the place they still had Directv boxes hooked up. Thanks for all your help.

 

[raoul5788]

You will likely be fine then. Let us know how it works when you get it all hooked up.

 

[dpeople]

Hooked it all up last night and everything seemed to working fine. The previous people had two more boxes hooked up should I put terminators on those lines that are not in use in the house? Thanks again for all your help.

 

[raoul5788]

SUCCESS!
If there is an open port, then yes you should terminate them, not just a cap. How are your signal strength numbers?

 

[dpeople]

should I be looking at the bar or the numbers that come up on the grid? Does it matter which degree etc I'm looking at?

 

[raoul5788]

Numbers on the grid. Most important are 99c and 103ca/cb.

 

[dpeople]

What should the numbers in the grid be?

 

[raoul5788]

At the least in the mid 80s, most are normally in the 90s.