Installation - Custom Panel

[Shadowfayre]

Has anyone had the Dish Installer work with custom patch panels? I used to have DirecTV and they did everything through the attic (switches and so forth). I moved to UVERSE and since they used Ethernet, I was able to centralize the setup inline with my whole home Ethernet solution (patch panels and rack). I wanted to see if anyone has had any success getting their installer to run the mains to a rack and patch panel then run each of the lines from there (in this case, the Joey's)?

I plan on getting a Coax Patch Panel (probably going to use Keystone's) since most panels are for 16+ connections... I just like having all my communication gear nice and tighty

 

[isaacmorseMI]

I would think a tech would be fine with doing that.

Sent from my iPad 2 using Forum Runner

 

[navychop]

Sounds like it will simplify his work. You probably have somewhat longer runs to support that panel, but the convenience is wonderful.

 

[jawxx]

As an installer, I would do nearly anything to avoid your attic. But if you have good lines to every room from a central location, even in the attic, I won't be anxious to run all new lines to a new location. Your best bet... offer to help straight away. That's extra time, and no extra money.

 

[Hall]

I thought many techs had the attitude of "If I didn't run the cable, I'm not using it" ? I don't mean that negatively either. As I understand it, if there's an issue and the customer calls Dish for help and a tech is dispatched, that original tech is penalized. On the other hand, I think someone who has already run cabling, network cables, installed patch panels, etc, etc is likely to resolve wiring issues without Dish's help !

 

[navychop]

I've always pre-run all my coax from roof to wall plates. Installers have loved it. Only once did a guy want to replace one of my lines, with his coax marked: "Perfect Vision 3 GHz." Dish install. Isn't Perfect Vision for DirecTV? Go figure.

Since my attic has had blown in insulation (worked out wonderfully BTW, comfort wise and savings) since the original coax runs, I'll have to screw in crossbeams on the rafters and make a path to the far end of the attic, where the runs enter from the dish. With all the coax (sat & OTA), phone lines and Ethernet I've run, I might STILL need to run more. Sigh. And SWMBO wants to move the rec room 36" SDTV from an end wall to a side wall. Where I'll have to run even MORE. At least it's over the crawl space and will be relatively easy- one more base plate hole to drill and a wall cut & plate. Might be a good excuse to put in an HDTV and find a new home for the SDTV. And then there's the exercise room, where I never dropped a sat coax. And that extra guest room, where I could run a drop and move a Joey around if need be. This may give you a hint as to why I have a 24 port switch and another switch remoted off that, plus two wireless points. Getting Everything Everywhere Kicking Simultaneously.

Of course, all this assumes I move to H/J, but it's looking pretty likely around summer's end. All these wonderful wired connections, and all will be a negative, not a positive, when we sell in 15-20 years, as it'll all be obsolete. Sigh. The land line runs are already very close to obsolete. Double sigh.

Let's face it. I LOVE doing this kind of work. Well, back outside to continue laying paving stones.

 

[Miner]

And SWMBO wants to move the rec room 36" SDTV from an end wall to a side wall

Ha Ha Suppo.

I'm still learning about SWMBO.

Miner

 

[Ganthet]

I have everything in my house running to a patch panel. It is a 16-port keystone panel just like the OP described. My installer loved my setup for the exact reason everyone else mentioned: less work for him.

Just make sure the keystone modules you get are 3Ghz rated. That was one of my installer's first questions when he saw my setup.

 

[Shadowfayre]

Thanks Guys! The dish guy was not as thrilled as say Ganthet's was but he worked with me. In his defense, the coax runs were not done, so he had to run them to the closet. Not sure if he did it to my specs as he placed the tap and and the three-way switch there at the closet versus the main switch (duo) there. Oh well, at least it is using a central location.

 

[Rinker97]

You mean something like this?

View attachment 76260

My installer had no problems with it. I had ran all the lines and terminated them when we built the house this year. I also had a string between the basement and the attic in a wall so all he had to do was pull his wires up to the attic, out the soffit, and up to the dish. Only thing extra he did was to change out the F barrels where he was putting the hoppers and joey and in the patch panel since he didn't think they were rated at 3 GHz. He was right so I am changing out all of them.

 

[Tribbs]

About 12 years ago I had my house built with a centralized distribution panel with "home run" drops using Panduit products.

There are two wall jacks on opposite walls in every "livable" room and the garage. Each wall jack has two RJ45 jacks with Belden 1872A Cat6e MediaTwist cable and two 3GHz Belden 1694A RG6 coax terminated in each. Except for the media room which adds a third RG6 termination as well as blank space for future expansion (fiber optics). It's all terminated in patch panels mounted into a wall mounted rack much like the photo in the previous post.

When I had it installed neighbors thought it was excessive. Especially home-run everything. So far it has been future proof with maximum flexibility. Never regretted a red cent spent for it. For an installer it's a dream - took him 2 hours from dish mount to joeys.

 

[navychop]

Ha Ha Suppo.

I'm still learning about SWMBO.

Miner

Until the day we die, brother, until the day we die.