Multiple apartments- one dish, MRV, and on-demand

[hdrider]

I own a small apartment building that I also live in. We've had DTV for years. One dish serves all the apartments.

Recently DTV came out and removed the old dish with 4 wires to the multiswitch and replaced it with the SWiM technology. One wire from the new dish to the new Zinwell MSPLIT8RO-03 splitter.

I am interested in upgrading my apartment to MRV and connecting to the internet for on demand. Two questions:

1. Will the tenants be able to connect to my DVR? I would assume there is a way to limit access to allow only specific devices to connect, ie. just other devices within my own apartment?

2. Once I connect the system to my internet connection, what if the tenants also want on-demand? I would assume they would have to download on-demand programs via my internet connection. If this is happening regularly, between my programs, their programs, and regular internet use, I may have a bottleneck. Is there any way to deal with this?

 

[jdspencer]

How many total tuners will be connected to the dish? I ask because that dish can only support a total of 8 tuners.

I'll let others join the discussion about this arrangement.

I think it would have been better to keep the four output dish and then use an SWM8 for your use. Let the others do what they want.

 

[cave1376]

When I lived in an apartment I had a phase III dish. I had two Directv rcvrs and used two of the outputs. When the neighbor moved in he had two Directv rcvrs and asked if he could use the other two outputs. I said yes aslong as he keeps his own account. He did and I never got billed for his useage. When he moved out, he took his rcvrs.

If you get tenants that want Directv, let them set up their own account. That way they can have whatever package they want. They can change their package, order ppv, or discontinue their service and you won't have to pay.

Think, if a tenant orders a ppv, you will be billed for it. Also what would your other tenants with childern say because someone else ordered an adult channel or recorded an adult ppv. They will probably be angry if their child saw it and will let you know about it because it is all on one account.

You might be saving your tenants $ by having yourself and them on one account but you will be ripping off D* because tenants living in a different apartment is the same if they lived at a different address.

I don't know what kind of problems will arise from having vod, mrv, two different programing packages and accounts one one swm system. It might be that they would need their own dish.

 

[NutFlush920]

Here’s the thing...

You and each of your tenants each have a different address. Therefore you must each have your own account. Giving someone at another address one of your receivers (regardless if it’s across the hall or a mile away) to watch is against the terms of service not to mention against the law.

What you need to do is run a line to each of the apartments from your dish and make them get their own receivers on their own account. Don't forget though that the SWM will allow a max of 8 turners at a time.

I think that it would have been better to keep 4 outputs into a SWM8 then you could have daisy chained them to get more turners out of the 1 dish.

 

[hdrider]

If you get tenants that want Directv, let them set up their own account. That way they can have whatever package they want. They can change their package, order ppv, or discontinue their service and you won't have to pay.

I've done that for years- that's not the issue. Everyone has always had their own account, the whole building just feeds off one dish. The question is regarding the new features: MRV and on-demand. Must those services be shared between accounts, and to what extent?

 

[NutFlush920]

I've done that for years- that's not the issue. Everyone has always had their own account, the whole building just feeds off one dish. The question is regarding the new features: MRV and on-demand. Must those services be shared between accounts, and to what extent?

If you are just sharing the dish and ya'll each have your own account and recievers with those accounts then, no they can't access your receiver and you can't access theirs.

In order to access the playlist from one receiver on the other, they have to be on the same network and Whole Home DVR service active on your account. From the sounds of it, ya'll have your own accounts, receivers, and internet/network.

You should be fine.

 

[Davedirectv]

This is what's called a MDU account.

 

[jdspencer]

Yes, the tenants will need separate accounts, but that dish setup as described will only support 8 tuners. To get the accounts totally separate, physically, that dish should be a regular Slimline with 4 outputs. Split the outputs and feed SWM8 modules. Then each person can have their own MRV if wanted.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

If you place a bandstop filter at the point of entry for each apartment, it will block MRV (as well as Directv2PC and Media Share) from being shared with the other apartments over the DECA network.

 

[jdspencer]

This is true, but you are missing my point about 8 tuners.

 

[Davedirectv]

This is true, but you are missing my point about 8 tuners.

what that they set this up pretty much wrong and this "apartment" is most likely a 4 unit flat or something smallish like that. I would be interested in finding out just how many people are actually in this unit.

directv most likely doesnt handle this account as a mdu, as you don't order through directv for those accounts anyways.

that being said, it wouldn't be setup with a single swm if it were.

 

[hdrider]

what that they set this up pretty much wrong and this "apartment" is most likely a 4 unit flat or something smallish like that. I would be interested in finding out just how many people are actually in this unit.

Yes- 3 apartments in the building. Sounds like DTV pretty much screwed me by taking down my old dish, throwing it in the trash, and putting up this SWiM Dish, when all they had to do was put in a SWiM multiswitch. So I'm not sure what to do about that, although I may be able to get by with the 8-tuner max- barely. Should I try to get them back out and put the 4-wire output dish back up?

But besides that, nobody has really answered the question about how the MRV is able to determine which receivers can connect to which, when they all go through the SWim splitter from multiple apartments. And since there is only one internet connection allowed per SWiM splitter (from what I understand), are the tenants going to connect through my internet connection to get their on-demand? Or is there another way to do it?

 

[hdrider]

So I guess nobody knows the answer?? Hard to believe. I'm starting to think this technology is a cobbled-together hack.

Anyway, I called DTV to see if they would come back and put the dish back to what it was before and they told me they couldn't talk to me, I'd have to have the tenant call since the dish was now under her account- even though I was the one that had the dish on my account to start with. I told them I own the building, I am the only one with access to the wiring panels, and I'm the one that has to meet them when they come out. Couldn't get anywhere with them.

I said then put it on my account and do it. I've been a DTV customer for over 12 years according to their records, but they said they'd "have" to charge me $49.95 to do it. I said look- this is the thanks I get for being a loyal customer for all those years? First you screw it up and then you want to charge me to fix it? Just do it and issue me a credit of $49.95... they refused. Got to a supervisor who also refused.

Had the tenant call. They said if her TV is working fine they can't talk to her, she needs to have me call because its not her issue.

I've had it with these clowns. Making an enemy of a 12-year customer, real smart. As soon as I can get it worked out, I'm pulling the plug on DTV. Their dish is going in the trash, and they're getting locked out of the building.

 

[Davedirectv]

So I guess nobody knows the answer?? Hard to believe. I'm starting to think this technology is a cobbled-together hack.

Anyway, I called DTV to see if they would come back and put the dish back to what it was before and they told me they couldn't talk to me, I'd have to have the tenant call since the dish was now under her account- even though I was the one that had the dish on my account to start with. I told them I own the building, I am the only one with access to the wiring panels, and I'm the one that has to meet them when they come out. Couldn't get anywhere with them.

I said then put it on my account and do it. I've been a DTV customer for over 12 years according to their records, but they said they'd "have" to charge me $49.95 to do it. I said look- this is the thanks I get for being a loyal customer for all those years? First you screw it up and then you want to charge me to fix it? Just do it and issue me a credit of $49.95... they refused. Got to a supervisor who also refused.

Had the tenant call. They said if her TV is working fine they can't talk to her, she needs to have me call because its not her issue.

I've had it with these clowns. Making an enemy of a 12-year customer, real smart. As soon as I can get it worked out, I'm pulling the plug on DTV. Their dish is going in the trash, and they're getting locked out of the building.

What they did was correct, they had no way of knowing that you had a 3 unit apartment.

Even so, I'm still not clear as what's going on here exactly,yourself and another person in this building using the same dish, correct?

If so, what are your setups, i.e., what box models and how many?

I think with the correct info, you can come up with a solution that might work for you, at least point you in the right direction before you dump these guys.

 

[NutFlush920]

Here are your basic options. As you can see there is no internet connection at all in the picture as this is just the DirecTV portion. The internet/network connection comes into play in each of your apartments separately and never connects to each other's set up.

Think of each DirecTV receiver like a computer on a wired network. Each of you have your own internet modem connected to a wireless/wired router then that connected to your DirecTV receivers. Those receivers are configured in the receiver setup on the same network once you have Whole Home DVR added to your account.

 

[hdrider]

What they did was correct, they had no way of knowing that you had a 3 unit apartment.

Even so, I'm still not clear as what's going on here exactly,yourself and another person in this building using the same dish, correct?

They did know, since I told them that very clearly, and they entered two of the apartments during the install.

My apartment, plus two others are all on the same dish. With each apartment having one DVR (two tuners) + one additional tuner in another room, that's a total of 9. The SWM dish they put up will only support 8. The dish they took down and threw away would have supported an unlimited number of tuners.

 

[hdrider]

Here are your basic options. As you can see there is no internet connection at all in the picture as this is just the DirecTV portion. The internet/network connection comes into play in each of your apartments separately and never connects to each other's set up.

My understanding is that the internet connection goes to the SWiM splitter, as in the attached diagram. Thus all apartments must use my internet connection, unless someone can explain how to set up each apartment separately. And nobody has really explained how to avoid sharing my DVR with the other apartments, either.

 

[moghedien14]

Well, it does seem strange that the original tech would tell you that one of your receivers would not work with this new dish, and then go on his merry way...

Call Directv, but ask for Technical Support. Tell them the front-line CSRs have not been able to help you with your setup. Tell them what you currently have, and what you want.

 

[Davedirectv]

My understanding is that the internet connection goes to the SWiM splitter, as in the attached diagram. Thus all apartments must use my internet connection, unless someone can explain how to set up each apartment separately. And nobody has really explained how to avoid sharing my DVR with the other apartments, either.

You can use BS Filters to accomplish not sharing dvrs. I'm thinking, although I don't truly know, that this would solve the internet issue as well.

For the internet connection, this is not a one home setup, so no, this isn't something that is right away known to most users on these forums. It's is still a new technology so some things aren't completely known.

Right away I see an issue of Directv not knowing all these apartments were using one dish. If a Home has more then one account, but using the same dish, the accounts are treated as different account, even with different dishes.

 

[NutFlush920]

My understanding is that the internet connection goes to the SWiM splitter, as in the attached diagram. Thus all apartments must use my internet connection, unless someone can explain how to set up each apartment separately. And nobody has really explained how to avoid sharing my DVR with the other apartments, either.

No do not follow your diagram. Follow mine. It will make things much easier for you and will let ya'll use your own internet connection.