MultiSwitch help needed.

[coesterle]

Hi all...

Hubby and I are sitting here and need some info. We picked up an R15 and came to find out our satellite dish is in need of a multiswitch as we have a second receiver.

Our first question is what exactly does the multiswitch do? I assume it is like a splitter but smart so to speak? And where does it need to go? When I talked to D* rep they said it had to go on the dish. Now I am thinking to myself, a multiswitch (we looked them up online) gets connected to the cables, not the sat dish. So can I put it at the point where the wires come into the house?

Also, I ASSUME that I have a dual LNB dish as it has two wires coming out of it, although they are joined until they are split coming into the house. How can I be sure?

Please be nice as we are newbies here....

 

[Denman007]

It sounds like you have a duel LNB. You might be able to call D* or look your account up online to determine that.

So you have 2 lines coming into the house and now you want to add a 3rd. You'll need a multi switch. This will take your current 2 feeds and split it into 4. I have this device attached to the side of my house where the cables come in.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Terk...35806/catOid/-12891/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

I never tried to use this switch inside at the end of the run so I think you'll also need to run a 3rd line into the house.

 

[raymo721]

Welcome to SatGuys!! If you have a dual line lnb dish each line is going to seperate reciever right? The 2 lines from the dish have to go to the multi-switch. It depends on how many recievers you want on what multi-switch you buy, ie: 2in 4out etc. With the 2 lines going into the switch from the dish, 2 lines out will go to the R15, 1 for each tuner. The other lines out can run to your other recievers. Just remember that a 2 tuner DVR like the R15 need 2 lines into it to be fully functional. If the lines from the dish are a long run, you might need a powered multi-switch. For a quick purchase, Best Buy, Curcuit City or Radio Shack can lead you in the right direction. I was in a hurry posting this so, If I've given any wrong info, don't worry, someone here will correct me. Oh, when I used a multi-switch, it was inside the house behind the entertainment center, so it can be used inside or out. Good luck.--Ray

 

[coesterle]

Thanks for replying...

That's what I thought. It just didn't make sense when the tech was telling me that it had to go ON the sat dish. She was asking me how accessible the dish was and all. And yes, now I realize I need to run another line into the house from the switch, luckily that won't be too hard. Now to go buy the right multiswitch...

Thanks a bunch!

 

[dgar2]

There are some sat installers that were mounting the multiswitch on the dish itself. This type of install didn't look very clean, but it worked. My multiswitch is near the cable box.

 

[HCI]

on the old dishes with 2 lnbs there was a switch mount on the back but the newer dishes there is no need to mount the switch near the dish.

 

[raymo721]

on the old dishes with 2 lnbs there was a switch mount on the back but the newer dishes there is no need to mount the switch near the dish.

Didn't know that. It was easier for me to add the switch indoors since I did the install of my 1st Tivo. But, it took me a while to realize I needed a multi-switch. Almost drove my wife crazy, but I figured it out. Felt a little dumb afterward. Yea, I'm the guy who doesn't read the intsructions first! Not anymore!--Ray