Newbie question

[hipsterj]

Hello from Minnesota, now that it is warming up-this looks like the place to find answers on dish questions!
I have been a Direct TV subscriber for almost 2 years and do like it. I miss the local cable channels for high school and kids baseball though.
I have searched through the forums and have found some info on adding "switches" to expand the number of TV's I can use on one dish.
What do I need to find out and post so you all know what I have/need.
Here is what I have-a 5LNB (?) dish with 4 cables coming into my house to feed 1 HD DVR dual tuner and 2 SD receivers. I would like to add another TV in the garage and possibly in another bedroom.
Thanks in advance for the help on this forum.
Saw the Big Bang Theory forum and will hav eto chat in there also.

 

[William1]

You'll need a Zinwell 4X8, They will install one (at no charge) when they install the cabling for the recievers.

 

[hipsterj]

You'll need a Zinwell 4X8, They will install one (at no charge) when they install the cabling for the recievers.

They meaning Direct TV?
I was thinking of purchasing a HD receiver at Best Buy and adding this myself.
Possible?

 

[harshness]

The OP needs a Zinwell WB68 if it is their desire to add more receivers. An old 4x8 will not achieve the desired result with the 5LNB dish.

 

[harshness]

I was thinking of purchasing a HD receiver at Best Buy and adding this myself.
Possible?

You can acquire the multiswitch yourself at some non-negligible cost (>$80) or you can have DIRECTV do everything for free.

"Buying" at BB is not a purchase when it comes to DIRECTV receivers. You're simply paying a fee to lease the receivers.

I'm pretty sure that BB doesn't offer the WB68.


Self-installing is overrated.

 

[Zynergi]

As others have stated the lease self install boxes you get at BB are no different in contract than having a tech deliver, except you do all the work and costs associated with cabling/straps/switches etc...if you find the self-upgrade too cumbersome it will end up costing more than just calling D*.

2 years you may be eligible for a free upgrade so no cost.

Basic Install will be free for each box, pending no trenching, wall fishing or other extraordinary measure need to be taken.

The Install will include up to 125' of cable and necessary components to hook it up.

 

[hipsterj]

So, when I buy/ask for a new receiver Direct TV will start charging me another $3.99 a month to "lease" when I bought the reciver at BB?

 

[Zynergi]

$4.99, yes either way

 

[efbrune]

$4.99, yes either way

+ Tax!

 

[hipsterj]

Thanks for all the feed back on my post.
Glad to see the help out there on a great forum!