PREWIRE (Yes I searched first, But none of the topics directly answered my question)

[unionbro]

Hi, I recently made an order for D*Tv. An installer is scheduled to be here in the A.M. next monday 11/25/08. After reading several post on D*tv installers being underpaid and in a hurry etc. I would like to prewire my system to avoid having a poor install.

For the record, I am a Journeyman Electrician, before some of you go to beating me up, please understand I lack working knowledge when it comes to DBS satellite systems, which leads me to this forum and here today asking you all what i should do.

First, let me describe my system i have coming. I will have recievers in two locations, one will have DVR, and one will not. I do however want to install the cables to each location as if both will have DVR to future proof my install.

I currently have a network enclosure installed in a central location that currently has a conventional cable tv distribution system as well as provisions for an OTA antenna. I want to leave this system intact and not utilize it for anything but OTA HD antenna and/or CCTV at a later date. There are drops from the central location serving each room in the house at this time.

Now with this being said i also just happen to have 6000' of RG6 cable that is 3 ghz sweep certified.

From what i have read in the searches i have done, i get mixed opinions on how this should be done. Labor isnt an issue with me since i will be doing it myself, and cost of materials isnt an issue either since i already have more than enough cable at my disposal.

Please correct me if i have misunderstood, but what i gather is i should run two cables from the satillite dish to each reciever location, i will only be using one at the standard reciever location but will run the second for future dvr use in the second location.

From what I read alot of folks seem to be bringing these home runs to the central location aka "home automation panel", and from there distributing them to the various locations. my thoughts on this is why break the connections if not needed. and why bring them to the central location? It is my understanding that each time you cut the cable you get a possible signal loss or "bump" that degrades the signal.

I do understand the traditional cable distribution concept where you take the incoming cable input from the local cable company, run that to a central location aka "home automation panel", and distribute home runs from there from a splitter.

Truely I hope that you all understand i come here with my hat in hand, and in no way am impliying that i know it all. I would just like some clarification and most of all much needed advice so i dont make stupid mistakes.

 

[atp1313]

Not an electrician or installation expert, but I can confirm that you will need a switch as part of your setup, and the central location would be the ideal location for that. Then do the drops to the various locations. So basically it would be two lines from the dish to the switch, then run two lines each to the receiver locations. You will also want to run 1 line to each location for any OTA access. If I read your post correctly, you already have OTA into the central location. But you will need to distribute that to each box that is to have OTA. Not certain, but maybe you can have the OTA come into the 6x8 switch and then send a line to each box from the switch. But I am fairly certain that the OTA will not piggy-back on the sat lines from the switch, so it needs to be unique feeds.

Hope that helps. More answers and discussions will follow and hopefully clarify or better explain what I have mentioned.

 

[jdspencer]

Not an electrician or installation expert, but I can confirm that you will need a switch as part of your setup, and the central location would be the ideal location for that. Then do the drops to the various locations. So basically it would be two lines from the dish to the switch, then run two lines each to the receiver locations. You will also want to run 1 line to each location for any OTA access. If I read your post correctly, you already have OTA into the central location. But you will need to distribute that to each box that is to have OTA. Not certain, but maybe you can have the OTA come into the 6x8 switch and then send a line to each box from the switch. But I am fairly certain that the OTA will not piggy-back on the sat lines from the switch, so it needs to be unique feeds.

Hope that helps. More answers and discussions will follow and hopefully clarify or better explain what I have mentioned.

A couple of corrections/suggestions. You should have 4 lines run from the dish, it has four outputs, to the central location. Here is where the multiswitch will be located to distribute to the house. If you can get one, this multiswitch could be the SWM8, which will allow you to use just one run to each receiver. These receivers, the new models, are SWM capable. SWM is the single wire multiswitch.

 

[Phoenix1]

In your situation, where you only have two receivers and two lines running to each, it is possible to run line directly from the dish rather than to the central panel. In my house, I have runs to 7 locations, only 4 of which have a receiver currently. In order to connect all of them (or just the 4 that I have connected now) I need to run them through a multiswitch which is located in the central panel. So the cables from all 7 rooms and the 4 cables from the dish come the the central panel to connect to the multiswitch. If I want to add a receiver or move a receiver, it's as easy as just going to the panel and connecting or moving wires on the switch.

 

[webbydude]

Hi, I recently made an order for D*Tv. An installer is scheduled to be here in the A.M. next monday 11/25/08. After reading several post on D*tv installers being underpaid and in a hurry etc. I would like to prewire my system to avoid having a poor install.

For the record, I am a Journeyman Electrician, before some of you go to beating me up, please understand I lack working knowledge when it comes to DBS satellite systems, which leads me to this forum and here today asking you all what i should do.

First, let me describe my system i have coming. I will have recievers in two locations, one will have DVR, and one will not. I do however want to install the cables to each location as if both will have DVR to future proof my install.

I currently have a network enclosure installed in a central location that currently has a conventional cable tv distribution system as well as provisions for an OTA antenna. I want to leave this system intact and not utilize it for anything but OTA HD antenna and/or CCTV at a later date. There are drops from the central location serving each room in the house at this time.

Now with this being said i also just happen to have 6000' of RG6 cable that is 3 ghz sweep certified.

From what i have read in the searches i have done, i get mixed opinions on how this should be done. Labor isnt an issue with me since i will be doing it myself, and cost of materials isnt an issue either since i already have more than enough cable at my disposal.

Please correct me if i have misunderstood, but what i gather is i should run two cables from the satillite dish to each reciever location, i will only be using one at the standard reciever location but will run the second for future dvr use in the second location.

From what I read alot of folks seem to be bringing these home runs to the central location aka "home automation panel", and from there distributing them to the various locations. my thoughts on this is why break the connections if not needed. and why bring them to the central location? It is my understanding that each time you cut the cable you get a possible signal loss or "bump" that degrades the signal.

I do understand the traditional cable distribution concept where you take the incoming cable input from the local cable company, run that to a central location aka "home automation panel", and distribute home runs from there from a splitter.

Truely I hope that you all understand i come here with my hat in hand, and in no way am impliying that i know it all. I would just like some clarification and most of all much needed advice so i dont make stupid mistakes.

Next Monday is still in August...not November (sorry...couldn't resist)

 

[unionbro]

Guess thats what i get for staying up too late huh!

LMAO, I dunno where that date came from, It was late is all i can say LOL!

 

[dssturbed]

If you want additional future expansion then you may consider using a Wide Band 6x8 multi-switch (assuming your using an HD setup). This way you can run 2 cables to each room from the multi-switch with 4 outputs leftover for future use. The 6x8 switch has 4 input for your satellite dish plus to extra "flex ports" for other dishes normally used to bring in DirecTVs international programming packages. This switch is very versatile and can be used for all model DirecTV dishes as well.

The Rg-6 cable you have is perfect for the job. Just make sure you use the compression fittings when finishing the cable and not the crimp style. With digital signals it's critical to insure no signal leakage, so compression fittings are the way to go.

Ground your dish according to NEC standards. This will eliminate signal interference caused by static electricity build up produced by wind blowing over the surface of the dish.

Since your an electrician I will assume you will use coax wall plates. Make sure to use the ones where the barrel connector is also 3GHz. Others will work but this will insure that you have a top of the line install.

Good Luck.

 

[unionbro]

Thanks to everyone for responding

I would like to say thanks to everyone who offered input on my prewire situation. I have decided to let the installer mount the dish and temporarly wire to the two locations, I will come back afterwards and do my own custom wiring. Seems this would be the only surefire way to not end up over or under pulling cables. Thanks again!