Self Install H25 Receiver in Motorhome

[Hutch1814]

Bob - The SWM8 only needs two inputs to work, not four. And the OP says his dish has two outputs, which implies a 2 lnb dish. Your comment about aiming sounds familiar, but if that's the case, how does the dish handle two receivers? With an SWM8, the dish would think it had two receivers connected, one requesting odd transponders and one even transponders, both from 101. Won't that work?

Well for starts I keep seeing a PI21 needed for a SWM8. It needs a PI29 to work properly, also, I see using the 99/101 slot working but I'm curious how long the switch lasts only sending 2 lines voltage vs 4? Could this cause any damage to the SWM8?

OP, stick with the D12. Going to all this trouble for the same result a D12 will get you is more of a hassle without a 100% promise to even work.

 

[texasbrit]

Well for starts I keep seeing a PI21 needed for a SWM8. It needs a PI29 to work properly, also, I see using the 99/101 slot working but I'm curious how long the switch lasts only sending 2 lines voltage vs 4? Could this cause any damage to the SWM8?

Yes, it needs the PI29. And the SWM8 works fine with only two connections. That's how you convert an 18in round dish to SWM. No, it can't damage the SWM8.

 

[Hutch1814]

Good to know, OP STICK WITH THE D12

 

[BobStokesbary]

tomp4801,

My RV model is 2003 and the methodology back then was a cable to the sat receiver which then output an rf signal that went to the switch box you mention. From there you could direct the rf (think cable coax signal) to either the front room TV or the bedroom TV. Some newer designs are setup to provide a satellite signal to either the front room TV or the bedroom TV. From your description, you seem to have a setup similar to mine.

I am not familiar with standard technology so I am not sure if you can add some kind of switch into the line to allow you to drive the bedroom receiver/TV in conjunction with the front room receiver/TV. Given the configuration of your setup, however, I have my doubts. I am going to let others a lot smarter than me fill in the missing part of that.

Bob

 

[BobStokesbary]

Bob - The SWM8 only needs two inputs to work, not four. And the OP says his dish has two outputs, which implies a 2 lnb dish. Your comment about aiming sounds familiar, but if that's the case, how does the dish handle two receivers? With an SWM8, the dish would think it had two receivers connected, one requesting odd transponders and one even transponders, both from 101. Won't that work?

Thank you very much for the information on the SWM8 only needing two connections. I am confused on your second part, however. I thought the whole benefit of SWM was that is determines which channel and polarity is being requested, obtains that signal and multiplexes it to the SWM receiver.
Bob

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

tomp4801,

My RV model is 2003 and the methodology back then was a cable to the sat receiver which then output an rf signal that went to the switch box you mention. From there you could direct the rf (think cable coax signal) to either the front room TV or the bedroom TV. Some newer designs are setup to provide a satellite signal to either the front room TV or the bedroom TV. From your description, you seem to have a setup similar to mine.

I am not familiar with standard technology so I am not sure if you can add some kind of switch into the line to allow you to drive the bedroom receiver/TV in conjunction with the front room receiver/TV. Given the configuration of your setup, however, I have my doubts. I am going to let others a lot smarter than me fill in the missing part of that.

Bob

I'm no expert myself,but given that the LNB on his set up has 2 outputs(or SHOULD at least),couldn't he just run one cable from one of the outputs to one D12(or whatever receiver he actually uses) connected to the TV in the front of his RV & then connect another cable to the other output & run that to the other D12(ditto) in his bedroom?

I'd also add,just leave the H25 at home & order 2 D12's. I imagine that would be way cheaper than the heartache of trying to get the H25 to work in your RV.

 

[Jimbo]

Guys, I would NOT do what you are all talking about doing, at least with the SWM set up.

Your talking about adding 21 or 29 volts that normally powers a SWM LNB, the KVH set up he has, full motion is a very nice and expensive set up, however SD only ... If you ADD 21v to this unit, theres NO TELLING what the outcome may be.

You could fry the $2000+ unit.... Don't know if you will, but I would not try it with my 2 grand.

IF, he's gonna do this, I would suggest using the D12 and find another location in the home for the H25.

 

[BobStokesbary]

Jimbo,
With all due respect, I think you have missed the essence of the last few posts. We are definitely NOT suggesting adding SWM to his KVH setup. Quite the opposite. What we are discussing now is whether or not he can drive two D12s or if he is stuck with the configuration I have in my RV where you convert the sat receiver's output to rf and send that back to the bedroom receiver. (This means the bedroom has the same picture as the front room.) But on our rig that works since we are either in the front room or the bedroom. You just need an rf remote to go the 40 feet from the bedroom to the cabinet over the windshield.

The discussion about trying to convert to SWM died a bit ago.
Bob

 

[Hutch1814]

Guys, I would NOT do what you are all talking about doing, at least with the SWM set up.

Your talking about adding 21 or 29 volts that normally powers a SWM LNB, the KVH set up he has, full motion is a very nice and expensive set up, however SD only ... If you ADD 21v to this unit, theres NO TELLING what the outcome may be.

You could fry the $2000+ unit.... Don't know if you will, but I would not try it with my 2 grand.

IF, he's gonna do this, I would suggest using the D12 and find another location in the home for the H25.

To add to this Jimbo, if you check the voltage coming out of the SWM8/16 running to the LNB is still only 13 and 18 volts so I don't think he would be putting any of his equipment at risk. Like Bob said, we've all decided against the SWM8 setup and are working on 1 or 2 D12's

 

[texasbrit]

You are getting confused. The 29v does not go to the dish, it powers the SWM8 multiswitch. As is posted, the voltages to the dish are the normal 13v (odd transponders) and 18v (even transponders) that are normal for any "legacy" DirecTV install.

 

[brad2388]

Wow this got really confusing.


The output to the lnb is only 13/18 volts as said earlier thats all the voltage the lnb sees.

You have to mount the switch outside in order to get the lnb outputs in tonthe swm 8 and then out to each room. If not you would have to run a wire between the reciever over the dash and the bedroom.

The kvh should be a two output sat where each reciever can be on a seperate channel.

 

[tomp4801]

Ok, this link to winegard is perfect. It clearly show how to hook up SWM device to SD antennas including an in motion dome dish with 2 output cables just like the KVH R6st. I assume Winegard is pretty much the same as KVH.

 

[tomp4801]

Sorry, The link was provided by another poster...... Does anyone see any reason why the KVH R6ST could not be substituted for the Winegard dome on page 5

http://www.winegard.com/kbase/upload/2452242.pdf

 

[BobStokesbary]

tomp4081,

OK. It is clear that you are having problems understanding DirecTV's technology. You started your thread by saying that your front room TV is HD and your bedroom is SD. But you also stated you have a KVH in-motion dome which all of us familiar with that dome know is SD only for DirecTV. So, apparently you only time you have HD is when you stop and used a park's cable connection for your HD. It is important that you understand this distinction because the pdf file you show for the Winegard system is SD as well. You need to understand that there is no RV dome setup that has a dish large enough to support DirecTV's HD technology.

You have also stated that your bedroom TV currently goes through your switchbox in the front of your RV. You have never clarified if that is (as I suspect) a decoded RF signal from your existing receiver or a feed from your satellite dish. Only the very new RVs have the latter configuration.

Then you add that you bought an H25 (which is HD capable) to use with your bedroom SD TV. But, you apparently do not understand that this receiver needs to have a direct connect to the satellite signal; not an RF signal from your primary receiver. And then, to add additional complexity you were unaware that the H25 works only with the newer DirecTV technology called SWM. That started a discussion of all the pluses and minuses of the option of trying to convert your current setup to SWM technology. Those of us in the know suggested you scrap the H25 and look to a D21 that probably could be made to work with your current setup (although there are potential problems associated with option as well - given existing wiring to your bedroom TV.)

At this point I seriously think your best option is to find a local dealer who understands your specific setup and ask him what your options are and how much each of them will cost. You are trying to get a simple answer to a "not simple" question here and I don't think you are going to really learn anything from the experience.

Just my 2 cents.
Bob

 

[tomp4801]

I don't have a problem understanding Directv technology. You don't understand what I am simply trying to do.

I don't want HD reception on either of my TV's. I know that is not possible with the KVH antennae. All I am trying to find out is if I can use my H25 with the KVH R6ST antennae in the same way that the H25 can be used with a Winegard antennae. It is very clear that it can be used with Winegard, as they clearly have documentation showing how to do it. I just want to know if the same setup that is shown in the Winegard documentation can be accomplished with a KVH antennae.

I come from the assumption that the KVH R6ST is the same as the WInegard dome..... but I'm not sure if that assumption is correct. Does anyone see any reason that I can't use the setup shown on page 5 of the Winegard documentation, with the exception that I substitute the KVH dome for the Winegard dome????

As for the second TV in the bedroom, I also understand that I need to run a direct cable (the 2nd cable from the dome) from the antennae to the receiver and then to the TV..... or if I follow the Winegard layout shown on Page 5 that should also work... I don't want to over think this... I just want to know if the Winegard layout will work with the KVH... If noone has tried it, I guess I will have to be the first. I am just trying to save myself some time... though I now have all the parts on order and will attempt to do it. I will be glad to let you all know if it works if noone can tell me for sure beforehand.

thanks for all the input.

 

[Claude Greiner]

You may want to consider an H24 instead of the H25, it is still a small receiver (dvd player type size) and will work fine with non-swm setups.

By the time he messes around with the SWM8, LNB's, power inserters Etc, its cheaper to just get an H24.

 

[brad2388]

The answer to your question is yes it will work. Under the dome is a cut up 18 inch dish with a dual output lnb. The kvh is picking up the signals in the middle and passing thru to the outlets of the dish. Wire it like that and youl be fine.

Youll have to set the swm 8 on the roof and wire to it but its waterproff.

 

[raoul5788]

In order to use the H25, you would need two lines from the dish to a swm8, then to the H25. Don't forget the 29 volt power inserter. Then run a line from the legacy port of the swm8 to the bedroom receiver.

 

[tomp4801]

Thank you. That was easy. I will let you know how it works in two weeks.

 

[BobStokesbary]

So, how do things work? This is an interesting application of SWM to an existing dome.