Self install help please!

[WizeGuyDezignz]

Hey guys!

First off, please excuse any dumb questions that I ask. I am going to do an install for some friends at their new house. Luckily for me, they already have a Dish Network dish mounted and all the cabling (or so I think).

They have a Dish Network 1000 dish with a DP Plus (?) LNB. There are 3 LNB's. I couldn't get up there to get a very close look, but there are two cables coming out of the dish. Both of those cables are inside of their living room with female connectors on both. However, one of the cables coming from the dish is split with a splitter and goes into their office area. So basically there are two cables coming from the dish into their living room and the split cable goes into their office. Hope that makes sense.

Here is the meat of my question. I am going to install a Dish Network 522 dual tuner DVR for them. What do I need to do with both of the female connected cables in the living room?

They want the second tuner to show up in their bedroom but there is no cable running into there. Can I just take that line that was split which is currently in the office and just move that cable to the bedroom?

Lastly, does this setup even sound like it's set up for a dual tuner receiver? If not, what do I need? A new LNB? Diplexers, etc? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

 

[bhelms]

You can't "split" down feeds from the LNBs. That will require a switch like a DP34 or DPP44. If you need to service a dual tuner unit like the 522 plus another receiver location then you should get the switch. Each LNB will feed one input to the switch (so you will need 3 separate coaxes from the LNBs) and the switch will have 4 outputs to service up to 4 tuners. Since you will only have 3 LNBs to input then the DP34 might work (3 LNB inputs only; the DPP44 has 4 inputs). Which switch you choose will also depend on which LNBs you have on the dish. You might have to get up there to confirm.

The D1000 in its "standard configuration" will feed up to 2 tuners without adding a switch however and that sounds like all you're trying to do so you might not need the external switch. If one of the LNBs is a DP Plus Twin that does all the switching for you for just 2 tuners. If it's 3 separate LNBs you will probably need a switch as I described.

You can use a coax from the 522 to feed the TV in the second room.

The D1000 might be overkill for a 522. Most (all?) of what's on the 129 sat. is HD channels that you won't be able to receive with the 522. (There might be some SD programming on 129, but that's beyond my knowledge at present.) You'll certainly need the 110 and 119 sats. however for the standard SD programming packages. But with the 1000 fully activated you'll be ready to switch to an HD DVR when the time comes!

Here is installation info on the D1000:

http://www.dishretailer.com/dishstore/dish1000/Facts.pdf

And here is some info on the 522:

http://www.dbsinstall.com/Dish_network/Receivers/Dish_Network_522_Receiver.asp

(PS - the only "dumb question" is the one you don't ask...! You came to the right place...)

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

Thanks for the info and the PDF! Sorry that I was confusing, lol! They actually only want service in their living room and their bedroom. So the dual tuner should cover those two rooms right?

The splitter part was just me letting you guys know how it's currently wired at their home. Basically the two cables coming from the dish are in their living room with female connectors. The split cable from that is going to their office, but they don't want service in there.

With that being said, what would be my best course of action to install the receiver in their living room but get service to their bedroom as well. Can I just take the cable that is going to their office and bring it into the bedroom and call it a day?

But more importantly I would like to know what I need to do with the two cables in the living room with the female connectors on them. Thanks!

 

[Bob Haller]

Take tv 2 out and backfeed the existing cable plant. Its coax but generally fine for a bedroom

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

**UPDATE** Now that I am looking at the Quick Facts PDF of the Dish 1000.2, they may have that one! Not sure if that makes a difference for any advice given. Reason why I say that is because on their LNB it says DP Plus. Also, their 3 LNB's are one solid piece and not separated like on the Dish 1000 PDF diagram. On the Dish 1000 it looks like there are 2 LNB's (DP Plus Twin) and then 1 LNB is separate (DP Dual).

So from looking at the diagram, it looks like they have the Dish 1000.2. Thanks!

 

[bhelms]

Any dual tuner receiver/DVR can service 2 locations with independent control of what is being watched in each location. Yes, you can use that cable currently going to the office to move over to the bedroom assuming it's long enough. RG6 is preferred but even RG59 will work for that simple connection. These receivers all have a coax (RF) output for the remote location TV.

What you need to do with those 2 cables from the LNBs is totally dependent on which combination of LNBs you have, per the pdf on the D1000. Let's assume it's a "standard configuration" in which case you only need to connect them to the 2 sat. tuner inputs on the back of the 522. Try that first. If it doesn't work then either you don't have the standard complement of LNBs (and might then need the switch) or something is disconnected or otherwise not working.

If you indeed have the D1000.2, you can google "Dish 1000.2" and get the information for that one. Here is some information from Sadoun, one of our site sponsors:

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/Dishnetwork/Dishes/Dish-1000point2.htm

I'm not sure if the D1000.2 is a match for the 522 without a separate switch. The above link has another link to the installation guide and that talks about using a "separator" (completly different from a splitter) to feed the 2 tuner inputs with a single coax coming from the LNBs. But the separator is "Dish Pro" technology and I don't think that includes the 522 ?? Can someone else chime in on this? But if you add a switch then you can use 2 of its outputs to feed the 2 inputs of the 522 via separate coaxes. If your 1000.2 has the "single LNB" then it will not work with the DP34 switch; you'd have to use the DPP44.

Let us know how you make out, and good luck...!

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

Take tv 2 out and backfeed the existing cable plant. Its coax but generally fine for a bedroom

I'm very sorry for the noob-ness but I don't understand. What do you mean by take TV 2 out and backfeed the existing cable plant?

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

Sorry, I just realized that you answered my question about 1000.2. Thanks!

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

Any dual tuner receiver/DVR can service 2 locations with independent control of what is being watched in each location. Yes, you can use that cable currently going to the office to move over to the bedroom assuming it's long enough. RG6 is preferred but even RG59 will work for that simple connection. These receivers all have a coax (RF) output for the remote location TV.

What you need to do with those 2 cables from the LNBs is totally dependent on which combination of LNBs you have, per the pdf on the D1000. Let's assume it's a "standard configuration" in which case you only need to connect them to the 2 sat. tuner inputs on the back of the 522. Try that first. If it doesn't work then either you don't have the standard complement of LNBs (and might then need the switch) or something is disconnected or otherwise not working.

If you indeed have the D1000.2, you can google "Dish 1000.2" and get the information for that one. Here is some information from Sadoun, one of our site sponsors:

Dish Network Dish 1000.2  DishPro Plus 110 118.7 119 129

Let us know how you make out, and good luck...!

Since those cables have female connectors, what do I need to make the male so I can put them into the receiver? Thanks!

 

[bhelms]

I missed that part. You'll have to cut them off and replace them with quality male connectors. Use the "compression" type connectors. That requires a special tool which will come with instructions. (You can buy the tool and correct connectors at a store like Lowes or perhaps Home Depot.) You can also buy a tool to strip the ends of the coax properly before putting the connector on. There are "male to male" adapters available but I wouldn't use them unless I knew for sure they are rated to 3GHz.

Hmmm - Why would any installation have female connectors on the ends of cables? (Are we missing something here ??)

 

[bhelms]

I'm very sorry for the noob-ness but I don't understand. What do you mean by take TV 2 out and backfeed the existing cable plant?

The output to the remote TV is labeled "TV2" on a dual tuner receiver. You could connect that into a whole-house RF distribution system ("plant"). I think that is what Bob is saying...

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

I missed that part. You'll have to cut them off and replace them with quality male connectors. Use the "compression" type connectors. That requires a special tool which will come with instructions. (You can buy the tool and correct connectors at a store like Lowes or perhaps Home Depot.) You can also by a tool to strip the ends of the coax properly before putting the connector on.

Hmmm - Why would any installation have female connectors on the ends of cables? (Are we missing something here ??)

I was wondering the same thing! I have no idea why they are female. Anybody have ideas?

 

[mjstraw]

gender of connectors for coax can be confusing and I may still be confused but think of it based on the _threads_. The connector on the back of a TV is male. An RF81 barrel connector is M/M. The connector usually found on the end of a piece of RG6 is female.

One might be tempted to assign gender based on how the center connector looks
or connects - which is exactly the opposite of what it really is.

Mark

 

[bhelms]

Just the opposite of what I believe is true. It's the "stinger" (coax center conductor protruding from the male connector) and what that's inserted into in my mind that indicates the gender, and I always considered an F-81 a F/F adapter. So the cable is usually terminated with a male connector. I would have said "always" but the OP might have a different situation ??

But maybe I've been wrong for the past 30+ years ??

To the OP - is it possible you have cables terminated with (what I call) male connectors and each one is screwed into an F-81 F/F barrel ??

 

[Bradtothebone]

gender of connectors for coax can be confusing and I may still be confused but think of it based on the _threads_. The connector on the back of a TV is male. An RF81 barrel connector is M/M. The connector usually found on the end of a piece of RG6 is female.

One might be tempted to assign gender based on how the center connector looks
or connects - which is exactly the opposite of what it really is.

Mark

Sorry, mjstraw, but everything in this post is wrong (except "I may still be confused")! Gender is not based on the threads, but upon the signal conductor.

To the O.P., are you sure the "splitter" you refer to (on one of the lines from the dish) isn't a diplexer? That would make sense if the original installation was using a downfeed from the dish to backfeed the second room from a dual-tuner receiver. There would, of course, have to be a second diplexer at the receiver.

Brad

edit: Bhelms, you beat me to it!

 

[mjstraw]

Thanks for the correction - see, I said I was still confused.

Years of plumbing/electronics have imprinted my mind with "it's the threads". I remember trying to associate "opposite" with coax connectors which is true - except it's the opposite of "other stuff" (threads), not the opposite of intuition (stinger et al) which makes it back to "normal". No wonder I confuse myself. So much for memory aids.

Mark

PS - do they make a female F connector for attaching to the end of coax? I've never seen one.

 

[Bobby]

Thanks for the correction - see, I said I was still confused.

Years of plumbing/electronics have imprinted my mind with "it's the threads". I remember trying to associate "opposite" with coax connectors which is true - except it's the opposite of "other stuff" (threads), not the opposite of intuition (stinger et al) which makes it back to "normal". No wonder I confuse myself. So much for memory aids.

Mark

PS - do they make a female F connector for attaching to the end of coax? I've never seen one.

Yes, it's call a barrel connector... It actually is inserted into the regular f connector.

RadioShack Gold Series F-Connector Coupler - RadioShack.com

 

[mjstraw]

I know about those - I was asking about a female connector that attached directly to the raw coax. Don't know what you'd ever use it for.....

Mark

 

[Bradtothebone]

PS - do they make a female F connector for attaching to the end of coax? I've never seen one.

I don't think so - it would be difficult to terminate, and there wouldn't be much use for it. People just use barrel connectors, as bobby said.

Brad

 

[DishSubLA]

Any dual tuner receiver/DVR can service 2 locations with independent control of what is being watched in each location. Yes, you can use that cable currently going to the office to move over to the bedroom assuming it's long enough. RG6 is preferred but even RG59 will work for that simple connection. These receivers all have a coax (RF) output for the remote location TV.

What you need to do with those 2 cables from the LNBs is totally dependent on which combination of LNBs you have, per the pdf on the D1000. Let's assume it's a "standard configuration" in which case you only need to connect them to the 2 sat. tuner inputs on the back of the 522. Try that first. If it doesn't work then either you don't have the standard complement of LNBs (and might then need the switch) or something is disconnected or otherwise not working.

If you indeed have the D1000.2, you can google "Dish 1000.2" and get the information for that one. Here is some information from Sadoun, one of our site sponsors:

Dish Network Dish 1000.2* DishPro Plus 110 118.7 119 129

I'm not sure if the D1000.2 is a match for the 522 without a separate switch. The above link has another link to the installation guide and that talks about using a "separator" (completly different from a splitter) to feed the 2 tuner inputs with a single coax coming from the LNBs. But the separator is "Dish Pro" technology and I don't think that includes the 522 ?? Can someone else chime in on this? But if you add a switch then you can use 2 of its outputs to feed the 2 inputs of the 522 via separate coaxes. If your 1000.2 has the "single LNB" then it will not work with the DP34 switch; you'd have to use the DPP44.

Let us know how you make out, and good luck...!

I know what you meant, but I think it is important to point that the 612 does not provide a separate, independent TV 2 experience. The 612 works like the old 721: RF Ch 3 or 4 output will display the very same thing as in room with DVR, but no PIP with the 612.