SWM multiswitch question

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glen4cindy

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Sep 14, 2004
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St. Louis MO, area
I'm going to be moving soon. There is a dish at my new house and as far as I can tell there is a single wire coming down from the dish into a directv 4 way splitter. In a closet there is a SWiM power inserter that I assume was connected to the power passing port on the 4-way.

Where I am currently I have 4 cables coming in from my dish going to what I think is a SWiM 8. From this is 2 4-way directv splitters that go to my current receivers. Currently I have a DECA Network adapter, 2 HD DVR's and a Genie DVR. I believe that makes 10 tuners total because the DECA counts as a tuner as far as the multiswitch is concerned.

When this current install was first done we had just upgraded to HD, did not have a Genie (they didn't exist) but had 3 receivers that had 2 tuners each that required 2 cables each and 1 standard receiver.

When we move we are going to lose 1 receiver. So my question is will the setup at the other house cover us with the Genie, 1 HD receiver, and the DECA or should I swap LNB's and switches from here and take them with me?

The dish is identical (I think) so it should be peaked the same way so an LNB swap should work fine I would think.

Thanks in advance.
 
You should be fine using the new setup. The Genie has 5 tuners, the dvr has 2. The basic swm lnb can carry up to 8 tuners.
 
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..and if your current config has a Genie and 2 DVRS that's 9 tuners so too many for your current SWM8
 
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if you are dropping an hddvr receiver, you'll end up with 7 tuners and won't need a swm multiswitch. however regardless of the scenario, the technician will put in whatever is needed so you need not worry.
 
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if you are dropping an hddvr receiver, you'll end up with 7 tuners and won't need a swm multiswitch. however regardless of the scenario, the technician will put in whatever is needed so you need not worry.

I was planning on carrying my own equipment and just attaching cables without calling a tech if necessary.
 
..and if your current config has a Genie and 2 DVRS that's 9 tuners so too many for your current SWM8

Whatever is in the ceiling it's working. Not sure what the big silver box is. 4 cables from the dish. A cable from the power inserter. I think there are 2 legacy port cable connections, and there are connections to 2 4 way splitters.
 
I was planning on carrying my own equipment and just attaching cables without calling a tech if necessary.
you are welcome to do that if you choose. after a few hours and one or two headaches you'll prob have them working (channels coming in and all). problem is without the correct equipment to peak and align the dish, your overall signal will be terrible. you'll end up constantly losing channels in conditions (I.e windy, cloudy) that a professionally installed and alligned dish would never go out in. so anyway I'm not telling you not to attempt it, just be prepared to do some head scratching before it's all over
 
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you are welcome to do that if you choose. after a few hours and one or two headaches you'll prob have them working (channels coming in and all). problem is without the correct equipment to peak and align the dish, your overall signal will be terrible. you'll end up constantly losing channels in conditions (I.e windy, cloudy) that a professionally installed and alligned dish would never go out in. so anyway I'm not telling you not to attempt it, just be prepared to do some head scratching before it's all over

I appreciate your input.

The only reason I would even consider doing like this is because there is an existing SWM system installed currently.

The only way I know if the dish actually has signal myself is to connect a receiver.

I pay that monthly service plan fee so I assume if I do need a tech I could get one out.
 
I appreciate your input.

The only reason I would even consider doing like this is because there is an existing SWM system installed currently.

The only way I know if the dish actually has signal myself is to connect a receiver.

I pay that monthly service plan fee so I assume if I do need a tech I could get one out.
well awesome man.. if it's all there already it should just be plug and play. are you familiar with the importance of the power inserter in relation to the red power passing port on the splitter?
 
well awesome man.. if it's all there already it should just be plug and play. are you familiar with the importance of the power inserter in relation to the red power passing port on the splitter?

Correct. The outside port with the red line has to be connected properly to the power inserter.

I'm hoping it works. :)
 
Correct. The outside port with the red line has to be connected properly to the power inserter.

I'm hoping it works. :)
it most likely will work. you should have no issues. once everything is up and running, go into the settings and check your signal levels. they should all be 90 or better. 101 and 119 usually come in 97-100. 99 and 103 are usually 92-96 with the exception of 103(s). it comes in 84-89 give or take. check the photo I posted.
8e3c468b3e0981e172f4c2c810bbb8a3.jpg
 
you are welcome to do that if you choose. after a few hours and one or two headaches you'll prob have them working (channels coming in and all). problem is without the correct equipment to peak and align the dish, your overall signal will be terrible. you'll end up constantly losing channels in conditions (I.e windy, cloudy) that a professionally installed and alligned dish would never go out in. so anyway I'm not telling you not to attempt it, just be prepared to do some head scratching before it's all over
What makes you think that the home he's moving into didn't have a professional installer install already and that the dish may still be pointed the way it is suppose to be ... just because some one moves out doesn't mean the dish has to be re pointed.
Now he may have to figure out where cables go and where a splitter and PI might be .. if they were left.
 
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What makes you think that the home he's moving into didn't have a professional installer install already and that the dish may still be pointed the way it is suppose to be ... just because some one moves out doesn't mean the dish has to be re pointed.
Now he may have to figure out where cables go and where a splitter and PI might be .. if they were left.

That's exactly it. Dish, splitter, power inserter are all there.

They just need to be wired properly.
 
Your recvrs are all swm capable so it will probably be plug and play ...
Did you happen to see what version LNB is on the dish, if you can get a 13 tuner one you'd be covered entirely.
You probably have one that allows 8 tuners, your Genie has 5, HR24s have 2 each so your at 9.

If you have a SWM 16 Mutliswitch you can do them all without changing the LNB.

4 port LNB, run 4 wires to the Swm 16 MS then to the rest of the system.
 
So get a reverse band LNB and you can run 13 tuners on a single cable.
There is still unresolved confusion in this area ....

The 1st generation digital SWiM LNB from WNC, the (non-Reverse Band) "3D1," which had a very limited production run of only about a year definitely supported up to 13(+1) tuners max.

The 2nd generation digital SWiM LNBs of which there both Reverse and non-Reverse band types with the "3D2-," "5D2-", "3D2RB-" and "5D2RB-" prefixes, "officially" support only up to 13(+1) tuners as well.

But mostly and "unofficially," they support up to 21(+1) tuners.

What exactly causes (or perhaps "caused") the 2nd gen. digital SWiM LNBs to rarely default to only 13 tuner support has never been positively identified.
 
There is still unresolved confusion in this area ....

The 1st generation digital SWiM LNB from WNC, the (non-Reverse Band) "3D1," which had a very limited production run of only about a year definitely supported up to 13(+1) tuners max.

The 2nd generation digital SWiM LNBs of which there both Reverse and non-Reverse band types with the "3D2-," "5D2-", "3D2RB-" and "5D2RB-" prefixes, "officially" support only up to 13(+1) tuners as well.

But mostly and "unofficially," they support up to 21(+1) tuners.

What exactly causes (or perhaps "caused") the 2nd gen. digital SWiM LNBs to rarely default to only 13 tuner support has never been positively identified.
And all these different generations were WNC ?
I'll have to look at mine, but I think it's 1st gen.
 
And all these different generations were WNC ?
I'll have to look at mine, but I think it's 1st gen.

I haven't moved completely yet. Haven't looked close at the LNB either.

I only know currently there is a single wire coming down to a green label 4 way splitter.

Inside there is a power inserter that I assume was hooked up between the main receiver and that splitter.
 
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