SWM on RG59 Cable

[xndtx]

Has anyone else found problems with installaing SWM equipment on RG59?
We currently have an exclusive contract with an apartment complex that has 100% RG59. We have nothing but issues with the service. It constantly searches for signal and sometimes even causes customers receivers to freeze. We have tried a million different things to fix this but nothing seems to work. The only thing left to replace and/or fix is the RG59 cables. But is RG59 really the issue? I dont know. DirecTV has said that RG59 will work with the SWM equipment, but I've had nothing but problems with it. Any help?
Thanks!

 

[raoul5788]

Has anyone else found problems with installaing SWM equipment on RG59?
We currently have an exclusive contract with an apartment complex that has 100% RG59. We have nothing but issues with the service. It constantly searches for signal and sometimes even causes customers receivers to freeze. We have tried a million different things to fix this but nothing seems to work. The only thing left to replace and/or fix is the RG59 cables. But is RG59 really the issue? I dont know. DirecTV has said that RG59 will work with the SWM equipment, but I've had nothing but problems with it. Any help?
Thanks!

I don't know about issues with the SWM setup specifically, but RG59 can be problematic with hd in general. If you have tried other options and not been able to solve the problems, it sounds like replacing the RG59 is your next step.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

59 is supposed to be fine for swm because it swm using frequencies that are supported over 59 line. As long as 59 is not used to feed and splitters or stackers.

 

[JAMES HYDE]

you can not use rg-59 you need to use rg-6..

 

[texasbrit]

As was posted, because the SWM system uses frequencies lower than a "normal" DirecTV system, then the higher signal losses that RG59 has with the higher frequency signals aren't really relevant. Of course if the cables are too long then it will be a problem, but then it would also have been a problem with cable, so it's unlikely that signal losses from RG59 are the issue. But you need to do a signal loss analysis for the whole network to make sure that enough signal is getting to the receivers.
You might have a problem if the cables from the SWMs to the dish are also RG59, because those carry both conventional DirecTV signals and need to carry power to the LNB). If you are going to replace ANY RG59, start with the cables to the dish.

The other potential issue with the SWM system (I assume it's actually MFH2, correct?) is people in apartments adding tuners to the system without doing this through the system admin. That can result in having more than eight tuners connected to a single SWM8 and then you get what seems like random signal loss, and that can also freeze receivers.

 

[Birdman79]

I've seen rg59 work perfectlyl fine with SWM,and seen some fail anywere from a couple of days to months of the initial install.I did notice that it works better with the thicker kind of rg59 than the thinner.

 

[wildbill129]

RG59 will work fine with shorter distances on a SWM setup. Are you using RG6 from the LNB to the splitters?

 

[egnlsn]

If the Series 59 cable was swept to 600MHz at the time of manufacture, it could be the problem. Years ago when cable systems were only 330 or 450MHz, coax was manufactured with a bandwidth of 600MHz. Nowadays that isn't an issue.

If it is 20 year old cable, you could be trying to push 1450MHz over cable that was built for 600MHz.

 

[Joe Diamond]

If the Series 59 cable was swept to 600MHz at the time of manufacture, it could be the problem. Years ago when cable systems were only 330 or 450MHz, coax was manufactured with a bandwidth of 600MHz. Nowadays that isn't an issue.

If it is 20 year old cable, you could be trying to push 1450MHz over cable that was built for 600MHz.

Not to mention fittings & wall plates that were done 20 years ago. I would examine a few random plates just to see how the fittings were made & cut. Any outside cable runs are suspect.

Joe