Yay! I get to keep my HR34

[Mr Tony]

This is a case where "free" isnt always better

So I've been in the process of moving to an apartment complex and one of the things included in rent is satellite TV....and its the "good" stuff
But its through a 3rd party company called "Access Media 3" (they bundle internet, D* and phone for apartment complexes....here its just D*)
So as part of my rent I would get Choice package and up to 4 SD receivers for free (well $50 install and obviously the $6 extra receiver fee if I had more than one)

BUT if you wanted "more" it will cost ya
$99 for a DVR or HD receiver
$199 for HD DVR (2 tuner)

plus the $8 DVR fee and $10 HD if you had them....so for $18 a month I'd get a 2 tuner DVR and pay $250 up front. If I wanted Choice Xtra (which I have now) it would be $18 more a month (dont ask thats what it says in the brochure)

So once I got all settled I started hooking up the HR34 to the outlets trying to see maybe if D* was already wired.....well I was down to the last jack. Hooked up HR34 and did a master reset. Says "searching for satellite" and BOOM
SWM5+95W

Downloaded the guide and I was good to go All 5 tuners work
Since I have credits my bill is only like $35-40 a month so it may cost me a little more over a years time...but the 5 tuners make up for it and the package I currently get is better (it would cost me less if I compared same programming package)

What I am wondering and maybe an installer knows about MDU setups....I am shocked that all 5 tuners work. I looked in the basement (garage) and there is oodles of wires running everywhere and there are lock boxes on the D* stuff. There is a cable box for parts of the complex and I found the 2 cables that say my apartment number. One is hooked into the Comcast taps (we get free lifeline as part of rent) and the other is barreled connected to a line that runs to one of the locked boxes. Since this 3rd party company only uses 2 tuner DVR's I assume the MDU setup its not like "each section only allows 8 channels" like a residential setup would be rather its just a bunch of channels so that when you get equipment it doesnt have to worry what you're hooking up?

 

[whitewolf8214]

That is great ice enjoy and congrats

 

[texasbrit]

This is a case where "free" isnt always better

So I've been in the process of moving to an apartment complex and one of the things included in rent is satellite TV....and its the "good" stuff
But its through a 3rd party company called "Access Media 3" (they bundle internet, D* and phone for apartment complexes....here its just D*)
So as part of my rent I would get Choice package and up to 4 SD receivers for free (well $50 install and obviously the $6 extra receiver fee if I had more than one)

BUT if you wanted "more" it will cost ya
$99 for a DVR or HD receiver
$199 for HD DVR (2 tuner)

plus the $8 DVR fee and $10 HD if you had them....so for $18 a month I'd get a 2 tuner DVR and pay $250 up front. If I wanted Choice Xtra (which I have now) it would be $18 more a month (dont ask thats what it says in the brochure)

So once I got all settled I started hooking up the HR34 to the outlets trying to see maybe if D* was already wired.....well I was down to the last jack. Hooked up HR34 and did a master reset. Says "searching for satellite" and BOOM
SWM5+95W

Downloaded the guide and I was good to go All 5 tuners work
Since I have credits my bill is only like $35-40 a month so it may cost me a little more over a years time...but the 5 tuners make up for it and the package I currently get is better (it would cost me less if I compared same programming package)

What I am wondering and maybe an installer knows about MDU setups....I am shocked that all 5 tuners work. I looked in the basement (garage) and there is oodles of wires running everywhere and there are lock boxes on the D* stuff. There is a cable box for parts of the complex and I found the 2 cables that say my apartment number. One is hooked into the Comcast taps (we get free lifeline as part of rent) and the other is barreled connected to a line that runs to one of the locked boxes. Since this 3rd party company only uses 2 tuner DVR's I assume the MDU setup its not like "each section only allows 8 channels" like a residential setup would be rather its just a bunch of channels so that when you get equipment it doesnt have to worry what you're hooking up?

At some point there might be "tuner overload", the MDU uses the same SWM technology as residential systems. You are using 5 out of the 8 tuners on one of the SWM legs. That's OK if there is one leg per apartment, or if there is a second apartment connected to the SWM leg but not subscribing to DirecTV.
This is why the MDU manager will tell you he needs to know what is connected!!

 

[digiblur]

And I would say oh well play dumb and let them deal with it and fix it.

Sent from a little old Note 2

 

[ZandarKoad]

If they let you have up to four SD tuners, then 5 is only one more tuner... I say you're fine, let them sort it out.

 

[texasbrit]

And I would say oh well play dumb and let them deal with it and fix it.

Sent from a little old Note 2

Because of the way SWM works, it's a real mess to diagnose and fix. It can seem to be working most of the time, if some of the tuners are on the same transponder. And hopefully the installer used BSFs to avoid two apartments being on the same whole-home network.

 

[ZandarKoad]

Because of the way SWM works, it's a real mess to diagnose and fix. It can seem to be working most of the time, if some of the tuners are on the same transponder. And hopefully the installer used BSFs to avoid two apartments being on the same whole-home network.

Alright, then be a really nice guy, print out a few messages that say, "NOTE: Unit ### is using FIVE TUNERS - Please distribute SWM tuners accordingly!" Or something to that effect.

Then go down into the basement and tape those messages to their lock boxes.

 

[Mr Tony]

At some point there might be "tuner overload", the MDU uses the same SWM technology as residential systems. You are using 5 out of the 8 tuners on one of the SWM legs. That's OK if there is one leg per apartment, or if there is a second apartment connected to the SWM leg but not subscribing to DirecTV.
This is why the MDU manager will tell you he needs to know what is connected!!

I dont know...there are some weird things that you can see (outside of the lock box)...Once I find my camera (its in a box here somewheres) I'll take some pics
I assume there is one leg per apartment as there is only one active jack per unit. There is a jack in the living room and one in the bedroom and they are just connected with a short coax (assume so instead of running cable along the wall 50 some odd feet you can just jumper it that way.

 

[Mr Tony]

And I would say oh well play dumb and let them deal with it and fix it.

Sent from a little old Note 2

exactly....the resident manager was confused when I said I already had Directv. I guess she thinks "free" is better
She even said "the Standard receivers are free...you wouldnt want any other type would you?"

 

[Mr Tony]

If they let you have up to four SD tuners, then 5 is only one more tuner... I say you're fine, let them sort it out.

and here is the other thing. There is only one cable for Directv into the apartment. So if say you had 3 receivers (a HD DVR and 2 SD receivers) they have to put a splitter in the apartment as (in my apt at least) the other 2 jacks are just connected together to cut down on long cable runs

 

[Mr Tony]

Because of the way SWM works, it's a real mess to diagnose and fix. It can seem to be working most of the time, if some of the tuners are on the same transponder. And hopefully the installer used BSFs to avoid two apartments being on the same whole-home network.

Highly unlikely they are using WHDVR.

 

[Jimbo]

Because of the way SWM works, it's a real mess to diagnose and fix. It can seem to be working most of the time, if some of the tuners are on the same transponder. And hopefully the installer used BSFs to avoid two apartments being on the same whole-home network.

Ohhh, ya, that could get messy !

 

[digiblur]

Highly unlikely they are using WHDVR.

Just don't share anything. Or if you ever get worried about it just but a bsf on yourself.

Sent from a little old Note 2

 

[digiblur]

Because of the way SWM works, it's a real mess to diagnose and fix. It can seem to be working most of the time, if some of the tuners are on the same transponder. And hopefully the installer used BSFs to avoid two apartments being on the same whole-home network.

Oh I am fully aware on exactly how swm works. I am sure ice can deal with it and has probably already tested many times over during prime time by now with all 5 tuners burning. I know I my two DVRs full steam ahead eating 7 tuners at once all the time.

Sent from a little old Note 2

 

[Mr Tony]

yeah last night it recorded 5 shows just fine

its weird...all i can see downstairs outside of the locked boxes is what looks like a 6x8 multiswitch (but again its SWM) and a sh*tload of 4 way satellite splitters. Again once I find my camera I'll take some pics. Since there is people in the garage most of the day I guess I'll wait til like 3AM when I'm up...and then take pictures

 

[Hutch1814]

Highly unlikely they are using WHDVR.

Actually, it is likely but the way most MDU's are wired is a slimline 5+95 which goes to a SWM32 from there they are normally branched from each 8 way to the said apartments. They are capable of having a complete whole home system if an actual MDU company installed it. Directv requires MDU installs to have pictures of just about everything so they're done right the first time. I would say the 5 tuners you're currently could use a little more company if you wanted to add them. I'm guessing 3 more

 

[Mr Tony]

The company that "manages" it is Access Media 3. That is who normally would bill me if I didnt have D* before I moved in and brought my HR34. Like I say they give you Choice package with rent. Its everything else that they charge up the wazoo
upgrade to Choice Xtra....$18.99 (through D* its what $5)
Ultimate...$23.99
Premiere..$70.99
$10 for HD (no discount)
$8 for DVR
4 SD receivers free
$99 for SD DVR or HD receiver
$199 for HD DVR
$50 install fee (yet all apartments are already wired up)

There are around 90 apartments in the complex so if you think everyone is set up for 4 tuners maybe 5 (a DVR and 3 receivers) thats a helluva lot of channels needed

But yeah its a SWM5 and a 95W dish (fair amount of Russians in the building so a Int'l dish was a wise idea for them) on the roof

 

[Hutch1814]

The company that "manages" it is Access Media 3. That is who normally would bill me if I didnt have D* before I moved in and brought my HR34. Like I say they give you Choice package with rent. Its everything else that they charge up the wazoo
upgrade to Choice Xtra....$18.99 (through D* its what $5)
Ultimate...$23.99
Premiere..$70.99
$10 for HD (no discount)
$8 for DVR
4 SD receivers free
$99 for SD DVR or HD receiver
$199 for HD DVR
$50 install fee (yet all apartments are already wired up)

There are around 90 apartments in the complex so if you think everyone is set up for 4 tuners maybe 5 (a DVR and 3 receivers) thats a helluva lot of channels needed

But yeah its a SWM5 and a 95W dish (fair amount of Russians in the building so a Int'l dish was a wise idea for them) on the roof

I'm betting everybody is set up for 8 tuners per appt. Daisy chained SWM32's is normally how its done with amps in line

 

[Mr Tony]

There are only a few items I found outside of the locked boxes

1st pic is obviously an amplifier
2nd pic shows the splitter that they use. There are a fair amount of them outside of the lock boxes. Maybe 10 or so hooked up (some only have one line hooked up) and 4 sitting there not hooked up. On one of the other junction boxes there is 6 or 7 more

Also I see some diplexers and triplexers in the bunch. Must be where they hook cable and satellite up to the one output. Guess in some cases its easier to wire them together. My apartment has 2 separate outlets. The part number for the triplexer is mdu3xfltr0-09 but some other diplexers look like the consumer ones (like what I used at one point at my house)

cant see any SWM parts anywhere so they must be hidden