# Can I use a splitter on a single coax to drive two tuners somehow



## Beddingfield (May 12, 2015)

I have an SWM DirecTV dish that has an amplifier and a splitter. This cable comes into a server room in the house where all the Ethernet and Coax cables converge. I have a splitter that provides 5 streams of DirecTV digital content. I only have a single coax going from the server room to each location where the TV's will be located. I want to drive two Tivo tuners at each TV. Can I put a splitter on the end of the single coax and drive two tuners? Do I need some sort of amplifier in the server room to allow me to split the signal at the end of the cable where the TV and dual tuners will be?


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

It depends on which SWiM unit you have, and the load on each leg if a SWiM 16. Most likely you have an 8 tuner device, so you are limited to 8 tuners.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Beddingfield said:


> I have an SWM DirecTV dish that has an amplifier and a splitter. This cable comes into a server room in the house where all the Ethernet and Coax cables converge. I have a splitter that provides 5 streams of DirecTV digital content. I only have a single coax going from the server room to each location where the TV's will be located. I want to drive two Tivo tuners at each TV. Can I put a splitter on the end of the single coax and drive two tuners? Do I need some sort of amplifier in the server room to allow me to split the signal at the end of the cable where the TV and dual tuners will be?


What are all the units you have now? Are they all DVRs? And are these the newer tivos? Thr22 or whatever it is? Not hr10-250 or something like that right?


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

The Tivo HR isn't SWiM compatible is it?


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## mexican-bum (Feb 26, 2006)

dennisj00 said:


> The Tivo HR isn't SWiM compatible is it?


The THR22 is swm compatible, just no MRV. Remember its just an HR22 underneath that tivo sticker.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

If the TiVOs are the THR22s, no splitters is required, as with SWM one wire can drive the necessary tuners. But if you want to drive Legacy TiVOs, SWM is not the answer as they are not SWM compatible and no splitter can't be used. They need to direct lines from the dish or switch (legacy)


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## Beddingfield (May 12, 2015)

I don't have any equipment yet actually. This is a new house. I installed a DirecTV slimline 5 dish over the weekend and have only one wire (coax) between the dish and the server room (SWM amplifier that plugs into the 110-volt outlet).

I want to be able to use a Tivo dual tuner at each TV location inside the house. I only have a single coax going to each TV location from the server room. I want to be able to send enough signal down each coax to use a dual tuner on the other end at each TV location.

I spoke with a guy at Solid Signal today and he told me to get a dish that has 4 cables running from the LNB's into the house to the server room and use an 8 or 16 multiswitch to drive each coax going to the individual TV locations. That way I could use an SWM Tivo tuner at each location and they have two tuners that can operate off of a single coax from the multiswitch. Is this true?


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

I suspect that you need to better familiarize yourself with what you have. The 110VAC device is more likely a PI21 that provides power for the LNB assembly on the dish.

You would have been big money ahead to let DIRECTV do their "professional installation" where they provide everything (except for the leased THR22s) at no cost to you.

Understand that in order to open an account, you have to lease at least one receiver from DIRECTV.


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## Beddingfield (May 12, 2015)

I have multiple accounts with DirecTV. I first purchased a DirecTV system for my parents back at Christmas 1992 when it cost $800! I had to learn how to install it myself. I have since installed systems for more than 50 of my friends. I am so familiar with it that I can probably do it with my eyes closed. DirecTV now has local installation people who can come out and do the work for you but I have had to 'clean up' their sloppy work on multiple occasions after their 'professionals' have left. This is a new house and I DO NOT want to have coax cables stapled under the soffit or under window sills or across the roof or similar. I want the installation to be perfect and professional is why I am doing it myself. All I need is a recommendation on what equipment I need on the dish itself and in the server room at my Mom's house. 

I was told earlier that I need a standard LNB with 4 output cables to run to the server room and then I need an SWM 16 or 32 multiswitch in the server room fed by the 4 incoming cables from the LNB. Then I will connect jumpers from the splitters to each of the coax cables converging in the server room. Then I need a Tivo SWM tuner at each TV location and they will be able to access two streams of programming over a single coax cable. 

Is this correct?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Beddingfield said:


> I was told earlier that I need a standard LNB with 4 output cables to run to the server room and then I need an SWM 16 or 32 multiswitch in the server room fed by the 4 incoming cables from the LNB. Then I will connect jumpers from the splitters to each of the coax cables converging in the server room. Then I need a Tivo SWM tuner at each TV location and they will be able to access two streams of programming over a single coax cable.
> 
> Is this correct?


Depending on the quality of tuners desired, is what tells what type of DIRECTV® gear is needed. For 8 tuners or less, a SWM LNB will suffice. More than 8 tuners up to 16, then you need a SWM16. More than 16 tuners and it can get complicated, however for a residential install you want to stay away demo a SWM32 as that is made more for commercial use.

All DIRECTV® SWM compatible receivers are driven with one coax online regardless of tuner requirements. A genie with 5 tuners gets feed with a single coax, same with the THR22s.

Note that Legacy TIVOs are not SWM compatible and need a separate cable per tuner


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

Beddingfield said:


> I have since installed systems for more than 50 of my friends. I am so familiar with it that I can probably do it with my eyes closed.


If that second part were a true statement, you wouldn't have needed to come here to ask all of these questions, would you?


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

And you would have known right away, you would have needed a legacy slimline 5, with swm 16 with a PI 29 and two 8 way swm splitters. 
Then you can hook up 8 rooms with dual tuners using only a single coax in each room.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Beddingfield said:


> I have multiple accounts with DirecTV. *I first purchased a DirecTV system for my parents back at Christmas 1992* when it cost $800! I had to learn how to install it myself. I have since installed systems for more than 50 of my friends. ...


1992?

DIRECTV did not launch their first satellites until 1993, and first began offering service to customers in 1994 ...


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## Beddingfield (May 12, 2015)

Okay, sorry. It was Christmas of 1994. Whenever DirecTV first came out and it cost $800 to purchase a system and you were completely alone when you tried to set it up. I was there. I know. I did it. Also, sorry, I have installed 50+ DirecTV systems that weren't in a house with a server room and more than 15 outlets for TV's in the house. This is a unique installation is why I came to this forum for assistance. I really do appreciate the constructive information everyone has provided. It has helped me figure-out what I need to do. The technology DirecTV uses has evolved over the years and I have not been focused on it because it wasn't relevant to me until now. After this install is complete, the 'how' of how it works will be irrelevant again. Just that it works will be relevant. Once again, thank everyone for their constructive advice!


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## mexican-bum (Feb 26, 2006)

Yep it was 1994, one of my earliest childhood memories was helping my dad install it.

Good luck on the install, swm makes it a lot easier than it used to be.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

damondlt said:


> And you would have known right away, you would have needed a legacy slimline 5, with swm 16 with a PI 29 and two 8 way swm splitters.
> Then you can hook up 8 rooms with dual tuners using only a single coax in each room.


I missed the part about exactly how many tuners were involved. If the TS is talking about TiVos, do we know that they aren't talking about DVRs in the generic? There seems to be much talk of dinosaurs and I'd hate to think that we're ignoring DECA or legacy if we're misinterpreting the goal.

I'd like to see some of the detail on how many active TVs there will be and precisely what model receivers will be used before we decide that this is a near-MFH installation.


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