# MRV upgrade - will I likely get a SWM LNB or SWM?



## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

I will be getting the MRV upgrade next week, and as I presently have a traditional SL3 LNB (non SWM), I am wondering if I am likely to get a SWM and retain my current 4-output LNB, or get a SL-3 SWM LNB unit as part of the swap. My current multiswitch is about 10 feet from the porch roof mounted dish and under the eave before the lines go into the attic. I would like a SWM LNB, as it would be cleaner with just one line instead of 4 running across my porch roof and then through the fascia.


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

All depends on how many tuners you have:

8 or less = SWMLnb
9+ = legacy Lnb with SWM16 

Getting a SWM8 is not likely at all. These were geared toward MDU customer.


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

Good. 6 tuners.


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## Crow159 (May 23, 2007)

I just had an excellent installation done.

The installer replaced my current multiswitch with a SWM16 even though I only have 8 tuners and the SWM8 would have worked. 

He replaced my daughter's R15 with an R22 and hooked that up to the Whole Home as well. She is ecstatic since she has an HD TV and now has an HD receiver.

All in all a great install.


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

I am hoping the installer will not want to replace my 6x8 Zinwell multi-switch with a SW8, even though it might be easier given all the runs I have now, as I really want to get rid of all the extra wires on my roof, plus the outside runs I have to the basement. It would be a lot cleaner to have the SL-3-SWM LNB, and just one line into the house attic. I have figured out that with a splitter in the attic, I can use existing runs inside the attic/walls to all 3 TVs and to an ethernet switch for what should be a complete SWM/MRV setup with very little effort on his part.


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## Tonedeaf (Jun 13, 2006)

I also just had a good install done, although not complete to my satisfaction. 

Was upgraded for free to the MRV so I can't complain too much. Installer replaced my self installed SWM8+Zinwell multi switch system with a SWM16. Wired up the receivers with DECA's, replaced the power inserter at it's current location, replaced the R15 receiver with an R16. Checked signal and found out that he needed to replace the existing LNB on the dish. Now getting pretty much all 90+ on all.

Only thing that was not to my satisfaction was the R16 replacement. This receiver will not work with MRV obviously but that was what was on the work order, but not what I had negotiated over the phone. Little mis-communication on that part when things were keyed into the order system I guess.

Called CS while the installer was still there to resolve it and they are sending me an HD receiver to replace the R16 so it can also be used for MRV on that TV. 

All in all DirecTV stepped out to satisfy a long time customer. Now if I could just get all of my HR's replaced with the latest and greatest. :lol:

One little gripe I had with the tech was that he was wanting to take all of the old switches with him. Said he needed to take back what he replaced and I proceeded to tell him that the wiring and switches were my property. He still insisted, so when I was on the call with CS I asked them about switches etc. and they told him that they were mine to keep.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

tkrandall said:


> I am hoping the installer will not want to replace my 6x8 Zinwell multi-switch with a SW8, even though it might be easier given all the runs I have now, as I really want to get rid of all the extra wires on my roof, plus the outside runs I have to the basement. It would be a lot cleaner to have the SL-3-SWM LNB, and just one line into the house attic. I have figured out that with a splitter in the attic, I can use existing runs inside the attic/walls to all 3 TVs and to an ethernet switch for what should be a complete SWM/MRV setup with very little effort on his part.


The standard replacement for a MRV upgrade is to use the SWiM-LNB and not a SWiM-8, so you should be fine.

- Merg


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

I got a SWM LNB and a SWM16 probably because he didn't know exactly what he was doing as this was one of his First WHDVR (MRV) Installs. And a Free Replacement HR24-500 for my HR20-100 which he didn't think would work correctly with SWM/DECA/MRV.


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

The Merg said:


> The standard replacement for a MRV upgrade is to use the SWiM-LNB and not a SWiM-8, so you should be fine.
> 
> - Merg


That what's I got...


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## gphvid (Jun 19, 2007)

I have a 3 lnb dual cable system going to 2 HR20-100s and 1 H-21 receivers. Aside from the recabling to SWM, will all the receivers be upgraded during a new MRV install? Or do I continue using the ones I currently have?


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## matt (Jan 12, 2010)

gphvid said:


> I have a 3 lnb dual cable system going to 2 HR20-100s and 1 H-21 receivers. Aside from the recabling to SWM, will all the receivers be upgraded during a new MRV install? Or do I continue using the ones I currently have?


If the tech is lazy, they will just swap the HR20-100s out. They work fine with MRV but it looks like from what has been posted here that techs don't want to bother with the splitter and BSF. Other than that, your current equipment is fine, it shouldn't be replaced.


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## sdicomp (Sep 12, 2006)

matt1124 said:


> If the tech is lazy, they will just swap the HR20-100s out. They work fine with MRV but it looks like from what has been posted here that techs don't want to bother with the splitter and BSF. Other than that, your current equipment is fine, it shouldn't be replaced.


I had an MRV upgrade scheduled last weekend. The tech called me and said my HR20s were not compatible with MRV, which is opposite what the CSR said. He told me to call in and tell D* that, since the original CSR I had talked to had, in the tech's words, "screwed the whole work order up". I called, told the CSR I talked to what the tech said. He wanted to charge me $149 each to replace the HR20s. I said, "thanks, but no thanks" and cancelled the whole deal!


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## aquatic (Nov 3, 2005)

sdicomp said:


> I had an MRV upgrade scheduled last weekend. The tech called me and said my HR20s were not compatible with MRV, which is opposite what the CSR said. He told me to call in and tell D* that, since the original CSR I had talked to had, in the tech's words, "screwed the whole work order up". I called, told the CSR I talked to what the tech said. He wanted to charge me $149 each to replace the HR20s. I said, "thanks, but no thanks" and cancelled the whole deal!


The 20s are most certainly compatible, it just takes extra work to make 'em work right with WHDVR. Many installers will replace those 20s with a 24, as they are easier to deal with--at no cost. Mine did. 

I also got the SWM LNB, and inside the house they pulled my self installed SWM8 and put in a 8 way splitter. Hooked it up, and all good.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

sdicomp said:


> I had an MRV upgrade scheduled last weekend. The tech called me and said my HR20s were not compatible with MRV, which is opposite what the CSR said. He told me to call in and tell D* that, since the original CSR I had talked to had, in the tech's words, "screwed the whole work order up". I called, told the CSR I talked to what the tech said. He wanted to charge me $149 each to replace the HR20s. I said, "thanks, but no thanks" and cancelled the whole deal!


I'd call back up and get things rescheduled. Hopefully, you'll get a more competent tech.



aquatic said:


> The 20s are most certainly compatible, it just takes extra work to make 'em work right with WHDVR. Many installers will replace those 20s with a 24, as they are easier to deal with--at no cost. Mine did.
> 
> I also got the SWM LNB, and inside the house they pulled my self installed SWM8 and put in a 8 way splitter. Hooked it up, and all good.


Be aware that the issue is specifically with the HR20-100. The HR20-700 can be hooked up like any other HR2x receiver (save the HR24).

- Merg


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

The Merg said:


> Be aware that the issue is specifically with the HR20-100. The HR20-700 can be hooked up like any other HR2x receiver (save the HR24).
> 
> - Merg


True...except in my case last week he hooked my up HR20-700 as if it were a HR20-100. Works fine, though.


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## tkrandall (Oct 3, 2003)

aquatic said:


> The 20s are most certainly compatible, it just takes extra work to make 'em work right with WHDVR. Many installers will replace those 20s with a 24, as they are easier to deal with--at no cost. Mine did.


Mine did not. He took a look at the HR20-700 and sighed and talked about how he did not like the HR20s, but he hooked up nonetheless. When I hinted at (and he viewed) the laggy response of the unit, he said corporate came down on techs if they swapped out HR20s for newer HR24s unless they were clearly broken.

I had hoped he might want to match up to my other t HR24s I just purchased/installed myself. He worked for Directv Home Services - it was a corporate van (not a "operated by Mastec", or whoever).


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