# MRV Minneapolis Area - Called This Afternoon, Getting Installed Tomorrow....



## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

Well that was fast. Called this afternoon (I called last week to see but it wasn't ready yet) got a smart rep. She knew exactly what I was talking about, only took a few min. Standard fee $99+$49 was like $158 with tax. Had to pay with CC up front. Offered me an install time of 4-8 for Sat afternoon. I was pretty impressed. I did req to have ALL my boxes swapped for 24's. (3XHR24+1H24) but sounds like that is up to the tech so I am not holding my breath. She didn't tell me no but will see. I also had to re-up contract for a 2 year agreement. So getting it installed tomorrow, can't wait. I have to take my 2TB internal out of my HR22 in case they swap it. I'm kinda pissed I am gonna lose all my shows but I am just gonna make a list of all my series and it should fill up in no time. (if they even swap it)

I am hoping I get all new boxes but I know when I first got DTV installed I wanted HR23's and got 22's. I pretty much begged the tech for 23's but he kept telling me he didn't have any. It really didn't matter since there wasn't really anything different from the 22/23 (bbc's didn't apply cause I had a swm install) so that's what I have now. The 24 however is a different story. Hopefully it all goes good tomorrow! I had to turn off MRV beta on one of my boxes cause it was wireless which sucks for MRV so will be awesome to have the downstairs DVR connected as well.


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## Hdhead (Jul 30, 2007)

If you currently have MRV compliant boxes they will most likely use DECA units. No need for 24's.


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

Hdhead said:


> If you currently have MRV compliant boxes they will most likely use DECA units. No need for 24's.


Well Installer just left a while ago. He brought all new 24's with him but couldn't put them in. Spent 30+ Min on phone with DTV. The original person I talked to when I ordered MRV made a note I would like new boxes. (the rep told me this wouldn't be a problem) However they wouldn't install it since it wasn't entered in the computer as lined items. (just the deca install was) Talked to the tech's supervisor who was cool we 3-wayed dtv and he explained what we were trying to get done. That person we talked to wanted to charage us $700 (199x3 + 99)

Yes I know the 22's will work with a deca dongle but I don't want the dongle and the 24's are way better anyway. I just spend $500 on these boxes in the fall of last year (199x2+99, 1 HD-DVR was free) and now they want me to send the 22's back and pay 700 to swap my boxes after I just spent 500 in the fall. It's total BS. I understand it's a lease but there "swap" policy is outrageous. When I had comcast and the new DCX moto boxes came out, I had ZERO problems getting a new model. Actually 2 of them. No questions asked you could bring your box in at anytime.

Now I can understand if I was trying to upgrade from a standard box to an hd-dvr. All I want is the boxes swapped out. It's such a small % of people who even know about the new boxes or 24 series. They get to refurb all my 22's and re-use them on new install.

So I don't need any posts explaining this is DTV's policy because I know it is now. It's just when I first called the rep made it sounds like it was up to the tech if he has them and it wouldn't be a big deal. I guess it's a huge deal.

I sent the tech away and apologized for wasting his time. I thought I had everything set up fine but I guess not. I would have never had him come out if the rep told me my boxes couldn't be swapped. I'm so pissed right now, I knew this was gonna be a hassle. I have 3 HD DVR's, 1 HD box, there best programming package, hd extra, sunday ticket and NBA pass. They can't even swap out a few boxes? Unreal - No wonder they have an F with the BBB - Maybe 1% of there customers request certain equipment if that and they have no way to put in a specific model in the computer. The lady on the phone said even if she charges my full upgrade pricing for the boxes she can't promise a certain model. Now if I would have agreed to pay the 700 I would have got all the 24's since I had the guy at my house and he had them but normally if you just call to order no dice.


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## am7crew (Jun 6, 2009)

well yeah they wont swap them out without the usual $199.00 per box fee. Im surprised the CSR even told you it wouldnt be a problem without paying.


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

am7crew said:


> well yeah they wont swap them out without the usual $199.00 per box fee. Im surprised the CSR even told you it wouldnt be a problem without paying.


Yea and I called in to get it fixed while the installer was here. The 2nd CSR said she fixed the work order. (she canceled out the 1st order and set up a new one) Then tech called his supervisor to look at the new work order (they had to shed it out a few days but they can still pull it once in the system) I guess the 2nd csr wrote it up the same way as the 1st one. Even though she took 25 min to complete it and said it should be fine. She understood I wanted all my boxes swapped. Not sure what I am gonna do now, sounds like I just gotta pay for it if I want them. Not only that, I am better off swapping out my own boxes (buying 24's online) then once they are in have them come out and do the MRV. (change out the splitters and make sure it's set up right)

The tech did say I could only have 1 splitter for deca. Which I would have 2-3 in the house. You can have splitters on deca can't you? My runs are not super long either but sounded like he only wanted 1 splitter on the entire system which wouldn't work so well at my house. I know the splitters have to be deca splitters but I would have I think 3 splitters in total. The last splitter would be a 2 way one going into the box and the other into the deca module which would connect to the router 2 feed internet.


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

ok here is a quick drawing I made of my setup.










Is this going to be a problem at all? The stuff in pink is what I want to do, everything is black is how I have it setup now. Not sure where the deca power inserter goes. All the HD-DVR's will be on the same 8 way splitter. The internet will be coming in off a 3rd splitter. Is jack #1 going to have a problem pulling from an hd-dvr which will be 2 splitters deep? Or if I moved an hd-dvr to jack #1 will that have a problem pulling data from the internet since that will be 3 splitters deep? My tech made it sound like he wanted to swap the LNB out for a deca one and swap all the splitters out for green ones. He didn't think my splitter setup would work and wanted everything on the 8-way which isn't really possible with my runs. Like I said my runs are not that long and it's all RG-6. Is my setup gonna work ok for deca as long as the splitters get swapped?

Btw on the 4-way splitter only 2 ports are being used, the other 2 are capped off. The unused ports on the 8-way are also capped.


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## RobertE (Jun 10, 2006)

There is zero reason to swap out your existing HRs other than you wanting too. You wanting is not a free swap.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Sim-X said:


> ok here is a quick drawing I made of my setup.


I would NEVER try this.
1) change the first splitter to a 2-way.
2) try to use the [now free] 4-way where you're using the 8-way.
3) this would leave enough power left for the added 2-way you want to use.


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

veryoldschool said:


> I would NEVER try this.
> 1) change the first splitter to a 2-way.
> 2) try to use the [now free] 4-way where you're using the 8-way.
> 3) this would leave enough power left for the added 2-way you want to use.


How many splitters can there be with a deca? I could also maybe run cat5 to the 8way so there would be only 2 splitters and swap the 4 out for a 2.



RobertE said:


> There is zero reason to swap out your existing HRs other than you wanting too. You wanting is not a free swap.


22's are junk, they are slower than hell. DTV will refurb out my 22's and put them in at a new install or swap them with someone who doesn't care. I just happen to care


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Sim-X said:


> How many splitters can there be with a deca? I could also maybe run cat5 to the 8way so there would be only 2 splitters and swap the 4 out for a 2.


It's not the DECAs as they output "a bunch" of power. It's the SWM losses to the receivers that's the killer.
You've got about 25 dB total loss to play with.
the 8-way could be 14 dB
the 4-way about 10 dB
the 2-way 5 dB.
Add to this your cable losses and you can see you're running out fairly quickly.


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

veryoldschool said:


> It's not the DECAs as they output "a bunch" of power. It's the SWM losses to the receivers that's the killer.
> You've got about 25 dB total loss to play with.
> the 8-way could be 14 dB
> the 4-way about 10 dB
> ...


Yea it sounded like the installer was willing to "try" out my setup, but he didn't think it was going to work very well. Well I didn't have him do anything today anyway so maybe I will re-work my system setup.


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## David Ortiz (Aug 21, 2006)

Sim-X said:


> ok here is a quick drawing I made of my setup.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I second the idea that your 4-way splitter should be replaced by a 2-way and your 8-way be replaced by a 4-way. The SWiM power inserter doesn't have to be connected to the 8-way splitter. It can go almost anywhere. It does have a passthrough port, correct?

I only have three lines coming to rooms in the house, one to each room, but I have 6 receivers, plus the broadband DECA and the SWiM PI. Home runs from each receiver are not necessary.


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## David Ortiz (Aug 21, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> It's not the DECAs as they output "a bunch" of power. It's the SWM losses to the receivers that's the killer.
> You've got about 25 dB total loss to play with.
> the 8-way could be 14 dB
> the 4-way about 10 dB
> ...





Sim-X said:


> Yea it sounded like the installer was willing to "try" out my setup, but he didn't think it was going to work very well. Well I didn't have him do anything today anyway so maybe I will re-work my system setup.


I'm not sure how close your two splitters are, but ideally you would only use a 4-way splitter and connect Jacks 1-4 to it. Put the SWiM PI in one of the rooms. Disconnect jack 5, because it's better to split off of jack 4 than use an 8-way (or a 4 and a 2 way) splitter.

If you can replace your 4-way and 8-way splitters with just a 4-way, you could use a 2-way splitter in each room without a problem.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

David Ortiz said:


> I'm not sure how close your two splitters are, but ideally you would only use a 4-way splitter and connect Jacks 1-4 to it. Put the SWiM PI in one of the rooms. Disconnect jack 5, because it's better to split off of jack 4 than use an 8-way (or a 4 and a 2 way) splitter.
> 
> If you can replace your 4-way and 8-way splitters with just a 4-way, you could use a 2-way splitter in each room without a problem.


I have used a 2-way to 4-way to 2-way without issues.


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## Sim-X (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks for the tips guy, my 8-way does have a powerpass. I'm gonna take your guys comments and figure out what my best option is.

The tech I talked to today made it sound like he wanted to swap the LNB out for a deca approved one so he didn't have to install the filters. They have those out?


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## Hdhead (Jul 30, 2007)

So on one side of a swm16 I could go 2-way, 4-way and insert router connection among the 4-way connections?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Hdhead said:


> So on one side of a swm16 I could go 2-way, 4-way and insert router connection among the 4-way connections?


The losses of a 2-way --> 4-way end up just about the same as one 8-way.


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