# How to get DirecTV upstairs



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

Hi All,

I was looking to add a receiver in our home office on the second floor of our home. Only problem is I don't have any coax run up there. 

Can I pull a single RG6 Coax from my SWiM in the basement to a 2nd SWiM in the attic and allow for future receivers upstairs without the need to pull more cable?

Or, should I pull multiple runs of RG6 now and plug them all into the SWiM in the basement? 

I think my current SWiM has 5 ports.

Thanks,
Mark


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

not sure what you mean.

You can't cascade a SWiM off another SWiM, but you can split the SAT feeds to more than one, or upgrade to a SWiM-16, or...


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

Sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear in my original post. I guess the question should have been a generic 'how would you get directv to upstairs with no cable pulls.

From what you've said oldschool it sounds like I could split the single feed that's coming from the dish into two feeds - one would go to a SWiM in the basement and another could go to a SWiM in the attic?

Then I could run to bedrooms etc. from the SWiM in the attic.

Does that sound right?


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Brit_In_NY said:


> Sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear in my original post. I guess the question should have been a generic 'how would you get directv to upstairs with no cable pulls.
> 
> From what you've said oldschool it sounds like *I could split the single feed that's coming from the dish* into two feeds - one would go to a SWiM in the basement and another could go to a SWiM in the attic?
> 
> ...


If you have a single feed, the SWiM is in the LNB, and you can split it "enough times" to feed up to eight tuners [DVRS have two].

Maybe explaining more of what you have would help everyone to understand what you mean, as you're using "SWiM" where it doesn't sound like you should be.


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

I will look at the current setup when I get home tonight.......


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Brit_In_NY said:


> I will look at the current setup when I get home tonight.......


That would help as there are many ways to feed rooms/receivers:


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

Oldschool, your picture jogged my memory - I think I am mistakenly calling that green thing in the middle a SWiM. Other than that I have the other components in your diagram except the DECA. I currently only have a single HR24


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

If your setup is a SWiM LNB dish with a SWiM compatable splitter then all you would need is run 1 coax up to the other room and feed it off the 1st splitter

though you might see about getting a smaller splitter as the more it splitts the weaker it gets

and be sure if the PI is on the out side of the splitter that it goes to the red connector (or better put the PI on the dish side of the splitter)

the SWiM LNB supports upto 8 tunners without needing anything more than splitters and the PI


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Brit_In_NY said:


> Oldschool, your picture jogged my memory - I think I am mistakenly calling that green thing in the middle a SWiM. Other than that I have the other components in your diagram except the DECA. I currently only have a single HR24


Gotcha. The green thing in the middle is a splitter.


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

I appreciate everybody's patience...could I do something like I've attached? Please excuse the crudity of this image, I didn't have time to draw it to scale or to paint it.


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

Yes but you only need one PI (power injector) to power the SWiM/LNB
and I'd use a 2way in place of the 1st 4way

and if you only go to 2 recivers then just 1 2way would do it


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Brit_In_NY said:


> I appreciate everybody's patience...could I do something like I've attached? Please excuse the crudity of this image, I didn't have time to draw it to scale or to paint it.


There are somethings wrong in that, but if the real question is "can I use a splitter downstream from another?", yes, if the distances aren't too long and the splitters aren't too large.

A four way can be split downstream with a two way "in most cases", but a four way feeding another four way, means the distances just be VERY short.


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

DarkLogix said:


> Yes but you only need one PI (power injector) to power the SWiM/LNB


I'd go more on the "no" side because two 4-ways means you have less than 100' dish to farthest receiver.


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

ment in side (ie so the IRD port would connect to the in port of the first splitter) would be better than having it after the splitter (just so to simpilify things so he don't have to worry about the red port, though thats eassy enough)

also why I noted to trim down to a smaller splitter if possible


----------



## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Why don't you call DirecTV and order a new receiver (and maybe MRV) and have them install it? It is an easy install for you but chances are that if you have an installer come out, you'll get a new receiver. If you just have DirecTV send you a unit for you to do the work, the odds increase you'll get a refurbished unit. Not 100% guaranteed you'll get new equipment with the installer, but it seems that the installers are getting new equipment; units shipped from DirecTV aren't always new. Just a thought. (and it depends on how you feel about new vs refurbished equipment).


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

This wouldn't be too different than my earlier setup:









Also note the splitter positions can be reversed too.


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

Heres what I was describing
if the LNB is not green labeled then just to cover my bases I'd put a BSF inbetween the 2way and the PI
but as you have a HR24 I doubt that would be relivent


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

veryoldschool: how right you are...I just turned your config upside down.

Darklogix: I think you have it just how I want to set it up.

trh: Any idea if DirecTV would fish a coax from the basement to the attic inside the house or would they just run a wire outside the house between floors?

Thanks all for your input.


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Brit_In_NY said:


> I was looking to add a receiver in our home office on the second floor of our home. Only problem is I don't have any coax run up there.


If you're going to lease the new receiver, DIRECTV will install it all for you. Unless you buy the receiver outright (relatively uncommon), there is no financial benefit to DIY. DIY or professional installation, you pay $6 more per month for the receiver and your programming commitment will be extended.

The one benefit to DIY is that you get to run the cable the way you want. DIRECTV will run the cable outdoors unless special arrangements ($$) are made.


----------



## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Brit_In_NY said:


> trh: Any idea if DirecTV would fish a coax from the basement to the attic inside the house or would they just run a wire outside the house between floors?





harsh said:


> The one benefit to DIY is that you get to run the cable the way you want. DIRECTV will run the cable outdoors unless special arrangements ($$) are made.


From what I've read here, and as harsh also pointed out, fishing a wire through the wall is usually considered "custom" is not considered a standard installation and costs extra money. How much will depend on your installer.

But you could run your own coax and just have the installer hook up your (most likely) new equipment. I only offered this idea because from all the posts here, installers seem to always have new equipment; if you order the box from DirecTV, you will most likely get a refurbished unit.


----------



## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

Another option, although a strange one, might be what I have done.

I run a 15' HDMI cable from a receiver located in an office under the bedroom, through a closet and up through the floor right next to my bedroom TV. I then use an extra RF remote to control the receiver. The office TV is SD. The bedroom TV is HD.


----------



## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

I don't mean to hijack the thread but is it better to go from a 4 way to a 4 way or a 4 way to (2) 2 ways in terms of signal loss? I'm getting a new DVR Friday and have to make such a decision.

Thanks
Kevin


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Kevin F said:


> I don't mean to hijack the thread but is it better to go from a 4 way to a 4 way or a 4 way to (2) 2 ways in terms of signal loss? I'm getting a new DVR Friday and have to make such a decision.
> 
> Thanks
> Kevin


4-way + 4-way is like a 16-way :nono:
4-way + 2-way is like a 8-way 

"So" better to use 2-ways off a 4-way, or a 2-way feeding 2 four ways.

"Rule of thumb" each time you split it costs you almost 5 DB [or 50' of coax]
All splitters are based off a 2-way split, so:
4-way equals a 2-way with 2-ways of each output.
8-way is a 2-way, with 2-ways, with 2-ways...

more on this here: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=186663


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

veryoldschool said:


> 4-way + 4-way is like a 16-way :nono:
> 4-way + 2-way is like a 8-way
> 
> "So" better to use 2-ways off a 4-way, or a 2-way feeding 2 four ways.
> ...


and although they don't seem to exist as green label splitters a 3way is a 2way with a 2way on one output unless its a "balanced" splitter, and a 5way is a 2way with a 2way on each output plus another 2way on one output

blanced splitters are odd ones that they managed to even out the db losses on odd number output splitters


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

DarkLogix said:


> and although they don't seem to exist as green label splitters a 3way is a 2way with a 2way on one output unless its a "balanced" splitter, and a 5way is a 2way with a 2way on each output plus another 2way on one output
> 
> blanced splitters are odd ones that they managed to even out the db losses on odd number output splitters


"Balanced" with even number of outputs aren't odd, and are the norm.
Odd number of outputs is where things can get weird, as they're either unbalanced or have been balanced by using a resistor network that has more loss.
A balanced 3-way has only 1 dB less loss than a balanced 4-way.


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

veryoldschool said:


> "Balanced" with even number of outputs aren't odd, and are the norm.
> Odd number of outputs is where things can get weird, as they're either unbalanced or have been balanced by using a resistor network that has more loss.
> A balanced 3-way has only 1 dB less loss than a balanced 4-way.


Ya I was saying the "balanced" with an odd number of outputs are uncommon
though I'd add in the 6Way to that as although its an even number of outputs its not a power of 2, but then if you need 6 most will just use an 8

I wouldn't bother using any 3/5/or 6way splitters, I'd just up it to the nearest power of 2


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

DarkLogix said:


> Ya I was saying the "balanced" with an odd number of outputs are uncommon
> though I'd add in the 6Way to that as although its an even number of outputs its not a power of 2, but then if you need 6 most will just use an 8
> 
> I wouldn't bother using any 3/5/or 6way splitters, I'd just up it to the nearest power of 2


Think we may have wondered way off the range here, since this is the connected home forum, and green labeled splitters are basically a must.


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

Ya sorry for going OT


----------



## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

So it's better to daisy chain 2 two ways together than to replace it with a 4 way?
My main split outside is a 4 way.

Thanks for your help VOS
Kevin


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

how many recivers do you currently have?


----------



## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

"DarkLogix" said:


> how many recivers do you currently have?


I have 3. #4 will be here Friday.

Kevin


----------



## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Kevin F said:


> So it's better to daisy chain 2 two ways together than to replace it with a 4 way?
> My main split outside is a 4 way.
> 
> Thanks for your help VOS
> Kevin


You don't want to end up with a 4-way going to a 4-way, so you need to mix and match to get what you need where.

Think one of these should cover it: http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=2901485&postcount=22


----------



## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

"veryoldschool" said:


> You don't want to end up with a 4-way going to a 4-way, so you need to mix and match to get what you need where.
> 
> Think one of these should cover it: http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=2901485&postcount=22


Very nice post. I guess (2) 2-ways leading off the 4 way will have to do unless I missed something.

Thanks
Kevin


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

Thanks to all who offered advice - I have successfully pulled a single RG6 to the attic from the basement.... now what are the chances of getting upgraded to an HR34 to connect this all up?


----------



## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Brit_In_NY said:


> Thanks to all who offered advice - I have successfully pulled a single RG6 to the attic from the basement.... now what are the chances of getting upgraded to an HR34 to connect this all up?


Depends how long you want to wait. Unless you are in the test market, it will be several months before they are available.


----------



## Brit_In_NY (Aug 2, 2010)

Ok, general follow-up question - if I wanted to get an additional receiver for the newly wired home office without a comittment renewal with DirecTV what are my options?

Thanks,
Mark


----------



## DarkLogix (Oct 21, 2011)

I think the HR21Pro is the only one thats not a leaseable model
all others unless you work out something to let you buy it outright you'll have a comittment


----------



## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

Check out the Buy, Sell, Trade section of the site. Or eBay/Craigslist. Maybe even solid signal but that would be expensive.

Kevin


----------



## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Kevin F said:


> Check out the Buy, Sell, Trade section of the site. Or eBay/Craigslist. Maybe even solid signal but that would be expensive.
> 
> Kevin


Solid Signals are leased they can't sell owned. The only place to get a NIB owned receiver, non HR21 Pro, is through DIRECTV.

If you buy a used one make sure you call the access card department and verify it can be activated prior to ordering it or it's caveat emptor.


----------



## adev25 (Dec 3, 2008)

If you don't need an extra receiver and you want to spend about 100$ go the wireless HDMI route. I have one in my office with wireless HDMI box in my bedroom. This way I save the added cost of having an extra receiver..


----------

