dish network dual setup

[ezkim0x]

My parents upgraded their dish network package and we got a new box.

they took mine out of my room and I have to use a RF remote now to connect to the box upstairs to change my tv.

I talked to them about adding a new box in my room downstairs but they said I wasn't eligible to downgrade and I'd have to buy their HD package and then pay another fee because I didn't even use the HD. and it ended up being like 30$ extra a month just for having a box in my room.

anyways.. I argued with them for a while and they finally said that I could buy my own box online or at a flea market and just unplug the cable from the back of my tv and put it into the box.. and it'd work with the IR remote and everything.

(I have a harmony remote that I want to use with it.. and also I want to set back up windows media center)

do you know if this is true? and if so.. what box should I get?

the current one we have upstairs is 625 DVR ..but it's around 200-300$ on ebay.. and I really don't need a dual receiver since it's just going to be for my room.. nor do I really need an HD box.

 

[boomerang]

What do you think is the advantage of having your own versus using the RF remote to watch what you want using the 625 upstairs? You do know that you can both be watching separate programming, right?

The only reason I can think of would be if you want your own, personal DVR.

I'm certain that their wiring thoughts are wrong. You're not going to take the output from the 625 and use it as an input on your box. You're going to need a coax run back to a switch or perhaps the LNB on the dish itself. I am not well versed in the wiring of these things.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/ Good Sat Forums.

http://www.dishstore.net/ Great place to buy Sat stuff at. Myself, I would stay clear of ebay for Dish receivers for various reasons.

 

[ezkim0x]

Originally posted by: ezkim0x
I have a harmony remote that I want to use with it.. and also I want to set back up windows media center

the harmony remote I have only works for IR frequencys.. and also I have to have the box in my room if I want to hook it up to my computer for media center.. so I can record shows.

thanks for the links.. I'll try posting my question on there as well.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: ezkim0x

Originally posted by: ezkim0x
I have a harmony remote that I want to use with it.. and also I want to set back up windows media center

the harmony remote I have only works for IR frequencys.. and also I have to have the box in my room if I want to hook it up to my computer for media center.. so I can record shows.

thanks for the links.. I'll try posting my question on there as well.

I see. I sure didn't think that through very well. You can pick some of the older Dish receivers really cheap. I think they had one for under $50.

 

[John]

Since you're using the 2nd tuner on the 625DVR with a UHF remote, having your own dedicated box means that you will have to run the cable from your receiver back to the switch (or LNB) instead of the 625.

 

[ezkim0x]

Originally posted by: John
Since you're using the 2nd tuner on the 625DVR with a UHF remote, having your own dedicated box means that you will have to run the cable from your receiver back to the switch (or LNB) instead of the 625.

do you think you can explain that more in detail? .. I'm not knowledgeable at all with dish network

EDIT: actually I thought about it for a second.. I have to take it out of the 625 upstairs and put it into the switch.. except I'm not sure what the switch or LNB looks like.
..........

also if I bought a receiver and can't figure out how to set it up.

do you think if I called them and asked to set it up.. do you think they'd be able to come out and set it up for me? I'd have to pay them an installation fee obviously.. but other then that?

 

[boomerang]

Right now you have two inputs to the 625 and two outputs. One output to parents TV and one to yours. The one to yours needs to be removed. You've figured that out already. You need the raw signal from the dish. Not one processed through the receiver.

The LNB is on the arm on the dish itself. The leads from the LNB go to a switch. This is most likely mounted inside the house somewhere. You need a coax run from one of the outputs on the switch to your new Sat box.

It's possible your system doesn't have a switch, but you mention HD. This will most likely mean that your system is picking up a signal from 3 different satellites. This is why you need the switch, to combine the signals. (This is a simplified explanation) There may be more hardware involved, I have no way to tell. You may have more than one dish. You may be getting international programming, etc.

Switch Pics

LNB Pics

John may be able to help you more than I can. I don't follow all the details on all this. Too many configurations to keep track of. Now, when it's time for me to go to a HD box, I will do the research.

I would think you would not have a problem getting someone to set it up. You may want to purchase through your local Dish retailer and have them do it for you.

Edit: Explanation of the function of a switch. This may or may not help as they are using a lot of teminology that may not be familiar.

I'm sitting here thinking that it's possible to get a receiver that would not be compatible with your existing LNB's and/or Switch. I would suggest either posting over in the SatelliteGuys Forums, or calling in the Pro's. Older receivers may not work with newer LNB's and Switches. Best to make sure.

 

[ezkim0x]

ahh.. I have a switch then.

I took some pics of the setup to see if you'd know what to do.. but I have a feeling that I'll need to buy a different switch as well with more outputs.

http://i7.tinypic.com/4h1yivk.jpg
http://i15.tinypic.com/2qk2fs6.jpg

 

[boomerang]

No, those aren't switches. The first is a separator and the second is a combiner.

Start by going out and looking at the dish and see how many LNB's there are. Look at the pics in the link. There are doubles and singles. Count how many coax cables are coming out. Find where those go into the house and the switch will be there. Either outside just before the cables go in, or inside, just where the cables come in.

Most installers will put a switch inside.

 

[boomerang]

You can poke around here to attempt to identify what you have.

If you do have a swtich, and there is a free output, that is what you need to tap into for your box.

If you don't have a switch, you may have a free port on your LNBF that you can run a coax from.

If your equipment if of the "pro" variety, you should be able to get a "legacy" (old) receiver to work by purchsing a legacy adapter.

Count your LNBF's and the number of Coax wires coming into the house. This will help me, help you. If you have a switch, get a pic or the identification off it. Once again, this will help.

 

[ezkim0x]

Here's the LNB's:

http://i18.tinypic.com/2w7gy85.jpg
http://i15.tinypic.com/2w7n5nn.jpg

..also my dad told me that there use to be two cables that would come from the dish when we had two receivers.. but when they upgraded us they combined the cables.

from the dish there are 3 cables coming out the back of the LNB's .. but coming towards our house (it goes along the fence line, and under the ground) theres only 1 cable until it comes up from the ground at the edge of our house. (so I guess they may have cut it off or something.. not sure.

there is no switches on the outside of the house.. and I looked where it came in, and there's no switches there either.. just the separator and combiner (the pics I posted earlier) ..then there's also a splitter

 

[boomerang]

OK, here's what I would do.

Join up at the SatelliteGuys Forum. Tell them what you want to do and link to the pics in your post. With them knowing what equipment you have, they can tell you what you need to do to get where you want to be.

I don't want to tell you the wrong thing. There's a really good chance I would, because I've been learning right along with you today. I've got a Dish 500 with a legacy quad LNBF with 3 leads coming into the house. Mine's out on a pole at the edge of the woods. I have a 721 PVR and an older, second receiver in the bedroom that rarely gets watched. I'm familiar with what I have, but there is so much different equipment out there that I can't keep up with it all. You should get good, solid advice from them once they know what equipment you already have.

If you feel you can do it all yourself, call the DishStore for what you need if you like. They are really knowledgeable and helpful.

I hope you don't think I've been leading you around. I just want you to get the right advice not what I think you might need.

 

[ezkim0x]

nope you've been helpful.. I'll go make a post there.. and then edit this post and put in a link.. in case anybody else happens to see my post and has one of the same problems.

EDIT;

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?p=802987#post802987

 

[John]

You appear to have a Dish 1000. For your configuration I would have connected the DP LNB to the DPPlus Twin (it has a built-in DP34 switch), then you should only need 2 coax cables running to your house. It sounds like you have a switch in the attic since you have 3 cables running from the Dish 1000. Your configuration doesn't require an external switch. You also need to have quality RG6 cable, as well as quality connectors (preferably compression like the PPC w/ black band on your diplexer) that are installed correctly, or else problems may arise.

From the Dish 1000 one cable would go to your parents room, to a separator, then to the 625. The other cable would go to your room. I'd recommend an inexpensive DPPlus receiver, and you'll only need to use the separator if you are going to purchase a dual tuner receiver.

[*]Why are you picking up 129 (the DP LNB) if you guys aren't subscribe to high def programming?

[*]Does the other end of the Holland STVC (diplexer) run to an over the air antenna or cable tv box?

I'd call Dish and see what they can do for you. I think your installer should be fired.

 

[ezkim0x]

I think they just tried to screw us over so we'd have to pay more whenever they installed it.. because my parents don't even have an HD-Ready TV.. and neither did I at the time.

whenever I called 1800777dish or whatever the number is to ask them to come install they setup a time and then the person that was suppose to install it called at the time they were suppose to be here to ask questions.. and told us that we weren't eligible to downgrade our system.. we had to keep the HD receivers.. and if we wanted to get a new box it had to be another HD receiver. They said are contract wouldn't allow us to downgrade or something. Do you think they screwed us over somehow in the contract? or that person was just saying this?

anyways.. I'm thinking I'll just go ahead and buy a "DPPLUS Receiver" and call them again and ask them to come install it for me.. and pay them the 47$ installation fee.

is the DPPLUS Receiver just a category of receivers that are compatible with the DPPLUS LNB? ..because I tried searching on ebay, and froogle for that term and it's only returning LNB's and Switches.

What should I search for on ebay to find a receiver compatible with the DDPLUS?

Originally posted by: John
[*]Does the other end of the Holland STVC (diplexer) run to an over the air antenna or cable tv box?

I'm not sure what the diplexer is? ..unless you're talking about the other cable that goes to my tv.. it's just a coaxil cable that runs down to my room and goes into the back of my tv

 

[John]

The DVR625 is not an HD receiver. It's a standard def DVR DPPlus (Dish Pro Plus) class.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/625_Prod_SheetWeb.pdf

You don't necessarily need a DPPlus receiver. A Dish Pro 311 would suit your needs if you want a basic standard def non-DVR receiver.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/dish_311.pdf

In this pic that you posted ( http://i15.tinypic.com/2qk2fs6.jpg ) you have a single coax running to the input on the Holland diplexer. One output goes to the separator which then has 2 coax leads that would typically connect to a dual tuner receiver. Your old receiver should have been DPPlus to use the separator. I thought your parents upgraded? The second output (on the top) from the Holland diplexer would also typically connect to the TV/Cable input on the back of the receiver. If you don't have an OTA antenna or local cable TV I am not sure why you are using a diplexer. In a perfect world your installer should have run a cable from the 625 to your room. I can only assume he's using diplexers in order to utilize the existing cable.

If you only have Dish network service, and you buy the Dish 311 receiver, then you can remove the Holland diplexer and the separator. Now you can connect the cable to the 311, and the other end will connect to your switch in the attic (which I assume you have one since you have 3 cables coming from the Dish 1000), or it will need to connect to the other output on the DPPlus LNB.

By no means am a I Dish expert, but I used to visit Satellite Guys on a regular basis and my buddy is a local installer for Dish/DTV.

My suggestion: I'd have your parents call Dish and find out exactly what they were upgrade to, as well as the costs that were involved in the upgrade. Something just doesn't add up. Good luck!

 

[ezkim0x]

alright.. this is my last reply I promise.. unless you ask a question.. otherwise I'll try finding and calling a local dish retailer.

I talked to my dad about it more.. and he explained what we use to have and what we now have better.. so I may go over some things that I already said, but I'm just going to throw it all out there in one post.

we use to have the dish 500.. and we wanted to get the local channel package so they made us upgrade to the dish 1000 and also got rid of the 2 older receivers and gave us the dvr625 dual receiver.

we use to have two cables that would run from the dish 500 into our house.. one cable would goto the receiver upstairs, and one would goto the receiver downstairs (in my room)

since we only have one receiver now (dvr625) they got rid of the second cable by combining the two cables outside of the house before it runs up the fence line to goto the dish LNBs.

http://i19.tinypic.com/3yfguva.jpg

(I just now saw this "combiner" while making this post.. and it says "VHF/UHF" on one of the inputs.. is this the switch? ..or whatever for my UHF Remote downstairs? ..would I just need to buy a different switch to change my setup around with a receiver downstairs?)


.......since I already typed all of this before seeing that, I'm going to go ahead and finish my post just in case I was wrong with the above.. which I probably am.

^^
from there the one cable runs up to the dish.. and the other two go underground and come up at the edge of the house to go inside our house ( http://i5.tinypic.com/44jyc5w.jpg )

..on the inside of our house where those two cables go through the wall.. there's 3 cables..

here's our setup where it comes in through the wall

http://i15.tinypic.com/2a60az4.jpg

(from what i can tell this is how the setup looks to be on the inside.. but I could be wrong.)

cable 1. comes in through the wall and goes to one of three outputs on a 3-way splitter
cable 2. comes in through the wall and goes to the "combiner" ( http://i15.tinypic.com/2qk2fs6.jpg )
cable 3. comes in through the wall and goes to one of three outputs on a 3-way splitter

the third (last output on the 3-way splitter) goes into the dvr625.

the input on the 3-way splitter goes to the antenna/cable input on the tv set.

from the "combiner" one cable goes to the seperator and the other cable goes into the back of the dvr625.

cable 1 and 3 that go into the wall goto different rooms.. one of them goes to my room downstairs and the other goes to my parents (the one that goes to my parents doesn't matter.. they're fine with watching the same thing that's on their tv) the other cable that goes to my room is setup on the UHF/RF remote.

.........

blah blah blah blah.

if what I said above wasn't the switch

..would it be possible to buy a switch as well as the dish 311 receiver.. and hookup cable 2 to the input of the switch.. and then plug in cable 3 and another cable from the "combiner" to the second output on the switch... and unplug cable 3 from the back of my tv and put it into the receiver.

and have everything work?

..if that's not right either do you know how I could change the setup to make it work?

thanks for all of the help/replies so far.. if you don't have any suggestions then I'll try finding/calling a local dish network retailer next.

 

[John]

It was nice of you to post additional info. However I assumed that the initial pics were the cables that were in your room and not the ones for your parents 625. So some of my info applies, but some of it will not. You never answered my question if you have an OTA (over the air) antenna outside for your local channels because that is one reason I think they installer used a combiner (diplexer). Regardless, if he was a good tech he would have run 2 coax cables from the Dish 1000 and one from your OTA antenna so that you would have 3 going thru the brick and into your parents room. That hole in your brick and is pathetic, and he punched a nice hole in your sheetrock instead of using a modular wall plate. I also see a cabling mess.

FWIW the Dish 500 picks up 110/119 if you have a twin LNB. The Dish 1000 adds the 129 bird, but a quick search here doesn't show your KY locals on the 129 bird. I am not sure why they upgraded your Dish especially since you don't have high def.

I'll reply again later when I have time.

 

[ezkim0x]

my dad said that we don't have the OTA antenna.. and they changed to the 129 bird so we could get the Local Channels.