Peter Doten

DSS Install Q's

I like to think I know what I am doing when it comes to this stuff, but I figure someone knows more and could answer some questions for me.

In a few days I am going to upgrade the DSS in my parent's house for them. Currently they have a single LNB single room system that is about 4-5 years old. I purchased 2 used receivers off a friend, have a spool of cable (RG-6) and the requisite connectors. I also purchased a Terk Multiswitch as I thought this was necessary for multiple room installations. My questions are as follows:
-Can I split the signal coming from the dish into the two inputs on the multiswitch or do I have to buy a dual LNB as well?
-I know they tell you to use RG-6 but will RG-59 work at all? One of the rooms I was going to patch it to is on another floor and I was hoping to use some of the houses existing wiring. This would be after the multiswitch of course.
-Am I missing anything, is there an easier way to do this?

Any advice is appreciated.

-Peter

MODS: If this is not in the correct forum, please move it accordingly. It seemed to be the most appropriate one to me.

Robert_J

You have to buy the dual LNB. It has to do with the polarized frequencies that the DBS companies use.

It will work over short runs. Over long runs the center conductor is too small to carry the necessary voltage back to the dish.

There is an easier way but it will cost about $300 for the equipment at the dish and about $35 per receiver. Then you can use splitters. Also it will prevent you from ever upgrading to the multi-sat dish.

-Robert

scott>sau

I second Roberts advice on 59, Dish Network and Direct TV use quad shielded RG6. It makes a difference. You may be able to install additional cable outlets (for dish) yourself. Use ceiling access, an unfinished basement or a crawl space, drill thru the wall from the outside to inside. You may be able to use what is called a "diplexer" it looks like a splitter, but it is really a combiner to avoid using a dual LNB dish.

Robert_J

A diplexer is designed to combine different frequencies on to the same cable. An example is combining OTA frequencies from an antenna and the satellite frequencies from the dish. You can't combine the right and left hand polarized frequencies from the dish with a diplexor. They are the SAME frequency, just with different polarities. A stacker takes one set of freqencies and shifts them (up or down) and then combines them on the same cable. A destacker at each receiver takes care of shifting the frequencies back. Stackers are about $250 and de-stackers are $35 to $50. You need one stacker at the dish and one destacker per receiver (or a pair for a DirecTivo since it is a dual tuner).

-Robert