Sharing one DBS system for 2 flats? (1 Viewer)

Hi:
I am about to close on a two-unit building. My wife and I will move into one unit, and another couple will move into the other unit. I would like to take the opportunity to switch from CATV to satellite for the first time. Looking at the various Dish and DirectTV new customer deals, there are several options which include two receivers.
Here's my question: would it be possible to sign up as a new customer and have the two receivers installed so that one is in each unit? That way we could share the monthly subscription cost as well as the initial installation costs, etc., with our neighbors downstairs.
Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this?
Thanks for any advice.
/GregoryK

We may discuss gray area DBS subjects like Candian satellite in the US or lying about our address so we can get locals BUT we pay for the service. This is outright stealing. Put up a dish and share the hardware. Each "household" should pay for the services they receive.
-Robert

Sorry I came down on you so hard. This forum has strict rules about this but other forums I frequent have people selling the "pirate" cards that allow all channels to come through for free.
It wouldn't be cost effective to get a multi-unit install. The LNB(s) and associated hardware are more expensive. If the building is a single story dwelling and you have access to the attic, wiring is very simple. If it is a multi-story house, then it is more difficult but not impossible to wire. All this assumes the building has older, RG59 cable which will not work.
Check around, both Dish and DirecTV have special incentives for first time subscribers. The DirecTV 18x24 dish is more flexible with installs. With the right LNB(s) and switches, you can pick up both DBS providers. There are also multi-switches that allow up to 8 receivers to be connected to a dish.
www.dishdepot.com has really good deals on Dish equipment. Being a dish subscriber, I don't keep up with the DirecTV deals but Circuit City recently had the Philips DirecTivo for $99 and the 18inch dish for a penny. There are other internet D* dealers that have good deals.
Research the deals and post any technical questions. I'll be happy to answer them.
-Robert

Gregory, I think that if you purchased a 2 receiver deal and used the same dish but each activated your card and paid your own programing subscription it would be perfectly legal. Where you might have trouble is with the installer believing that's what you are going to do. He will likely think you are going to activate one subscription and activate the second receiver as a mirror second receiver. You may just have to have the dish installed and one coax ran to one flat then run the second yourself. You would then have the other person activate his own account on the second receiver. That wouldn't be illegal. As far as I know they don't care who activates the second receiver as long as it gets activated. I bought one of the DSR6000 units for $99 and was told I must activate it w/in 90 days or face a $299 charge (to prevent piracy). D-TV said it was OK for me to activate this receiver on my girlfriends account as a second mirrored receiver just as long as it got activated and no longer had a "virgin" card they didn't care who did it.
Also If you OWN the building you MAY be able to activate the second receiver as a mirror legally but I doubt it.
Hope this helps.
------------------
Luke

Thanks you guys.
Robert: No hard feelings, I am sensitive to the piracy issue as well. Now that we've cleared that up ... This is a multi-story building (2 flats on top of each other on top of a garage) and the attic is accessible but just a crawl space. Its a 1923 building. I'm happy to do wiring, are there any web references for schematics or the like?
Luke: We will own the building as tenants-in-common with our neighbors in the other unit. I will definitely ask about our neighbors and us activating 2 cards for the 2 receivers...if that is legal and acceptable to Dish or DirectTV, it might be a good way to get the receiver hardware at the new-subscriber price.
I'll surf around and call the local dealers this weekend and see what I can find. Thanks again for the help.
/GregoryK

You won't have any trouble with sharing the same dish with two different recievers. Because, the installer has to call in to activate the recievers and each reciever has to be connected to the same phone line continuously in order to share billing. However, if they are on different phone lines they will have to have separate billing/subscriptions.
[Edited last by Reginald Trent on October 27, 2001 at 06:02 AM]