Need Help on Running Long Single Cable to R15

[alameda63cg]

I need advice regarding a coaxial cable run problem for a DirecTV R15 Receiver and a 2nd, Standard Receiver.

I purchased a row house property with 2 separate buildings that have no attic or crawl space and plan to self install a DTV R15 DVR in building 1 and the Standard in building 2. TV's are standard. No HD. The buildings and connecting walls (1 to 2 feet thick) are concrete and brick with existing conduit containing RG59 coax cable with multiple splitter junctions. The current coax is a single cable and cannot be used to pull 1 or 2 new RG6 cables. Nor can an additional cable be inserted.

Can the existing single cable be used with splitters, amplifiers, etc for runs of 168 feet to Receiver 1 and 188 feet to Receiver 2? See below for the new run from the masthead as well as the current runs configured and installed by the local cable company some years ago. All runs are old except for the masthead run to Box A.

Rooftop masthead (new run) to Junction Box A – 53 feet
Box A to Junction Box B – 50 feet
Split from Box B to Receiver 1 – 65 feet (total 168 feet)
Box B to Box C – 38 feet
Box C to Box D – 21 feet
Box D to Receiver 2 – 26 feet (total 188 feet)

With only 1 source cable running to Receiver 1 DVR, can only 1 tuner be engaged and operate?

 

[Bob Nielsen]

This sounds like a job for the new SWM-5 Single Wire Multiswitch. Installers in some areas are getting these and they should be generally available soon. They require 4 cables from the dish (and can be mounted externally near the dish). The output can be used with splitters (a power inserter is needed, so any splitters between the P.I. and the SWM must be power-passing). These are compatible with the HR20, HR21, H20 and D12 receivers but not the R15, although the R16, which is compatible, will be coming out soon. In addition to the power-passing requirement, any splitters should be able to work up to 1.5-2 GHz.

 

[alameda63cg]

Given the attractive deals for new members, if I subscribe to the HR21 now, and find the SWM-5, will the HR21 work with my standard TV's (live and recorded programs)? The HDTV's will be purchased down the road...

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Given the attractive deals for new members, if I subscribe to the HR21 now, and find the SWM-5, will the HR21 work with my standard TV's (live and recorded programs)? The HDTV's will be purchased down the road...

All Directv receivers will work with standard TVs if there are RCA-type audio/video connections (or S-video plus RCA audio). The HR21 does not have a channel 3/4 output, but you could even do that by buying a cheap (<$20) RF modulator.