I'm on the verge of dropping cable and going satellite. I will want four tuners eventually, but only one will go into my home theater. The others will be for bedroom, den, etc.

I'll probably go with the Radio Shack free-installation unit, then buy tuner #2 with 5.1 output, and worry about features on the subsequent tuners. My questions:

1) I have noticed several diplexers available, that have two dish inputs and one terrestrial antenna input, and four outputs. What I don't understand is what the differences are among the models. How does one pick?

2) Since my B&K AVP-4090 has only coax digital inputs, and not optical, I must accomodate that limitation. Any make/model suggestions on satellite tuners?

3) My cable company has a low-cost local-channel-only option, which I may use rather than rely on an antenna. The cable comes in underground at the north side of the house, and the dish needs to be high up (3-story house) on the south(west) side. Is it better to extend the cable-TV cable to the upper south side to hit the diplexer, or run the dish feed down to near ground level, and mount the diplexer near the cable termination? I guess the questuion is really which signal would suffer more by being extended? The two sources will be about 50 ft. apart.

Thanx in advance.

Larry





This message was edited by Larry Fine on 09/21/01 17:22.26.

If no answers, can anyone direct me to a better place to ask these questions?

Larry

I'm sorry but I can't help you on your questions but try posting your question over at the Home Theater Forum

Larry

I think what you are looking at is a multi-plexer for a Dual LNB dish with a built in diplexer. It allows a Dual LNB to feed up to 4 satellite receivers and feeds an antenna signal in also, you will also need a Diplexer/Splitter (looks like a old fashion splitter for cable with 2 Coax on 1 side 1 Coax on the other about $19) at each TV to separate the signals again. For HD over satellite you probably will go to an oval dish with DirecTV with 2 Dual LNBs therefore the Multiplexer is a 4 in 4 out.

I haven't seen COAX DD on a satellite yet, however it may be out there.

I would get my local on satellite for 4.99 extra and get rid of Cable all together. I put my multi-plexer in the basement and ran the wires from the satellite dish there then to each receiver. Use qaud-shield if you can I think your length isn't overly far

Hope that helps

Go with the antenna for the locals because most locals are broadcasting Digital/HD and you will want that eventually.

Also the multiswitch you want will be the 5x4, that is 4 inputs for your dual dual LNB's & 4 outputs for your different tv's, the 5th input is for your antenna so all you do is add a diplexer near each tv where you want to get the antenna signals.

I don't know if any of the new HD units have coax digital outputs for your 5.1 sound, but I have seen a Hughes unit that had both optical & coax. I believe it was their platinum series.

I think RCA receivers have coax, not optical. This is what I've heard, not seen myself. I have Dish which is only optical.

I agree with Jeff about using an antenna. You will probably also need an antenna pre-amp. Channel Master makes a device that is a combination antenna preamp/dual diplexer i.e. it adds a single antenna feed (amplified) to two satellite signals.

I have 4 RCA and 3 Sony(1 Tivo 1 A-50 and 1 HD)sat receivers. All have optical only outputs for Dolby 5.1. I personally prefer the RCA sat's over the Sony because of far faster(my HD Sony is 5 seconds channel to channel, the rca's are less then 2 seconds), better menu layout by far(you can continue to watch a program while browsing other channels) and the remotes are active RF and IR simultaneously, where the Sony's either one or the other must be preselected and this screws up your ability to use your universal remote control and to able to also control from another room.

Do not know much about the Hughes units but you may want to look at them also. I have come to believe that the Toshiba(Mitz is similar) has the right answers for the HD receivers(Do not like the Sony at all).

Some answers/advice:

1.) Beware of free installation, and they'll install at the easiest location, not necessarily the best. I paid over $250 for installation including amplifiers and all the cabling and connections. I'd gladly pay it again.

2.) You need a multiswitch. This will take the outputs of the dual LNB satellite dish (and possibly an antenna--more later), and be able to watch different channels on different TV's all at the same time. Look at a 3x8 multiswitch from partsexpress.com [Link: partsexpress.com]. The output of each feed from the multiswitch will go to a diplexer and then a TV. Look here [Link: partsexpress.com]

3.) My satellite tuners all have optical, so I can't comment on a suggestion for digital coax. FWIW, my basic tuner is RCA and I also have a DirectTV with TIVO combo tuner by Philips. You may want to consider TIVO!

4.) As for the the cable VS antenna, take your pick. If cable, run it directly to where you have all your wiring run. I'd suggest that you have the installer run all of the satellite runs to a basement, then you can run home runs from there; This is where you'd have your multiswitch as well. I use an antenna, and also get locals off the satellite.



For a primer look here [Link: geocities.com]

Alfa, greta stuff! All of this brings me back to my original question: I've seen several 3-in, 4-out (which is my interest) multi-switches. I'm not sure what the differences are. The PartsExpress link goes to a page with a drop-down 'related items' menu, and there are more than one multiswitch. Amplified, I understand. There are several part no's 180-5xx, and 180-4xx that are called 3-in, 4-out. That's where I lose it. What are the functional differences?

Thanx again, Larry

Larry, I'll try to point out the basic differences of the multiswitches. What I think you need is 3 in and at least 4 out. The multiswitch can either be powered (ie need to be plugged in), or receive the power from the satellite feeds. My unpowered switch (the 3x4 version of the multiswitch I provided in the link above), has 1 run of approx 50 ft. to my bedroom, and 2 40 ft. feeds to my family room; I have no problems. The powered one's will help if you have long(er) runs or 4 or more outputs.

Now, the 3 inputs are for your 2 LNB's and OTA antenna or cable. Again, I have an OTA, so 180-455 works for me. If you want cable instead of OTA, then you could use 180-545.

As far as the basic differences go, you can pay anywhere from $15.00 to $400.00 for a 3x4 multiswitch. I assume yours will be inside, so weatherproofing isn't really an assue. Others have said that you can actually hear some of the cheaper ones opening and closing contacts inside. Mid range and the more esoteric ones are solid state.

I suggest you call partsexpress and ask to speak with a technician, as they can give you more specifics on the different brands.

Also look here [Link: hometech.com]

Have you considered DTIVO yet? [Link: avsforum.com]

For even more home theater discussion look here: [Link: avsforum.com]

Larry, just saw this [Link: avsforum.com]

That's an unbelievable deal!

This message was edited by alfabetsoop on 09/28/01 10:50.02.

Larry,

As many have pointed out starting with Matt, you need a multiswitch AND possibly diplexers to uncombine the satellite and off-air signals if you choose to run those over the same cable. I disagree with the multiswitch recommendations that have only 2 LNBF feeds IF you plan on HDTV and/or want to plan for the future.

To get all that DirectTV currently offers, you need 4 LNBF inputs. THIS IS A MINIMUM SUGGESTION! If you want combine the off-air signal, then you would need a 5in X however many outputs you think you will need. Keep in mind that DirecTV allows a maximum of 8 receivers on one account. In September, DirecTV sent a memo to dealers recommending selling ALL future customers a 6 LNBF antenna due to future offerings.

DISH already uses a 6 LNBF multiswitch called an SW64 (six inputs, 4 outputs). This is for the quad LNBF dish aimed at 110 and 119 and the dual LNBF dish aimed at 61.5 for HDTV and International programming.

One last note, alphabetsoop indicates that a powered multiswitch will allow you to have longer cable runs or more than 4 outputs. While this is true for SOME mulitswitches, MANY use the power for amplifying the off-air input ONLY, while still others that are powered don't amplify anything, they simply generate the LNBF power and/or switch power. Anyway, be careful and know what you buy!

BTW, I have DISH with the SW64, HDTV and locals, plus an antenna for local HDTV, plus cable for backup and cable modem! Lots of coax!

randy

Fascinating stuff, gents. My question: is there something similar that allows me to multiplex my Digital Cable box to more than one set so that I don't have to pay another $11/month to rent another box? Or perhaps there is a Canadian source for purchasing these things? Our system uses the Scientific Atlanta 3100. ... Mike

Mike, unless there's some new technology I haven't heard of, on any system that requires a tuner, such as digital cable, you would be limited to watching the same channel on each TV. This is done by splitting the output of the tuner.

Only a separate tuner can tune a different channel for each TV. This would be done by splitting the cable signal before the tuner(s).

Larry

Alfa, I read through all five pages of the AVS forum, then last night, I went to CC and bought two DSR6000's at $99 each(!), got the dish for a penny(!!), and the five years ext. warr. on the whole purchase for an additional $45(!!!). Came home, put up the dish in 15 min, got over 90 signal on all transponders, and now I'm in sattelite heaven! Thank you!

And, by the way, the price seems to be the regular price, not a clearance or sale.

Now, all I have to do is get a multi-switch, a clip-on-the-dish antenna, some more coax, and figure out how to use the dual-tuner functions. Oh, yeah, I also have to call AT&T Broadband and tell them to turn me off. Thanks again!

Larry

This message was edited by Larry Fine on 10/04/01 08:45.33.