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Old 05-29-2012, 07:10 PM
 
95 posts, read 181,841 times
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Hello I'm thinking to switch my cable to DirectTV, but I wonder if anyone had experience with their installation and can share feedback.
My main concern is if I'm able to direct the technician to install the dish on a pole on the backyard and NOT on the root. Second if they can reuse the cabling present in the house for the cable TV to connect their multiple boxes or if they have to run new/different cables.

Thanks in advance
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Old 05-29-2012, 08:32 PM
 
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If you set the pole for them and they can acquire an acceptable signal then it should be fine. And as long as your coax is RG6 and not RG59 then it should work. I'm not sure about heir new boxes, but in the old days to have an HD DVR you had to have 2 coaxial cables run from the switch to the STB.
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Old 05-29-2012, 09:36 PM
 
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We had no problem installing it. Didn't do a pole, but my general impression is that if they can get a signal, and can secure it, they'll install it wherever you want.

They were also able to use our same cables. They also happily dropped a line for free in our spare bedroom, something that Time Warner wanted to charge us quite a bit for.
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Old 05-29-2012, 10:32 PM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,278,461 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phone man View Post
I'm not sure about heir new boxes, but in the old days to have an HD DVR you had to have 2 coaxial cables run from the switch to the STB.
DTV will do the pole for you for $75, which includes burying the cable. If you want to put the pole in yourself, be sure to get their specs. Also be sure you have a clear shot to the sky at an azimuth of 184 and an elevation of 54 from your proposed dish location.

The number of cables from the dish to the house depends on the number of receivers you will have. Remember that a DVR has two receivers. Up to eight, they run two coax. Eight or more, they run four. Once that gets to your house, it feeds a multiplexer. The multiplexer enables them to run a single coax to each receiver, even if you have a DVR, using their new single wire multiplexer (swm).

All of that "stuff" in our house is in the smart box between our studs. The boxes are also in there for the ethernet over coax that enables the whole house network. That is what permits you to view any recording on any box - even if it isn't a DVR. Also allows you to record on a DVR from a non-DVR box. Finally, it also allows you to control any box from any Apple IOS device using an app.

I had TWC while we were building our house. The far superior capabilities of DTV will become quickly apparent.
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Old 05-30-2012, 06:53 AM
 
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Quote:
The boxes are also in there for the ethernet over coax that enables the whole house network. That is what permits you to view any recording on any box - even if it isn't a DVR. Also allows you to record on a DVR from a non-DVR box.
Funny thing... you don't need the DECA box for the whole home DVR network to function. Mine is sitting unplugged in the closet (because I moved my router and haven't hooked it back up). You'll need it for purchasing things on demand, though.
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Old 05-30-2012, 07:31 AM
 
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What does the total monthly cost end up being for DTV with a decent channel package? Do they include the cost of the receivers or do they charge a rental fee over and above the monthly package price?
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Old 05-30-2012, 07:36 AM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,278,461 times
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Originally Posted by bld44 View Post
Funny thing... you don't need the DECA box for the whole home DVR network to function. Mine is sitting unplugged in the closet (because I moved my router and haven't hooked it back up). You'll need it for purchasing things on demand, though.
Thought about that as every room with a rcvr also has Cat 5. Best advice I got was why not use DECA since DTV won't support a non-DECA installation if you ever have problems. Also keeps the RJ jack open for streaming services.
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Old 05-30-2012, 07:51 AM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
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Default It depends

Quote:
Originally Posted by looking2tex View Post
What does the total monthly cost end up being for DTV with a decent channel package? Do they include the cost of the receivers or do they charge a rental fee over and above the monthly package price?
The cost is based on what you have, like all services. The Choice package is around $70/month. Then, if you want HD, DVR, whole house, protection plan, HBO, out of market sports - they all cost more.

There are sign up offers that include free receivers. Many times you can get one for renewing, adding HD, adding DVR. Hard to say what you will pay. Once you are on, they charge $6/mo for every box past the first one. That us a downside compared to TWC.

But the ability to record something, dump it to a computer or iPad and watch it anywhere, off line, means I will never go back.
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Old 05-30-2012, 09:51 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scm53 View Post
Thought about that as every room with a rcvr also has Cat 5. Best advice I got was why not use DECA since DTV won't support a non-DECA installation if you ever have problems. Also keeps the RJ jack open for streaming services.
Sorry for not being more clear. The whole home DVR works with no ethernet and no DECA.
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Old 05-30-2012, 10:32 AM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,278,461 times
Reputation: 2575
Default For now...

Quote:
Originally Posted by bld44 View Post
Sorry for not being more clear. The whole home DVR works with no ethernet and no DECA.
DTV's newest boxes - like the H25 we just got as a replacement - lack an Ethernet port. The only way to get MRV (multi room viewing) on those boxes is via DECA - which is built into the box and comes via the coax.

It may well be the OP would only get H25 boxes for the non-DVR locations in a new install - and couldn't get MRV.
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