Direct TV (wiring/prewire) in your new construction home

[irvinehomeowner]

What it sounds like to me is that for satellite pre-wiring, they add an additional coax network throughout your house so that the signal doesn't conflict with cable phone or internet (you can't share the dish signal and the cable signal on the same coax).

If you aren't running cable anything, you may be able to use the existing coax to distribute the dish signal.

As for TVs... I think at 1080p, anything higher than 65" doesn't look as sharp. I wouldn't get a 70" or up unless you are doing quad HD.

 

[qwerty]

Akim - i have about 2 months before i move in, so ive just started doing research online, need to go out and see this 80 inchers in person.

 

[akim997]

having a 65" samsung delivered thursday.  I saw the 80" in person and it was nice.  if you read the reviews, IHO was right.  Don't get the 80" unless you get the 240hz quattron.  the sharp is backlit led so you get better blacks then the samsung, which is sidelit.  watched sample programming of 3D movie and it was really nice.  That being said, I didn't want to pay over $5K for the TV.  I figure technology continues to improve and eventually I'll be able to get a huge tv for cheap(er). 

Watched several different samples on the samsung and thought the pic quality was great.  Samsung was a lot cheaper so that was the main factor (~$3300) for the 240hz UN65ES8000FXZA model.  Also, they have a 65" in the model home and I thought the size was fine.  they are also using 65's in the mendocino models (at least plans 2 and 3 iirc.  with the money i save on the samsung, going to get a new receiver/3d BR player and some other goodies.  also, for these new homes, they have a recessed plug in the wall for the tv.  looking into slim wallmountable surge solutions like: 
http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=6474

 

[akim997]

did more research on direct tv and satellite tv is all new to me.  so i guess it works like this.  you have a dish and a single wire multiswitch (SWM) with a power inserter that splits the signal (to various boxes) with a LNB.  You can get different types of SWM splitters - but my question was could i just use a single line to the cable port on teh side of my house.  The cable port routes to my master BR with distributes the signal throughout the house.  I didnt know if this method would lead to degradation in signal quality vs. standard wiring diagrams (i.e. using a 8way SWM split to and wire those directly to various rooms in your house).  Conversely, I thought another solution would be to have the SWM go directly to the master BR bypassing the box on the side of the house.  Then I thought (what if I want to keep my cox cable internet?)    I called Cox and they said people use Direct TV for Sat and Cox for Cable all the time and that this could all be done through the same RG6 cables.  I'm not an electrical engineer and don't know how this is accomplished and how it could affect performance.  No one I've spoken to could explain all of this to me. 

SOOO... long story short.  I called Cox and had them transfer my bundled service over and took discounted pricing for 6 months (no Sunday Ticket!).    I'll have until then to research and decide if I want DTV or not. 

 

[qwerty]

SOOO... long story short.  I called Cox and had them transfer my bundled service over and took discounted pricing for 6 months (no Sunday Ticket!).    I'll have until then to research and decide if I want DTV or not. 

this is kind of the way im leaning as well.  this weekend instead of recording some games, i just watched the red zone channel to see what it would be like without DTV (Cox offers a red zone channel) - it was ok. CBS/FOX try to put the big games on for the most part anyway.  Cox has the networked dvrs as well so the only upside to DTV right now is the Sunday Ticket. I got DTV to watch Sanchez on the Jets, but the way it is looking right now is that he wont be a starter anywhere next season anyway.

 

[akim997]

TEEEBOW!

 

[qwerty]

TEEEBOW!

Is there a no thanks button on here anywhere. You know what I've come to hate Tebow so much that I hope he starts the rest of the year just to show the world how much he sucks.

 

[qwerty]

So got my directv installed yesterday and it was a cakewalk. The dish was set up in the side of the garage, on the eave of the roof, connected right into the junction box. Then he goes to the master bedroom closet, does his thing and we are done. Outside of setting up the dish there was no other drilling in the house. For Internet, there is a second line in the junction box that cox cable will use. The modem/router can go anywhere there is an unused outlet.

FYI- because it was a move direct tv give ls u various offers so I got a free genie, one terabyte hard drive which is about 200 hours of hd content, can record 5 shows at once and it does picture in picture.

 

[lookinginirvine]

So got my directv installed yesterday and it was a cakewalk. The dish was set up in the side of the garage, on the eave of the roof, connected right into the junction box. Then he goes to the master bedroom closet, does his thing and we are done. Outside of setting up the dish there was no other drilling in the house. For Internet, there is a second line in the junction box that cox cable will use. The modem/router can go anywhere there is an unused outlet.

FYI- because it was a move direct tv give ls u various offers so I got a free genie, one terabyte hard drive which is about 200 hours of hd content, can record 5 shows at once and it does picture in picture.

Did you need to get approval first from the HOA where you install your dish?

 

[qwerty]

I don't know if I needed it or not. Saw two neighbors with the exact same setup, so im assuming it is ok. I know the hoa does allow dishes and it is at the back of the house so I can't imagine the hoa saying anything.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

So does this mean you're moved in?

Congrats!

 

[qwerty]

Yes sir - thanks IHO. Still only about half way unpacked so that kind of sucks. But as long a got my direct tv and my tv I'm happy

 

[iacrenter]

Yes sir - thanks IHO. Still only about half way unpacked so that kind of sucks. But as long a got my direct tv and my tv I'm happy

Congratulations! Enjoy your new home.

 

[usctrojancpa]

Yes sir - thanks IHO. Still only about half way unpacked so that kind of sucks. But as long a got my direct tv and my tv I'm happy

Nice, which TV did you end up buying?

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Yes sir - thanks IHO. Still only about half way unpacked so that kind of sucks. But as long a got my direct tv and my tv I'm happy

Yes... the three most important things, electricity, TV and internet.

 

[irvinerealtor]

Congrats again, qwerty.

Just in case, I'd suggest calling the HOA contact to let them know, and ask if they require paperwork to be filled out.
Better safe than sorry, and good to have it taken care of while it's still fresh in your mind. My .02c

-IR2

I don't know if I needed it or not. Saw two neighbors with the exact same setup, so im assuming it is ok. I know the hoa does allow dishes and it is at the back of the house so I can't imagine the hoa saying anything.

 

[qwerty]

Yes sir - thanks IHO. Still only about half way unpacked so that kind of sucks. But as long a got my direct tv and my tv I'm happy

Nice, which TV did you end up buying?

Went with the 70 inch vizio, $1880 at Costco, just had it mounted over the fireplace today. Got a Yamaha sound bar at Costco as well, which sits nicely on the mantle. 

 

[qwerty]

Congrats again, qwerty.

Just in case, I'd suggest calling the HOA contact to let them know, and ask if they require paperwork to be filled out.
Better safe than sorry, and good to have it taken care of while it's still fresh in your mind. My .02c

-IR2

I don't know if I needed it or not. Saw two neighbors with the exact same setup, so im assuming it is ok. I know the hoa does allow dishes and it is at the back of the house so I can't imagine the hoa saying anything.

Congrats again, qwerty.

Just in case, I'd suggest calling the HOA contact to let them know, and ask if they require paperwork to be filled out.
Better safe than sorry, and good to have it taken care of while it's still fresh in your mind. My .02c

-IR2

I don't know if I needed it or not. Saw two neighbors with the exact same setup, so im assuming it is ok. I know the hoa does allow dishes and it is at the back of the house so I can't imagine the hoa saying anything.

Congrats again, qwerty.

Just in case, I'd suggest calling the HOA contact to let them know, and ask if they require paperwork to be filled out.
Better safe than sorry, and good to have it taken care of while it's still fresh in your mind. My .02c

-IR2

I don't know if I needed it or not. Saw two neighbors with the exact same setup, so im assuming it is ok. I know the hoa does allow dishes and it is at the back of the house so I can't imagine the hoa saying anything.

Thanks Ir2 - u are probably right, I'll check the paperwork before I go bak to work

 

[qwerty]

TD - I think your count may be off, unless they upgraded the standard hd DVr. The genie (HR34) like you said counts as 5 tuners (you can record 5 shows at once). The Standard HD DVR (HR24) counts as 2 tuners (you can record 2 shows at once). Like you said, those mini genies don't count towards your SWM count. I believe you can do 3 mini genies to every Genie (although it may be two)

I Have a genie, standard HD DVr and one wired mini genie. I'm going to call and look into a wireless genie.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

So TyNQ seems to be confirming what I said, that satellite TV can use the same coax cable in your house that Cox (or UVerse) does... no different type of wiring required.