Directv came to the house and upgraded me to a new SWM LNB and three new HD-DVR's. I bought an extra SWM LNB, power inserter and 4 wide splitter from the tech for $30 (going rate on Ebay)to convert my RV. I have been using a Slimline dish with 2 wires going in thru a window and 2 wires going to the outside tv.My RV is configured like most and I am hoping SWM will clean up the install. The goal is to have a sat box and OTA_TV signal at all three TV's.I have a park cable input in the water bay that goes to the front A/V shelves (adjacent to the front TV). In the A/V area there is also a OTA-TV antenna cable, and a cable to the rear TV. There is also a cable at the rear TV that goes out to the outside TV. I currently feed the OTA-TV to the rear and outside tv that way.Now I want to connect the SWM dish to the cable input to get it to the A/V area and install the power inserter and splitter there.Then I am going to split the antenna to feed the front TV and to a diplexer. One output of the SWM splitter will feed the front sat box and use another to go to the diplexer. I will connect the diplexer output to the cable going to the rear of the RV. I want to split the diplexed feed to the cable going out to the outside tv, then un-diplex both so I have SAT and OTA at all three tv's using separate cable boxes when I want. Anyone done this? Hints? I see SWM rated diplexers and splitters on Ebay and Solid signal but I am worried I am pushing the attenuation limits. Find out the hard way I guess.

You cannot use a diplexer to feed OTA and satellite in any system where SWM is being used.

Here is a link that might help.I am using a sk3005 with a swm8. 2 HDR boxes and a 1 HD box. The OTA and cable go into a Winegard SensarPro TV Signal Meter and then to the SWM 8. I am using a diplexer at each TV.I am using a mechanical pushbutton switch to switch between the rear TV and the outside TV as there is a decent loss when using a SWM splitter.Paul

Sounds like I should have gotten the SWM 8 with the OTA function. Hopefully I can call the tech and trade for one. So if you aren't supposed to use diplexers, how do you get the OTA signal back out of the cable? The splitter has an OTA input; how do you get it out?I could use an A/B switch and choose either sat OR OTA for the rear and outside TV. We rarely use OTA anyway. I could also locate the power inserter and SWM8 in the rear and feed the front sat box with the existing cable and only have OTA in the front. Its easy to get to the rear TV area from the bottom of the rv where the cable to the outside TV joins with the rEar tv/cable from the front.

Cables from the antenna run to the receiver and the receiver connects to the TV via HDMI. The OTA antenna connects as it always did via coax. The coax connections either need to be dedicated connections or isolated via an A/B switch but the SWM and OTA signal cannot be shared by one coax simultaneously.

So what is the OTA input to the 8 way splitter do? And how do you use it?If you connect an antenna to it does the sat box decode the OTA signal?

Converting to SWM Diplexers, splitters ok? | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2013
That's odd that you would be told you could not use a diplexer for cable and DTV since that's really one of its main functions. Works great!
The SWM8 part is the switch itself so not really overkill. It's just a switch. Power 1 receiver or up to 8 (8 total tuners not receivers) using the SWM1 and SWM2 outputs and/or additionally the SWM splitters which are available in 2, 4 and 8 outputs plus more.
JamesBr
Explorer
Jul 16, 2013
True SWM8 is overkill for that and would have been great if they offered a SWM5 with that feature, but if your trying to avoid routing lots of cable through your new RV, its a good option.

I was also told you could never diplex park cable and DTV, but its worked perfect for me even with the all digital locations.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2013
OK, thanks for that link James. I did know that the diplexer could be used when the OTA TV was connected to the SWM8 but had forgotten that option since it is generally not used in an RV installation where the TV signal is already available at each TV. However, this could be a workable solution when trying to use only the existing cabling.
Be aware that a SWM8 switch gets quite hot and it would need to be installed somewhere with excellent ventilation.
JamesBr
Explorer
Jul 16, 2013
Weaknees has a great resource and some diagrams. And yes looks like you can diplex after a splitter.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2013
It is easily accomplished with existing coax and an A/B switch but while I said it could not be done with a diplexer, that SWM diplexer listed in a earlier post is something I have never seen. I have always had to keep the systems completely separate.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2013
Thanks PLOISELLE for your posts and links. I'll jump through hoops naked before I run copper from the front AV area over the dash to the rear of the motorhome if I don't have to.
I have worked around carrier, telephony and optical stuff (not as a tech) enogh to KNOW that there must be a way.

Hope to do the project in a week or so and will report back.

Have any relatives in Michigan?
ploiselle
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
schneid wrote:
Does this conversation differentiate between a SWM8 and a green-label 8-way splitter?

If I was bored, I'd test all this. I remain doubtful bit never say, never. I recommend using dedicated paths.
Trolling are you? Doubtful about what? Why don't you save some time and drive to Massachusetts and I will prove that it works. Do you think that Winegard is making this up, because that is where I got it from.

Winegard link

I am getting really tired of people making comments like this without any data to back it up.

Paul
JamesBr
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
I found a great writeup on doing just this. I too have thought once I do replace my RV that the new one will be complete SWM custom install and likely with OTA on the same line. I currently do it through the exisiting cable of my 2001 without any issues.

Also weakknees has some good information and diagrams on how to set this up using the SWM8.
schneid
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
Does this conversation differentiate between a SWM8 and a green-label 8-way splitter?

If I was bored, I'd test all this. I remain doubtful bit never say, never. I recommend using dedicated paths.
ploiselle
Explorer
Jul 15, 2013
Big Katuna wrote:
ploiselle wrote:
Here is a link that might help.

I am using a sk3005 with a swm8. 2 HDR boxes and a 1 HD box. The OTA and cable go into a Winegard SensarPro TV Signal Meter and then to the SWM 8. I am using a diplexer at each TV.

I am using a mechanical pushbutton switch to switch between the rear TV and the outside TV as there is a decent loss when using a SWM splitter.

Paul

So if I am reading this right, the SWM 8 will combine OTA and sat signal (which I can run to the rear TV) and uncombine it with a SWM diplexer? Then use two AB swithes to the bedroom and out side TV? That way you can have OTA on one tv and sat on the other at the same time.

So if I am reading this right, the SWM 8 will combine OTA and sat signal (which I can run to the rear TV) and uncombine it with a SWM diplexer?

Yes. The Winegard SensarPro TV Signal Meter lets you choose between OTA or Cable. When traveling out of our Directv local channel region, I sometimes use campground cable to supplement Directv instead of spending a lot of time trying to find local channels, if they are available.

Then use two AB switches to the bedroom and out side TV? That way you can have OTA on one tv and sat on the other at the same time

NO. The switch goes before both TV's. You will be sending the signal to a diplexer at the bedroom TV or a diplexer at the outside TV. If you used A SWM splitter, the OTA signal decreases too much on OTA.

We never use the bedroom TV and the outside TV at the same time, so this works for us.

Paul