Bell TV Install 5-6 Receivers

[Derek1979]

Hello all,

I am new to the satellite world, I am having Bell TV installed tomorrow by there installers. They told me they will install 4 receivers at time of install but because the two I am getting from them are HD PVR's they each count as two. I have 3 bell receivers that I own that I want in my kids rooms on the top floor. How do I wire more then 4 receivers? I want 3 on the top floor, 1 on the main and 1 in the basement. Please keep it simple and cheap if possible lol.

Thanks guys(and gals)

[Pinza]

Welcome to the Forums.

Well you raise an interesting question as now that Bell are using DPP Twin LNBF's and DPP Separators, the installation will be done with only 2 lines into your house, one per receiver. There also appears to be a slight chage of policy with Bell TV lately, which maybe some of the active installers on this Forum can confirm, which is that as a Rental Installation, it is limited to 4 TUNERS (NOT Receivers). I have heard this several times in the last few days, as yet not confirmed by any of the Managers I speak with.

As there will only be 2 lines into your house I would try to get them to run them into a common point so it will be easier for you to add switch's in the future for your other receivers.

If you do not want to run 2 more lines from the Dish into the house you will need to buy a couple of DPP33 switch's (Not supplied or carried by Bell). These can be connected to the 2 lines coming in, with 2 of the output ports then used for your HD PVR's. Leaving 6 spare ports for your other receivers.

If you choose to run 2 more lines into the house, you can use this thread for wiring information;

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=79134

However do not forget, if you opt for this route, you will also need to run another line to each of the HD PVR's and remove the DPP Separators.

[Costa]

Three techs are a little over kill, but whatever works for them. Since your three receivers are already yours, they're not included in the installation. Bell will charge you fifty dollars per line. You can call, or maybe a tech could call for you to add the three receivers to your account. You can dispute to Bell about any charges. You have to consider the fact that not only are their lines being ran, but they're being hooked up to a switch setup, which will probably be a two SW44 switch setup.

For a regular account techs are able to add any four receiver, this isnt the case when they have to call to modify the order with the correct department. Any new account with four receivers already, requires another order for a fifth or more receivers, and at an additional fifty dollar charge for each line.

[Pinza]

Three techs are a little over kill, but whatever works for them.

Costa, what do you mean by this.?

I agree the cost would be an extra $50 per line but then there is $300 for the 2 SW44's.

Can you confirm that a Rental Installation of more than 4 TUNERS is still free.?

[JoeLouie]

Originally Posted by Pinza

Can you confirm that a Rental Installation of more than 4 TUNERS is still free.?

Up to 4 tuners is free. I don't know how many times I've shown up at a customers house and they were under the impression that up to 4 receivers is free. Either they were told the wrong info, or they just misunderstood it. Whatever the case is, people don't like hearing that they're going to have to pay for part of their "free" installation.

[JoeLouie]

Originally Posted by Derek1979

How do I wire more then 4 receivers? I want 3 on the top floor, 1 on the main and 1 in the basement. Please keep it simple and cheap if possible lol.

Thanks guys(and gals)

Simple: Have the tech install them and pay $50 per receiver. He'll most likely run 4 lines from the dish to a central location in the house, 2x 4-way multiswitches and 2x SW44s to give you up to 8 outputs (you'll need 7 outputs for your 5 receivers).

Cheap: Do what Pinza said "buy a couple of DPP33 switch's (Not supplied or carried by Bell). These can be connected to the 2 lines coming in, with 2 of the output ports then used for your HD PVR's. Leaving 6 spare ports for your other receivers."

[Pinza]

It might even be worth getting the Techs to run the 3 lines for you for future use.

@Joelouie, after the 3 x $50, he would also have to pay for the 2x4 and 2nd SW44, right.?

[JoeLouie]

Originally Posted by Pinza

It might even be worth getting the Techs to run the 3 lines for you for future use.

If it's a newer house, and everything is already wired it would just be a matter of connecting into the in-house cables, so there wouldn't actually be any extra cables to run. Mind you, he'd still have to pay the $50/each to have them hooked up.

@Joelouie, after the 3 x $50, he would also have to pay for the 2x4 and 2nd SW44, right.?

I'm not 100% sure about that. We don't charge for them out here, but from reading the forums, it appears as though it's a standard practice for the rest (or at least most?) of the country.

[Derek1979]

Thanks to everyone for their help, I am going to stick with the 4 high freq splitters into two sw44's and run them from there.

I would be a proud bell tv subscriber but due to me living in a town house complex that is red flagged for whatever reason the tech needs a letter signed by head office stating I am allowed to have satellite installed. No one from bell told me anything about this during the hookup sale. Even the bell techs told me to complain LARGE and not back down. This is no way to treat a new customer. It would have been fine if they had told me that at time of the hookup and setting up the install dates.

Is Bell TV worth the hassle? I am currently with Rogers and not overly happy but what choices do i have?

I am having the satellite installed on a tripod is there any tips/tricks/suggestions you guys have about tripod installation?

Thanks again for all you help this place is great.

[Pinza]

Be careful, as if the Tripod gets knocked you will loose signal. Just because he is using a Tripod, make sure he does NOT drill into your unit, without permission from the owners of the complex, failure to do so may cost you large at some point in the future......

I would always go for the 2x4 switch option and not the splitters, as so many people get given the wrong splitters...

[ScaryBob]

A tripod is not always necessary. Simply mounting the dish directly onto a 24" patio stone is often better and cheaper. Just make sure that the line of sight is above the railing. (Set it back against the wall.)

Splitters are the cheaper option but you need to be meticulous about how they are wired. The Dish splitters are 2.4GHz with DC pass on one leg only. Other splitters may work but they need DC pass on at least one leg. It's usually better and cheaper to source these from a satellite supplier.

[Derek1979]

Well I think I will mix both your opions lol. I am going to mount the dish on the tripod and tapcon it onto patio stones that way I get the height and the stability. Pinza what do you mean by using the 2x4 setup? will the splitter setup give me less strength?

Thanks everybody for all your help

[Pinza]

This is how I prefer to do multiple SW44's.