I just recieved my new 5-LNB dish, I asked this question before ordering the dish from Direct-TV but I believe they gave me the answer I wanted to hear. I have the multi-switch that came with the dish, Zinwell, 6X8. The question I asked direct tv was can I still split out Anntenna/Cable signal from the Satillite signal in my coax lines. The answer was yes. Now that I have installed the dish, the answer is "no" this does not seem to work because HD channels are coming into the dish that are on the same frequency as OTA/cable.
Does anyone know if there is a way to split OTA/cable out of your lines with this new multi-switch? (Short of running seperate coax for OTA/Cable) I have cable running through my coax lines as well and would like to split it out so when the whether is bad I still have another source of signal. Thank in advance for any help. DJH

You can not combine or diplex ota or catv signals with the new DirecTV MPEG4 signals. This is because the bandwidth of the MPEG4 signal is 250-2150 MHz. This means that ota or catv signals will interfere with these new signals.

You must now run a coax cable from the ota antenna or catv input to the receivers. No more diplexing if you want to receive MPEG4 channels.

Hope this helps,

Dave T

You're right: there will be no diplexing of OTA and 5LNB signals ever again.

Also check the long discussion here:

[Link: remotecentral.com]

Does this mean you will need separate lines leading into the house ie:
1 thru wall connector for- HD MPEG4 Receiver
1 thru wall connector for- HD MPEG4 HD- DVR
1 thru wall connector for- OTA reception if you so choose to continue receiving OTA ATSC.

For a total of 3 through wall connectors?

And if they were not MPEG4 you could combine the 3 into one though wall connector?

-Don B

I think, but am not sure, that one cable would work for HD-MPEG4 Recevr, OR DVR, but your DVR might have two inputs, so you would probably need two leads. You wil likely need a separate lead for each MPEG4 input, just as you do now with non-stacked signals.


No. Your list requires three, but not because of MPEG4. It is because one HD receiver and one HD DVR will require three satellite feeds. If there is no MPEG4, OTA HD could be diplexed onto one of those lines. Chances are that such a system would use a multiswitch, so the antenna signal would be diplexed onto all of the sat signals, but that's only because it is easier that way...and this is with NO MPEG4, but our current wiring methods.

I keep hearing that the MPEG4 is what is using the same frequencies as OTA HD, so if you don't have MPEG4, you can diplex OTA and satellite.

But if you don't have MPEG4, will you have any satellite service?

You need one satellite cable for each tuner, so as Ernie says - one cable for an HD receiver, two for a two-tuner DVR. And then one more cable for the OTA signal for a total of four. You can't diplex OTA with the sat signal with the new MPEG-4 satellites. All the HD locals, and (probably) most of any new other HD channels, will be on MPEG-4. So you should go with the separate OTA cable, even if you don't need it right now.