direct tv swim box

pattcook · 06-11-2012, 04:26 PM

I have had dish for several years on my 03 suncruiser. I just switched to direct tv and was unable to get reception with their hd receiver box. With dish i had a sd receiver box. Direct tv tells me I need a swim box to make my non hd satelite antenae work with a hd receiver. They are sending it free. Does this sound correct? thanks John

desertrv · 06-11-2012, 08:20 PM

I have one in the house. The neat thing about it is, it only requires one cable instead of 2 cables without the swim.
You will need a HD receiver box.

kjburns · 06-11-2012, 10:55 PM

I don't have DirecTV now, but their HD has been on Ka band. A non-HD antenna generally has an LNB for Ku band. Unless something has changed, adding an HD receiver won't get you HD programming with an SD antenna.

The DirecTV salesman at Sam's Club thought my Winegard Trav'ler 1000 would get DirecTV too. Sometimes they're not well trained for our RV needs

pattcook · 06-11-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjburns

I don't have DirecTV now, but their HD has been on Ka band. A non-HD antenna generally has an LNB for Ku band. Unless something has changed, adding an HD receiver won't get you HD programming with an SD antenna.

The DirecTV salesman at Sam's Club thought my Winegard Trav'ler 1000 would get DirecTV too. Sometimes they're not well trained for our RV needs

I realize I won,t get hd from a non hd antenna. I just want to get standard def. I was told that this swim box would enable my sd antenna to get service with a hd receiver box. I guess I should have just got a sd box but I,m taking it from the house and I have hd there.

Clay L · 06-12-2012, 07:25 AM

First I think you mean SWM rather than swim. It stands for single wire multi-switch.

Some HD Direct TV receivers will only work with a SWM dish (H25 for one I think). What they are sending you must allow the non SWM SD dish to work with the receiver.

I have an H24 receiver that will work with either a HD or a SD dish. That allows me to use my rooftop non SWM SK3005 automatic dish or my external 18 inch SD dish when trees block the SK3005.
I have to go into the receiver menu and change the dish type to match the one I am using.

pattcook · 06-12-2012, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clay L

First I think you mean SWM rather than swim. It stands for single wire multi-switch.

Some HD Direct TV receivers will only work with a SWM dish (H25 for one I think). What they are sending you must allow the non SWM SD dish to work with the receiver.

I have an H24 receiver that will work with either a HD or a SD dish. That allows me to use my rooftop non SWM SK3005 automatic dish or my external 18 inch SD dish when trees block the SK3005.
I have to go into the receiver menu and change the dish type to match the one I am using.

I spent the afternoon with yet another direct rep. This one says I don,t need the swm box. Just set the switch to multi switch and the antenna to 18" round and were good to go. Tried for an hour or two with the rep but no signal? always worked well with Dish. We switched because we didn,t like the dual satelite thing and going back and forth. Now nothing. We get to the point where the transponders come on but we don,t get any no matter where we aim the antenna. Were not newbies at this thats whats so frustrating.

gonzo136 · 06-13-2012, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattcook

I have had dish for several years on my 03 suncruiser. I just switched to direct tv and was unable to get reception with their hd receiver box. With dish i had a sd receiver box. Direct tv tells me I need a swim box to make my non hd satelite antenae work with a hd receiver. They are sending it free. Does this sound correct? thanks John

I am going to guess that when they say "SWM box" they mean an SWM receiver. It is pretty simple to tell if you have an SWM receiver. One of the coax inputs from the sat dish will be marked "SWM". You have not said if you got a new sat dish from Directv. If you did get one from them it is very likely that your new dish is an SWM type dish. If you did not get a new sat dish from Directv then you will never get a signal from your old Dish sat.
The SWM sat dishes from Directv require more power than the old dishes did so they have a power inserter and special coax splitters that must be used or you will not get a signal. I am guessing you have not insatlled a power inserter since no mention of that.
There is a lot of old and new equipment out there and there are some great websites with diagrams on how to set up the SWM equipment. Here is one DirecTV SWM 8 Wiring Diagrams. They are very knowledgeable.

Sequim Guy · 06-13-2012, 03:55 AM

It's not a SWM dish, the dish itself is called a Slimline, the new LNB (SL5S) is called
a SWM because it has the SWM built into it and requires the power inserter.
It means you now only run one cable into house/coach and with SWM splitters
you can run several receivers from that one cable.
The older LNBs got their power from the receiver, but it doesn't produce enough
power to run the newer LNBs as they now require 21v.

Not sure if they mean "SWM box" is the SWM itself or the receiver, didn't
know there was such a thing as a SWM receiver. Always thought the SWM
was merely to split the signal to more receivers.

.

fla tom · 06-13-2012, 09:37 AM

may be stupid question but(if you have a dome) did you reprogram your antena for Directv? also tell them you want a h24 reciver it will work with out the swm system

pattcook · 06-13-2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fla tom

may be stupid question but(if you have a dome) did you reprogram your antena for Directv? also tell them you want a h24 reciver it will work with out the swm system

I have the older Winegard dish that says its compatible with Dish or Direct. Used w/Dish for years. Not sure if I have h24 receivers or not, just know they are HD. Last rep was certain my receivers should work my system but something is off. I have to have a RF modulator between tv and receiver. Older dish receiver had the screw in connections for both sat and tv but this Direct receiver only has the screw in connection for sat. TV has the three yellow, white, and red push in connections so the rf modulator accepts the screw in from tv and out to Direct receiver with the 3 push in connections. My wife just told me we do have h24 receivers.

swk · 06-13-2012, 10:42 AM

I agree with fla tom. On my Winegard dish I had to change dip switches for DirecTV when I switched from Dish Network. My dish antenna is not HD capable.

pattcook · 06-13-2012, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winne2008

I agree with fla tom. On my Winegard dish I had to change dip switches for DirecTV when I switched from Dish Network. My dish antenna is not HD capable.

What are dip switches and where are they?

swk · 06-14-2012, 09:40 AM

I have the Winegard RoadTrip SDi (in motion) dish antenna. The dip switches are under the dome. Check the Owners Manual for your dish antenna to see if there are dip switches or programming to set for DirecTv.

pattcook · 06-16-2012, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winne2008

I have the Winegard RoadTrip SDi (in motion) dish antenna. The dip switches are under the dome. Check the Owners Manual for your dish antenna to see if there are dip switches or programming to set for DirecTv.

There are no dip switches with an older Winegard dish like ours. We finally had a Direct repairman come to the house and in a few minutes he had a picture. An Hd box will work with the older sd antennas. No SWM box needed. Just a little patience with the dialing in of the signal. We are getting a dedicated sd box for the motorhome as it will be easier than taking the hd from the house. No RF modulator needed. Thanks to all.- John