Voltage 3905 and DirecTV

PNGento · 06-22-2014, 11:25 PM

I have a DirecTV technician here and he says that he needs to find the splitter to replace with one specific to DirecTV. Does anyone know where the splitter is? I have opened up the electrical panel in the main storage...not there. Doesn't appear to be found behind the individual cable plates at each TV...so it must be hiding somewhere.

The system he is trying to set up is the one referred to as the DirecTV Genie system.

Only TV cable plate I can't access is the one in the vehicle bay...cannot figure out how to remove the TV....seems it should just lift off like the one in the galley...but it just doesn't want to separate.

HornedToad · 06-23-2014, 12:17 AM

In my 3895 you remove the 4 corner screws in the bathroom cabinet to access the splitter behind the entertainment center.

Fanboy · 06-23-2014, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HornedToad

In my 3895 you remove the 4 corner screws in the bathroom cabinet to access the splitter behind the entertainment center.

Thanks for that

Pirate · 06-23-2014, 03:33 AM

Had our 3800 at Windish for a couple of things...and insisted on knowing where the "power inserter" and the splitter for the satellite signal is.

Ours is behind the long cabinet in the bathroom, between the toilet and the door (the real door, not the slider)

But I think your installer may have it wrong. I've been working on this same issue for about a month now!!!

There is one coax coming down from the SK-SWM3 Slimline antenna we had installed on the roof of our 2014 Voltage Epic. That coax goes into the "power invertor" and then out of the "power inserter", then through the Winegard/DirecTV satellite coax splitter. from the splitter your can run coax to the input of four DirecTV receivers.

If you are going with the new DirecTV Genie system...that is the way to go. But, this is how we are doing it, so that we don't need that splitter.

We have purchased from www.solidsignal.com

1 - DirecTV "wireless video bridge". The coax from the satellite dish will go to the this component.

The wireless video bridge creates its own "network" which will include:

1 - Genie HD44-200 HD DVR receiver. Its a wireless connection to the video bridge.

2 - Genie C41W RVU wireless mini client units. One in the bedroom and one in the garage. These connect wirelessly to the "network" and can show any channel you have access to as well as anything recorded on the Genie H44 HD DVR receiver.

I have also ordered two spare power supplies for the C41W units. By doing so I can mount one behind the Outdoor entertainment center TV. That way I can simply unplug the C41W Genie mini in the garage, plug it in at the outdoor...and have DirecTV there. Thus not having to move the power supply or HDMI cable.

Thus, we'll have DirecTV throughout the trailer.

Oh, and you can't add another Genie HR44 HD DVR to your DirecTV account at the house. One per account. A customer service rep e-mailed me that its a DirecTV problem and they're working on it. (yeah right).

My house is hardwired Genie, but the trailer will be wireless. My plan at this time is to take the Genie HR44 HD DVR out of the house and to the trailer when we're away from home.

Been working hard on this for a month. Hope to have the whole system up and running by mid-week!

Pirate

PNGento · 06-23-2014, 04:12 AM

Found the splitter behind the panel that has all of the switches for the lights, tank heaters, water pump, water heater, etc. Just pull the panel out and voila...there is the splitter. I need to look into the wireless bridge.

Pirate · 06-23-2014, 10:53 AM

solidsignal.com has, at least one, person that is their interface with DirecTV. Got an informative e-mail from her late Friday. Says she can help me with the setup in the trailer and with DirecTV.

We shall see!

Pirate

splash · 06-24-2014, 03:11 AM

Please keep us posted....

PNGento · 06-24-2014, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splash

Please keep us posted....

I now have DirecTV in HD and using a genie system. Seemed to be pretty straightforward. It helped to have a friend of my son who is a DTV technician. But, he put some type of box (and I can fill in specific details as needed, but just want to sort of lay out what all he did) inside the compartment where all the water and sat/cable connectors are. This box is plugged in, but there is an outlet in that compartment. It has two coax connections...one goes to the satellite dish, the other connects to the sat/cable input connection. The sat dish is on a nice tripod (I can provide ordering/link info as needed). Back to connections. He found the coax splitter behind the switches panel (lights, water pump, water heater, etc...the brain so to speak). He replaced that with a DTV splitter. He replaced all the crimped on connectors with compression connectors at each TV. If I were to want to watch OTA (over-the-air) TV, I would have to open the panel and switch out the main input coax for another, but can't imagine why I would want to do that. I think that is about it...if anyone else is contemplating doing this, I can ask him if he could give me specifics, but the process was really pretty easy and straightforward. The genie boxes just plug in for power, connect to the same coax cables as before were plugged into the TV (and now plugged into the DTV splitter)...but now, instead of being plugged into the back of the TV, it connects to the genie...the genie then connects to the TV via HDMI (all TVs have HDMI connections. Anyway, aiming the dish is not hard if you have a helper, but if you can have direct line of sight and a fairly quiet environment, a person could do it without help. Really pretty easy. Be happy to take pics or whatever.

Oh, and as long as that panel was opened up, I decided to wire it with LED string lights so I can actually read the labels for each of the switches...what could Dutchman have been thinking to have put that crosshatching on the panel...in anything but ideal lighting, no way can you read the labels without a flashlight...now, all I have to do is push a button and the b backlit panel with make reading the labels a breeze.

Pirate · 06-24-2014, 03:27 AM

Well, talked to SolidSignal about the Genie situation. We can't open a "commercial" or "RV" account with a Genie. FCC regulations to overcome...but Dish did it last year, so its coming. Only way would be to open another "residential" account...ain't goin' there!!

Was told the SK-SWM3 antenna just installed on the trailer would probably not work with a Genie HD DVR. Yup, ticked me off pretty good!!

So I took the Genie HR44 HD DVR receiver out of the house, took it to the Voltage, hooked it up...and it works just great! Got that info to SolidSignal...they are glad to know it works...there just isn't much info out there.

The wireless video bridge and wireless Genie minis should be here tomorrow.

Did learn that I can get an extra power supply and remote for the Genie HR44 HD DVR from SolidSignal.

That way, I just unplug everything from the back of the Genie at the house, take it to the Voltage, plug in the cords there...and we're in business.

I will post my results, plus all components and costs so that others can do likewise!

Pirate

13DenaliDually · 06-25-2014, 03:14 PM

I also wanted Directv in my 3950. I called and added another HD DVR Receiver to my home account ( Have Genie at home), then put together a Survey Tripod to hold a HD Dish I bought on craigslist. I modified the dish to have a folding LNB arm for easy storage. The 3950 has 4 TVs so I purchased a 2x4 Matrix on Ebay which has 2 inputs a 4 outputs which lets me hook up a DVD player and HD Receiver and send either signal to any TV. Works very well for us.

sundancer 87 · 06-25-2014, 03:20 PM

I can't find my 3800's multiswitch yet. I pulled the cabinet in the bathroom and only found a wad a smoosed wires behind it. At least it wasn't a lost cause for that experience.

Where else might the switch be in a 2013 3800?

Pirate · 06-25-2014, 05:06 PM

OK, a few questions

What sort of HD DVR did you add to the trailer? We have found out, emphatically, that we cannot have a second Genie HR44 HD DVR on a residential account. We would have to open a second residential account...and I ain't payin' another $137 a month!!

2x4 Matrix...what? HDMI splitter? Coax splitter? Very curious.

We have the Winegard/DirecTV SK-SWM3 HD antenna mounted on the roof. Self finding, self storing awesome!

Thanks,

Pirate

13DenaliDually · 06-26-2014, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate

OK, a few questions

What sort of HD DVR did you add to the trailer? We have found out, emphatically, that we cannot have a second Genie HR44 HD DVR on a residential account. We would have to open a second residential account...and I ain't payin' another $137 a month!!

2x4 Matrix...what? HDMI splitter? Coax splitter? Very curious.

We have the Winegard/DirecTV SK-SWM3 HD antenna mounted on the roof. Self finding, self storing awesome!

Thanks,

Pirate

The HD DVR Receiver is stand alone. ($7 extra on monthly bill). This is the #7 receiver on my account. ( Genie, 5 mini genies, 1 HD DVR). I called and asked for a HR24-100 specifically. The HDMI Matrix is on top of the receiver. Bought 4 HDMI cables and took a painful day and routed them to each TV. Each TV has stock coax antenna cable as well as HDMI cable. Selecting 1 on the Matrix sends Directv to the HDMI cable and 2 on the Matrix sends the DVD player to the HDMI cable. This goes for each TV. We stay in a lot of wooded parks, so the flexibility of the Tripod is great for us. Set up is longer, but sometimes it has to be set away from the RV to get a signal.

Pirate · 06-26-2014, 03:47 AM

Gotcha,

I gave up trying to figure out how to run HDMI cables to the four TVs in our new 3800.

So I move the HR44 Genie from the house to the Voltage when we go out.

I have purchased, and activated two of the wireless mini Genie devices and a "wireless video bridge".

I also purchased an extra power supply for the HR44 Genie HD DVR and two extra power supplies for the C41W mini Genies.

So, I have mounted the wireless video bridge on the center shelf of the left hand cabinet under the living area TV.

The HR44 Genie is on the upper shelf of that cabinet and is hard wired to the wireless video bridge. The living area TV is hard wired to the HR44 Genie.

A wireless mini Genie is pretty much permanently mounted under the TV in the bedroom. The power supply is mounted to the wall behind the TV.

There is a power supply permanently mounted behind the Garage TV and the Outdoor TV. There is also an HDMI cable connected each of the TVs.

Thus it is a simple matter to move the wireless mini Genie to the Garage or the Outdoor TV, plug it in, and watch.

So...here's a question.

In our home, we have a Genie HR44 HD DVR. It has one coax coming in from the satellite dish. It has one HDMI cable to the TV above it. And it has a power supply.

In the bedroom, we have a "hardwired" mini Genie. It has a coax coming in from the...???? It has an HDMI cable to the TV above it, and it has a power supply.

SO...does all the programming, live and recorded come to the HR44 Genie, and then go out to the bedroom mini Genie via that coax?

In the trailer, does the live programming come in to the wireless video bridge from the satellite bridge and then go to the HR44 Genie where some is recorded...but...does all the live and recorded programming come back to the wireless video bridge from the HR44 Genie via that coax, and then is broadcast wirelessly to the wireless mini Genies?

Hmmmm....gotta think about that one.

By the same token, if I hardwire the HR24 HD DVD to the wireless video bridge, can I then use it broadcast live and recorded programming to the wireless mini Genies?

Going to try that tomorrow morning....

Anyone have the answer?

Thanks,

Pirate

splash · 06-26-2014, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate

Gotcha,

I gave up trying to figure out how to run HDMI cables to the four TVs in our new 3800.

So I move the HR44 Genie from the house to the Voltage when we go out.

I have purchased, and activated two of the wireless mini Genie devices and a "wireless video bridge".

I also purchased an extra power supply for the HR44 Genie HD DVR and two extra power supplies for the C41W mini Genies.

So, I have mounted the wireless video bridge on the center shelf of the left hand cabinet under the living area TV.

The HR44 Genie is on the upper shelf of that cabinet and is hard wired to the wireless video bridge. The living area TV is hard wired to the HR44 Genie.

A wireless mini Genie is pretty much permanently mounted under the TV in the bedroom. The power supply is mounted to the wall behind the TV.

There is a power supply permanently mounted behind the Garage TV and the Outdoor TV. There is also an HDMI cable connected each of the TVs.

Thus it is a simple matter to move the wireless mini Genie to the Garage or the Outdoor TV, plug it in, and watch.

So...here's a question.

In our home, we have a Genie HR44 HD DVR. It has one coax coming in from the satellite dish. It has one HDMI cable to the TV above it. And it has a power supply.

In the bedroom, we have a "hardwired" mini Genie. It has a coax coming in from the...???? It has an HDMI cable to the TV above it, and it has a power supply.

SO...does all the programming, live and recorded come to the HR44 Genie, and then go out to the bedroom mini Genie via that coax?

In the trailer, does the live programming come in to the wireless video bridge from the satellite bridge and then go to the HR44 Genie where some is recorded...but...does all the live and recorded programming come back to the wireless video bridge from the HR44 Genie via that coax, and then is broadcast wirelessly to the wireless mini Genies?

Hmmmm....gotta think about that one.

By the same token, if I hardwire the HR24 HD DVD to the wireless video bridge, can I then use it broadcast live and recorded programming to the wireless mini Genies?

Going to try that tomorrow morning....

Anyone have the answer?

Thanks,

Pirate

From directv: https://support.directv.com/app/answ...sked-questions

Is the Wireless Genie Mini completely wireless?
The Wireless Genie Mini communicates wirelessly with the Genie HD DVR, but does require a power cord and HDMI connection to the TV. While the Wireless Genie Minis themselves are wireless, the Genie HD DVR still connects to your Whole-Home system and the Wireless Video Bridge via coax cable, and to the Internet via the DIRECTV CIENEMA® connection kit.

Does the Genie HD DVR need to be connected to the Internet for the Wireless Genie Mini to work?
No. The Wireless Genie Mini and Wireless Video Bridge work independently of the Genie Internet connection. However, when the Genie HD DVR is connected to the Internet, the Genie HD DVR and Wireless Genie Minis can take advantage of Internet-connected benefits such as VOD, Pandora, YouTube, and the new HD TV apps.

How does the Wireless Video Bridge work?
The Wireless Video Bridge creates a private, separate, local network that Wireless Genie Minis can connect to wirelessly. The Wireless Video Bridge will deliver the Genie HD DVR experience seamlessly to the Wireless Genie Mini as if there was a traditional coax network in the home.

Pirate · 06-26-2014, 05:43 AM

splash

Good answers...but not to my questions...hmmm...

Is the HR44 Genie HD DVR also wireless? We could get nowhere until I connected a coax to the lower coax fitting on the wireless video bridge.

Once the private network is set up by the wireless video bridge, can I disconnect the coax and make the Genie HD DVR talk wirelessly to the "wireless video bridge".

PNGento · 06-26-2014, 07:47 PM

Deleted...already answered.

splash · 06-27-2014, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate

splash

Good answers...but not to my questions...hmmm...

Is the HR44 Genie HD DVR also wireless? We could get nowhere until I connected a coax to the lower coax fitting on the wireless video bridge.

Once the private network is set up by the wireless video bridge, can I disconnect the coax and make the Genie HD DVR talk wirelessly to the "wireless video bridge".

Was trying to answer your question about whether coaxial cable is needed to genie mini...

DR Buck · 07-01-2014, 04:59 PM

You can save some $$$ buy staying away from adding the DTV Genie units and additional receivers. I plan on using my second home HD-DVR in the Voltage and going with a HDMI repeater setup. You hook the transmitter up to the output of the HD-DVR or any DVD player and it transmitts it to receivers connected to the other TVs. Many of the repeater models available also 'repeat' the IR for the remote control.

Pirate · 07-01-2014, 05:42 PM

DR Buck,

Tell us more about the "HDMI repeater setup" Have never heard of that...yet...

I do understand that "RVU" television sets are DirecTV ready, don't need a mini Genie. So going to do some research on that as our bedroom TV has the worst picture I've ever seen on a TV. All black shadows..

Interested in the repeater set if you have more info or links.

Thanks!!!

Pirate

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