I would really like to offer the residents in our six unit the option of DirecTV. According to DirecTV, they only do MDU packages for apartments with 10 or more units. This leaves us with the option of installing a dish for each unit, which isn't even practical as there is only a small portion of the building which is likely to have line of sight to the satellites. I'm aware of the OTARD rules, but even if a resident wanted to install a dish, they wouldn't have LOS without bolting it to the end of the building. Not only would affixing six dishes to the building at this location look a bit odd, it may not even be possible due to space limitations.

Ideally, I'd like to put up a single dish, and be able to connect the units using the existing cabling (RG-6 but unknown quality). By placing the DirecTV hardware near the current cable entrance, it would be fairly easy for residents to choose Comcast vs. DirecTV (or even Dish if someone wants that installed). Simply connect the appropriate provider where the coax enters the building and install the appropriate provider's tuner inside the unit.

How have others handled DirecTV with a small apartment? Has anyone successfully installed a single dish to serve six residents? If so, how did you do it?

I'm an active ham radio operator so I've installed plenty of similar equipment. However, we don't even have a television, let alone satellite service, so I'm very unfamiliar with the specifics of how a multiple dwelling setup might work.

DTV signal can be split as many times a needed.

2/4 2 or 4 in depending on the dish...hd has 4 outputs,

As for the MDU take 10 and later drop it to 6, I know a motel that pays %59.00 a month, and has 10 drops. 20 channels...

You would be better to stay out of the Sat game...run the cables, 2 for TIVO and let them hook up and lease the equipment..

Just set them up at a head end, 5 cables from the outside, and run them to each outlet, best to let DTV do it...as they activate each tenant....

Ok, I've been looking at the equipment and options and see that it is indeed possible to set up a dish and multi-switch to service six different receivers on six different accounts. With my single call into DTV, they said their installers won't do six units with one dish. They'll put up six dishes. Anyway, it appears to me that it is in fact doable with a single dish. Either I'll have to find an installer who will do it for me or just do it myself.

The installation specifics are probably more appropriate for another venue, however I would be interested in some management advice from folks here. If I install (or have installed) and maintain the dish, multi-switch, coax etc. (just like I "maintain" the coax that residents use with Comcast) residents are certainly going to be upset with *me* if a piece of my equipment interrupts the service that they pay for. My inclination is to simply add an addendum to the rental agreement saying the resident is welcome to use my equipment with their receiver, but I'm not liable for any of their losses when a piece of my equipment goes bad, requires maintenance, or becomes incompatible with the the service they want. It seems odd as I certainly don't have any such addendum saying I'm not liable for their cable bill if a rat chews through my cable that runs to their unit. Still, it seems like a situation that might warrant written clarification -- you are welcome to connect your receiver up to my equipment, but if (for whatever reason) my equipment stops working for you, tough luck. What do others who maintain a single dish do in a situation like this?

I bought the equipment and pay for Dish Network, 10 minimum, and provide it to 8 units included in rent. Its a great deal to pay directly if you have 10 units, ok for eight, but six is tough. Now I could have set it up to have the residents pay individually, but I think I only discussed that with the satellite guy - I'm not sure how they can restrict the 10 minimum when you're not buying the bulk package.

I don't believe there is the demand in my market for satellite TV to be packaged with the rent.

My preference would be to install all the hardware except the receivers. Residents who wished to subscribe could do so individually, and hook their receivers to my equipment. Just like they connect to my cable but pay Comcast.

dbstalk dot com. check them out

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