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high quality 5x8 multiswitch for phaseIII dish?
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Posted by: eddie s

any suggestions? I'm not sure of Terk products(BMS-58) Was thinking of something higher qaulity for hdtv reception is eagle aspen (S-4180-GX+) any good? Also If spaun is best what is the 5x8 casscadable switch I would need for phase III dish? Thanks for your help, I'm still trying to learn all of this and I know the people on this board are the best to ask! Ed.

Posted by: Wisegoat

They are a German company. www.spaun.com I have their 5x8 splitter. Powered. It is pricey at $350, but the signal quality is flawless. It passes through the signals from all 3 sats. You will not be disappointed.

Posted by: eddie s

Is that right? Sorry, I'm new to this and want to get it right.

Posted by: osultan

I have the Eagle Aspen switch and am very happy with it. Picked it up from SolidSignal.com for about $120.

Posted by: steuert

Call DTV; they are likely to offer you a free multiswitch if you plan to hook up additional receivers, as that will result in additional income to them.

IMO, spending $350 for a multiswitch is throwing away money. Much cheaper ones will do the job just as well. I have a Perfect Vision switch which cost about 1/3 as much and passes the signal from all three satellites "flawlessly," as will any multiswitch that is working properly.

Posted by: aenea

I agree, see if you can get one from DirecTV. If they won't go for it, I wouldn't spend $350 for a Spaun. There's nothing about an HD stream that requires a special multiswitch; it's switching data streams composed of multiple transpoders. It doesn't matter to the multiswitch whether those transponders carry SD or HD channels.

Posted by: Fluffybear

There is nothing wrong with the Terk 5x8..

It is cascadable as well and does a beautiful job within HDTV as well..

In many cases, you are paying for a name and Spaun's name comes with a hefty price tag..

Posted by: cmcjo

The Spaun is also a very heavy solid piece of hardware.
The JVI switches are very flimsy and made very cheaply. So in addition to paying a premium for the Spaun name, you are also getting a higher quality better build product.

quote:
Originally posted by Fluffybear
There is nothing wrong with the Terk 5x8..

It is cascadable as well and does a beautiful job within HDTV as well..

In many cases, you are paying for a name and Spaun's name comes with a hefty price tag..

Posted by: Fluffybear

quote:
Originally posted by cmcjo
The Spaun is also a very heavy solid piece of hardware.
The JVI switches are very flimsy and made very cheaply. So in addition to paying a premium for the Spaun name, you are also getting a higher quality better build product.

I have never used JVI multiswitches so I will not comment.

The Terk 5x8's (manufactured by Terk) may not be manufcatured with the same parts that go in to the Spaun but I have not seen any problem with it. BTW, I had a Spaun multiswitch at my residence in California and noticed no difference in signal or picture quality..

Posted by: herdfan

Don't confuse the quality of Terk's antenna with their multiswitch. The multiswitch actually works. I have two of them cascaded off a Phase III and everything works perfectly. You can pick them up for around $75 online.

The Eagle Aspen is also a good choice.

Posted by: DeputyTIVO

I had a Spaun and it worked great, and now I have an Eagle Aspen and it works just as good ... plus it was $300 cheaper. Get the Eagle Aspen.

Posted by: aaronwt

I've been using a Terk BMS-58 since last fall without any problems.

Posted by: scooby2

I had a spaun (Still do somewhere) until I went with the triple lnb dish. Since then I have used the Terk BMS-58. It has worked flawlessly. I just ordered one for my parents from buy.com for $72.00.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product_j...lec&dcaid=15889

Scooby

Posted by: PRMan

I had a powered 2X8 JVI in the past and it worked great. No problems.

Posted by: ANSEK

I have the Terk BMS58 and it is working fine. If you have the cash and you want to make sure you are getting the best unit available go ahead and get the Spaun. They make a great product. After buying my HD TiVo, I didn't have the cash to spend on the Spaun or else I would of bought one as well.

Posted by: Weez

I have the spaun 5x16 and it is a great switch. I do regret not getting the cascadable but at the time i never thought 16 outputs wouldnt suffice. :D

When/if i move to a cascadable setup i wouldnt hesitate to spend the money again on the spaun equipment.

Weez

Posted by: charlieg

I got a Perfect Vision 5x8 from Expert Satellite for $50, delivered. The picture on the web site appears to be an Eagle-Aspen but at the time I ordered they were shipping out Perfect Vision multiswitches (the sales person said it varied depending on what they had in stock but guaranteed that whatever they shipped would work with a Phase III dish). In any event, the Perfect Vision works flawlessly and is very solid.

- Charlie

Posted by: greywolf

I've been following posts on the Avsforum HDTV hardware pages for years and have paid special attention to questions about multiswitches. Through all the posted problem and satisfaction reports, there were only one or two reports where the 5x8 multiswitch itself was the problem. Also, the problem(s) existed from day one so return for a replacement was easy. It would seem to be difficult to find a bad unit. I wouldn't hesitate to shop for best price.

Posted by: David Scavo

No problems here with a Terk BMS-58 mounted in the basement.

Swapped out from an unpowered Spaun 2x8 when I upgraded to Phase III dish to get HD channels.

No appreciable difference in signal strength (Atlanta, GA) between the Spaun and the Terk (most 101 and 110 transponders are 96-100, 119 transponders are 85-93).

Posted by: Bill Broderick

Does anyone know what multi-switch DirecTV will give someone who needs one? I installed the HDTivo a few weeks ago, which took up the last output from my 4x4 multiswitch (the one that came with the early oval dishes, not the phase 3). I thought ahead when this was installed and had it installed in the basement rather than outside on the dish.

Last week I ordered the SD Tivo to put into my guest room, where I keep my treadmill (after getting the HD Tivo, I realized how perfect a Tivo would be for those 7am romps on the treadmill). I told the CSR that I would need a new multiswitch and he said that the installer would have one and install it if necessary (which it will be).

I'm now wondering what kind they will install.

Posted by: Fluffybear

As i understand it, the local installer (independent contractor) purchases these items from their own source and bills DirecTV for the equipment that was installed so it is hard to say who you will get.

I have seem some posts where some have receiver Terk while others have received JVI and some still have received Eagle Aspen. My parents recently went through the move program and received a Terk multiswitch while their neighbor went through the same program and same installer (a month later) and they received a Channel Master.

Posted by: drober30

I received a Mulitswitch from D* as part of the $99 HD deal. It was not pretty.. it might be a JVI, I would have to look. It did not have an input for an OTA antenna but the picture quality is the same as my channel master it replaced.

I also would not pay $$$ for a spaun. I would have no problem with the Terk or the free one I'm using from D*.... after all its about time I didn't have to spend a ton on something!

Posted by: ShiningBengal

I'm not a fan of Terk products generally, but let's face it: If a multiswitch works, it works. I have a Terk BMS58, and it does exactly what it is designed to do: It switches, for Pete's sake!

Can your Spaun recite the Gettysburg Address?

I bought my BMS58 online for $70 5 months ago. It is guaranteed for 12 months, but if it fails (not the end of the world) I can get another one 4 times over for what you paid for your Spaun.

I'm not at all sure of the supposed "quality" of the Spaun, but if it is a fancy paint job or die cast body (oops, Terk has that too), that's called over-engineering. No problem if you have money to burn, I suppose. A multiswitch has no effect whatever on signal quality. It's digital, you see--you either get it or you don't.

Hey, I have a fabulous $500 light switch for my dining chandelier! And it gives me perfectly wonderful lighting in my dining room. Now I'm saving up for a dining room table!

quote:
Originally posted by pornogoat
They are a German company. www.spaun.com I have their 5x8 splitter. Powered. It is pricey at $350, but the signal quality is flawless. It passes through the signals from all 3 sats. You will not be disappointed.

Posted by: scottchez

Terk products(BMS-58)

$67 after coupon at buy.com

No problems at all. Works great.

Posted by: SteveHoltam

My Directv installer gave me a Terk. It works fine. I ordered the $99 Tivo deal just to get this switch. If anyone else does this trick, make sure you tell the CSR you NEED the 5x8. If you leave this part off, the installer will try to charge you for it!

Steve

Posted by: joealtus

Regarding this whole "multiswitch is a multiswitch is a multiswitch" business, aren't there reports that the Terk significantly degrades OTA signal strength when their 5x8 is used to diplex in the antenna signal?

Is there a better multiswitch out there in this regard?

Posted by: greywolf

What reports? I haven't seen any confirmable information that any 5x multiswitch does a significantly better job at diplexing OTA than another.

Posted by: Mike_TV

quote:
Does anyone know what multi-switch DirecTV will give someone who needs one?

As part of the Mover's Program, I asked for a Phase III dish and a 5x8 multiswitch when I moved to move to HDTV by the end of this year.

The installer showed up with a JVI 35-TRDTV48 4x8 and said that was all they had and couldn't give me a 5x8. It is powered and I get just about 90-95% signal strength on almost all transponders.

I'll add diplexers if I need to insert an OTA signal.

Not bad for the $25 Mover's Program charge.

Posted by: joealtus

quote:
Originally posted by greywolf
What reports? I haven't seen any confirmable information that any 5x multiswitch does a significantly better job at diplexing OTA than another.

I'm not sure if it was this forum or another, but I read that passing OTA through the terk 5x8 dropped the signal strength significantly versus running it straight to the receiver.

Posted by: greywolf

All diplexing reduces signal strength somewhat. An 8 way split also drops some signal. I've seen no information the Terk does so more than any other multiswitch or diplexer. 5x multiswitches even amplify the signal to make up for the 8 way split.

Posted by: Fluffybear

I will agree that the OTA signal is not as pure as it would be if I were running it directly to the TV but I will also add that I notice no difference between the Spaun I use to have in LA and the Terks I am using here..

Posted by: kirkus

My JVI lasted less than half a year and burned itself out. Eagle Aspen has been running flawlessly ever since.

Posted by: dwynne

I just got my Terk BMS-58 today via UPS.

I never thought about it being a POWERED switch - is this required? In the spec sheet it says it has DC pass (like my current 4 way switch did, which was non powered). Where I was going to put the switch (in the garage) has no outlet handy - but it does take the DC in via another coax, so I can always run "one more run" to provide it with power too.

Thanks!
Dennis

Posted by: hipreck

I use a powered switch. I've smoked a pair of those cheap JVI switches. I finally gave up and spent the money on the Spaun. Built like a tank and works flawlessly.

I have no experience with the Eagle Aspen, it may well work great. At least with the Spaun I'm comfortable it will work for a long time. As I said, those JVIs were lowsy.

Posted by: Fluffybear

quote:
Originally posted by dwynne
I just got my Terk BMS-58 today via UPS.

I never thought about it being a POWERED switch - is this required? In the spec sheet it says it has DC pass (like my current 4 way switch did, which was non powered). Where I was going to put the switch (in the garage) has no outlet handy - but it does take the DC in via another coax, so I can always run "one more run" to provide it with power too.

Thanks!
Dennis

I believe the power is required as it amplifys the signal to be able and the 8 outputs.

Running the DC through a seperate RG-6 run is a nice touch as it allows you to customize the run. There is so many times when using a standard AC cable that you end up 3 inches short of the outlet..

Posted by: greywolf

Beware of the DC passthru spec on the BMS-58. From accounts in AVSForum, it doesn't work. If a preamp is required, put the power injector between the multiswitch and the preamp.

Any 5x8 really needs to be powered at least to amplify the signal a bit since that signal is separated into 8 outputs. Reports of failure with the Terk BMS-58 and Eagle Aspen S-4180-GX+ are rare.

Posted by: Starrbuck

Using a Terk BMS-58 here that I got off of eBay for $69.