Related Manuals for RCA DIRECTV PLUS 15407690
Summary of Contents for RCA DIRECTV PLUS 15407690
- Page 1 ™ DIRECTV PLUS Satellite Dish Antenna Changing Entertainment. Again. Installer's Guide...
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Page 2: Safety Information
Safety Information DANGER! Avoid Power lines! CAUTION Outdoor Dish Antenna Grounding Compliance with National Electrical Code Note to Satellite Dish Installer Restrictions DIRECTV and DIRECTV PLUS are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp., and are used with permission. When following the instructions in this guide to install and connect the DIRECTV PLUS™... - Page 3 Table of Contents Preparing for Installation ... 3 Mounting the Mast ... 17...
- Page 4 Table of Contents Final Installation ... 27 Reference... 39...
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Page 5: Preparing For Installation
Preparing for Installation Chapter Overview: • Installation Overview • Mounting Options • General Site Survey • Finding the Dish Pointing Coordinates • Estimating Cable Requirements • DIRECTV PLUS™ Dish Assembly Overview • Setting the Elevation and Attaching the Fine Tuning Adjustment •... -
Page 6: Installation Overview
Preparing for Installation Installation Overview The manual is organized into steps that need to be performed in the order presented. Preparing for Installation • Complete a General Site Survey – Visually survey your location to make sure it is suitable. •... -
Page 7: Mounting Options
Mounting Options VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure that the mast is both PLUMB and LEVEL. If the mast is not PLUMB and LEVEL, the elevation, azimuth, and tilt settings you get from on-screen instructions will not be accurate and you may not be able to acquire the signal. Solid Wood or Lap Siding Important Considerations: •... -
Page 8: General Site Survey
Preparing for Installation Should I Do This Myself? While the installation is not difficult, it does require that you have some experience in electrical wiring and minor construction techniques. Also, you may have to climb a ladder, so you’ll want to be comfortable working with heights. Depending on how you install the DIRECTV PLUS™... -
Page 9: How High Up In The Sky Is The Satellite
The Satellite Locations Both satellites are always located south of the United States at approximately 101 and 119 latitude. That means if you live in Miami, you must have a clear line of sight west/southwest; if you live in San Francisco, you must have a clear line south/ southeast. -
Page 10: Finding The Dish Pointing Coordinates
Preparing for Installation Finding the Dish Pointing Coordinates Finding the dish pointing coordinates for your location includes presetting the elevation and tilt. This is done by following directions that appear on your TV screen. You need to make sure that your digital satellite receiver, HDTV, or HD set-top converter is connected and working so that you can see these menu directions on a television screen. -
Page 11: Precise Site Survey
Precise Site Survey Based on your general site survey, you probably already know where you want to mount your DIRECTV PLUS™ dish, but it’s a good idea to follow the procedures outlined in this section in order to make sure that your site selection is a good one. Go outside to your install site and hold a compass flat in the palm of your hand. -
Page 12: Estimating Cable Requirements
Preparing for Installation A Final Site Survey Now that you’ve conducted a precise site survey using the dish pointing coordinates for your location, you should double-check one more time to make sure you have a clear view in the direction of the satellites. I Don’t have a clear view to the satellite. - Page 13 This diagram shows “typical” installation steps. It illustrates the minimum of cables needed to give a signal to one digital satellite receiver, HDTV, or HD set-top converter. The information on the following pages takes you through the cable estimating process step-by-step.
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Page 14: Hardware Included
Preparing for Installation DIRECTV PLUS™ Dish Assembly Overview Use this page both as a parts lists for your HD satellite antenna, and a general overview of how the parts fit together; but DO NOT ASSEMBLE THE DISH YET. Two LNBs (Low Noise Block converter) LNB Adapter LNB feeder tube... - Page 15 Securing the Mast Foot 1. If you plan to use the mast foot, use two (2) 1/4" x 1/2" carriage bolts, and two (2) 1/4" flange nuts to join the pieces through the bolt holes in the mast and the curved space of the mounting foot. Place one bolt on each side.
- Page 16 Preparing for Installation Setting the Elevation and Attaching the Fine Tuning Adjustment Use the elevation setting coordinate you wrote down on page 8 to preset the elevation of the dish, and then attach the fine tuning adjustment tool. 1. Use a 1/4” x 1/2” carriage bolt, a washer, and a flange nut to attach the L-bracket to the elevation slot.
- Page 17 Attaching the Mast Clamp to the DIRECTV PLUS™ Antenna 1. Insert the two 1/4” x 1 3/4” carriage bolts through the holes on the front of the dish. 2. Attach the mast clamp to the back of the dish, passing the bolts through the slots used to set the tilt.
- Page 18 Preparing for Installation Attaching the LNB Support Arm and Adapter 1. Attach the rectangular LNB feeder tube to the antenna socket making sure that the round hole for the spacer is positioned as shown in the diagram below. Tighten the bolt while holding the nut. LNB adapter 2.
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Page 19: Mounting The Mast
Mounting the Mast Chapter Overview: • Mounting The Mast On Solid Wood Or Lap Siding • Mounting the Mast on Brick or Poured Concrete • Mounting the Mast on a Hollow or Cinder Block Wall • Mounting the DIRECTV PLUS™ Dish On A Pole Chapter 2... -
Page 20: Mounting The Mast On Solid Wood Or Lap Siding
Mounting the Mast Mounting The Mast On Solid Wood Or Lap Siding Materials Needed Important Considerations: • Do NOT mount the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish where someone might use it as a handrail. • Do NOT mount the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish on any type of aluminum or vinyl siding. -
Page 21: Mounting Instructions
Mounting Instructions 1. Locate the center of a stud where you want to mount the mast foot. Make sure you locate and secure the mounting foot to the center of a wall stud. Do not mount the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish near the edge of a stud. 2. -
Page 22: Installing A Spacer
Mounting the Mast 8. Install two 5/16" x 3" lag screws into the two center holes on the mounting foot. Securely tighten the screws into the center of the wood beam. 9. Put washers on the 5/16" x 2" lag screws, insert the screws into the four outside holes and securely tighten them. -
Page 23: Mounting The Mast On Brick Or Poured Concrete
Mounting the Mast on Brick or Poured Concrete IMPORTANT Considerations • The wall anchors used must have a strength of at least 300 pounds of pullout pressure. The use of B4015 or equivalent double-expansion anchors is recommended. • Do NOT mount the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish under an eave or overhang that may block or partially shadow the DIRECTV PLUS™... - Page 24 Mounting the Mast 3. Mark the eight outside holes on the mounting foot. 4. Remove the foot and drill eight (8) 1/2" holes in the locations you marked using a specialty masonry drill bit. 5. Insert four (8) B4015 or equivalent double-expansion anchors. Step 7: Make sure that the top of the mast will point straight up.
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Page 25: Mounting The Mast On A Hollow Or Cinder Block Wall
Mounting the Mast on a Hollow or Cinder Block Wall Materials Needed IMPORTANT Consideration • Do NOT mount the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish under an eave or overhang that may block or partially shadow the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish. Mounting Instructions 1. When installing togglers in cinder blocks, it is important to position them in the core of the block. - Page 26 Mounting the Mast 6. Install the togglers: Carefully fold one end of the metal channel along the plastic straps. Hold the metal channel flat against the plastic straps and slide it through the hole. Pull the ring so the metal channel rests flush behind the wall. Hold the ring tight and slide the plastic cap along the straps until the cap is flush with the wall.
- Page 27 Mounting the DIRECTV PLUS™ Dish On A Pole Materials Needed • (1) galvanized steel pipe with a measured outer diameter of 2 • (3) bags quick-setting concrete Important Considerations: • Do not install the pole in wet or marshy areas. •...
- Page 28 Mounting the Mast 2. Use a hacksaw to cut a 45 degree angle at the bottom of the pole. This will prevent the pole from rotating in the concrete over time. 3. Place the pole in the hole and use a small amount of dirt or stones to hold the pole upright.
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Page 29: Final Installation
Chapter 3 Final Installation Chapter Overview: • Leveling the Mast • Final DIRECTV PLUS™ Dish Assembly • Routing and Grounding the Cables • Running Cable Into the House • Making the Final Connections • Acquiring and Fine Tuning the Signal... -
Page 30: Leveling The Mast
Final Installation Leveling the Mast Making sure the mast is plumb and level is one of the most important steps in installation. If the mast is not plumb and level, the elevation, azimuth, and polarization settings you get from on-screen instructions will not be accurate. This makes it difficult to obtain the satellite signal(s). - Page 31 Leveling Front-to-Back 1. Loosen the two bolts securing the mast to the mounting foot so the mast moves freely. 2. Place a bubble level on the mast as shown in the figure. Move the mast so the bubble is centered in the level’s window. Level Not Level Rotate mast as...
- Page 32 Final Installation 2. If your cables are not marked, you may want to mark each cable with masking tape so that you know which cables to attach to each LNB, and subsequently to the multiswitch. 3. Separate the messenger (ground) wire from the coaxial cables. Push only the coaxial cable through the bottom of the mast and out the top.
- Page 33 7. Locate the grounding hardware (one #10 hex washer head screw), and insert the bolt as shown below and attach the messenger (ground) wire to the foot of the mast (you may want to trim the extra messenger wire before attaching). You will connect the other end of that wire to the grounding block at the building entry point.
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Page 34: Routing And Grounding The Cables
Final Installation Routing and Grounding the Cables 1. Attach the grounding block(s) to the side of your house close to the point you have chosen as the coaxial cable entry point. You may have to use anchors, togglers, or wood screws depending on the surface on which you are mounting the grounding block. -
Page 35: Running Cable Into The House
Running Cable Into the House Cable Entry Overview Grounding Blocks (mounted outside) Ground to the central building ground Chapter 3 Cables for Satellite B Cables for Satellite A Multiswitch (mounted inside) To the SATELLITE IN jack on the back of your digital satellite receiver, HDTV, or HD set-top converter, INFO INPUT... - Page 36 Final Installation Step-by-Step Instructions for Routing the Cables 1. Drill a hole in the location you want the coaxial cable to enter. 2. Place some silicone grease on the connector and connect the RG-6 coaxial cable that will extend from the grounding block to the receiver. 3.
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Page 37: Making The Final Connections
7. Be sure to ground the multiswitch. 8. Use a silicone sealant to seal all outside connections and the hole you drilled for the coaxial cable to enter your house. RG-6 cables from the grounding blocks Cables for Satellite A (101 ) Ground the multiswitcher... -
Page 38: Acquiring And Fine Tuning The Signal
Final Installation Acquiring and Fine Tuning the Signal Now that you have installed the DIRECTV PLUS™ satellite antenna and routed all of the cable, it’s time to acquire and fine tune the signal. Before you begin, you may want to go outside and double-check the azimuth, elevation, and tilt settings on the dish to make sure they correspond to the on-screen coordinates given. - Page 39 Point center of the antenna to the exact azimuth direction according to your compass Using a compass, point the antenna east (left) of the azimuth value for your location. b. Sweep the antenna towards west (right) and through the azimuth point by moving the dish in approximately 3 degree increments and pausing to wait for an updated value from signal meter.
- Page 40 Final Installation 4. With signal meter locked and displaying a value greater than 0, adjust the azimuth until the signal meter value is maximized. Then further maximize the signal meter value by finely adjusting the elevation angle. Make a note of the elevation and the azimuth angles where signal meter was the highest.
- Page 41 Chapter 4 Reference Chapter Overview: • Troubleshooting • Toll-Free Telephone Product Help • Limited Warranty • Index...
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Page 42: Troubleshooting
Reference Troubleshooting Can’t Pick Up the Satellite Signal Most problems with signal acquisition can be traced to one of these points: improper cabling and connections or inaccurate positioning and pointing of the DIRECTV PLUS™ dish. Cabling and Connections Problems 1. Make sure you’re using the proper type of RG-6 coaxial cable to connect the LNB to the grounding block and the grounding block to the satellite receiver. -
Page 43: Temporary Satellite Signal Loss
Temporary Satellite Signal Loss If you lose the satellite signal temporarily, the problem can usually be traced to one of these points: 1. Rain Fade. Rain fade is a normal, temporary loss of a satellite signal due to the inability of the satellite signal to penetrate unusually heavy, rain-filled clouds, rainfall, or snowfall. - Page 44 Reference Toll-Free Telephone Product Help You can reach Thomson Consumer Electronics at the following number: 1-800-679-4776 (Toll free inside U.S.A.) Thomson provides a toll-free telephone number to help you with any problems you may encounter with your DIRECTV PLUS™ system, as many problems can be diagnosed over the phone.
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Page 45: Limited Warranty
Limited Warranty What does your warranty cover? • Any defect in material or workmanship. For how long after your purchase? • One year. • The warranty period for rental units begins with the first rental. What will we do? • Exchange the defective portion of your antenna with a new, or at our option, a refurbished unit. - Page 46 Reference Index Assembly overview 12 parts list 12 Azimuth 36 Brick mounting 21 Cable Requirements estimating 10 overview 11 Cable Routing from antenna to grounding block 32 into the house 33 Central Building Ground 10 acceptable points 31 Cinder Block Mounting 23 Compass, finding azimuth 9 Concrete Mounting 21 Connecting to Receiver 35...
- Page 47 Mast Clamp attaching to the antenna 15 securing 13 Mast Foot securing 13 Messenger Wire 30 Mounting options 5 brick or poured concrete 21 hollow or cinder block wall 23 pole mount 25 Solid wood or lap siding 18 Multiswitch 34 mounting 34 National Electrical Code (NEC) 10, 31 Parts List (assembly) 12...
- Page 48 If your satellite system needs service, please contact your dealer or the nearest Servicenter from the yellow pages. Please do not send any products to the Indianapolis address listed in this manual or on the carton. This will only add delays in service for your product. 10330 North Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46290 ©1999 Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.