Need Help Fast!! Q re: installing DISH over cable wiring

Have a dilemna...presently have cable with outlets in almost every room...10 years ago during remodeling the cable was run into every room and house was sheetrocked and/or plastered and wiring is no longer accessible. We decided to go with satellite and after looking at both DISH and DIRECT packages had a strong, strong preference for Direct because of seemingly a lot more HD channels and I want the MLB package. I am working with local retail provider because I wanted a face-to-face relationship in case there were problems. Well, there are problems. The installer showed up yesterday and said that with Direct the set-up "requires 2 cables" and we just can't do that (I had originally been told that all we had to do was utilize the existing wall outlets ie plug each of our 4 TVs coaxial cables into the appropriate wall outlet). He indicated that he "thought" Dish installation wouldn't be a problem and but also wasn't sure about the basic issue of our utilizing the cable wiring even with Dish (I also want to continue my broadband with the cable company and there's uncertainty if I can keep the broadband while also utilizing what presumably are the same wires, at least to one room, as the future DISH feed). Well, I was lacking confidence that the DISH would work over the cables for HD etc and he pleasantly agreed to just suspend everything yesterday and is returning later today (in about an hour) with more information about what can or cannot be done.

My dilemna: I strongly want Direct over Dish because of more HD channels and MLB package but if Direct is impossible because of need to drill a lot of holes and have exposed wiring etc, I just can't do Direct....but, I'm wondering if it's a good idea or possible to utilize the existing cable wiring for Dish HD.

Obviously I'm a raw novice, know nothing about the issues, just assumed (correctly or incorrectly?) that they were installation experts who knew all the correct answers.

Just discovered this forum, likely I won't get answers quickly enough to resolve issues, will probably decide not to do anything right now (darn, all of us were looking forward to watching HD television over the holidays) and am eager to hear from folks on this forum re: your impressions and advice.

Thanks!!

If all of the cables from your house wiring terminate at some point where the Dish technician can get to them then yes, they probably would be able to do the HD Dish install. As for the using the same cable for broadband and Dish, no that will not work. You would need another single cable for the broadband connection. Contact a local Dish Network installer and let them check out your wiring and I am sure they will answer the same as I and your previous Direct installer.

Dish yes ... it can be done with one cable with the Dish 1000.2. Direct I'm not sure about ... maybe !!?? You would have to combine the signals then split then at the receivers ?? I know Dish you can throw a OTA signal piggy back on Sat. signal, not sure on cable tho ... I'd say no, but not sure !!

PM me ... I'll give you some info.

I believe DirecTV has that capability coming in the future, but not currently.

DishNetwork is ahead of DirecTV technilogically, they just have a problem in that a couple of their satellite launches were postponed due to launch facility problems.

I expect that in a year or so both satellite providers will have similar lineups across the board, except maybe ofr NFL Sunday Ticket, which is a rip off anyway IMHO.

The way I see it, you have a couple of choices. One is to just run cable on the wall and cover with wiremold. Not elegant, but it will work. Another would be to fish new cable through the walls. The third would be to run new wire, do a pair per outlet, and use the old cable to pull the new cable through the walls to each drop.

I'd recommend the latter, with a lot of soap on the new wire to ease it through tight spaces.

Good luck!