looking to upgrade existing setup

[wildstar]

I already have an older 3 lnb hd setup using the HR10-250 unit and a couple H20 units.

DTV's adding and re-arranging of their HD channels seems to require that I upgrade to the newer 5 satellite setup to get what I used to have access to.

Caveat/obstacle #1
I currently have my 3 lnb dish aligned perfectly. It wasn't easy, and wasn't something that the professionals could/would do, I had to do it myself. I don't want to do it again with new dish. If its at all possible, I want to just get two additional dishes with the correct LNBs and aim them two new satellites.

Caveat/obstacle #2
I live where I have OTA access to 2 different markets. I want to keep my existing OTA signal / setups. I have not found a multiswitch that claims to support the new mpeg4 and OTA signal. My existing H20 units function fine with OTA, and I can get used HR20s with no problem. The HR21 doesn't support OTA.

Caveat/obstacle #3
There are 2 signal distribution points in the house. One where the signal enters and the second centralized distribution point for the house. I need multiswitches that are cascadable and support mpeg4.

My current setup has 5 lines (1 OTA & 4 SAT) that run to a 5x8 multiswitch. 4 lines from that run to a second 4x8 multiswitch. Most of these lines end in diplexers to breakout the OTA signal from the SAT signal.

Has anybody tackled this challenge before? Does anybody have any idea for a solution?

To summarize, the problems are, as I see it:

#1) Identify the correct LNBs for the 2 new dishes.
#2) Identify multiswitches that support mpeg4 and diplexing OTA signal.

Not sure if #1 is commercially available.
Not sure if there is a technological obstacle preventing diplexing of OTA and mpeg4 signals.

[corkyfrog]

After a lot of research I found out the following; this is from the "Zinwell" manual for the DTV recommended multiswitch to use with the Slim Line, "Do not diplex (combine) an off air signal with a Ka/Ku dish signal, since the Ka-Lo band of 250-750 MHz occupies the same frequency band as the off-air (OTA) signal and will cause interference" There is a similar warning regarding the H20/MPEG-4 HD receivers.

As I was in the same situation as yourself I have looked everywhere and talked to several Dealer/Installers and currently there is no solution other than running a seperate line for the OTA signals. However if you are using non MPEG-4 receivers you can combine the OTA signal on the output side of the switch using "duplexors" and break it out at the other end, once again this only works with the NON-MPEG-4 receivers.