We have previously written about the benefits of DIRECTV’s single-wire multiswitch (SWM). Using a SWM, you can power multiple receivers from a single line, and you can power two tuners on a DIRECTV HD DVR using only one line.
The SWM now comes in multiple varieties. The two primary flavors are (1) the single-wire multiswitch, which is used together with a standard 5LNB dish, and (2) the new SWM Dish, which is a 5LNB dish with an integrated single-wire multiswitch.
The SWM dish has one single-wire multiswitch built into it, and can handle a total of 8 tuners (eg. up to 4 DVRs). It has NO expansion capability, so it is a bad solution for anyone expecting to have or need more than 8 tuners, now or in the future. (By comparison, the 5LNB dish without a SWM has 4 lines coming out, which can feed receivers, a SWM or a different mulitiswitch.)
The SWM (mutiswitch, not DISH) can be used with other SWMs to feed 10, 20, 50 or hundreds of receivers. The single-wire mutiswitch + standard 5LNB dish is a much more versatile solution and is ideal for anyone who already has a 5LNB (non-SWM) dish or who needs to power more than 8 tuners.
If you have a simple installation with just a few receivers, you might consider the SWM Dish instead.