About to call Shaw (and cancel Bell XpressVu)

[mecdatlanta]

If you have more than one receiver you pay a "Multi-Receiver Warranty Fee" of $5.99, you do not pay this per each receiver, it is a single fee of $5.99 whether you have 2 receivers or the maximum of 6 receivers on a single account. I have six 630 receivers, 3 at my Canadian residence and 3 at my HAFH residence and pay a single fee of $5.99 each month.

Wow 6 630's! That's quite an investment QCK!

That brings up a good point. How does having an installation at a second residence work? I tried to look that up on the Shaw website, but they don't seem to talk about using a subscription at a lakehouse, etc. Is it just a matter of buying a second dish and receiver and paying the $5.99/mo fee?

Don

[QCK]

You need to tell them you want the Home Away From Home package. It will cost you $99 + tax and they will mail you a dish to your Canadian residence. Just have the dish installed at your secondary home. You must provide them with a fax of proof of your secondary residence (tax or utility bill with your name on it) before they will send you the dish. Having receivers at both places saves the hassle of crossing the border with them.

[Frenchophile]

regarding relaying 630 to multiple tvs:

The outputs on the 630 (and all Shaw Direct receivers) are all live. I have the component video (YPbPr) hooked to TV1, the Analog component video and audio (Yellow/red/white) hooked up to a vcr. the audio out from vcr is connected to TV1, the vcr then feeds out analog via RF, which is distributed to TV 3-6. TV2 is hooked up via a 25' HDMI. and I have four receivers. but in my man cave, I have three tvs (numbers 4-6), and two receivers, so the extra feed from the 630 comes in handy especially on Sundays during NFL season and early rounds of NBA and NHL playoffs.

[mecdatlanta]

regarding relaying 630 to multiple tvs:

The outputs on the 630 (and all Shaw Direct receivers) are all live. I have the component video (YPbPr) hooked to TV1, the Analog component video and audio (Yellow/red/white) hooked up to a vcr. the audio out from vcr is connected to TV1, the vcr then feeds out analog via RF, which is distributed to TV 3-6. TV2 is hooked up via a 25' HDMI. and I have four receivers. but in my man cave, I have three tvs (numbers 4-6), and two receivers, so the extra feed from the 630 comes in handy especially on Sundays during NFL season and early rounds of NBA and NHL playoffs.

Frenchophile (and others who wish to chime in):

My current Bell XpressVu system is set up in such a way that the signal that the receiver sends out is sent throughout my entire house. Meaning that any tv that is hooked into a coaxial connection is picking up a (albeit analog) signal of the channel being viewed via my Bell PVR. I didn't think that the same would be possible with the 630, since it emits a digital signal and such a signal wouldn't be able to be transmitted over coaxial, but perhaps I am mistaken. At any rate, the analog signal that I pick up in my " man cave" isn't terrific -- it's acceptable, but not great (even strictly by analog standards).

I thought that a HD video transmitter would be the best solution, but I seem to be in the minority of those actually planning on using one (at least no one has spoken out in favor of them on this forum). Can someone suggest a better solution? I really want to have access to the PVR in our upstairs living room from my man cave. So getting a basic receiver for the basement isn't the best option for me. Also, the thought of being able to share a Roku and a Blu Ray player is appealing. I am curious to know if it is even possible to redistribute a signal from the 630, via coaxial (or even wirelessly) throughout the house. Frenchophile, you mentioned using analog via RF. I'm not sure how that works, but would be interested in learning more.

Thanks everyone!

Don

[Frenchophile]

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Don: very easy to do. you hook up the analog component out (Yellow/red/white) from 630 to a vcr, then use the coax from the vcr to distribute throughout your house on either channel 3 or channel 4. best thing is that if you dont have a vcr at home anymore, you can pick up for next to nothing on CL. if you also have an OTA antenna running on same line, you would need a signal combiner, which run about $20.

i'm not familiar with HD video transmitters so i cannot comment.

[mecdatlanta]

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Don: very easy to do. you hook up the analog component out (Yellow/red/white) from 630 to a vcr, then use the coax from the vcr to distribute throughout your house on either channel 3 or channel 4. best thing is that if you dont have a vcr at home anymore, you can pick up for next to nothing on CL. if you also have an OTA antenna running on same line, you would need a signal combiner, which run about $20.

i'm not familiar with HD video transmitters so i cannot comment.

Thanks for that tip, Frenchophile!

I didn't know that the 630 offered analog out. So it looks like I already have the setup as required, since I am doing exactly what you described above with my Bell hardware.

Me not have a VCR?!? I haven't upgraded to DVD yet and use VHS tapes exclusively for recording all content. OK, just kidding. I'm not that far behind the technology curve. ;-)

Don