2 Cables for HD-DVR?

[andygradel]

I'm ready to make the jump from overpriced Comcast to DirecTV, but am a little concerned about the install... For the HD-DVR, do I need to seperate cables, one for each tuner? Or, can one cable be used and split at the box?

My house was wired when it was being built, but there's only one line in each room. My wife is a little iffy about letting me have someone run another wire... thanks!

 

[charper1]

One RG6 per each tuner; no splitters. Run the extra RG6 yourself and have it ready for the installer if you don't want them to do it; they are capable however.

 

[HairLip]

If your house is very old it may have 59 cable which is not suitable for your setup. Charper1 is right you need rg6 cable. If I was doing it I'd run two cables and use the latest and greatest sheilded, solid copper cable available, for future use since it may be messing drilling holes and running new cable in a finished house.
Good Luck

 

[raoul5788]

At some point in the not too distant future, you will be able to use one wire for two tuners. It is being beta tested now, who knows when it will be available for the masses!

 

[ONUOsFan]

Yeah, given your situation it might not be a bad idea to wait a bit for the single wire solution. Rumors were that it would be out sometime early next year....

 

[Jimbo]

andygradel,
You can get by with the existing RG59, run yourself a new line of rg-6 for the other line , you should be fine, unless you are going a looooong way on the run.
Or you can disconnect the current cable and run 2 new lines of RG-6 and then you will be all set, it all depends on what you want to do with this situation.
That said, the RG-6 is the current way to go.

Jimbo

 

[andygradel]

Thanks for the advice... My house is only 3 years old, but am not 100% sure what cabling they used. Will definitely check into that and might give running the extra wire myself a try. Can't been too bad...

Have been trying to figure out why the Comcast DVR only needs one cable, yet the DirecTV box uses two... hmm... oh well, I'll have to catch my wife at the right time, because I'm still not sure what she'll think about me and a little DIY wire project.

 

[iwc5893]

Have been trying to figure out why the Comcast DVR only needs one cable, yet the DirecTV box uses two... hmm... oh well, I'll have to catch my wife at the right time, because I'm still not sure what she'll think about me and a little DIY wire project.

I'm not an engineer, but I'll take a shot at this...

Satellite signals use different voltages and a control tone to select the appropriate satellite and then the correct transponders on that satellite. Therefore, each tuner (at this time) needs a separate input so that the higher voltage does not wash out the lower voltage and cause you to lose half of your transponders/channels.

Cable, being a powered signal from the drop point, does not use voltages and control tones to determine which channel you receive (I know almost nothing about cable, so it is very probable I am wrong on this...)

 

[cybertrip]

A combination of a 22kHz tone and a certain voltage are used to select which band the LNB's LO (Local Oscillator) is tuned to and which polarization it uses. Specifically the tone selects which band the LO switches to and the voltage controls which polarization whether it be Horizontal or Vertical the LNB uses. The LO is used to conver the High Band satellite signal to a Low Band signal which can travel through the RG-6 cable.

Without the LO we would have to use waveguides coming directly from the feed horn on the dish to the receiver.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

A combination of a 22kHz tone and a certain voltage are used to select which band the LNB's LO (Local Oscillator) is tuned to and which polarization it uses. Specifically the tone selects which band the LO switches to and the voltage controls which polarization whether it be Horizontal or Vertical the LNB uses. The LO is used to conver the High Band satellite signal to a Low Band signal which can travel through the RG-6 cable.

Without the LO we would have to use waveguides coming directly from the feed horn on the dish to the receiver.

Actually the tone is used to select whether the LNBs for 99/101 (no tone) or 103/110/119 (22 kHz tone) are selected by the built-in switch. The voltage selects whether right-hand circular or left-hand circular polarization is selected. The LOs are fixed frequencies. 99 and 101 and 103 and either 110 or 119 can exist on the coax at the same time because the frequencies out of the LNB are different. The BBC module connected to the receiver selects whether the signal goes straight through or (in the case of Directv 10 at 103) is converted to a different frequency.

 

[cybertrip]

Actually the tone is used to select whether the LNBs for 99/101 (no tone) or 103/110/119 (22 kHz tone) are selected by the built-in switch. The voltage selects whether right-hand circular or left-hand circular polarization is selected. The LOs are fixed frequencies. 99 and 101 and 103 and either 110 or 119 can exist on the coax at the same time because the frequencies out of the LNB are different. The BBC module connected to the receiver selects whether the signal goes straight through or (in the case of Directv 10 at 103) is converted to a different frequency.

The LO is a fixed frequency on DirecTV and Dishnetwork. However, on FTA systems you can have LNB's with multiple LO's for wideband reception. This is where the tone comes in on an FTA system. Generally on a DirecTV or Dishnetwork system, 22kHz switching is used. Sometimes used on FTA systems as well.

Reference: Satellite LNB: What is it, how does it work and where do I buy one?

 

[wstdonwiteout]

You can work a DVR with one line you just wont be able to watch one show while simultaneously recording another. Dunno why this feature is important enough to people that they are willing to drill holes and have messy lines run around their house. Besides the vast majority of customers these days have more than 1 tv in the house so if you want to watch a second show just go to another tv.

 

[Jimbo]

You can work a DVR with one line you just wont be able to watch one show while simultaneously recording another. Dunno why this feature is important enough to people that they are willing to drill holes and have messy lines run around their house.

You are missing the whole idea of having a DVR ...

 

[iwc5893]

You are missing the whole idea of having a DVR ...

Yep...a VCR in that situation would be a lot cheaper in initial cost and monthly fees.

 

[HDugan]

You can work a DVR with one line you just wont be able to watch one show while simultaneously recording another. Dunno why this feature is important enough to people that they are willing to drill holes and have messy lines run around their house. Besides the vast majority of customers these days have more than 1 tv in the house so if you want to watch a second show just go to another tv.

Damn! Advantage CableTV or FIOS.

 

[Jimbo]

Damn! Advantage CableTV or FIOS.

If you want to pay a lot more than sat after the promo period is over .....

Jimbo