DVR question

FullyFamous

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Apr 1, 2008
18
0
Minneapolis Area
I have a question about the Dishnetwork DVR. I don't seem to be getting a consistant answer.

What I want to know is this: if I have the Dish DVR (2 tuners), can I watch on one TV a program (CBS for example), and record a second program (Discovery) (family room for example), and watch a third program (History) on a second (bedroom for example)TV?

Or will I need a second receiver for the "other" TV?

Their manual for the DVR doesn't seem to be very clear on this, and when I talk to Dish's people, one time I'll get one answer (yes you can), and another time they'll say "No you can't, you'll have to have a "second tuner/receiver" in the bedroom to be able to watch a program while the DVR is watching and recording.

What is the answer? Did I make any sense?
 
I have a question about the Dishnetwork DVR. I don't seem to be getting a consistant answer.

What I want to know is this: if I have the Dish DVR (2 tuners), can I watch on one TV a program (CBS for example), and record a second program (Discovery) (family room for example), and watch a third program (History) on a second (bedroom for example)TV?

Or will I need a second receiver for the "other" TV?

Their manual for the DVR doesn't seem to be very clear on this, and when I talk to Dish's people, one time I'll get one answer (yes you can), and another time they'll say "No you can't, you'll have to have a "second tuner/receiver" in the bedroom to be able to watch a program while the DVR is watching and recording.

What is the answer? Did I make any sense?

Yes you can do what you are asking, but only in certain situations......meaning you would also need an OTA antenna for locals, then you could do what you'd like. The DVRs have 2 satellite tuners and one OTA antenna tuner. 1 sat tuner and the OTA tuner are for TV1 and the other sat tuner is for TV2. So you could be watching at OTA program on TV1, recording a sat program on TV1 and watching a sat program on TV2, all on different channels. If you do not have an OTA antenna then 1 tuner is for TV1 and the other is for TV2. So if you are watching and recording a program, one of the TVs will not be able to change the channel.
 
In this case you could IF you were able to view CBS OTA........

Just keep in mind you have TWO tuners, THREE if you can receive locals OTA via an antenna connected to your Dish receiver. You can only view/record TWO satellite channels at a time. You could view a previously recorded program, be recording another while thile the 2nd tuner could be doing the same. Hope this helps.

Ed
 
One thing that wasn't explained to me correctly...

Before I went to satellite, I could record 2 different things and also watch live TV in the bedroom.
With the 722, you can't do that. If you are recording 2 different programs, then you can't watch another live program in the bedroom.
My workaround for that...
I have a 722 that feeds the living room and my bedroom TV. I also have a 322 that feeds my sons room and again my bedroom. The way I do this, is with a simple A/B switch. That way, if I'm using both tuners in the living room and the wife wants to watch something else live, then all she has to do is flip the A/B switch so that she's running off the 322.
With this setup, I can still use the DVR features on my bedroom TV and it works like a champ.
Hope this helps.
 
One thing that wasn't explained to me correctly...

Before I went to satellite, I could record 2 different things and also watch live TV in the bedroom.
With the 722, you can't do that. If you are recording 2 different programs, then you can't watch another live program in the bedroom.
My workaround for that...
I have a 722 that feeds the living room and my bedroom TV. I also have a 322 that feeds my sons room and again my bedroom. The way I do this, is with a simple A/B switch. That way, if I'm using both tuners in the living room and the wife wants to watch something else live, then all she has to do is flip the A/B switch so that she's running off the 322.
With this setup, I can still use the DVR features on my bedroom TV and it works like a champ.
Hope this helps.

Actually you can record two programs and watch a third live with a 722, but only if you connect an OTA antenna and can get your locals that way. If you cannot get OTA nor wish to hook up an OTA then you can't. It seems to be a waste of the NCTS tuner the 722 has.
 
OK, sounds like just what I thought.

My problem will be solved if I have a second receiver in the second room (bedroom). OTA won't always be the answer, as the kids watch a lot of Nick & ABC Family in the bedroom.
 
One thing that wasn't explained to me correctly...

Before I went to satellite, I could record 2 different things and also watch live TV in the bedroom.
With the 722, you can't do that. If you are recording 2 different programs, then you can't watch another live program in the bedroom.
My workaround for that...
I have a 722 that feeds the living room and my bedroom TV. I also have a 322 that feeds my sons room and again my bedroom. The way I do this, is with a simple A/B switch. That way, if I'm using both tuners in the living room and the wife wants to watch something else live, then all she has to do is flip the A/B switch so that she's running off the 322.
With this setup, I can still use the DVR features on my bedroom TV and it works like a champ.
Hope this helps.

I have three of my DVRs modulated out to all TVs including the TVs where the DVRs are located thru the home distribution system. You don't need an A/B switch that way. Just put your TV to the channel number assigned to the DVR that you want to watch.
 
I have three of my DVRs modulated out to all TVs including the TVs where the DVRs are located thru the home distribution system. You don't need an A/B switch that way. Just put your TV to the channel number assigned to the DVR that you want to watch.
It can also be done by using splitters (common everyday splitters like they carry at Wal-mart) and combining the signals from all of the receivers and running Coax to each of the TVs. We have 4 tuners running to 5 TVs that way.

Geoff
 
OK, sounds like just what I thought.

My problem will be solved if I have a second receiver in the second room (bedroom). OTA won't always be the answer, as the kids watch a lot of Nick & ABC Family in the bedroom.

If you kids don't have to watch live shows, you could record a bunch of their favorite shows ahead of time. It is really very rare that you have to use 3 tuners all on non OTA channels.
 
It can also be done by using splitters (common everyday splitters like they carry at Wal-mart) and combining the signals from all of the receivers and running Coax to each of the TVs. We have 4 tuners running to 5 TVs that way.

Geoff

That is how I do it Geoff. I have three DVRs (six tuners) agile modulated out to all of our 11 TVs (12 coax wall locations) in my home thru splitters and combiners. The three DVR locations have four coax each at the wall plate. Satellite In, OTA Antenna In, Modulated Out, and Home Distribution Modulated In. No diplexers. I have the three DVR's modulated out on channel 80, 85, and 90. Comes in handy if a program is recorded on a DVR that you want to watch at another location. Also have very basic cable coming in too on an A/B switch as a last resort backup. I do have one diplexer installed and it goes to my kid's DVR. The home distribution system is diplexed with the satellite coax to his room. I would have four coax run to his room too if it wasn't such a nightmare to snake the walls. I will never live in another two story home again. Everything works great and not too complicated.
 

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That is how I do it Geoff. I have three DVRs (six tuners) agile modulated out to all of our 11 TVs (12 coax wall locations) in my home thru splitters and combiners. The three DVR locations have four coax each at the wall plate. Satellite In, OTA Antenna In, Modulated Out, and Home Distribution Modulated In. No diplexers. I have the three DVR's modulated out on channel 80, 85, and 90. Comes in handy if a program is recorded on a DVR that you want to watch at another location. Also have very basic cable coming in too on an A/B switch as a last resort backup. I do have one diplexer installed and it goes to my kid's DVR. The home distribution system is diplexed with the satellite coax to his room. I would have four coax run to his room too if it wasn't such a nightmare to snake the walls. I will never live in another two story home again. Everything works great and not too complicated.
I like the pic. Nice job. We have a 625 and a 722. The Channels are modulated on Channel 4 and 85 (Tuner 1 is 4 and Tuner 2 is 85 on the 625) and channels 73 and 75 on the 722. I agree that it is nice having all tuners available as it lets you see anything that is playing or recorded (even when the tuner I normally use is recording) or when a channel is available via HD only.

Geoff
 
I like the pic. Nice job. We have a 625 and a 722. The Channels are modulated on Channel 4 and 85 (Tuner 1 is 4 and Tuner 2 is 85 on the 625) and channels 73 and 75 on the 722. I agree that it is nice having all tuners available as it lets you see anything that is playing or recorded (even when the tuner I normally use is recording) or when a channel is available via HD only.

Geoff

Yep, it is nice for sure to be able to watch anything from everywhere. We were long time cable customers so I tried to rig it up the best I could with the advice from some helpful members of this forum and the Dish set up charts. I think it is really awesome to be able to record three channels at the same time. It sure comes in handy. My OTA picture quality is outstanding. We don't ever use the tuner one out signal from the DVRs. I have ours on channel 77, off, and 3.
 
Thanks for the answers! Ok, so if I understand this correctly, since I usually only record shows only on my local channels (CBS, NBC, FOX), occasionally from a "cable" channel, I can use an OTA antenna to record from those channels, and free up a tuner to be able to watch any channels on the bedroom TV. So maybe I wouldn't necessarily need a second receiver/tuner in the bedroom? Is it much of a "hassle" to switch between SAT & OTA on the DVR? Because if it's too much of a hassle, my wife won't go for it. She's the kind that it has to be simple to record or she gets cranky.
 
First off, in dual mode, OTA HD channels are not available on TV2 (your bedroom, if I read your post correctly). If you have SD channels in your package, there is no switching between OTA and Sat on TV2...it's all sat. For recording only on TV 1, so as not to interfere with TV2 viewing, enable Record Plus and assign to TV1. You then will be able to record one OTA and one SAT channel simultaneously. But to record two sats at the same time, TV2 will take the second one and you will only be able to watch what is being recorded.
 
Thanks for the answers! Ok, so if I understand this correctly, since I usually only record shows only on my local channels (CBS, NBC, FOX), occasionally from a "cable" channel, I can use an OTA antenna to record from those channels, and free up a tuner to be able to watch any channels on the bedroom TV. So maybe I wouldn't necessarily need a second receiver/tuner in the bedroom? Is it much of a "hassle" to switch between SAT & OTA on the DVR? Because if it's too much of a hassle, my wife won't go for it. She's the kind that it has to be simple to record or she gets cranky.

Not sure if the post above answered your questions, so I will try to give a "real world" example. We have tuners set up to record CSI: Miami. Since we have an OTA Antenna hooked up, when we look at our local stations (Channel 3 in our area), I see channel 003-0, 003-1, and 003-2 (003-0 & 003-1 are the same channel, except 003-1 comes from the antenna, whereas 003-0 comes from the satellite).

To record from the antenna, we set up the timer to record on channel 003-1. This leaves tuner 1 and tuner 2 free to watch or record any show we want. To watch CSI: Miami, we simply go to the DVR menu and start the program from either tuner (even while the program is recording).

When we look at our guide, we see 2 of each of the locals (one in blue for satellite and one in yellow for OTA). When locals become available in HD in our area, we will have a third entry (blue I assume) with a watermark telling it is in HD. It is very easy to switch between OTA and Satellite Locals (just like changing the channels (no buttons to switch).

Geoff
 
Not sure if the post above answered your questions, so I will try to give a "real world" example. We have tuners set up to record CSI: Miami. Since we have an OTA Antenna hooked up, when we look at our local stations (Channel 3 in our area), I see channel 003-0, 003-1, and 003-2 (003-0 & 003-1 are the same channel, except 003-1 comes from the antenna, whereas 003-0 comes from the satellite).

To record from the antenna, we set up the timer to record on channel 003-1. This leaves tuner 1 and tuner 2 free to watch or record any show we want. To watch CSI: Miami, we simply go to the DVR menu and start the program from either tuner (even while the program is recording).

When we look at our guide, we see 2 of each of the locals (one in blue for satellite and one in yellow for OTA). When locals become available in HD in our area, we will have a third entry (blue I assume) with a watermark telling it is in HD. It is very easy to switch between OTA and Satellite Locals (just like changing the channels (no buttons to switch).

Geoff

Good explanation Geoff. I think it is super the way Dish TV has blended the OTA in with the satellite guide. I wonder how does Direct TV do it for the HR21 and HR20?
 
Thanks. If I'm understanding, it looks like I should have a set of "Rabbit" ears connected to the DVR so I can record "CSI's and Family Guy" from our local stations, (not the local stations carried by DISH, right?), so then we are "free" to watch any other programs carried by DISH, whether it's a local channel (on DISH) or any of the "Cable" channels. Whew!

(Sometimes, one wishes SAT, i.e. digital, worked as simple as analog cable where you can make as many hook-ups as you want and not have to worry about using up a "tuner".)

As I said before, this has to work as simply as possible for the "Mrs" otherwise she'll be forever crabby about how SAT works. This recording conundrum is really the only reservation she has about making the switch.

How about "weather" affecting reception? Does the weather really have that much effect as the "Cable" commercials say it does? I have a co-worker who says the only time he has trouble is if it is really, really raining hard; snow doesn't seem to bother much. Another co-worker says rain is no problem, but wind has an effect for him (although I think the mounting stability probably accounts for the wind problems).

I have to be able to sell this to the wife, so I need "good" answers, otherwise I'll hear about it for ever.
 
If my wife can work it without problems, I can guarantee your's will.:rolleyes:
Only time I have rain problems is during a monsoon. And it's not so much the rain as it is extreme cloud cover.
 
Ya, well, you don't know my wife! Any small "glitch" and off she goes... It's got to work every time.

If I screw up recording a show, yikes! But if she screws it up, well, oops, I made a mistake.
 
Ya, well, you don't know my wife! Any small "glitch" and off she goes... It's got to work every time.

If I screw up recording a show, yikes! But if she screws it up, well, oops, I made a mistake.

LOL. Been there, done that. I even have to perform the remote operation during recorded playbacks.
 
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