Dual tuner units & ota ?

[bnewt]

On the dual tuner units - is it possible to watch the ota local channels on all tv's connected to the unit as along as the receiver is off? What about on tv2 if tv1 is in use?

 

[jergenf]

On the dual tuner units - is it possible to watch the ota local channels on all tv's connected to the unit as along as the receiver is off? What about on tv2 if tv1 is in use?

When the unit is off it tough to say because it depends on the unit and the methods you use to connect to the TV. With dual tuner units there are two types single user and dual user. Example the 921 is a single user model while the 522, 625 and 942 are dual user models with two remote controls.

With the 921 you can view the same source (channel be it OTA or sat) to either adjacent HDTV or to another TV via channel 3 but not at the same time you need to toggle the HD/SD button on the remote to switch between them.

The 522, 625 and 942 are (or can be) dual user meaning you can split the sat tuners to another TV sent as a UHF channel. Only the OTA can only be viewed the main set but any recorded material can be view on either TV. They can be set to single user mode so that TV1 gets everything.
Note: The 942 can record digital OTA stations (example HD) while I beleive the 522 and 625 can only view it on the main set.

 

[bnewt]

If I connect my ota feed into the 942, and want to watch only the ota locals on the main tv or the "secondary" set - is this possible? My 508 & 4900 just pass through the ota signal to the tv's tuner. I can watch the locals as if the satellite receiver was not there, much like a vcr. If I power up either of them the satellite signal takes control until I toggle the video button. Will the 942 function this same way? The 508 & 4900 are connected to older tv's via coax not composite or svideo. I am interested in the 942 but want to make sure that the ota locals are available as they are now. The wife watches these most of the time in the kitchen & bedroom when cooking or cleaning. With only 1 ota tuner, does it default to tv1?

 

[jergenf]

If I connect my ota feed into the 942, and want to watch only the ota locals on the main tv or the "secondary" set - is this possible? My 508 & 4900 just pass through the ota signal to the tv's tuner. I can watch the locals as if the satellite receiver was not there, much like a vcr. If I power up either of them the satellite signal takes control until I toggle the video button. Will the 942 function this same way? The 508 & 4900 are connected to older tv's via coax not composite or svideo. I am interested in the 942 but want to make sure that the ota locals are available as they are now. The wife watches these most of the time in the kitchen & bedroom when cooking or cleaning. With only 1 ota tuner, does it default to tv1?

As you pointed out most receivers have video passthru, thus when they're off or using toggling the video button allows the antenna to pass to the output. And the reason is that most units don't have OTA tuners.

I believe the 942 is different it has both an ATSC (digital) & NTSC (anolog) tuner so OTA channels are part of the satellite lineup in the guide (even if OTA guide data is not supplied). TV1 will get use of the OTA and satellite tuners while TV2 may have access just to the second sat tuner (dual user mode). However TV2 may view prerecorded material reguardless of the source.

If you want passthru function for the kitchen & bedroom you can use an A/B switch that way you can choose UHF channel (TV2) from the 942 or just have OTA antenna for the source.