Multi-room setup in a campus apartment? Looking for comments/advice..

[sclaws]

Hey all...I'm trying to find out some info about DirecTV receivers and what options exist for multi-room viewing, but honestly I'm a bit confused about what the DirecTV receivers are capable of. Also, this install will not be in a house--its for campus apartments where I work, shared by 4 to 8 people (depending on the unit).

From what I've read in the forums, I think I understand the following:

- Every room (or tenant in each apartment) will require a receiver, regardless (Compared to the Dish Network 622/722 being able to run a coax out direct to another location and operate it with an RF remote--I'm a Dish Network user and am relying on experience with them as a reference).

- There are NO DirecTV receivers that are non-DVR that can offer multi-room viewing. Is this correct? If I'm wrong, which non-DVR receivers do offer multi-room viewing?

- The "Whole Home DVR" service appears to be the only real DirecTV solution to this type of install, but again, will require each room to have its own receiver.


The folks I report to at work were hoping to find a DirecTV solution that sends programming via coax to each student's room WITHOUT needing a receiver at each location, butI don't see that as an option. We're also already in a DirecTV contract, so cost-wise we need to explore options short of cancelling the contract and incurring fees.

I'm trying to cram on my DirecTV hardware options for this specific situation. Thx for any help, suggestions or followup questions!!

 

[moghedien14]

Hey all...I'm trying to find out some info about DirecTV receivers and what options exist for multi-room viewing, but honestly I'm a bit confused about what the DirecTV receivers are capable of. Also, this install will not be in a house--its for campus apartments where I work, shared by 4 to 8 people (depending on the unit).

- Every room (or tenant in each apartment) will require a receiver, regardless (Compared to the Dish Network 622/722 being able to run a coax out direct to another location and operate it with an RF remote--I'm a Dish Network user and am relying on experience with them as a reference).

Yes. Every TV that you wants to receive Directv programming, will have to have a Directv receiver.

- There are NO DirecTV receivers that are non-DVR that can offer multi-room viewing. Is this correct? If I'm wrong, which non-DVR receivers do offer multi-room viewing?

Multi-room Viewing is a way to allow someone to watch a program that has been recorded on the DVR, in a different room. The remote receiver can be another HDDVR, or it can be an HD receiver. But for MRV to work, you have to have at least one HDDVR on the account. By the way you asked the question, you seem to think that MRV will distribute live programming from a central receiver, which it will not.

- The "Whole Home DVR" service appears to be the only real DirecTV solution to this type of install, but again, will require each room to have its own receiver.

I don't think whole home DVR was ever meant to be used in a Multiple-Dwelling Unit, which is the type of install you are describing..


The folks I report to at work were hoping to find a DirecTV solution that sends programming via coax to each student's room WITHOUT needing a receiver at each location, butI don't see that as an option. We're also already in a DirecTV contract, so cost-wise we need to explore options short of cancelling the contract and incurring fees.

What you describe is called SMATV, which involves getting a separate Directv Receiver for each channel you want to distribute, attaching it to a modulator, then sending the signal to all the apartments. Of course, this type of solution should be considered before contracts have been signed...

I'm trying to cram on my DirecTV hardware options for this specific situation. Thx for any help, suggestions or followup questions!!

 

[raoul5788]

Hey all...I'm trying to find out some info about DirecTV receivers and what options exist for multi-room viewing, but honestly I'm a bit confused about what the DirecTV receivers are capable of. Also, this install will not be in a house--its for campus apartments where I work, shared by 4 to 8 people (depending on the unit).

From what I've read in the forums, I think I understand the following:

- Every room (or tenant in each apartment) will require a receiver, regardless (Compared to the Dish Network 622/722 being able to run a coax out direct to another location and operate it with an RF remote--I'm a Dish Network user and am relying on experience with them as a reference).

- There are NO DirecTV receivers that are non-DVR that can offer multi-room viewing. Is this correct? If I'm wrong, which non-DVR receivers do offer multi-room viewing?

- The "Whole Home DVR" service appears to be the only real DirecTV solution to this type of install, but again, will require each room to have its own receiver.


The folks I report to at work were hoping to find a DirecTV solution that sends programming via coax to each student's room WITHOUT needing a receiver at each location, butI don't see that as an option. We're also already in a DirecTV contract, so cost-wise we need to explore options short of cancelling the contract and incurring fees.

I'm trying to cram on my DirecTV hardware options for this specific situation. Thx for any help, suggestions or followup questions!!

If you are talking about separate accounts for each room that's okay, but you can't use one account to service different tenants. I'm not saying that's what you are thinking of doing, I just wanted to let you know if you weren't aware.

 

[sclaws]

Thx for the feedback...this helps me move forward a bit in search of more questions

 

[sclaws]

What you describe is called SMATV, which involves getting a separate Directv Receiver for each channel you want to distribute, attaching it to a modulator, then sending the signal to all the apartments. Of course, this type of solution should be considered before contracts have been signed...

We've actually been doing this for 11 years now, but have recently acquired apartment units off our campus property. The challenge is trying to offer a similar channel package to the off-campus students while still keeping costs comparable. We could extend our SMATV network to the location, but the cost is prohibitive right now.