Multi tuner receiver

[rolinn]

I currently have 5 DirecTV receivers. DirecTV charges $5 for each additional receivers (that's $20 bucks each month.) Has anyone heard of a product (ie. receiver) that will tune and output several channels using 1 DirecTV card. One with 4 tuners would allow me to modulate my favorite stations around the house (Fox News, CNN, Weather, Cartoon Network for kids). This would allow me to get by on 3 card/receivers. It would be great if the unit had infrared input for each channels, so that it can be controlled by a PVR (ie. ReplayTv). Is there anything intrinsic about DSS/DirecTV that would preclude this from working.

 

[slacker9876]

There is no such unit. The reason you need those 5 receivers is unlike with cable the receiver requires a direct connection to the LNB, from there, the receiver is the "modulator" as you have described here.

If there is a multi-tuner DBS card available it will not work with DirecTV.

 

[boba]

Think of it as the equivalent of Cables digital converter box. To receive their digital channels you need to rent their converter box because your TV can't process their digital signals. Their digital boxes seem to rent for 9-10 dollars a month.

 

[rolinn]

There is no such unit. The reason you need those 5 receivers is unlike with cable the receiver requires a direct connection to the LNB, from there, the receiver is the "modulator" as you have described here.

If there is a multi-tuner DBS card available it will not work with DirecTV.

I understand the fact that you would need a cable run for each tuner. So, in the case I described, there would be four cables attached to the multi-tuner receiver. The issue is, can a multi-tuner receiver share a single DBS card. I have heard of the dual-tuner receiver with Tivo and is not familiar with the card setup. Can someone comment on how many cards is used and how DirecTV charges for this setup. If a single card is used, then it is possible to share a single card in a multi-tuner receiver. This setup would be beneficial to DBS customers with multiple receiver requirements. But since it would mean less profit for DirecTV, I suppose equipment manufacturers have not jump on the idea. Equipment manufacturers can always charge more these high-end setup.

 

[boba]

Tivo has two tuners but 1 output. For 4 TVS you would still need 4 TiVos they have 1 access card and 1 mirroing fee per receiver($4.99). The buy down price on a TiVo is $99.00.

 

[slacker9876]

I bought a Phillips DSP704 at Best Buy for 79.99 yesterday ... sweet deal and I already Sleepered it so it will remain my toy box.

 

[rolinn]

Tivo has two tuners but 1 output. For 4 TVS you would still need 4 TiVos they have 1 access card and 1 mirroing fee per receiver($4.99). The buy down price on a TiVo is $99.00.

Okay. So, dual tuner Tivo doesn't let you view the output of both tuners. One tuner is for recording and the other for viewing. Can you clarify the mirroring fee. If you had a setup with one dual tuner TiVo and no other receivers, would DirecTV still charge a mirroring fee? Also, I am not a 100% on your usage of the "buy down price" term, can you clarify? Is that a one time fee alternative to mirroring fee? Sorry, I've just joined this forum.

 

[boba]

Okay. So, dual tuner Tivo doesn't let you view the output of both tuners. One tuner is for recording and the other for viewing. Can you clarify the mirroring fee. If you had a setup with one dual tuner TiVo and no other receivers, would DirecTV still charge a mirroring fee? Also, I am not a 100% on your usage of the "buy down price" term, can you clarify? Is that a one time fee alternative to mirroring fee? Sorry, I've just joined this forum.

Mirroring fee= is the fee charged to duplicate the programming on each additional receiver on the customers account.
Buy down price= the cost of the receiver paid by the consumer after Directv absorbs part of the actual cost of the receiver. Example 40 gig. TiVo costs $299 minus a buy down of $200 leaving a cost to the consumer of $99. This buy down is why Directv requires a 1 yr. subscription from customers even if they are just adding a receiver.

 

[Chris Freeland]

I forgot who it was bit one D* STB maker showed of a duel tuner duel out put 1 card receiver at this years CES, but D* announced that they would still charge the extra outlet fee on the unit and I do not know if it ever made it to production or not.

E* has both a standard receiver (322) and a DVR receiver (522) that has 2 tuners, 2 outputs, 1 card and they wave the 2nd outlet fee if it is continuously connected to a phone line, however officially these are not available for sale, DHA lease program only.