Recording?

[tony2tall]

Currently have 2-301 DISH receivers and 2-HD TVs.
Would like the capabilty to record programming when not at home.
If I go route of DVR won't I be required to run a coax from #1 TV > #2 TV or continue to pay subscription fee on 2nd 301?
With DVR set up can #2 TV access Over The Air broadcast?

 

[JohnL]

Currently have 2-301 DISH receivers and 2-HD TVs.
Would like the capabilty to record programming when not at home.
If I go route of DVR won't I be required to run a coax from #1 TV > #2 TV or continue to pay subscription fee on 2nd 301?
With DVR set up can #2 TV access Over The Air broadcast?

Tony,

If you go with a HD DVR you will not be able to get HD resolution on the TV#2 output of the DVR, although you will be able to tune any and all SD and HD channels on the TV#2 output of the HD DVR, all HD content will be down-converted to SD resolution on the TV#2 output on the DVR.

You will have to run either Coax or composite cables from the HD DVR to your second TV, or you can continue to use the separate 301 for the your second TV.

If you do just go with one HD DVR you will NOT be able to tune OTA channels from the TV#2 output of the DVR unless you get a 722k receiver with the optional OTA Tuner Cartridge. Standard 622's or 722's only have one OTA tuner. Remember regardless of the ability of the actual receiver to record OTA in HD or satellite HD channels all content output from the TV#2 outputs is Down converted to SD.

Later this year Dish/Echostar is releasing a SLING Box (Model 700u) unit that plugs into the USB port of their HD DVR's. This Sling Box will be able to send content to other TV's in your home in HD using your Home Ethernet network. You will need a Sling Player connected to your network to connect to each additional HD Televisions. The bonus is if you have a Internet Connection that is capable of uploading speeds of 1.5 mbps you will be able to connect to your receiver on any internet connected device around the world as long as the network is able to stream to your device fast enough to support HD.

John

 

[sca]

you dont actually have to run from tv1>tv2 at all. the existing lines to the 301's can be diplexed.
and yes with ota module you can watch ota on tv2, or without ota module you can just diplex in the antenna feed and still watch ota on tv2. lots of options for you.
and the hd dvr is a great unit! you'll love it.

 

[tony2tall]

Recording follow-up.

you dont actually have to run from tv1>tv2 at all. the existing lines to the 301's can be diplexed.
and yes with ota module you can watch ota on tv2, or without ota module you can just diplex in the antenna feed and still watch ota on tv2. lots of options for you.
and the hd dvr is a great unit! you'll love it.

I'm not familiar with OTA module?
I have some diplexers on hand. When I previously used them to combine SAT/ OTA signals the OTA reception was poor. Since then I have relocated antenna into attic and also ran a dedicated OTA line to each TV. The reception is great.
If I install another coax to #2 TV from #1 will a single diplexer combine OTA/Sat signals?
I saw at Sam's a DVD Recorder/VCR Recorded for $170.00 I assume this would suffice for recording output of presently used 301s?

 

[sca]

if you upgrade, you'll probably get a k series receiver. meaning if you want to integrate antenna signal with your receiver for dvr purposes, you'll need to pay for an ota module $20-30$. i believe it also amplifies the signal some, and gives guide info as well. the 722 used to have them integrated and now they make you pay for it. its worth it though.
otherwise you can just diplex the ota signal to your tv instead of the receiver. and diplex the feed to tv2 instead of running out from tv1 to tv2.

 

[KKlare]

(1) A DVD and a DVR are different animals. DVD deals with recording/playing DVD+ or DVD- disks, about 4GB or 2 hours at "SP" level, not HD. HD on the DVR is between DVD and Blu-ray quality.

A DVR records the satellite signal for replay immediate to weeks later and has a large but finite disk, tens of hours of HD to 100 hours of SD. The guide is integrated with the recordings, which is not true for DVD recorders.

(2) The current DVRs from Dish record 2 satellite feeds and 1 OTA digital feed in HD or SD just as they come. A second OTA recording is available on the 722k. Both "k" OTAs are a small extra initial charge. The normal outputs are one HD/SD with simultaneous HDMI, component, composite, and RF ports and a second SD composite and RF for all but the 612 with no second output and a lot of complaints but a lower monthly cost. The RF output has both tuners/recordings.

-Ken

 

[Tech#344]

(1)
A DVR records the satellite signal for replay immediate to weeks later and has a large but finite disk, tens of hours of HD to 100 hours of SD. -Ken

The ratio is 6:1 not 10:1.

 

[daveg]

The ratio is 6:1 not 10:1.

I don't think he was giving a SD vs HD size ratio. He was saying DVRs usually hold between 10-100 hours of HD content or 100-1000 hours of SD content.

 

[navychop]

You can also go to TV1 and start recording to the DVR any OTA program. Then on TV2 you start watching the recording on the DVR, so you can be quite close to "real time."

 

[KKlare]

I don't think he was giving a SD vs HD size ratio. He was saying DVRs usually hold between 10-100 hours of HD content or 100-1000 hours of SD content.

Thank you, I was not giving an exact ratio and used explicitly vague wording.
I get HD at only a little over twice the size of SD (MPEG-2) but OTA can be much bigger.
Dish SD MPEG-2 700 to 1000 MB/hour (probably smaller on EA MPEG-4)
Dish HD MPEG-4 1800 to 2600 MB/hr
Dish HD MPEG-2 3500 to 5000 MB/hr (no longer available)
OTA HD MPEG-2 3800 to 6000 MB/hr or more.
These include some overhead--commercials, etc.

The OTA HD can take more space than the "generous" dish estimate, which were made when Dish HD was MPEG-2 and thus say twice as big as Dish HD. So you may run out of space when recording OTA even though you are "told" you have enough.

-Ken

 

[TheKrell]

Thank you, I was not giving an exact ratio and used explicitly vague wording.

Congratulations Ken! Your usage of the word "explicit" is a malapropism. I think you probably intended to write "intentionally". But don't feel badly because we all do this (and worse) all the time.

 

[KKlare]

I'll leave it that.
I got a recording tonight on HDNMV at 1625 MB/hr. This from the channel that used to have the largest Dish files when in MPEG-2, say 3000 to 4000 MB/hr plus up to 1/2 hour of filler/promos. I have not noticed any degradation although clearly the bit rate is lower.
-Ken