Multiple Receiver / Room issue setup

[y2k02c5]

I recently prewired our new house for my dtv setup. I have coax connections going to 3 bedrooms. in those rooms, the TV's are going to be mounted high on the wall. Now, the fact that the TV's are up on the wall, I would also have to mount the receiver beneath or to the side as well. Wife does not want wires going up the wall if units are placed on a table or such.

Anyway, i was thinking, if its possible to keep all the receivers in the basement where my 6x8 multiswitch is located, and just connect them there directly to the multiswitch, and then out to each coax running up to each room?

But, with this potential setup, comes the issue of how to change channels.

So i was wondering if anyone knows of an IR setup, that would allow me to assign each remote to only one receiver, so that I don't end up changing channels on the other receivers?

My parents have dish, and they have a similar setup, where one room has a receiver, and the other room just has a TV, with a little antenna.

[Greg Alsobrook]

I recently prewired our new house for my dtv setup. I have coax connections going to 3 bedrooms. in those rooms, the TV's are going to be mounted high on the wall. Now, the fact that the TV's are up on the wall, I would also have to mount the receiver beneath or to the side as well. Wife does not want wires going up the wall if units are placed on a table or such.

Anyway, i was thinking, if its possible to keep all the receivers in the basement where my 6x8 multiswitch is located, and just connect them there directly to the multiswitch, and then out to each coax running up to each room?

But, with this potential setup, comes the issue of how to change channels.

So i was wondering if anyone knows of an IR setup, that would allow me to assign each remote to only one receiver, so that I don't end up changing channels on the other receivers?

My parents have dish, and they have a similar setup, where one room has a receiver, and the other room just has a TV, with a little antenna.


what model receivers do you have?

[y2k02c5]

what model receivers do you have?

We will have either two standard D12's and an HR20, or two R15's, and the HR20.

[kenb123]

I don't know anything about the D12 - I'm guessing it doesn't have RF. But the HR20 has an RF mode - so you can theoretically put that receiver in another room (assuming the RF signal is strong enough.

I know there are many products out there for extending IR - for the D12 if it doesn't do RF. But I don't think the good ones are cheap. You might want to see what the cost of two H20s would be instead of the two D12s - you may not need the HD yet - but you are future proofed - and they have RF.

It'll cost you the same monthly, it's just the up front.

[ajwillys]

We will have either two standard D12's and an HR20, or two R15's, and the HR20.

The HR20 doesn't have coax output so you would need a modulator and of course, you wouldn't get HD with that setup.

If the only problem is wires going up the wall, you may be able to put two junction boxes in, one at the bottom and another directly behind where the tv will be and above the other junction box and run the wires through the wall. You can't 'technically' do this for the power cord (at least not that way) but it would make them invisible. I've done this before and it works great.

[y2k02c5]

The HR20 doesn't have coax output so you would need a modulator and of course, you wouldn't get HD with that setup.

If the only problem is wires going up the wall, you may be able to put two junction boxes in, one at the bottom and another directly behind where the tv will be and above the other junction box and run the wires through the wall. You can't 'technically' do this for the power cord (at least not that way) but it would make them invisible. I've done this before and it works great.

Yea, i had the electrician put the electrical outlet on the other side of the stud, of where my coax outlet is. so the power cord will be tucked directly behind the TV.

Does the H20 have DVR functionality? I don't necessarily need HD in the bedrooms. If so, then i'll switch out the R15's for those instead.

[Wisegoat]

You can distribute the feeds from the receivers to the rooms via Coax using channel modulators. I use the following: http://www.channelplus.com/product_detail.php?productId=39. You do IR distribution with this unit and some additional parts.

However, you are only distributing SD video.

If you want to distribute HD video, you are going to need a lot of cabling and parts and money.

There are devices out there that do it, if that is the route you want to go.

A better way would be to mount everything in a cabinet behind your TV and use IR repeaters to control the receiver hidden inside. I use these for controlling the media center equipment closet behind my TV: http://www.xantech.com/products/p_folder/p_480.htm

There are numerous ways to do it with that model. The advantage is having the device locally and getting the best possible signal.

Again, everything depends on how much you want to spend.

I tell all my clients that nothing is impossible with the proper application of funds!

You can combine this model with the channel modulators and view the programming from all the boxes throughout the house. I do this as well. I can view my Living Room and Office HR20's, in SD, from any room in my house. This is helpful for areas like the garage, back yard and baby room, where I do not want to pay the additional $5/mo for rooms that I don't need it full time.

[mikesm]

You can distribute the feeds from the receivers to the rooms via Coax using channel modulators. I use the following: . You do IR distribution with this unit and some additional parts.

However, you are only distributing SD video.

If you want to distribute HD video, you are going to need a lot of cabling and parts and money.

There are devices out there that do it, if that is the route you want to go.

A better way would be to mount everything in a cabinet behind your TV and use IR repeaters to control the receiver hidden inside. I use these for controlling the media center equipment closet behind my TV:

There are numerous ways to do it with that model. The advantage is having the device locally and getting the best possible signal.

Again, everything depends on how much you want to spend.

I tell all my clients that nothing is impossible with the proper application of funds!

You can combine this model with the channel modulators and view the programming from all the boxes throughout the house. I do this as well. I can view my Living Room and Office HR20's, in SD, from any room in my house. This is helpful for areas like the garage, back yard and baby room, where I do not want to pay the additional $5/mo for rooms that I don't need it full time.

Doesn't running IR over the Coax have a problem with the DC voltage the HR20 puts on the coax between it and the multiswitch?

[FlBillsfan]

Yea, i had the electrician put the electrical outlet on the other side of the stud, of where my coax outlet is. so the power cord will be tucked directly behind the TV.

Does the H20 have DVR functionality? I don't necessarily need HD in the bedrooms. If so, then i'll switch out the R15's for those instead.

The R15 is RF compatible, it needs an ANT. & RF capable remote, so make sure to ask for those.

[brockley]

What kind of TVs do you have and how are they being mounted high up on the wall? I am guessing your mounting solutions for the tv will provide some way to mount the boxes. If you get RF capable receivers, you can make brackets and mount them directly to the wall vertically behind the tv if the mounting bracket/arm pushes the tv far enough away from the wall. The RF remote doesnt need to "see" the DirecTV box to operate it If you are using SD tube TVs then those mounting shelfs usually have the option for a bracket to attach underneath them for equipment like sat/cable receivers or DVD players, much like many classrooms have with VCRs mounted under them.

There are many other options so if you can post what kind of tvs you have and how they are being mounted I and others could come up with some more recommendations for your setup.