[uncrph90]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here, but have been lurking for a couple of weeks. I am currently an E* subscriber and am thinking of changing to D* when the new DirecTivo's come out this fall. I have several questions if anyone has the time to "hold my hand" and explain some details.

I am generally happy with my Dish setup--except I want locals (Greensboro, NC) and PVR capability. I was planning on getting a Dish 501/508 or perhaps a 721--but after the last technical chat and finding out the price of the 721, I just can't justify that expense. $199 for a 2 tuner Tivo sounds pretty good.

My current setup has the Dish feeds tying into my prewired cable to distribute to each room (I have two receivers--I in living room and one upstairs in bedroom). I will want two D* receivers as well. As I understand it, my current wiring will not work since I need 2 feeds per Tivo receiver. What I am thinking about would be to run 4 feeds to my living room--hook up primary receiver to that TV and the 2nd receiver (doesn't have to be Tivo--but might as well run 4 feeds just in case) output into the existing in-wall cable. I would then go to my cable box and have that feed split to all other rooms--getting the same signal to multiple TV's. I like the idea of just one new hole in my wall.

Does this sound logical? I realize that I would need the 2nd receiver to have a UHF remote for this to be practical. Will the series 2 Tivo receivers have UHF? --OR-- would an UltimateTV receiver do the job (for the 2nd unit)? I know I can pick one of them up cheap ($49 at Best Buy). Does a UTV have any funcionality if it is not activated with the service (I'm not going to pay UTV and TIVO fees just to save a few dollars on a receiver)?

Also, is there any chance of using my existing (Dish 500) dish and LNB's?

Sorry for the extra long post and thanks for any help and words of wisdom!!

Bill

 

[Chris Blount]

Hi Bill and welcome to DBSTalk. :hi:

Here is a good place to start as far as wiring diagrams:

http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/ca...ser-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

Others will able to fill you in better on this but all of your feeds must have switches as per the diagrams above. Simply splitting the lines won't work.

Yes, your existing Dish 500 will work depending on what programming you want.

 

[uncrph90]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the reply.

I may not have stated the splitting clearly. I plan to take the coax output of the 2nd unit and send that to other rooms--not the feed from the dish itself.

If I do need switches for that I am very confused (very likely!)

Bill

 

[Karl Foster]

No you don't need switches for the output of your receivers. Splitters will work for that, but not for the input into your receivers.

I have two two-tuner pvr's with a third receiver for my den and kitchen. I have the two lines that come into the multi-switch (I bought a Spaun 2X6 multi-switch from www.mini-dishes.com) and five that go out - two to each pvr and one to the third receiver. I have an open space for a fourth receiver if I desire one. My advice for you is to buy a multi-switch that has more outputs than you need now, so you don't make the same mistake I did and have to buy one now and one later. I have a diagram I can e-mail you of my system, if you are interested.

If I were you, I would stick to one platform, either Ultimatetv or DirecTivo to avoid paying fees to two different companies. When you subscribe, the fee you pay is for all pvr's in your home of the same brand. You do have to pay $4.99 for each additional receiver no matter what type of receiver you have. The only functionalilty the UTV would have without activating the service is the extended guide, and you can pause live tv for a short period.

The UHF deal can be a pain. You can buy the cones that you would put in each room to control the pvr. You can pick those up at Rat Shack, or on ebay. The technical term is remote control extender. On my UTV, I bought a leapfrog by Terk that fits on the end of the RCA remote, and it works o.k.

Good luck. You have a lot of company with folks that have moved from E* to D* for pvr funtionality.

 

[Chris Blount]

Originally posted by uncrph90

What I am thinking about would be to run 4 feeds to my living room--hook up primary receiver to that TV and the 2nd receiver (doesn't have to be Tivo--but might as well run 4 feeds just in case) output into the existing in-wall cable. I would then go to my cable box and have that feed split to all other rooms--getting the same signal to multiple TV's. I like the idea of just one new hole in my wall.

Whoops! Sorry about that Bill. Didn't read it right the first time. What you say should work. Karl is right. Stick with either the DirecTivo OR UTV. You will like them. They are cheaper than the 721 and much more stable. Good luck and have fun!

 

[caps620]

Hello all, new to DBS Talk. Had E* for about 4 years and just switched to D* about 6 months ago.

As far as using the Dish500 for D*, there are a few things to look at. First are the LNB's 2 seperate units or is it the newer single twin LNB with only 2 coax outputs. If it's the latter it will not work with D* receivers since the switch is built in to the LNB. Second D* uses the 101 satellite for the core programming and 119 for some public service channels and NASA TV. 110 is used for HDTV right now. Also there is a SatC kit required to receive signals from 110. The Dish500 receives from satellites 9 degrees apart, so if you wanted to see 101 and 119 the Dish500 will not work.

 

[spanishannouncetable]

Hey, I live just over the hill from you, uncrph90 (in Mount Airy).

If you want a DirecTiVo and a second, regular receiver RIGHT NOW, go here -

http://www.expertsatellite.com/dirwittivsys.html

I recommend this one as it includes a 4x4 multiswitch:
"TiVo Combo with Multi-Sat (18x24) Dish, plus FREE Hughes Director Pack Receiver" for $99.95 + $19.95 s&h.

Mention the code LADISH and get $20 off for a total of $99.90 delivered !

New Directv customers only, limit 1. Offer expires Oct.12, 2002. Professional installation included. For complete terms - http://www.expertsatellite.com/terandcon.html

 

[EricG]

I believe that offer expired MONTHS ago.

Originally posted by spanishannouncetable
Hey, I live just over the hill from you, uncrph90 (in Mount Airy).

If you want a DirecTiVo and a second, regular receiver RIGHT NOW, go here -

http://www.expertsatellite.com/dirwittivsys.html

I recommend this one as it includes a 4x4 multiswitch:
"TiVo Combo with Multi-Sat (18x24) Dish, plus FREE Hughes Director Pack Receiver" for $99.95 + $19.95 s&h.

Mention the code LADISH and get $20 off for a total of $99.90 delivered !

New Directv customers only, limit 1. Offer expires Oct.12, 2002. Professional installation included. For complete terms - http://www.expertsatellite.com/terandcon.html

 

[Guest]

Uncrph90 you might want to hold off on switching from DISH if you are not unhappy with their service. The answer on the merger should be out in the next couple of months and DISH announced at TEAM SUMMIT in April a model 522 for early 2003 that will have two tuners and two modulated outputs so you can send both turners out as separate channels.

 

[Karl Foster]

To me that is even more incentive to move. If you can get a smokin' deal on a dual-tuner PVR, you can get one installed. E* has promised to replace with equivalent equiment at no cost. If you install a Directivo or Ultimatetv, you will get something equivalent for free from E*. Rather than pay $550 for a dual-tuner PVR, you can pick one up for under $100 now. In the long run, you'd save money.

 

[spanishannouncetable]

Originally posted by EricG
I believe that offer expired MONTHS ago.

Wow, that's weird. That link I posted was working and they were taking orders on it THAT VERY DAY. The DirecTiVos were all refurbs while the regular receivers were brand new, but they really were available.

I guess they ran out of DirecTiVos again :shrug:

 

[uncrph90]

Thanks for all of the advice everyone!

Hey, I live just over the hill from you, uncrph90 (in Mount Airy).

Hi neighbor!!

To me that is even more incentive to move. If you can get a smokin' deal on a dual-tuner PVR, you can get one installed. E* has promised to replace with equivalent equiment at no cost. If you install a Directivo or Ultimatetv, you will get something equivalent for free from E*. Rather than pay $550 for a dual-tuner PVR, you can pick one up for under $100 now. In the long run, you'd save money.

karl_f --That makes sense to me and is my primary reason for thinking of changing. As I see it--I can change now, get locals and a 2-tuner PVR relatively cheaply--OR--I can wait an undetermined amount of time with no locals, no PVR and see IF a merger goes through. Then wait to see which hardware is supported and if it is Dish have to pay more than what a directivo costs to get a 721 or similar future model. Why wait!!

Of course, I'm not in a real hurry, so I will see what kind of deals the series II directivos will be offered for this fall and then pull the trigger.

Thanks again everyone for your help and guidance!!
Bill

 

[Jacob S]

I thought that you could put another lnbf to a dish 500 dish and pick up the 101 directv signal? I tried this on my dish without any luck.

 

[spanishannouncetable]

Originally posted by Jacob S
I thought that you could put another lnbf to a dish 500 dish and pick up the 101 directv signal? I tried this on my dish without any luck.

I think you have to place it very carefully, and find some way to secure it to the Dish lnbs as it has no proper mounting position.

You could also get a Directv 18x24 dish with the arm allowing all 3 lnbs to be securely mounted. The 101 lnb would be for Directv only, and the 110 and 119 lnbs would give you Dish Network.