[mtnagel]

I'm going to my parents house this weekend (it's about 450 miles away) and once they found out they could have 2 DVR's hooked up to their main tv so they could have 4 tuners, they asked if I could hook it up. Right now they have an R10 so it has two lines going to it. Just so I know what to expect, were there any older dishes that didn't have 4 outputs?

They probably got the dish either when they got a directivo probably 4 years ago or the dish is the original from when they got D* about 10 years ago. Just trying to plan if it's even possible.

 

[bobnielsen]

If it's an 18 in round dish with one LNB, it probably has two outputs which run to the R10. You can add a 2x4 (or 3x4) multiswitch to get 4 outputs. if it has 2 or 3 LNBs, it will have an internal multiswitch with 4 outputs.

 

[mtnagel]

Thanks. That's what I was afraid of (that there was a dish that only had 2 outputs). Any idea on the price of the 2x4 multiswitch?

 

[bobnielsen]

I think I paid about $70 a few years ago at Best Buy. Here are several: http://www.solidsignal.com/cat_display.asp?main_cat=02&CAT=Multiswitches.

 

[jdspencer]

From that site, this one should work just fine.
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=SP34DTV

 

[carl6]

If they have an R10 and both tuners are active, then they must at least have a dish with two outputs.

However, the very origional dishes only had one output, and there was no way to even use a multiswitch with them. I've still got one of those laying around, so I know they exist.

By the way, it is a lot easier to put in a 2x4 or 3x4 multiswitch than it is to put in a new dish (and probably cheaper too).

Carl

 

[mtnagel]

I guess $26 isn't so bad. But my mom has been wanting a new tv, so that would mean HD, which would mean an upgrade to the HR20, which would mean a free dish upgrade and free wiring too. So I guess I just need to figure out when they want to do it. Supposedly, HD locals are coming to their area, but who knows when that will happen. They actually still have a powered antenna in their attic from when you needed one for SD locals so they could always use that.

 

[uncrules]

When I got D* in 95 they sold a system with two outputs and 2 receivers for $750 and sold a system that only had one output and one receiver for $500. I got the $750 dollar system and my Dad got the $500 system. How times have changed

 

[Mertzen]

Some of the older basic dishes only have one LNB and hence one output. You might be able to find an LNB with two. They are interchangeable and o realignment should be required.