[JerryMeeker]

Up until the purchase of my new display (Sony 75Z9F), I had been using the RVU app to view the occasional 4K broadcast. Unfortunately, Sony has dropped RVU support from their 2018 models. To restore my capability to view 4K programming, I will be requesting a C61K from DTV.

I plan on having both an HR54-700 and the C61K in the same equipment cabinet, with both connected to the Sony TV through a Marantz AVR using HDMI. Can someone take a look at the attached diagram of my setup and tell me what I need to hook up the C61K? I think it is as simple as adding a 2-way coax splitter to provide a coax connection to the C61K.

Thanks in advance!

 

[trh]

Save yourself $7 per month and get rid of your HR24. Put the 54 in its place. Unless you want to keep the 24 for an RV or weekend home.

 

[DirectMan]

Up until the purchase of my new display (Sony 75Z9F), I had been using the RVU app to view the occasional 4K broadcast. Unfortunately, Sony has dropped RVU support from their 2018 models. To restore my capability to view 4K programming, I will be requesting a C61K from DTV.

I plan on having both an HR54-700 and the C61K in the same equipment cabinet, with both connected to the Sony TV through a Marantz AVR using HDMI. Can someone take a look at the attached diagram of my setup and tell me what I need to hook up the C61K? I think it is as simple as adding a 2-way coax splitter to provide a coax connection to the C61K.

Thanks in advance!

I would get a 4 way splitter to replace the 2 way splitter and hook the C61K to the splitter. Make sure to connect the HR54 to the power pass (red) connection.

 

[JerryMeeker]

Thanks for the advice, but I have given this some careful thought, and I prefer to retain the HR24 as my primary DVR in the bedroom. And I will continue to use the HR54 as my primary DVR in the living room. I will only use the C61K when I want to watch 4K content. Why? Because I have no experience with the C61K, and have heard enough reports about its behavior that I don't trust it. Perhaps after using it a while, I may do exactly as you recommended, but for now I want to just know how to hook it up in the same location as the HR54.

 

[JerryMeeker]

I would get a 4 way splitter to replace the 2 way splitter and hook the C61K to the splitter. Make sure to connect the HR54 to the power pass (red) connection.

OK, that is the advice I was looking for, thanks. I'll proceed with your recommendation.

 

[DirectMan]

OK, that is the advice I was looking for, thanks. I'll proceed with your recommendation.

I have the same setup as you. I brought on the HR-54 and 2 x C61K clients in November and gave back one of my HR-24s. I kept an HR-24 for my office. I was concerned about latency as I watch sports and want very fast response when I do 6 second replay. I have been very impressed with the HR-54/C61K combination in that regard.

You can buy a directv certified green label 4 way splitter on ebay for about $5.

You may or may not know that you can get rid of the separate power supply for the LNB as the HR-54 will power it.

 

[DirectMan]

If the HR-54 and C71K are in the same room I would just add a two way splitter and split the coax in that area rather than the four. I was thinking about my own system where I have a 4 way splitter in the room where all my cables terminate. As an alternative setup think about placing the HR-54 in another room you can feed another TV off it and it adds nothing being in the same room as the C61K.

 

[horace clark]

Save yourself $7 per month and get rid of your HR24. Put the 54 in its place. Unless you want to keep the 24 for an RV or weekend home.

This is exactly what you should do. Get rid of the hr24 (9 years old now) and put the 54 there and save $7 a month.

 

[JerryMeeker]

As I have said, I won’t do this until I have some experience with the C61K.

 

[dreadlk]

This is exactly what you should do. Get rid of the hr24 (9 years old now) and put the 54 there and save $7 a month.

I would not get rid of it. If he does that then he has all his eggs in the one HR54 basket. If that stops working he has no TV period. Also if the Hard Drive crashes he has lost possibly a whole season worth of episodes. I use one of my HR24's as a backup for all recordings. After at least 3 hard drive crashes over the years I have learned to always have two DVR's recording the same show. It has saved my butt on a few occasions. I have also noticed that the HR54 is not very reliable in recording. I set at least 6 different shows to record over a two week period and only 4 of them recorded. The HR24 recorded every show.

 

[MysteryMan]

I have also noticed that the HR54 is not very reliable in recording.

I beg to differ. I've had my HR54-200 since June 2015. Never experienced a recording issue.

 

[JerryMeeker]

I agree about all the eggs in one basket comment. However, I too have never experienced a failure to record on my HR54, and do not duplicate recordings on the HR24. I record programs on the HR24 that I am likely to watch from the bedroom (late night talk shows, Cable news, etc.). I am more concerned about the responsiveness of a C61K, and a number of issues/quirks that I have seen reported here. Better to dip a toe in the water before burning any bridges. $7/mo is a small price to pay for peace of mind, IMO.

 

[dreadlk]

I beg to differ. I've had my HR54-200 since June 2015. Never experienced a recording issue.

Wow I must be really unlucky. Just like some others have said in other posts I have had missed recordings and I have only had the unit a month.

 

[dreadlk]

I agree about all the eggs in one basket comment. However, I too have never experienced a failure to record on my HR54, and do not duplicate recordings on the HR24. I record programs on the HR24 that I am likely to watch from the bedroom (late night talk shows, Cable news, etc.). I am more concerned about the responsiveness of a C61K, and a number of issues/quirks that I have seen reported here. Better to dip a toe in the water before burning any bridges. $7/mo is a small price to pay for peace of mind, IMO.

Well it's up to you. Since the recording from any one unit can be watched/managed from the other units it's not really a big deal to record a backup in the bedroom and watch it in the living room if the main unit does not record it properly.

 

[Rich]

Well it's up to you. Since the recording from any one unit can be watched/managed from the other units it's not really a big deal to record a backup in the bedroom and watch it in the living room if the main unit does not record it properly.

I agree. I can not imagine trusting D* equipment after what I went thru beginning in 2006. The only reason I have five HRs activated is backing up recordings. When I had twelve HRs activated I used several as backups. And if you sub to the NFL ST how are the tuners on the 54 enough? I would feel restricted by the lack of tuners. Gotta face facts here, those 54s aren't gonna run well forever, I'd happily pay for the ability to backup recordings.

Rich

 

[slice1900]

And if you sub to the NFL ST how are the tuners on the 54 enough?

Not everyone gets NFLST to watch ALL the games...

 

[JerryMeeker]

Well it's up to you. Since the recording from any one unit can be watched/managed from the other units it's not really a big deal to record a backup in the bedroom and watch it in the living room if the main unit does not record it properly.

Well, these days when a recording is missed for whatever reason, there is a very good chance that it will be available either on-demand, or in the case of cable shows, repeated many times in the future. I understand how some users may want to be overly cautious, but TBH it's more trouble than it is worth.

 

[carl6]

The C61K is a non-problem piece of equipment, I'm running two of them (and a C41) off an HS17. However, you are welcome to pay the extra $7 month if you wish. However, I would recommend using the C61K 100% of the time, keeping the HR54 direct connection if you so wish. Or, just keep the HR54 as backup and put the C61K directly to the television. You can always swap hdmi cables if necessary.

I kept multiple DVRs on account forever, but recurring monthly costs finally forced me to eliminate redundancy. When I made that decision, I went for an HS17 and all clients, and I have not regretted it. While there are the rare situations where I wonder if I made the right decision, I've never missed a recording or had a problem viewing a recording, so nothing to make me want to go back to the old way.

 

[trh]

You said you're concerned about the performance of the 61. Then do as Carl suggested - - use the 61 100% of the time to see if you do have any problems with audio, video or speed.

And while I also went through 4 HR24s in several months, I haven't had any issues since then. I wouldn't be to concerned with only one DVR... especially with only 2 TVs.

 

[JerryMeeker]

Well, I will report back after I have used the C61K. I see no issue in a conservative approach. The original intent of this thread was to understand how to hook up the C61K, an answer for which I received several posts back. I haven’t actually ordered the C61K yet.