splice an inbound line?

A "splice" would not "split" a cable. Yes you can splice, but no you can't split.
Each receiver needs to be activated and this is the $5/month cost, whether connected or not.

Each receiver or DVR has it's own unique access card, which must be properly activated/authorized before the unit will work.

Your dish should have 2 or 4 output connectors (depending on the model of dish). That allows connecting up to 2 or 4 (as applicable) tuners. A non-DVR receiver has one tuner, a DVR has 2 tuners. Each tuner must have a dedicated coax back to the dish.

Your first receiver (or DVR) is included in the program package you have. After that, there is a $4.99 monthly fee for each additional receiver or DVR. Both DVR service, and HD service have an additional fee per account (not per receiver).

The bottom line for you is: no matter where you get an additional receiver you must (a) connect it directly to an output on the dish AND (b) activate it on your account.

What you can do (if you want) is to feed two (or more) TV sets from one receiver, but they must all be watching the same thing.

Carl

Thanks for the info.

As VOS corrected me on terminology, if I used a splitter on a single line from the dish before it got to the receiver, could that single line now be used to run two independent receivers? Granted, I'd still be paying the $4.99 for the 5th receiver access. I was trying to stay away from using the same reciever for 2 tv's. I already have 4 receivers coming off my dish, so not sure how, or even if, a 5th could be run.

deafcorn said:

Thanks for the info.

As VOS corrected me on terminology, if I used a splitter on a single line from the dish before it got to the receiver, could that single line now be used to run two independent receivers? Granted, I'd still be paying the $4.99 for the 5th receiver access. I was trying to stay away from using the same reciever for 2 tv's. I already have 4 receivers coming off my dish, so not sure how, or even if, a 5th could be run.

Click to expand...

"The problem" is each tuner sends a tune voltage/signal to the dish. With two receivers connected to the same line, there will be a conflict and "sometimes" it may work and other times neither will work.
"What you need is" a multi-switch. A Zinwell WB68 connects to the dish's four outputs, and then "switches" them to the eight outputs of the switch.
This is how you can run more than four [up to eight].

makes sense. thanks for the info, much appreciated!

Here's one more for you, I have an H23 HD receiver with an IR remote. I want to get an RF remote. I see that Direct.com sells the RF remotes by themselves or with an antenna. Does the H23 require the external antenna?

deafcorn said:

makes sense. thanks for the info, much appreciated!

Here's one more for you, I have an H23 HD receiver with an IR remote. I want to get an RF remote. I see that Direct.com sells the RF remotes by themselves or with an antenna. Does the H23 require the external antenna?

Click to expand...

"I don't think so". The H20 needed an antenna, but my H21 doesn't, nor do any of the HR20/21s, so "I'd guess" the H23 doesn't either.
"Simple way to tell" is to look at the back of the receiver and see if there is a place for the remote antenna to connect [another coax connector].

we have 3 H20-100 receivers, one in each of our 2 dedicated movie theaters (one casual one full blown theater). But, also one of those receivers is connected to a Russound multizone/multisource A/V distribution system that pipes the signal to 8 zones of my home using keypads on each zones wall. Granted, modulation is controlled via the keypads IR receiver so each room is on the same channel and each room can change the channel (thank goodness it's just my wife and I no kids), but it works perfectly rather than having a total of 10 receivers....