Can someone splain how a dual tuner HD DVR receiver works?

[Midpack]

Changing HD TV providers to Dish Network (getting mo better channels, more HD, another TV and DVR and still saving $9/mo vs DirecTV!!!!). Have had two TV's and two receivers, no DVR. Will have 3 TV's with new system, two HD and one SD, but system paperwork says there will be only 2 receivers (I assumed there would be 3). One receiver is a 1 TV HD receiver, got that. The other (Dish ViP622) is a dual tuner, HD DVR, supporting 2 TV's, anyone know how that works?

I gather the ViP622 has 2 tuners, 1 HD and 1 SD.
I take it TV1 will be HD w DVR.
I take it there will be a line out of the receiver that goes on to TV2 (downstairs), with an SD signal.
Don't get how the remote from downstairs is going to independently control the receiver upstairs, but obviously I'm not the first.

I assume I am limited to 2 programs at a time. I can watch TV1 and record another program, but not watch TV2 OR I can watch TV1 and watch another program on TV2, but not record. If I want to record HD, I can't also watch HD on TV1, but I can watch SD on TV2.
Enough, wondering if I'm on the right track?

 

[Peter]

Don't get how the remote from downstairs is going to independently control the receiver upstairs

There will be 2 remotes, one works on IR for the TV near the satellite box, and the other works on RF so it can go through walls and ceilings. (Although not if you live in a 200 room mansion.)

Peter

 

[Rustic23]

While you are watching something recorded you can record a show on TV1 and TV2
While watching a show on TV1 you can watch another show on TV2 or record a show on TV2
While watching a show on TV2 you can watch another show on TV1 or record a show on TV1
If you are recording something on TV1 you can't watch something else on TV1 same applies for TV2
You record a show on TV1 and different show on TV2, however, if you want to watch TV during this operation you will watch something you are recording.

After reading this I am not sure it will help. But you are right one box works two tvs

 

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

While you are watching something recorded you can record a show on TV1 and TV2
While watching a show on TV1 you can watch another show on TV2 or record a show on TV2
While watching a show on TV2 you can watch another show on TV1 or record a show on TV1
If you are recording something on TV1 you can't watch something else on TV1 same applies for TV2
You record a show on TV1 and different show on TV2, however, if you want to watch TV during this operation you will watch something you are recording.

After reading this I am not sure it will help. But you are right one box works two tvs

Sounds like a downgrade from standard cable. With standard cable you don't need a box and can have ten VCRs or DVRs recording ten different channels and watch an 11th channel on the TV. Of course, digital cable only calls and decodes one channel at a time while satellite only decodes one signal at a time.

 

[Texas Proud]

I am not sure if the tuner 2 is HD or not... It SEEMS to be the same when recording... but who knows

I got this a month ago... the 'Turbo HD only package', with local programming... also got a special channel for my wife.... got TWO dishes on the roof... however, I got a LOT of channels... more than what they told me I would get... most are junk which is why I wanted a small package....

Since I only got two TVs.... they ran a cable from the dishes to the DVR and TV two... the signal goes back through the same cable (to TV2) used for the download from the dish... to me, that is why I think it is SD...

ASK for the 722 instead of the 622... it has more recording time... I get 50 hours of HD and something like 300 standard...

To me... so far I think it is a good deal...

 

[Texas Proud]

Also... yes, you do need a box to get a signal.... but if you want the same signal to go to two TVs you can put a splitter and just run a cable to the second TV.... so, for TV2, we have a cable in our daughters bedroom and one in our bedroom... you watch the same thing, but you can have it in two rooms... now, all I have to do is get another TV..

If 3 people wanted to watch 3 separate programs... then yes, you would need that extra HD tuner...

One of the things I do NOT like about the DVR is that you choose which tuner is the 'main' one for recording.... so when people say 'record from TV2 and watch TV1'.... well, that just does not happen for some reason.... if you schedule a recording from TV2, it uses TV1 tuner to record since that is the default... and if you choose TV2 as the default, then that is used... the only time you get the other tuner recording is if you record two programs at the same time...

And if you are recording on TV1, there is no way to use TV2 tuner ON TV1 without going into single user mode or something... then there is no TV2...

Of course you CAN pay more money and have a DVR for both TVs with two tuners each...

 

[donheff]

If Dish's dual tuner receiver works like the ones I have used on Verizon, you can record one program while watching another program. You can record two programs while watching another previously recorded program (doesn't use a tuner). But you cannot record two programs while watching a third live program. The only way I have found to "access" the second tuner is by recording through it.

 

[Midpack]

Sounds like a downgrade from standard cable. With standard cable you don't need a box and can have ten VCRs or DVRs recording ten different channels and watch an 11th channel on the TV. Of course, digital cable only calls and decodes one channel at a time while satellite only decodes one signal at a time.

Not at all, we had cable TV for many years, wasn't as reliable as satellite and offered far fewer channels for the same price. This time I looked at cable and their prices were much, much higher - no comparison. We were paying $70/mo with DirecTV with no DVR and 1 HD & 1 SD feed, will be paying $61/month with Dish Network (TurboHD Gold & Locals) with a DVR and 2 HD feed/receivers & 1 SD. Cable (Comcast) wanted $103/mo for an equivalent setup even bundled with my existing high speed internet - yeah, right.

Thanks to the rest of you, I believe I do understand how it will all work, and it suits our purposes perfectly. We don't watch that much TV to begin with...

 

[Rustic23]

On ours, TV1 is HD, TV2 is not. (Dish Network)

Anyone know if Direct TV works the same?

Also, I think you could get a DVR for each TV and then you would be able to record multiple programs around the house. Only problem is they would only be able to be watched on the TV they were recorded on.

I would like an HD box I could hook up to the TV, DVR programs on it to a USB Hard drive, be able to plug in a USB hard drive with content on it and play it, or move it to another TV. I think I could do something like that with my laptop, it has a HMDI conector. I would prefer a stand alone unit. Something that would hook up to my computer and alow me to rip a DVD to it, and then plug it to the TV and play it.

 

[SteveL]

Look at your dish. Normally, each tuner needs a co-ax from the dish. The dual tuner for the DVR gets two. Some dishes have 2 output, some 3, and some 4, depending on the quality of the dish, and how it splits up the signal.

 

[Nords]

Sounds like a downgrade from standard cable. With standard cable you don't need a box and can have ten VCRs or DVRs recording ten different channels and watch an 11th channel on the TV.

Oh no. We lived that lifestyle with a half-dozen VHS VCRs and two TVs on an analog cable signal for over a decade, even adding a couple DVD recorders. It also took a couple RF amps to boost the signals and keep everything tuned in. Every Saturday morning I'd spend 30-45 minutes with a one-week online programming guide, setting up the recording schedule and deconflicting all the shows to keep things updated. Even then we'd be ambushed by random programming changes and interrupted recordings. Higher channels would barely have enough signal strength to display without static or audio problems. We'd go through a couple rewinders a year along with a constant demand for more VHS tapes to replace the ones getting stretched or mangled. One of the VCRs would always be acting up and there'd be a half-dozen remote controls to keep track of. VCRs are disappearing from garage sales & pawnshops, let alone retail stores, and even DVD/VCR combos are prone to misbehaving under heavy loads. Spouse would spend her day carrying VHS tapes from room to room, emptying & feeding VCRs. A prolonged power outage would be a #$%^ing nightmare recovery. And I don't even watch TV.

"Her" birthday present was a Series 2 single-tuner TiVo with a wireless adapter-- $85 on Craigslist from a family upgrading to HD. I splurged for the $399 lifetime subscription (30-month payback). Our kid's birthday present was a wireless router, so the TiVo joined the network and started handling the programming guide by itself.

A couple months later there's no going back. Spouse has a 50-something playlist with only a few conflicts. She's down to an occasional VHS tape and she watches a wider variety of programming than we'd ever have kept track of with the VCRs. She hardly ever watches live TV anymore. I don't have to do any checking or scheduling or programming. No disruptive schedule changes-- TiVo learns about it in time. No rewinding and no fast-forwarding through hours of repeats. All the remote controls have been consolidated into the TiVo control. We've thrown away two VCRs and sent a DVD recorder to Goodwill. I consolidated a lot of the wiring and all channels are so clean that we could probably do without the RF amps. The digital playback is far easier to freeze & analyze than anything on tape. If I want to watch something then I can download it to the desktop and watch the parts I care about on my own time.

The area around the video furniture is cooler and we're also using a lot less video electricity.

If we really wanted to go overboard then we'd buy a second Series 2 single-tuner TiVo for the other TV and swap files over the network. (Our kid would also use it with her online Netflix subscription.) But spouse has more than enough to entertain herself for now and pretty soon people will be leaving the Series 2s on top of dumpsters...

The heck with digital or HD-- we have more than enough worthless crap to watch now. For a real quality improvement, I'm ready for our cable company to go to a la carte pricing.

 

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

If we really wanted to go overboard then we'd buy a second Series 2 single-tuner TiVo for the other TV and swap files over the network. (Our kid would also use it with her online Netflix subscription.) But spouse has more than enough to entertain herself for now and pretty soon people will be leaving the Series 2s on top of dumpsters...

The heck with digital or HD-- we have more than enough worthless crap to watch now. For a real quality improvement, I'm ready for our cable company to go to a la carte pricing.

If you really wanted to go frugally overboard instead of wasting money on additional tuners, you could use old computers or buy a few from goodwill to do the signal decoding. I know someone who did that, he figured he was already paying for the service so it shouldn't matter how many tuners he actually buys from the company.

You'd probably have a couple legs to stand on in court or else we'd all still be using Ma Bell's rotary phones at home.

 

[Nords]

... instead of wasting money on additional tuners, you could use old computers or buy a few from goodwill to do the signal decoding.

Every TiVo tuner entering this household gets rid of at least one VCR, and I don't have to play sysadmin to old PCs that may or may not be able to network with TiVo's program guide.

There's a line between frugality & deprivation. When I'm spending inordinate amounts of time on frugality and it cuts into the activities that bring me more value, then it's possible that the line has been crossed.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Maybe someone can explain how to use my dual tuner TV with the cable company provided remote, to get picture-in-picture since I have Verizon FIOS service. I know I can use it by switching back and forth with two different remotes but Verizon says there is only one signal coming in and their remote can't split the signal. My wife's TV system has a separate HD,DVR cable box but mine is a standard cable box. Verizon can't even tell if the picture-in-picture portion of her TV is capable of working with their equipment. You buy all these great TV's with all these features and then can't use them according to the cable companies. By the way, in case you are not familiar, FIOS if the fiber optic system. We have the TV service, internet and phone in one package.

 

[ziggy29]

There's a line between frugality & deprivation. When I'm spending inordinate amounts of time on frugality and it cuts into the activities that bring me more value, then it's possible that the line has been crossed.

Great point. I just wanted to see that again. When LBYM and frugality become an obsession -- when one is consumed by saving every last dollar they possibly can even if it means cutting out stuff that makes their lives a lot easier and/or more enjoyable -- then maybe it's not such a "healthy" lifestyle any more.

I try to remind myself that as important as it is to save and invest for tomorrow, we don't know we'll even *have* a tomorrow, but we know we have today. All things in moderation, including being cheap.

 

[ziggy29]

Maybe someone can explain how to use my dual tuner TV with the cable company provided remote, to get picture-in-picture since I have Verizon FIOS service.

How many tuners does the FIOS box have? If only one, I don't think PIP can work since the one tuner has to be on one channel. If you have two tuners in the box, do you have two separate "video out" ports (one for each tuner)? If so you should be able to put each video out into a different video in to your TV. Otherwise, you'll need two different boxes with video outs.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

How many tuners does the FIOS box have? If only one, I don't think PIP can work since the one tuner has to be on one channel. If you have two tuners in the box, do you have two separate "video out" ports (one for each tuner)? If so you should be able to put each video out into a different video in to your TV. Otherwise, you'll need two different boxes with video outs.

Only one. There lies the rub. I'll be checking with Verizon to see about availability of dual tuner cable boxes. Thanks for the info.