Directv's new HD channels

[d-fragger]

Never watch the Food Network in HD, everytime I do I have to go raid the fridge!!!


Oh yeah, Go Cubbies!!!

[Smiley]

I'm not impressed with the features and operation of the HD Receiver I got yesterday, some of the user setup options of the standard receiver are not in this new receiver's firmware. I feel like the firmware is limited in its capability back to the level of my 12 yr old receiver.

IE: It takes a second Guide button press to bring up the Guide that is set as default and you no longer can sort the guide channels by alphabet order, it is numerical order only

You also cannot add the info of the show on the guide for each entry, you have to press the Info button on individual highlighted show to see that detailed info.

Plus it has no coax out, I'll have to get a RF Modulator to convert the signal to send it to the little TV above my computers.

Question: For using a 3rd receiver (or more), is there a special coax splitter they use on the incoming Satellite coax or do they run a 3rd coax from the dish?

[{OF}Blong]

Originally Posted by Smiley

I'm not impressed with the features and operation of the HD Receiver I got yesterday, some of the user setup options of the standard receiver are not in this new receiver's firmware. I feel like the firmware is limited in its capability back to the level of my 12 yr old receiver.

IE: It takes a second Guide button press to bring up the Guide that is set as default and you no longer can sort the guide channels by alphabet order, it is numerical order only

You also cannot add the info of the show on the guide for each entry, you have to press the Info button on individual highlighted show to see that detailed info.

Plus it has no coax out, I'll have to get a RF Modulator to convert the signal to send it to the little TV above my computers.

Question: For using a 3rd receiver (or more), is there a special coax splitter they use on the incoming Satellite coax or do they run a 3rd coax from the dish?

they run a 3rd coax from the dish. From what I understand each reciever has to have its own dedicated line and in the case of the HD reciever with DVR (yours is probably an hd21) 2 dedicated lines along with 2 grey box's that have to be connected to the back of the reciever to recieve HD channels. That doesnt mean you cant use a splitter but I never tried it so I dont know if it will work or not.

[Smiley]

I did some research. You cannot use a splitter, it has to be a modulator. A modulator is powered from the receiver and has to be the correct type for your system. But it does look like my dish is able to have a third coax connection

I got an RF modulator to convert component cables to coax. It works but my office TV has waves showing. The ATI TV card will only display B&W images So I know it is a week signal vs. the signal from the old receiver output. I put a coax signal amp in the line but nothing improved. So I'm unable to record TV to my PC, unless I want B&W. I've been putting the UFC and WEC fights on DVDs for a son of mine that does not have the channels.

[{OF}Blong]

Originally Posted by Smiley

I did some research. You cannot use a splitter, it has to be a modulator. A modulator is powered from the receiver and has to be the correct type for your system. But it does look like my dish is able to have a third coax connection

I got an RF modulator to convert component cables to coax. It works but my office TV has waves showing. The ATI TV card will only display B&W images So I know it is a week signal vs. the signal from the old receiver output. I put a coax signal amp in the line but nothing improved. So I'm unable to record TV to my PC, unless I want B&W. I've been putting the UFC and WEC fights on DVDs for a son of mine that does not have the channels.

You have a 3lnb sat dish right? If not we can convert it to a 3 LNB cause I have the stuff in my garage somewhere, I hope lol ill check tomarrow. Though to run a seperate line I believe you would have to pay the extra $6/month for a second reciever.

hmm have you checked
DBSTalk.Com - Your one stop place for Satellite News, Talk & Information!
for any other possabilities? Supposedly the reason Directv stopped using coax because they figure you have an HDTV to connect to so no need for it. just what I was told is all. to bad there isnt an HDMI to Coax. Also smiley did you try switching the RGB wires around to different ports? I know if you remove I think its the blue wire you will get black and white picture. Could be the modulator itself is bad cause I wouldnt thing signal loss would give you black and white though I dont know.

*edit apparently in the future you will be allowed to view tv over the ethernet but currently it doesnt work. Wonder if there is a workaround for being able to stream over ethernet.

[Smiley]

To clear things up. In my last post above I wrote that DTV uses a modulator, it is actually a multiswitch. I should not post tech stuff when tired.


My new dish went from a 3 LBN to a 5 LBN, it is nearly as big a dish as the Hughes Internet dish. I have a second SD receiver for the TV in the living room. If I run a third coax from the dish I would utilize my old SD receiver for my office. I can use that receiver by swapping cables and the DTV card right now, I'm trying to setup so that I would only have to swap the card into the receiver I want to use downstairs I can only watch one TV at a time

I have no blue cable to the modulator . . . that would be a composite video connection, I'm using component -- yellow, white, red for video and sound. The modulator combines that input into analog video and mono sound over coax, which is fine for that TV.

[{OF}MadD!]

From the dish to the receiver only a multiswitch can be used, but if the receiver has a "TV Out" it can be used to run to other TV's and a normal cable splitter can be used.

I can only speak for Dish Network, but only there single tuner receivers have a "TV OUT" there HD dual tuners dont thave it.