# How does a Duo receiver work?



## alexdrozd (Oct 25, 2006)

I am new to E* (thinking about switching from D*) and I am trying to understand the functionality of the hardware on the Duo receivers.

How does the video signal get passed on to the second TV (located upstairs)? Any problems with the remote and distance?

Can I record 2 shows and watch 1 show on each TV like I presently can? That would mean the Duo receiver would have to be able to record 4 shows and play 2 at the same time. Is this even possible?

I am afraid to ask a CSR these questions, each one will give a different answer.

Thanks in advance.


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

Dish's DUAL tuner receivers can record one program per tuner in which case: dual tuner sd receivers can only record two programs at the same time and can playback two pre-recorded programs. HD dual tuner receivers can record two sat programs and one OTA program at the same time except for the 722k (with the ota module, can do two sat programs and two ota programs at the same time, each can play back two pre-recorded programs at the same time (except the 612 which can only playback one program at a time). If you are recording on all tuners, you can either watch a pre-recored program or one that is recording, you cannot view another live program if all the tuners are recording something.


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

The duo receivers usually use a coax to the second TV audio video can be run but would need 3 cables run in the walls to the upstairs room which isn't practical in most homes.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

alexdrozd said:


> I am new to E* (thinking about switching from D*) and I am trying to understand the functionality of the hardware on the Duo receivers.
> 
> How does the video signal get passed on to the second TV (located upstairs)? Any problems with the remote and distance?


In almost every case, the TV2 signal is distributed via coax. There are composite video/stereo audio outputs for TV2, but unless the TV2 is fairly close to the receiver, or you can make and run custom-length cables, that's probably not an option. Remember that the TV2 output is SD only.



> Can I record 2 shows and watch 1 show on each TV like I presently can? That would mean the Duo receiver would have to be able to record 4 shows and play 2 at the same time. Is this even possible?


No. A DirecTV DVR dedicates 2 sat tuners for each TV. A Dish DVR shares those 2 sat tuners between 2 TVs, so each TV gets only one sat tuner. That means you must either watch what you're recording, or watch a previously-recorded show, unless you take over the tuner from the other TV.

The 612/622/722 DVRs have an additional ATSC OTA tuner available for live viewing to TV1 only (recordings from OTA are available to the TV2), while the 722k comes with no OTA tuner but can accept an optional tuner module that provides a pair of OTA tuners, one dedicated to each TV. So, depending on the OTA situation you have, you could add some flexibility with an OTA antenna.


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## alexdrozd (Oct 25, 2006)

I didn't know the signal to TV2 is SD only. Not good. 

I have 3 HD TV's. I want DVR capability on two of them and the ability to record 2 stations on each DVR.

What setup do I need?


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

Do you need dvr to each tv? A 612 or a 211 (with an external Hard Drive) if they do, a 211 without the EHD if you don't. Total of three receivers.


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## Cold Irons (Dec 7, 2005)

Or, do what I do - a 722 in the Living room & a 622 in bedroom - so that I have all 3 tuners available at each TV.


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## alexdrozd (Oct 25, 2006)

E* doesn't show a 622 on their site so I am not sure what that receiver can do. Why not just get two 722's?

Is it true that they charge you a fee for each DVR you have? I read that on some post but I didn't see it under "fees" on their website.


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

I have a 25' Composite (red white yellow) cable going from my 722 upstairs through the wall to the second TV. I use a Xantek IR repeater over a coax link for getting my video/audio switching device controlled so I can watch other video sources on that TV also.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

boba said:


> The duo receivers usually use a coax to the second TV audio video can be run but would need 3 cables run in the walls to the upstairs room which isn't practical in most homes.


3 cables 

I just used the dual tuner mode last night, all I did was run the coax to the 2nd TV's UHF antenna input (yes that TV is that old that it has separate VHF & UHF antenna inputs) and my wife had the program she wanted.

By 3 cables are you thinking you need a separate audio feed? That is not so. The dual mode outputs TV 2 on a UHF NTSC TV channel (or a cable channel in the same frequency range as UHF). The modulated feed has BTSC audio (i.e. it passes the stereo audio unlike most RF modulators). Additionally the TV 2 RF output is hot (i.e. it's got enough power to run a whole house RF system, you can hook several TV's off this one feed and/or run long cable lengths). As a matter of fact they sometimes include an attenuator for this feed if you have only one TV at a short distance since in that situation it may overload your 2nd TV.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

alexdrozd said:


> E* doesn't show a 622 on their site so I am not sure what that receiver can do. Why not just get two 722's?
> 
> Is it true that they charge you a fee for each DVR you have? I read that on some post but I didn't see it under "fees" on their website.


The primary difference between a 622 & 722 is the hard drive size. The 722 is basically the same as a 622 with a larger hard drive. The 722K OTOH has a different OTA tuner setup (it's optional & if you get it you'll have dual OTA tuners insted of the single fixed OTA tuner on the 622 and 722 (non k).

While they may not charge you a "fee" for the extra DVR, they do charge a fee for having an additional receiver. The beauty of dual tuner receivers is that you save the additional receiver fee by having a dual as opposed to 2 separate receivers. The downside is only one output of any HD dual tuner receiver is in HD (although you can run multiple HD outputs of TV1 at the same time, but you are stuck watching the same channel as your main TV on the other set hooked up this way).


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

alexdrozd said:


> I didn't know the signal to TV2 is SD only. Not good.
> 
> I have 3 HD TV's. I want DVR capability on two of them and the ability to record 2 stations on each DVR.
> 
> What setup do I need?


The ViP612 is nearly feature-identical to the DirecTV HD-DVR. It's a dual-tuner HD-DVR designed to run a single TV. Note that it does *not* have PiP, which requires a second video output processor, as found on the 722.

The ViP211 is a single-tuner, single-TV HD receiver that can optionally be converted into a more basic HD-DVR via the addition of a USB hard drive and a $39 activation fee (once per account) to enable that feature. You're still limited to a 3-day guide and of course, only a single tuner, but it does give you the option for DVRing.

So, for your needs, I'd want a pair of 612s and a 211. To get this combo of receivers, there's going to be a non-refundable lease upgrade fee involved, just like with DirecTV.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

A couple of minor corrections on the ViP211 with EHD:
1. You get the full 9 day guide with the EHD option.
2. You can record one SAT channel and one OTA channel simultaneously with the 211 while watching a pre-recorded event.


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## alexdrozd (Oct 25, 2006)

Thank you all.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

Michael P said:


> ... As a matter of fact they sometimes include an attenuator for this feed if you have only one TV at a short distance since in that situation it may overload your 2nd TV.


I think you may be confusing the attenuator that at one time was included to permit knocking down stray UHF interference (as well as the UHF remote's UHF signal.)


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