# Split satellite signal to 2 recievers NOT used at the same time



## smigs (Oct 1, 2006)

Hello all,
People jumping up and down saying you cannot split a satellite signal, hear me out first!  I have a 3 LNB dish with 4 lines. I have 2 running to one bedroom for one tivo and 2 running to the living room for another tivo. I recently bought an HD reveiver that I will only use to watch HD events. I know it possible to get a 4x8 multiswitch to hook these up, but I live in a rented house and cannot run another line (landlord says professional install only ). Is there any way to split this signal so I do not have to swich the cable from one receiver to another. Perhaps even an A/B switch would work? I know that there are "satellite spliters" but from what I was reading, there are things you have to take into account like which channels you are watching, polarity, and that kind of stuff. Anyone have any ideas how to do this. If possible, links to products or model numbers would be great!

Thanks for the help,
smigs


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

smigs said:


> Hello all,
> People jumping up and down saying you cannot split a satellite signal, hear me out first!  I have a 3 LNB dish with 4 lines. I have 2 running to one bedroom for one tivo and 2 running to the living room for another tivo. I recently bought an HD reveiver that I will only use to watch HD events. I know it possible to get a 4x8 multiswitch to hook these up, but I live in a rented house and cannot run another line (landlord says professional install only ). Is there any way to split this signal so I do not have to swich the cable from one receiver to another. Perhaps even an A/B switch would work? I know that there are "satellite spliters" but from what I was reading, there are things you have to take into account like which channels you are watching, polarity, and that kind of stuff. Anyone have any ideas how to do this. If possible, links to products or model numbers would be great!
> 
> Thanks for the help,
> smigs


I disconnected one of the lines going to my HDVR2 and connected it to my H20 HD receiver. I can now only record one program at a time, of course, but this hasn't been a drawback (I use the HD receiver unless I am watching a recorded program). I eventually will upgrade to a HR20 HD DVR, but not until it is more stable and OTA is enabled.


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## smigs (Oct 1, 2006)

Yeah, that is what I am doing now and trying to avoid if I can. There are sometimes I would like to record two shows (usually primetime stuff) that it is useful. If this is the only way to do it, then that will be fine.  Just looking for other options.

Thanks,
smigs


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## skyviewmark1 (Sep 28, 2006)

My first instinct is to say no it can't be done. But then I know that the technology exist to do things like this but I suspect the cost might be prohibitive. One receiver would interfere with the other and cause many problems if the switch used allowed anything to cross to the other. Some type of power passive switch I suspect might work but again the price might be pretty intensive. Anything that caused any kind of short across would kill the receiver. Not an engineer, so I am just going on my 20 plus years of doing this. Someone else may have an idea I haven't thought of.


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## dtv757 (Jun 4, 2006)

i used a duplxer, splitter,(i originaly had this when i had an off air antenna on my round 18' dish") in my main room and it works fine, depending on what your recording. you can record one show and watch another ch but sometimes it says searching on certain channels because its not supposto be split.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

smigs said:


> Yeah, that is what I am doing now and trying to avoid if I can. There are sometimes I would like to record two shows (usually primetime stuff) that it is useful. If this is the only way to do it, then that will be fine.  Just looking for other options.
> 
> Thanks,
> smigs


The only thing I can think of which would work is "stacking". DirecTV supposedly will have a Frequency Translation Module which will do this, but the availability of this hasn't yet been announced, so it may be a while. There are third-party devices which also do this, but they are probably not cheap. Here is a source, but it sounds like they may only work with single LNB systems:

http://www.sonoradesign.com/dtvsystems.html

An A/B switch would be cheaper!


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## premio (Sep 26, 2006)

smigs said:


> Hello all,
> People jumping up and down saying you cannot split a satellite signal, hear me out first!  I have a 3 LNB dish with 4 lines. I have 2 running to one bedroom for one tivo and 2 running to the living room for another tivo. I recently bought an HD reveiver that I will only use to watch HD events. I know it possible to get a 4x8 multiswitch to hook these up, but I live in a rented house and cannot run another line (landlord says professional install only ). Is there any way to split this signal so I do not have to swich the cable from one receiver to another. Perhaps even an A/B switch would work? I know that there are "satellite spliters" but from what I was reading, there are things you have to take into account like which channels you are watching, polarity, and that kind of stuff. Anyone have any ideas how to do this. If possible, links to products or model numbers would be great!
> 
> Thanks for the help,
> smigs


Just Try it =)

You can split the signal if you don't mind both tv's forced to watch the same LNB information. If you are not using the TiVO, it seems the H20 would be sending the change signal and all would be well.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

If both are connected to the same feeds, you might need to totally unpower the unit that is not being used. Otherwise it is still sending voltage and tone for applicable channels that it's tuners are set to. Problem with doing this is that when you do want to use the device, you will have to wait for the full startup.

Using an A/B switch will toggle the dc voltage okay, but most A/B switches won't effectively switch all the rf frequencies. That probably won't matter as long as the dc isn't going through. Most A/B switches should effectively switch (or block) the 22KHz tone. So this might be an option to consider. Again, the receiver not connected is going to complain (give error messages) and won't have current guide data, etc., so when you do switch it back you may have to either wait for awhile, or do a reset, to get it up to date.

Carl


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## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

Sonora has a new, more agile stacker that can take any one of the four L-band spectrums, boost it by 700Mhz so that it can travel down the same coax as the standard L-band spectrum, and then be downshifted. It sells for about $280, but if your apartment house has a community antenna, you will not be able to use this. It requires access to two ports of a so-called "phase 3" antenna.


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