# new vip612dvr install and dual tuners



## heathramos (Dec 19, 2005)

my mom just got a vip612 installed and the installer told her that she couldn't record two programs at the same time (according to him, you can't do that with Dish).

so...since I know this isn't true...my question...

can you get both tuners to work with only one coax line in the room?

the dvr would only be controlling one tv


----------



## Rotryrkt (Dec 11, 2004)

heathramos said:


> can you get both tuners to work with only one coax line in the room?


Yes as long as you have both tuners connected via a DPP separator which comes with the box. Hopefully, the installer hooked it up that way. Actually, if you have an OTA antenna hooked up, you can record 3 programs at once and watch something that is already recorded at the same time. If, that is, it doesn't lock up. It probably will if you push it that hard as these things are still pretty buggy. The only thing it won't do that the 622/722 will is PIP. Why, I have no clue since it is a dual tuner box.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

I assumed that the 612 can't do PIP because it only has one video output system.


----------



## ShapeShifter (Apr 21, 2008)

Rotryrkt said:


> Yes as long as you have both tuners connected via a DPP separator which comes with the box. Hopefully, the installer hooked it up that way.


A bit of a clarification: you need the DPP separator, AND you need a DPP dish on the other end of the cable. The dish needs a DPP (Dish Pro Plus) LNB on it to send the signals that the separator understands. If it's a Dish Pro without the "Plus", or an older dish, the separator won't work and you will need two cables running from the dish or switch to the receiver.

And from personal experience, if the receiver is not actually hooked up as above, not only will you not be able to record two shows, you will likely have trouble recording any shows at all. When I first had a 612 in my motorhome with only a single cable from the rooftop dome hooked up to tuner 1, and the tuner 2 input was not connected. I could watch live TV just fine, but when I tried to record something, it was automatically scheduled for tuner 2, and that didn't work because nothing was attached to tuner 2! My work around at the time was to schedule something I didn't care about first, so tuner 2 would be occupied with a throw-away recording, and _then_ schedule what I really wanted to record so it got recorded on tuner 1.

That was a major hassle, so I hope the installer did yours right and both tuners actually are hooked up. But since he said only one show at a time can be recorded, I have a scary feeling that only one tuner is hooked up. I hope I'm wrong.


----------



## heathramos (Dec 19, 2005)

my mom said there was something connected to both tuners so I had my mom test it and she said that she could record a show while watching something else.

Looks like the installer and the dish people just didn't know what they were talking about


----------



## ShapeShifter (Apr 21, 2008)

heathramos said:


> my mom said there was something connected to both tuners so I had my mom test it and she said that she could record a show while watching something else.


Cool! Sounds like she's all set! :righton:



> Looks like the installer and the dish people just didn't know what they were talking about


Yeah. Scary sometimes, isn't it? :shrug:

That can be a problem with something as complex as this. You ask 5 different people the same question... and you get 7 different answers!


----------



## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

heathramos said:


> Looks like the installer and the dish people just didn't know what they were talking about


Remeber the installer is just a contractor, he/she maybe more familiar with or prefer's a different carrier, and doesn't know all the REAL features, of all systems.


----------



## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

GrumpyBear said:


> Remeber the installer is just a contractor, he/she maybe more familiar with or prefer's a different carrier, and doesn't know all the REAL features, of all systems.


And this is an excuse for poor performance? If he's gonna cash a pay check, he or she should earn it.


----------



## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Don't think GrumpyBear was providing an excuse but was merely pointing out the condition of the environment. Definitely agree Salti that if they are providing the service they should have a basic understanding of what they are installing, but based on numerous threads I have read it does not always seem to be the case.


----------



## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

SaltiDawg said:


> And this is an excuse for poor performance. If he's gonna cash a pay check, he or she should earn it.


Excuse no, but contractors are just that, contractor's, and the issues could have been solved with a call to dish tech support, not dish sales.

Some contractors are well educated, but make more money by selling one service over another. 
So a claim that it can't be done, can lead to question, who can do it. 
Send back equipment and leads to a sale they make money on.


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

GrumpyBear said:


> Excuse no, but contractors are just that, contractor's, and the issues could have been solved with a call to dish tech support, not dish sales.
> 
> Some contractors are well educated, but make more money by selling one service over another.
> So a claim that it can't be done, can lead to question, who can do it.
> Send back equipment and leads to a sale they make money on.


Wow, that sounds almost.....unethical.


----------



## heathramos (Dec 19, 2005)

GrumpyBear said:


> Excuse no, but contractors are just that, contractor's, and the issues could have been solved with a call to dish tech support, not dish sales.


FTR...

My mom talked to the installer, two dish network sales people and someone from dish tech support. All 4 claimed this receiver couldn't record two programs at the same time.

Kind of funny since it states that it can right on the box as well as on their website


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

And that's why you joined DBSTalk.com.


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

ShapeShifter said:


> If it's a Dish Pro without the "Plus", or an older dish, the separator won't work and you will need two cables running from the dish or switch to the receiver.


You actually can use regular DP LNBs (*dp* logo) with an external DPP switch, DPP44 or DPP33. Legacy LNBs (no *dp* or DPPlus logo) may not be used with any DP or DPP switch.


----------



## reddice (Feb 18, 2003)

I have both of my 612 tuners hooked up to two DP34 Switches. It is because my family has three other single tuner receivers, 510's hooked up to the other ports.


----------



## CeeWoo (Dec 1, 2008)

I had a 612 installed yesterday (with Dish 1000). In 'playing around' I had no problems recording 2 channels at a time. The only exception to this I found, is that I can only record 1 OTA channel at a time. In fact, when recording an OTA I'm unable to watch another OTA, but I can watch or record any nonAntenna channel at the same time as recording the first over the air station. Now doesn't that sound 'clear as mud'? - sorry

Also-off the topic a bit-I found that I need an antenna signal strength of at least 65 or the pict is jerky.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

CeeWoo said:


> I had a 612 installed yesterday (with Dish 1000). In 'playing around' I had no problems recording 2 channels at a time. The only exception to this I found, is that I can only record 1 OTA channel at a time. In fact, when recording an OTA I'm unable to watch another OTA, but I can watch or record any nonAntenna channel at the same time as recording the first over the air station. Now doesn't that sound 'clear as mud'? - sorry


Actually, that's quite clear. No apology necessary.

You have 3 receivers in the box - two satellite, one OTA. All three can record at the same time. But any receiver tied up with the task of recording is not available for watching something else. Hence, you can either watch or record one OTA program. You can watch one satellite channel live while another is recording even when the OTA is recording also. And you can record on all three and still watch a previously recorded program.


----------



## CeeWoo (Dec 1, 2008)

phrelin said:


> Actually, that's quite clear. No apology necessary.
> 
> You have 3 receivers in the box - two satellite, one OTA.


Well that's it! I thought it was 2 tuners in the box and the OTA somehow was funneled into one of them. Thanks!!!

BTW-I like your siggy! I was telling one of my kids yesterday about the 'old days of tv'. We had 3 stations and when we changed channels we would sometimes have to go outside and turn the rooftop antenna mast to get a signal


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

CeeWoo said:


> Well that's it! I thought it was 2 tuners in the box and the OTA somehow was funneled into one of them. Thanks!!!
> 
> BTW-I like your siggy! I was telling one of my kids yesterday about the 'old days of tv'. We had 3 stations and when we changed channels we would sometimes have to go outside and turn the rooftop antenna mast to get a signal


Yes. The big improvement day in our house was when we added a "rotor" with a nifty dial that turned the antenna.


----------

