# Newbie Asking Very Stupid Question



## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

Hi All,

I've read around here and looked at some threads and I still am not sure of what I need to do. 

I am going to add an LCD or plasma to my bedroom. I have a cable outlet in there (dish) but I do not have a receiver. 

I'm also going to purchase a plasma for my living room so I was looking at the new receivers this evening and I see that you can run two tv's with the ViP622.

My bedroom is approximately 50 feet or so from where the TV in the living room will be.

I'm not familiar with some of the TV technical terms so I honestly need it explained like you're talking to someone who is dumb.

I'm very tech savvy and internet savvy but am not sure when it comes to the TV business. 

I also like the idea of doing this so I don't have a receiver and all hanging on the wall in my bedroom. 

So I must ask, what kind of cable will need to be run to get the one in my bedroom to work? Do I need 1 cable for sound and then another for the picture? Can they hook it up somehow to the cable outlet in my bedroom? 

I feel stupid for asking like this, but am a bit confused. I'm about to buy the TV's and all so I want to get my ducks lined up in a row first.

Thank you,
Gene


----------



## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

ls7dude said:


> Hi All,
> I've read around here and looked at some threads and I still am not sure of what I need to do.
> I am going to add an LCD or plasma to my bedroom. I have a cable outlet in there (dish) but I do not have a receiver.
> I'm also going to purchase a plasma for my living room so I was looking at the new receivers this evening and I see that you can run two tv's with the ViP622.
> ...


Gene,
If you use a 622, all you need is one piece of RG6 coax for picture and for sound, but the bedroom TV will only receive standard definition (SD) programming. Your living room TV (where the 622 is located) will receive high definition (HD) programming.
If you, or the installer can locate where the outlet in your bedroom "goes to," then it can be routed to the 622.


----------



## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

kdg454 said:


> Gene,
> If you use a 622, all you need is one piece of RG6 coax for picture and for sound, but the bedroom TV will only receive standard definition (SD) programming. Your living room TV (where the 622 is located) will receive high definition (HD) programming.
> If you, or the installer can locate where the outlet in your bedroom "goes to," then it can be routed to the 622.


Ok, that doesn't sound bad at all.

Here is a bit of background or more info....

I built a new house a couple of years ago. All cable outlets in the house were routed to a piece of conduit on the outside of the house. The dish guy came out and all he had to do was hook the satellite up to those wires for the boxes in the house.

Maybe he can tie into that for my install? Or, maybe he can run the RG6 wire? Do they do that? It would be fairly easy as the ceiling above my living room and family room and all is easy accessible.

This sounds like it won't be a disaster at all and fairly easy?

Thank you for your help. 
Gene


----------



## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

ls7dude said:


> Ok, that doesn't sound bad at all.
> 
> Here is a bit of background or more info....
> 
> ...


Gene,
Running the coax from the 622 (living room) to the TV2 (bedroom) is included in the installation of the 622. Yes, he/she will do it, it is part of the install. You're "buying" a receiver for 2 TV's...the installer must connect it to 2 TV's.
The installer will either run a new coax, or use the existing ones in your conduit, whichever is better suited for the install.


----------



## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

Personally If I was buying 2 new TVs I would want HD on both.

Option 1:
1 VIP622 and 1 VIP211
Put the 211 in a stratigic location out of site and run Component Video and Audio to the bedroom TV and possiblibly an IR repeater to get the commands back to the 211.


Option 2:

Get one 622 and a Component video splitter. Run Component Video and Audio to the main area TV and Bedrrom TV. Only drawback would be Living Room and Bedroom would have to watch the same thing but both would have Picture in Picture.

If 3 RG6s for component video and 2 for analog audio isn't an option it could all be done over 3 cat 5 cables.
Use one Cat5 with component video balens.
Use the 2nd cat5 for analog video balens.
If the TV has Digital audio input you could use one cat5 for component video and digital audio.
The third cat5 would be for an IR repeater.


----------



## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

ssmith10pn said:


> Get one 622 and a Component video splitter. Run Component Video and Audio to the main area TV and Bedrrom TV. Only drawback would be Living Room and Bedroom would have to watch the same thing but both would have Picture in Picture.


Both component and HDMI are hot simultaneously on the 622...regardless of what the OM says...they are. I've used them, and know others who currently use them both regularly. Still, the same output, but avoids the need/cost of a splitter.
50' of component-5 is not very expensive to buy online....$20 bucks.
LINK


----------



## lujan (Feb 10, 2004)

ssmith10pn said:


> ...
> 
> Option 2:
> 
> ...


There are many options. I myself bought an HDMI splitter and use HDMI for both the living room and the bedroom. The bedroom is on the other side of the wall of the living room so the HDMI cable is not long. I've heard that there may be issues if you have long HDMI cable runs. I live alone so it doesn't matter that both TV's have to watch the same program. I also have the TV2 hooked up to the bedroom TV via RCA cables in the event company comes so that I can easily switch it to dual mode.


----------



## DishTim (Feb 6, 2006)

ssmith10pn said:


> Personally If I was buying 2 new TVs I would want HD on both.
> 
> Option 1:
> 1 VIP622 and 1 VIP211
> ...


I currently have 2 VIP 622's...How much would the materials cost to run a line about 20 feet downstairs to my other HD set. I'm guessing I would need a splitter and wiring. Or would it be cheaper to just pay for the second 622?

Will Dish let me return one of my 622's


----------



## lujan (Feb 10, 2004)

I don't know how much the monthly rate increases when you have a second 622? Also, what did you pay for buying/leasing the second 622?

If it is leased, then I don't see why E* would not let you return the second 622. The cost of HDMI splitters have come down quite a bit since I bought mine last April/May.


----------



## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

DishTim said:


> I currently have 2 VIP 622's...How much would the materials cost to run a line about 20 feet downstairs to my other HD set. I'm guessing I would need a splitter and wiring. Or would it be cheaper to just pay for the second 622?
> 
> Will Dish let me return one of my 622's


Follow my link above.....a 25' piece of component-5 should run you about 15 bucks. If you can use HDMI (if your TV has it) upstairs, and component downstairs there's no need for a splitter.
Unless you have the Plat package, the 2nd 622 is costing you $11.00/month.


----------



## DishTim (Feb 6, 2006)

kdg454 said:


> Follow my link above.....a 25' piece of component-5 should run you about 15 bucks. If you can use HDMI (if your TV has it) upstairs, and component downstairs there's no need for a splitter.
> Unless you have the Plat package, the 2nd 622 is costing you $11.00/month.


Thanks for the feedback...Both TV's have component only...What will a splitter run and where can I get one?...Also any loss in picture quality?


----------



## ssmith10pn (Jul 6, 2005)

Here is the cheapest way.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=2899

Here's another from Rat Shack for 69.00

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...=2032057&kw=component+video&parentPage=search

Use Standard RG6 with Compression RCA ends.


----------



## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

DishTim said:


> Thanks for the feedback...Both TV's have component only...What will a splitter run and where can I get one?...Also any loss in picture quality?


Should not suffer any discernible loss of PQ at 20'.
Either of those splitters SS posted should work just fine. The second one will feed the audio also.


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

kdg454 said:


> If you use a 622, all you need is one piece of RG6 coax for picture and for sound, but the bedroom TV will only receive standard definition (SD) programming.


TV2 will also receive HD programming but it will be downconverted to SD.


----------



## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

kdg454 said:


> Gene,
> Running the coax from the 622 (living room) to the TV2 (bedroom) is included in the installation of the 622. Yes, he/she will do it, it is part of the install. You're "buying" a receiver for 2 TV's...the installer must connect it to 2 TV's.
> The installer will either run a new coax, or use the existing ones in your conduit, whichever is better suited for the install.


Well thank you very much for your input. Now it looks like I need to spend some money to get the TV's and the receiver! You've been very helpful.

Thanks,
Gene


----------



## Larry Caldwell (Apr 4, 2005)

ls7dude said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I've read around here and looked at some threads and I still am not sure of what I need to do.
> 
> ...


I set up a home theater system in the living room, with an HD projector and electric screen. The really nice thing about that setup is that the screen retracts into the ceiling and the living room turns back into a living room when we are not watching TV. The projector sits in a box on the ceiling (with vents) and is about the size of a light fixture. I use the second output on the 622 for an external video capture box connected to a laptop, and archive really good shows to DVD. The down side is that the living room has to be dark to watch TV.

In the bedroom, we have a conventional TV with a 311 receiver. The old stereo (original Dolby Surround) lives in the bedroom too, so we have a small screen and really good sound. I'm planning to do the same thing you are planning with the LCD hung on the wall, but will just upgrade the 311 to a 211. That will give us HD in the bedroom. I figure an LCD without the HD receiver is a waste of money. Since I'm already subscribing to HD programming, there won't be any extra programming costs. There is also a coax and stereo line circuit between the living room and bedroom, so it's easy to watch and listen to whatever is recorded on the 622, albeit in SD.

The old VCR lives in the bedroom, since watching VHS on a large screen is really disgusting. Get a small stereo cabinet to hold the receiver, sound system, and any other electronics you need. I tuck the subwoofer behind the bedroom door and the receiver cabinet next to a tall armoir. It looks like a small night stand.


----------



## westernamerican (Dec 14, 2006)

LCDs are more reliable and much cheaper!


----------



## Rob Glasser (Feb 22, 2005)

westernamerican said:


> LCDs are more reliable and much cheaper!


That's one opinion. I have found that good name brand plasmas and LCDs of the same size are pretty similar in price. Yes, you can find more offbrand LCDs that are cheaper but my experience has been you get what you pay for.

As far as reliability, again that is very subjective, I don't know of any industry numbers that support this claim. If you have some reports that back this up I'd be curious to see that.


----------



## Larry Caldwell (Apr 4, 2005)

Rob Glasser said:


> That's one opinion. I have found that good name brand plasmas and LCDs of the same size are pretty similar in price. Yes, you can find more offbrand LCDs that are cheaper but my experience has been you get what you pay for.


Plasma manufacturers have a lot of trouble packing 1920x1080 pixels into anything smaller than about a 50" screen. Check the specs and you will find that most of the smaller plasmas are 1280x720. LCD screens don't have that problem and run cooler, so for a small screen the LCD is probably a better bet.

I hear that plasma reliability has really come up, but the colors do shift over time. For longevity, the LCD gets the nod.

For very large direct view screens, plasma is really the only game in town. Both DLP and LCD projection systems can give very good large screen results, if you can live with front or rear projection.


----------

