# How do I get an HD signal to a remote TV?



## lsokoloff (Nov 15, 2006)

My 211 with hard drive is currently directly wired to my main TV and is sending out an SD signal to five other TV's via a Channel Plus distribution system. I am getting a new TV in the bedroom and want to have an HD signal there too. I don't think I want to go with the Hopper/Joey system, so what are my options? I have seen wired systems (two CAT5/6 cables running between the receiver and the remote TV) and I have also seen the wireless systems. Is one better than the others? Is one brand better than others? Is there another option that I'm not thinking of? I'm not interested in moving the receiver nor am I interested in getting another receiver since my 211 is now a DVR and I want to have access to the recordings on it in all six TV locations.

Len


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

FYI, I could be wrong... but I think you can get another 211 and then the EHD you use could be shared between them. You can't share a 211-EHD with another series or vice-versa... but I thought you could have multiple 211 receivers that access/share common EHD content.

But to your actual question... I don't have any experience with the wireless... depending on how long a run of cable is required, though, wired might not even be an option to provide a quality HD signal to the other room.


----------



## lsokoloff (Nov 15, 2006)

Thanks for the reply. The distance for hard wiring between the two would be under 30'. The wireless distance would be about half that and have to go through one Sheetrock wall. I looked in my attic the other day and just don't want to have to squeeze my butt into where I'd have to run wires. I'm leaning to wireless but the user reviews of the various systems are all over the board as to their success. I tend to think that a lot of the negative reviews are due to operator error. 

On your shared 211/EHD suggestion, I assume you are saying that I'd need to physically carry the hard drive between the two. If that's what you meant, I don't want to do that. That would get old very quickly. If you are saying to share it some other way, I'd like to hear that.


----------



## jscudder (Jan 18, 2006)

lsokoloff said:


> I am getting a new TV in the bedroom and want to have an HD signal there too. I don't think I want to go with the Hopper/Joey system, so what are my options?


Another option is to use component cables at the location of your 211 and run a HDMI cable to the bedroom. I did this with my 211 which is downstairs in the family room. A 30' HDMI cable purchased at Monoprice for less than $50 run through the walls and ceiling up to my kitchen and a 'Dish IR to UHF converter' for another $50 and now both rooms have HD and access to the same DVR.

As for sharing of the EHD DVR with two separate 211s on the same account, the only way is by physically moving the EDH. That will also require powering down each receiver in the process, a time consuming ordeal.

John


----------



## lsokoloff (Nov 15, 2006)

Thanks for the reply John. The component ports on my 211 are not being used at the moment. It did cross my mind to use them to get the picture to the TV at the receiver's location thus freeing up the HDMI port. However I thought I heard that using component cables would only give you 480p. Is that true and will the difference be noticeable?

How about an HDMI splitter? Do those things work well? Is there one model that is the go to brand?

Len


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

In my shared-hard-drive scenario, yes you would have to carry it back and forth between rooms... so if that is out, you're back to your decision between running wires between the rooms OR investigating wireless. I haven't had any wireless HD-video experience, so I can't recommend anything there. Obviously that would be the easiest to implement... but I don't know how it costs compared to running cables either.


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

True component (Y-Pr-Pb) is capable of up to 1080i. You will also have to run wires for red/white audio - so you would need a total of 5 wires for a component video / stereo audio solution.

Perhaps you are thinking of COMPOSITE video (single yellow video, red/white audio) as your "component" . That IS limited to 480i, but would require only 3 cables to your secondary TV.

If you really want "da bomb" - consider a Hopper /Joey setup. A single coax to each piece, or maybe even using ethernet between the Hopper to Joey.


----------



## lsokoloff (Nov 15, 2006)

Scooper - thanks for the reply. I considered the Hopper/Joey system, but ruled it out. Please tell me if my thinking here is correct. What I am after is a second HD signal to a new TV I am getting for the bedroom. If I get the Hopper with one Joey, I solve that problem. However, it is my understanding that in order for me to get SD signals to my other four TV's and control the signals the Hopper is sending out, then I would need either a Joey at each location or a new remote at each location. If that is true, then that is an expense that doesn't make sense to me. Right now i am happy with the way everything works - just need/want to get that one additional HD signal. I actually have more flexibility and the ability to record more of what I want to record with the two receivers I have now than what the Hopper would give me.

Len


----------



## shadough (Dec 31, 2006)

Why are there so many threads asking the same question??
please refer to either this thread: http://www.dbstalk.com/topic/200849-is-there-a-way-for-me-to-split-my-hd-signal/#entry3194745

or this one http://www.dbstalk.com/topic/208471-best-way-to-get-hd-to-remote-tv/page-2#entry3194762


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Perhaps the search feature isn't as user friendly as it could be. I find that using a web search engine with a domain qualifier sometimes works better than the forum search engine.

Here's an example of a Google search term that limits its scope to DBSTalk and returns well over 3,000 results (not all of them relevant):

```
site:dbstalk.com split HDMI
```
Sometimes I suspect the TSes just can't think of an appropriate term to describe what they're trying to accomplish.

Other times, they just want to tell their tale of woe.


----------



## lsokoloff (Nov 15, 2006)

I ended up buying this unit - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005L9ZZ32/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My son has it and recommended it. Worked well right out of the box. Tested it on my farthest TV which is about 50 feet away and goes through one wall and the video and sound are just fine. I've only been using it a few days, but so far so good. It does just what I wanted it to do.

Len


----------



## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

> That sucker cost you 30 months of receiver fees for another 211.


----------



## lsokoloff (Nov 15, 2006)

Jim5506 said:


> > That sucker cost you 30 months of receiver fees for another 211.


Yeah, but after 30 months I'll be ahead of the game. 

Actually I wanted to be able still feed my current 211 programming to all the other TV's in the house. Adding another 211 to make this TV independent of the rest of the house is not what I wanted. I wanted to keep my HD signal at its current location and have an HD signal from that 211 at the remote TV. Thought this was my best choice.


----------



## DoyleS (Oct 21, 2002)

Hardware is always an investment. If it solves the problem and you are not crawling through the attic and fishing wires down walls past firebreaks then it sounds like you made a good decision. Let us know if there are any problems with the box.


----------

