# Shared View?



## dandoshan (Jul 15, 2006)

Curious if someone can explain the purpose or usefullness of shared view. Where in single mode you can watch the same program on both TV 1 and TV 2. Of what benefit would this be? What would be the reason or purpose to want to use shared view? Why not just be in dual mode where you can watch the same program on both TV's but also watch separate programs.


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## jclewter79 (Jan 8, 2008)

Well, if you are in single mode you can also watch two separate show on the PIP if you want to. I don't think that their would be too much advantage to watching the same show on both screens of the PIP but, you could if you wanted to, you could also watch two different shows if you wanted to.


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## mcss1985 (Dec 6, 2007)

dandoshan said:


> Curious if someone can explain the purpose or usefullness of shared view. Where in single mode you can watch the same program on both TV 1 and TV 2. Of what benefit would this be? What would be the reason or purpose to want to use shared view? Why not just be in dual mode where you can watch the same program on both TV's but also watch separate programs.


There are many reasons why one would want to use single mode. For example I live by myself and never need to have two different programs on two different TVs so I stay in single mode so when its time to goto bed I pause the HDTV in living room and walk to bedroom and hit play on SDTV and goto sleep. I would image there are numerous other situations where this would be advantageous as well i.e. a married couple who always got bed together (yes this still exists somewhere) or work different shifts and never watch TV at the same time.

But the advantages of single mode are (the ones I could think of off the top of my head and in order of importance IMO):

#1. The ability to dual buffer - meaning you can switch back and forth between two programs while both programs are paused using the swap button.

ex. this is how I watch Sunday football: 
tune to game1(game I'm not really too interested in) - hit pause then swap
tune to game2(game I am interested in) - watch game until commercial then hit pause then hit swap
unpause game1 hit 30sec skip button to skip past all the huddle BS and watch until commercial then hit pause then swap
repeat

it may sound like a lot of steps, but its really not and it works beautifully for shows, sports, or anything with commercials. I really don't ever watch commercials anymore unless my team is playing and I don't want to be behind.

#2 The ability to watch one program while recording another. You can do this in dual mode, but if both TVs are being used, one of the TVs will have to be watching whatever is being recorded or a previously recorded program on DVR(assuming OTAs are not involved).

#3 The ability to move to a different room in the house and never miss anything.

#4 The ability to watch OTA channels on TV2 (not as important to me because I pay for locals, but if one only had locals on OTA, this would be very important).

#5 The ability to use Picture in Picture. I personally rarely ever use this, but some people like it. Its worth a look.

I actually prefer single mode so much that I have cable running to TV2 with a switcher behind TV that I switch to if I have someone over in my bed so I can still watch single mode in living room while she watches cable in bed


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## DishSubLA (Apr 9, 2006)

Shared view is perfect for mom who, as described above, also watches TV in the living room, then goes to bed watching the same signal with all her PIP and 2 tuner benefits. In other words, it allows the exact same experience in room as the other, and that is often desired and even key in some households.

As for me, I have a the 722 in the living room on shared experience so that when I have to move to another room to allow someone else to watch their box, I have an experience that is the very same as if I had that box in the room with me, with all my Single Mode benefits of PIP and more, but I am really watching the TV2 output IN SINGLE MODE

I suppose the best way to think of it is that Shared View is ideal for one user or even a close couple who have no need for a separate TV2 experience and can watch on another TV as if they took the box with them to the bedroom. On the hand, if someone else wants access to the box and you don't want your experience interrupted, than Shared View would not be desired and you would switch to Dual Mode.

I hope we were all able to explain it well enough.


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## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

To sum up, shared view is ideal when you have two sets - but never watch more than one at the same time. 

Typically, you'll have a situation where somebody has a main set that they watch a lot, and a smaller set in a bedroom or something that they don't watch as much. In my case, I watch my main TV in the family room, and then I have a small set in the dining area that I watch the news on while I am eating. 

I keep it in Single mode and use shared view. Now, I have my cake and eat it to. All the nice features of dual-tuners on one set (dual buffering, etc) and I can watch TV on the small set whenever I want. 

I also love that I can start watching something on the little set, and pick up exactly where it was on the big set.


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## HDRoberts (Dec 11, 2007)

Biggest problem with shared view on the VIPs is that TV2 does not give you SD aspect ratio controls, namely center cut and letterbox. You ether watch a "smoushed" picture, or a center cut by stretching. Would be nice if the controls were seperate.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

Just about everything I would have said has already been posted above.

There is one other thing to consider - changing back and forth from shared to dual mode is a cinch, at least on the 622. The button is on the front behind the right panel. This is truely the best of both worlds. I leave mine in single mode 98% of the time to enjoy PIP and dual tuner buffering (I use the dual buffering all the time). Then on the rare occasions where my wife wants to watch something different I switch to dual mode.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

dandoshan said:


> Curious if someone can explain the purpose or usefullness of shared view. Where in single mode you can watch the same program on both TV 1 and TV 2. Of what benefit would this be? What would be the reason or purpose to want to use shared view? Why not just be in dual mode where you can watch the same program on both TV's but also watch separate programs.


I am somewhat confused by the responses that you have received. You asked about *Shared View* and mostly have been given responses that somehow equate *Single Mode* on the one hand and *Shared View* on the other. Indeed how to switch from *Shared View* to *Dual Mode* using a front panel button is even offered.

*Single Mode* is *NOT* the same thing as *Shared View!!!!!*

*Shared View* is available only in *Single Mode* and is selected in *Menu* under *Setup.* It can not be selected with a Front Panel Button!

In *Single Mode* enabling *Shared View* enables the TV2 _output_ to display the same content being viewed on TV1's _output_.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

SaltiDawg said:


> I am somewhat confused by the responses that you have received. You asked about *Shared View* and mostly have been given responses that somehow equate *Single Mode* on the one hand and *Shared View* on the other. Indeed how to switch from *Shared View* to *Dual Mode* using a front panel button is even offered.
> 
> *Single Mode* is *NOT* the same thing as *Shared View!!!!!*
> 
> ...


This is the first time I've seen this explained that I realized what it was. Good clear explanation.


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## n0qcu (Mar 23, 2002)

SaltiDawg said:


> In *Single Mode* enabling *Shared View* enables the TV2 tuner to display the same content being viewed on TV1.


NO. it's enables the TV2 *OUTPUT* to display the same content as being viewed on TV1.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

n0qcu said:


> NO. it's enables the TV2 *OUTPUT* to display the same content as being viewed on TV1.


Certainly. You are correct. There is no such thing as a "TV2 Tuner." I was meaning to say the tuner associated with TV2 at the time.

I'll edit the above post. It doesn't change my meaning, however.

*Bonus question.* Which remote will not function to change *Shared View* in the menu? Why?


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

> Bonus question. Which remote will not function to change Shared View in the menu? Why?


Remote #2, because the viewer of TV-1 is "in control" of the system.

In dual mode you essentially create a "TV-2 tuner" which is shared with the DVR. If only one program is scheduled to be recorded at a time tuner #2 is the default for DVR recording.

BTW: You can set up your system so that there are 2 different RF channel outputs in dual mode (presuming the "shared mode" is activated). This makes it possible for any TV connceted via the NTSC RF cable to tune either the TV-1 or TV-2 tuners. For example my TV-1 output is ch 37 and my TV-2 output is ch 58.

Back to the original question (thaks to SaltiDawg for the clarification) what does shared do: it enables the TV-1 feed to be seen on the RF feed.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

Michael P said:


> Remote #2, because the viewer of TV-1 is "in control" of the system.
> 
> In dual mode you essentially create a "TV-2 tuner" which is shared with the DVR. If only one program is scheduled to be recorded at a time tuner #2 is the default for DVR recording.
> 
> ...


And I think your answer dots the "i's" and serves to clarify my poor wording.  
Thanks.


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## E91 (Oct 7, 2008)

HDRoberts said:


> Biggest problem with shared view on the VIPs is that TV2 does not give you SD aspect ratio controls, namely center cut and letterbox. You ether watch a "smoushed" picture, or a center cut by stretching. Would be nice if the controls were seperate.


I don't have that problem! If you hit the "format" button it gives you access to everything. I leave it in "normal" and it looks great on my SD set.


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## dandoshan (Jul 15, 2006)

Thanks everyone.... but admit I am still confused. Never was good at puzzles and this still seems to puzzle me.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

dandoshan said:


> Thanks everyone.... but admit I am still confused. Never was good at puzzles and this still seems to puzzle me.


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## shadough (Dec 31, 2006)

Perhaps someone could explain what happens when 'shared view' is disabled? Will TV2 see anything?


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## n0qcu (Mar 23, 2002)

shadough said:


> Perhaps someone could explain what happens when 'shared view' is disabled? Will TV2 see anything?


No you won't see anything on TV2 when shared view is disabled.


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## HDRoberts (Dec 11, 2007)

E91 said:


> I don't have that problem! If you hit the "format" button it gives you access to everything. I leave it in "normal" and it looks great on my SD set.


In dual, I get Normal (center cut) and letterbox choices. In single/shared view I get normal (16:9 smoushed on my SD 4:3), stretched (center cut), partial zoom, zoom, and gray bar.


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## JackDobiash (Jul 20, 2005)

As long as you aren't viewing the content on both TV1 and TV2 at the same time, you can get around that format issue by telling your receiver you have a '4x3 #2' TV when you are watching it on TV2, it will then format it properly. Just change it back when watching on TV1 to '16x9'.


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## mcss1985 (Dec 6, 2007)

HDRoberts said:


> Biggest problem with shared view on the VIPs is that TV2 does not give you SD aspect ratio controls, namely center cut and letterbox. You ether watch a "smoushed" picture, or a center cut by stretching. Would be nice if the controls were seperate.


This may be a long shot but I would advise everyone with this problem to check to see of your TV2 has a letterbox option on it. For some strange reason my Toshiba 27" 4:3 SDTV has this (mine says "pic size" on the remote). I have never understood why this was there and I always said it was the most useless function I had ever seen. That is until I got a 722 and then I said it was the best feature of that TV. All it does is squish the top and bottom of the picture and put black bars on the screen to make ignorant people think they are watching something in wide screen. Like I said this is useless unless you have a VIP which stretches the picture up and down on the TV2 so when you push the "pic size" button it unstretches it and puts it back to the way it should be, effectively making your 4:3 TV a 16:9 TV. Works beautifully, just makes the viewing area a little smaller which if you're like me is not a problem because I sit too close to the TV anyway (damn small master bedrooms).

Like I said mine is a Toshiba and I know Sonys had this for a little while, I don't know if anybody else did. Its not the most popular feature in the world, so chances are your TV probably doesn't have it, but its worth a shot checking.


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## HDRoberts (Dec 11, 2007)

mcss1985 said:


> This may be a long shot but I would advise everyone with this problem to check to see of your TV2 has a letterbox option on it.


Not a TV this old


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## JackDobiash (Jul 20, 2005)

As I said, you can change the aspect ratio the receiver thinks your TV is as long as you aren't watching content on both TVs at the same time. It doesn't require any sort of reboot to do and takes only a second to change it.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

SaltiDawg said:


> I am somewhat confused by the responses that you have received. You asked about *Shared View* and mostly have been given responses that somehow equate *Single Mode* on the one hand and *Shared View* on the other. Indeed how to switch from *Shared View* to *Dual Mode* using a front panel button is even offered.
> 
> *Single Mode* is *NOT* the same thing as *Shared View!!!!!*


It confused me too. I think the real question should be "Why would anyone NOT want to use Shared View?"

The answer to that is you are watching something on TV1 that you want to remain private, so someone else in the house (e.g. kids) can't (accidentally or on purpose) see content inappropriate for them to watch.

-Chris


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

When that is the concern, the TV1 modulator should also be shut off.


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## SaltiDawg (Aug 30, 2004)

BobaBird said:


> When that is the concern, the TV1 modulator should also be shut off.


This is not correct.


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## VDP07 (Feb 22, 2006)

As mentioned above, Shared view is the easiest way to disable TV2 viewing. We use it often to limit TV2 viewing by the kids.


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