# OTA antenna connection over backfeed?



## dean P (Aug 20, 2006)

I'm having a 622 installed today. I need to know, when an antenna is connected to the OTA antenna input on the 622 is that signal is sent along with the backfeed out of the 622?

I know this is short notice and I'm sure I'll figure it out once it's in but just in case someone knows off hand I thought I would ask. I would have searched but I'm trying to get everything ready before the installer gets here.

Thanks


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## dean P (Aug 20, 2006)

Oh well, I guess there is no hurry now. They've rescheduled on me. Looks like I have until next Sunday to figure it out. I'll do a search later but if anyone knows the answer I'd appreciate it.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

Are you asking if the OTA signal is sent out on the home distribution output? If so, the answer is no.


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

We need a clarification as to what you are asking us. Backfeed is not a term that is used here.


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

dean P said:


> I'm having a 622 installed today. I need to know, when an antenna is connected to the OTA antenna input on the 622 is that signal is sent along with the backfeed out of the 622?


The OTA signal goes in and stays in. There is no pass-through for it. The OTA signal is demodulated within the 622. The 622 has two modulators for 75ohm output. From that output all signals received by the 622 are viewable via this output to either and/or TV1 or TV2.


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## dean P (Aug 20, 2006)

ChuckA said:


> Are you asking if the OTA signal is sent out on the home distribution output? If so, the answer is no.


That is what I was asking, thanks.


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## dean P (Aug 20, 2006)

whatchel1 said:


> We need a clarification as to what you are asking us. Backfeed is not a term that is used here.


Backfeed is what dishnetwork calls it in their distribution example. I tried to upload the pdf file but for some reason it crashes my internet connection when I do. I was hoping that I could connect my antenna coax to the 622's antenna input and it would be distributed over the agile modulator backfeed. That way I wouldn't have to insert the antenna signal elsewhere in my existing wiring. It seems like it would have been rather simple for dish to make that possible but maybe not. I already have it inserted just before one of my current receivers so I suppose I'll have to leave it like it is. It would just be nice to connect it once and not have to use additional combiners.

Oh well.

Thanks for the replies.


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## DustynW (Dec 2, 2006)

dean P said:


> Oh well, I guess there is no hurry now. They've rescheduled on me. Looks like I have until next Sunday to figure it out. I'll do a search later but if anyone knows the answer I'd appreciate it.


I hope your experience is better than mine with the installation appointment. Four appointments were a no show, not installed until the 5th appointment.

Dustyn


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

dean P said:


> Backfeed is what dishnetwork calls it in their distribution example. I tried to upload the pdf file but for some reason it crashes my internet connection when I do. I was hoping that I could connect my antenna coax to the 622's antenna input and it would be distributed over the agile modulator backfeed. That way I wouldn't have to insert the antenna signal elsewhere in my existing wiring. It seems like it would have been rather simple for dish to make that possible but maybe not. I already have it inserted just before one of my current receivers so I suppose I'll have to leave it like it is. It would just be nice to connect it once and not have to use additional combiners.
> 
> Oh well.
> 
> Thanks for the replies.


The reason what you want will not work is due to the fact that the 622 has only an ATSC tuner. This means it can't do anything but receive those signals from off air. What you wanted to do would involve having an NTSC as well and then a distribution system for it with in the VIP622.


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## Rob Glasser (Feb 22, 2005)

If you want to join the antenna and the 622 output I'm guessing you could do so with a splitter and a joiner. Basically bring in your antenna feed to the 622, and split it. Take one leg into your 622 and the other leg into a joiner. Then take the 622 output and add it to the joiner then run that one cable to the rest of the house. As long as you don't have any overlapping frequencies you should be fine. You can get a splitter/joiner from Rat Shack pretty cheap. I use one to combine all my Dish receiver outputs into a single cable. As soon as I get another HDTV in the house I'll be adding my antenna feed to that as well.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

whatchel1 said:


> We need a clarification as to what you are asking us. Backfeed is not a term that is used here.


"Backfeed" is a well known term here. It describes the process of using diplexers to send the RF output of the satellite receiver backwards over the incoming satellite cable to be stripped off for use at another location. Backfeeding is popular where there is a central distribution point.

The ATSC and NTSC signals can be combined easily (as long as they don't collide frequency-wise). It isn't a matter of using the ViP622 as a passthrough as the OP was hoping.


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## grooves12 (Oct 27, 2005)

Ok, I think you are asking the wrong question and therefor are getting the wrong answers.

It sounds to me like you want to know if you will be able to VIEW the channels received OTA by the 622 in the 2nd viewing location. The answer to that question is YES, (but they will be downrezzed from HD.)

If you REALLY wanted to know if the original OTA signal was sent out of the 622, which would allow you to install a second OTA tuner at the distribution point and tune channels as you wish, the answer to that question, as others have said, is no.


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## akron05 (Dec 14, 2005)

grooves12 said:


> Ok, I think you are asking the wrong question and therefor are getting the wrong answers.
> 
> It sounds to me like you want to know if you will be able to VIEW the channels received OTA by the 622 in the 2nd viewing location. The answer to that question is YES, (but they will be downrezzed from HD.)
> 
> If you REALLY wanted to know if the original OTA signal was sent out of the 622, which would allow you to install a second OTA tuner at the distribution point and tune channels as you wish, the answer to that question, as others have said, is no.


Actually, I got the impression that the only locals going out on the backfeed are the LiL's if you get them.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

All channels go out on the Home Distribution output except the OTA channels.


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## akron05 (Dec 14, 2005)

ChuckA said:


> All channels go out on the Home Distribution output except the OTA channels.


Why wouldn't the OTA channels go out with the rest? The RF output on the first tuner does. Why would they make it so that it does not on the second?


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

I can't answer that because I don't understand it either. Originally I thought it made some sense because I thought TV1 output always used either tuner 1 or the OTA tuner and TV2 output always used tuner 2. So, I can understand some additional hardware/software being required to connect the OTA tuner to the TV2 output. But, I have since learned that actually the sat tuners can be switched such that TV1 output is using tuner 2 and TV2 output is using tuner 1. Given that, I don't understand why the OTA tuner can't be used by the TV2 output.

I assume they could make it do that, but at this time it does not. Perhaps it has something to do with having to down res the output of the ASTC tuner for TV2.


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## saltrek (Oct 22, 2005)

It is because there is only one OTA tuner, while there are 2 sat tuners. There is no way to send the OTA tuner to both outputs. There would be a conflict if both TV outputs attemted to tune to a different OTA channel.

There are a few ways to view OTA on TV2. All have there drawbacks, but it can be done.

1)In single mode you can tune in OTA, but both TV's will be viewing the same thing. 

2)In dual mode, you can tune TV1 to OTA, then watch that channel on TV2 by tuning TV2 to the tuner 1 channel set on the home distribution (again both TV's will be watching the same thing). 

3)Also In dual mode - go to TV1 and record something on OTA, then go to TV2 and watch that event from the DVR a few seconds behind "live". TV1 will be free to view a sat. channel, if desired. There is no ability to change OTA channels - you are stuck watching the recorded event.


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## ChuckA (Feb 7, 2006)

Sure, any of the ways you can view the TV1 output on TV2 will give you the OTA programming. And I agree there could be conflicts if the single OTA tuner could be switched between the TV1 output and the TV2 output, but it could still be done and the conflicts resolved just like it is necessary in resolving timer conflicts between tuners.


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