# HD-DVR dual tuner-pros/cons



## lcangler (Oct 8, 2007)

Just when I think I understand how the 722 works, I confuse myself. What is the advantages of a dual tuner device? over say two separate receivers. Does D* have these? If I have the HD running to TV1 and SD to TV2 and an OTA signal to both TVs, can I watch different Dish programming on each TV? How do you change the dish programming on each TV with only one receiver on say TV2 that is far from the receiver? Can I watch different OTA channels on each TV? Makes my head hurt.


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## Taco Lover (Jan 8, 2007)

A dula tuner HDTV receiver like the 622 or 722 uses two tuners to view and record satellite signals. A 3rd tuner can view/record OTA signals. The receiver has 2 HD outputs-1 HDMI and 1 component. The TV2 output is sent via an RF modulator, or you can use composite cables.



lcangler said:


> If I have the HD running to TV1 and SD to TV2 and an OTA signal to both TVs, can I watch different Dish programming on each TV?


I'm not so sure you can have OTA on TV2, unless you split the incoming OTA signal and control it using the TV's remote. The receiver doesn't allow OTA to go to TV2.

If you have the receiver in Single Mode, the same programming will be shown on both TV1 and TV2. If you're receiver is set in Dual Mode, separate programming can be viewed at the same time. If the receiver is using both tuners to record, your only option (on TV2) is to view what is being recorded or a past recording. You can still view OTA on TV1.



lcangler said:


> How do you change the dish programming on each TV with only one receiver on say TV2 that is far from the receiver?


The receiver comes with 2 remotes-1 is infrared, meant for TV1, and the other, for TV2, uses radio frequency to control the receiver. Meaning your TV2 can be on the other side of the house and still control what is on, either live or recorded.



lcangler said:


> Can I watch different OTA channels on each TV? Makes my head hurt.


See above.

I hope I covered everything.

Welcome to the forum!


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## GrayCalx (Sep 29, 2006)

Taco seemed to cover a lot, but I wanted to throw out my opinion of what the advantage is, for me.

With two tv's hooked up to the same dual-tuner receiver each TV can access videos on the DVR. For example then I have my 622 in my family room, hooked up to my main tv, with the secondary output going to my bedroom. So the wife and I will start watching a program on the main tv only we'll get tired and want to go to bed. We'll stop it, go upstairs and climb into bed, and resume the program up there. Fantasic and very easy.

The other part I like, is when its set to dual mode, and you choose to record something your currently watching (say you had to leave the house for something) it gives you the option of which tuner to record to. So if my wife wasn't leaving but wanted to watch something in HD, I could set it to record using the second tuner and her viewing would be uninterrupted. And no matter which tuner you use to record if the signal is in HD, it will record in HD.

Its a fantastic receiver, best on the market right now in my opinion. I was a bit overwhelmed when i was researching it too, but once its set up and ready to use its all very intuitive.

Good luck.


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## jgurley (Feb 1, 2005)

> What is the advantages of a dual tuner device? over say two separate receivers.


1. All recorded programs are available to either tuner. Regardless of which tuner I use to record on, I can watch from any TV.
2. I can record using one tuner and watch another channel using the other tuner.
3. Picture in picture with 2 tuners
4. There must be some others, but these are what came to mind


> Does D* have these?


I think so, but any recorded programs must be watched from that TV. Each receiver works independent of the other(s) (am I right about this?)


> If I have the HD running to TV1 and SD to TV2 and an OTA signal to both TVs, can I watch different Dish programming on each TV?


Almost. You can watch different programs on TV1 and TV2. OTA is only available for direct view to TV1, but if you record using the OTA tuner, that recording is available to TV2.


> How do you change the dish programming on each TV with only one receiver on say TV2 that is far from the receiver?


The remote used for TV2 is an RF remote (like a garage door opener) so it and "see" the VIP receiver even though it's most likely in another part of you house.


> Can I watch different OTA channels on each TV?


 OTA is available live to TV1. However, if recorded its available to all TVs.


> Makes my head hurt.


When you see how the VIP works, most headaches disappear.

I've had my vip622 for almost a year and still think its magic. For example, yesterday afternoon I was in the den recording one football game using the OTA tuner, recording another game on tuner 2, and watching Law and Order on TV1 tuner. My wife was upstairs watching a previously recorded HGTV. Magic.


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## Taco Lover (Jan 8, 2007)

jgurley said:


> 3. Picture in picture with 2 tuners


PIP only works when receiver is in Single Mode, not Dual.


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## lcangler (Oct 8, 2007)

That's a lot of good stuff it can do. Thanks. It seems like if TV2 has its own tuner you could split your OTA signal and go directly to the TV2 so you could have an independent viewing from TV1 but controlled with the TV remote. Has anyone done this? Also does the dual tuner device require less wiring back to the Sat dish than two separate receivers would? I thought I was ready to pull the trigger and switch to Dish, but I keep hesitating. I hate change, but it seems to cost less to switch with these big sat operators than for them to keep you as a customer.


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## Taco Lover (Jan 8, 2007)

lcangler said:


> Also does the dual tuner device require less wiring back to the Sat dish than two separate receivers would? I thought I was ready to pull the trigger and switch to Dish, but I keep hesitating. I hate change, but it seems to cost less to switch with these big sat operators than for them to keep you as a customer.


If you order a 622/722, you'll most likely get a dish that has DPP, which means the sat signals are diplexed into one cable, then diplexed out again into the 2 tuners on the back of the receiver. One cable.


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## jkane (Oct 12, 2007)

Taco Lover said:


> PIP only works when receiver is in Single Mode, not Dual.


Unless you use the HDMI or Componant cables for your picture, and connect the RF out cable also to your main TV letting you put channel 60 (or whatever you set it to) in the PIP screen. :grin:


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## tafische (Jan 30, 2004)

Still just a little confused, can someone please clarify?

If I am in SINGLE mode and watching OTA HD on TV1, what will I see on TV2?


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## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

tafische said:


> Still just a little confused, can someone please clarify?
> 
> If I am in SINGLE mode and watching OTA HD on TV1, what will I see on TV2?


Same thing as tv1.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Shared view must be enabled.


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## tafische (Jan 30, 2004)

Ok. Not to belabor a point - I am slow tonight.

Let me make sure I am perfectly clear then. This is actually a make or break deal for me. If it works like I have below, I am gold.

*Single Mode - Shared View*

- When watching OTA both TV1 and TV2 will show the same OTA picture
- The OTA signal can be paused or recorded that is going to TV1 and TV2

*Dual Mode*

- Only TV1 can watch OTA Live.
- Both TV1 and TV2 can watch recorded OTA programs

Correct?


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## BopMan (Nov 23, 2007)

tafische said:


> Ok. Not to belabor a point - I am slow tonight.
> 
> Let me make sure I am perfectly clear then. This is actually a make or break deal for me. If it works like I have below, I am gold.
> 
> ...


I have gone back and forth between E* & D* for the last three weeks. This morning I was ready to upgrade my current E* stuff with a 722 & 222 but now I don't know. Based on what I've read, I can not watch OTA and record OTA at the same time with the 722. I like the TV1/TV2 feature from E* but D*s HR20 can watch/record OTA at the same time. I like the cost of the E* at $120 for both the 722 & 222 vs. D*s cost but watching & recording OTA is more important. Am I wrong in my evaluation of 722 OTA capabilities?


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

Be careful with D* - if you are in an area with local HD provided by satellite, they will send you an HR21 with no OTA capability.


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## wje (Mar 8, 2006)

You can watch and record OTA, as long as you're recording what you're watching.

There's only one OTA tuner, plus two satellite tuners in the 622/722. So you can record and watch in any combination that uses no more than three tuners at once, one OTA and two satellite.

In theory, you can be recording two different sat chans, one OTA chan, and watching a previous recording, all at one time.

The HR20 has only two tuners, either one of which can be satellite or OTA, but not both at the same time. So, from that standpoint you can record one OTA and view another OTA, but again, only two (instead of three) combinations at once.

As someone else just pointed out, the new D* HR21 has absolutely no OTA capability, which for me would be a complete dealbreaker; neither D* nor E* carry my PBS locals in HD.

As for single vs dual mode, I only use single mode. I much prefer the additional capabilities that you get in single mode over the ability to have an approximation of two DVRs. Again, in single mode, TV2 out is still active, but it mirrors TV1. On the other hand, HD is anamorphically squeezed on TV2 when in single mode, so you'll get correct HD aspect on TV2 if it's 16:9 capable. Note that it's not true HD, though; it's still 4:3 NTSC video.

Hope this helps.


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## ewhite (Jun 12, 2007)

One thing that has not been mentioned is an extra receiver charge. With Directtv there is a charge for an extra receiver. With the dual tuner VIP722 you can watch different programing in 2 different location. No extra receiver needed.


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## BopMan (Nov 23, 2007)

Thanks for the updates. It sounds like I'm back to looking at D* again and their high cost of the receivers.


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## BopMan (Nov 23, 2007)

Now that I know I can't watch and record OTA at the same time on the 722 I was thinking that I could install the 722 and 222 side by side and use the 722 to record OTA and the 222 to watch live OTA when needed. One drawback is no capability to pause live TV when watching on the 222. Does anyone know if I can combine the TV2 outputs of the 722 and 222 to distribute the signal to my other rooms on one RG6 cable? Does this sound a little weird or something that sounds like a good ideal?


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

tafische said:


> Ok. Not to belabor a point - I am slow tonight.


Got to disagree with you there. It often takes more than a night to understand what you outlined so clearly.

Of course there's still plenty of room for other points of confusion.


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## koji68 (Jun 21, 2004)

BopMan said:


> Now that I know I can't watch and record OTA at the same time on the 722 I was thinking that I could install the 722 and 222 side by side and use the 722 to record OTA and the 222 to watch live OTA when needed. One drawback is no capability to pause live TV when watching on the 222. Does anyone know if I can combine the TV2 outputs of the 722 and 222 to distribute the signal to my other rooms on one RG6 cable? Does this sound a little weird or something that sounds like a good ideal?


I guess you could set the output channel in each box to different channels and then use a combiner. This should work.

http://www.digitalwatchguard.com/securitycameras/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=679&idproduct=2998


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## BopMan (Nov 23, 2007)

koji68 said:


> I guess you could set the output channel in each box to different channels and then use a combiner. This should work.
> 
> http://www.digitalwatchguard.com/securitycameras/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=679&idproduct=2998


Is this just a regular splitter of is it like a diplexer? I also forgot that I'll need to get a HD selector because my TV only has two HD inputs. I'll two for the receivers and one for the DVD. Someone else said that I should stay away from the 222. I need a receiver that has UHF remote capabilities and the 211 doesn't have one. Any ideals?


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## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

BopMan said:


> I have gone back and forth between E* & D* for the last three weeks. This morning I was ready to upgrade my current E* stuff with a 722 & 222 but now I don't know. Based on what I've read, I can not watch OTA and record OTA at the same time with the 722. I like the TV1/TV2 feature from E* but D*s HR20 can watch/record OTA at the same time. I like the cost of the E* at $120 for both the 722 & 222 vs. D*s cost but watching & recording OTA is more important. Am I wrong in my evaluation of 722 OTA capabilities?


Does E* offer Locals in your area? You could record OTA on one tuner and watch Locals on a the other tuner. Or Record OTA, Record 1 tuner and watch on TV on the 3rd tuner( I have had to do this on Thursday's between the Wife's and kids shows, just so I can watch something as they are recording other shows. 
Find companies that will let you play with both recievers and get a feel for the interfaces, D*'s interface is NOT user Friendly at all. Don't discard the single mode, PiP swap, with 1hr of buffer. swapping during the college football season, has almost warn out my Swap button:hurah:


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## BopMan (Nov 23, 2007)

GrumpyBear said:


> Does E* offer Locals in your area? You could record OTA on one tuner and watch Locals on a the other tuner. Or Record OTA, Record 1 tuner and watch on TV on the 3rd tuner( I have had to do this on Thursday's between the Wife's and kids shows, just so I can watch something as they are recording other shows.
> Find companies that will let you play with both recievers and get a feel for the interfaces, D*'s interface is NOT user Friendly at all. Don't discard the single mode, PiP swap, with 1hr of buffer. swapping during the college football season, has almost warn out my Swap button:hurah:


E* does provide the locals but wanted to save on the cost. I haven't seen the interface of the two units but I'll take your word. I'm thinking of running a 722 and 222 into the same tv. Doing this I'll be able to watch and record OTA at the same time. I'm still thinking about this because the 222 has so many issues. So many things to think about. I guess I need to stop thinking so much and just do it.


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## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

Wouldn't paying for the locals cheaper than the 2nd reciever?
I tried going just OTA for a while, but here in SD, Fox Station is along the Border, and drops even with a DB8 Antenna.


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## BopMan (Nov 23, 2007)

I will also use the 222 in my RV. The 222 receiver was going to be in my bedroom/RV but I wanted to be able to record OTA and watch OTA at the same time. Now I'm concerned with the problems with the 222.


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## GatorDave (Aug 28, 2006)

Quick question:

How are you guys connecting the receiver to TV2? I have the 722 and running a cable from the receiver to my 2nd tv isn't really an option. And going through the coax cable outlets doesn't really work either, I guess I have poor wiring.


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## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

wje said:


> In theory, you can be recording two different sat chans, one OTA chan, and watching a previous recording, all at one time.


That's not a theory. Also, in dual mode, the receiver is able to record three HD programs simultaneously and watch a different recorded program on each tuner. That's pretty awesome.


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